Włodzimierz Borodziej | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 12 July 2021 | (aged 64)
Nationality | Polish |
Education | Warsaw University |
Occupation(s) | Political analyst, academic, historian |
Known for | historical research on the World War II, especially the Warsaw Uprising |
Włodzimierz Borodziej (9 September 1956 – 12 July 2021 [1]) was a Polish historian and writer specializing in contemporary European history with particular focus on Polish-German relations. Borodziej was a professor of humanistic sciences, and former prorector of the Warsaw University. He was the Polish-side Chairman of German-Polish Textbook Commission from 1997 to 2007.
Born in Warsaw, Włodzimierz Borodziej was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Wiktor Borodziej (1929–2004) from the former Polish secret police Służba Bezpieczeństwa who reportedly helped his son acquire German high school education in Berlin and in Vienna while serving abroad. [2] Discussion of his father and his involvement with the secret operation Żelazo (Iron) against political targets in Western Europe, [3] has caused some controversy in Polish academia, as some commentators see it as irrelevant, and an attempt to discredit his son's work due to family background. [3]
Włodzimierz Borodziej graduated with a master's degree from the Warsaw University in 1979. In 1984 Borodziej received a title of Doctor of Philosophy from his own alma mater, followed by habilitation earned in 1991 for his scientific treatise Poland in international relations between 1945 and 1947 (Polska w stosunkach międzynarodowych 1945-1947). In 2004 he received the title of professor of humanistic sciences at Warsaw University, where in 1999–2002 Borodziej served as prorector (deputy to university's rector). [4] [5] In 2020, he was awarded the Carl von Ossietzky Prize (Carl-Ossietzky-Preis) conferred by the German city of Oldenburg for his work on the Polish-German history in the 20th century. [6]
Borodziej was the author of The Warsaw Uprising of 1944 published in Polish, German and English. In his book he paints a complex picture of the everyday life in the embattled city, describes the Home Army operations, as well as supply situation and medical challenges in the capital. [7]
He was also a leading figure in the establishment of the House of European History which opened in Brussels, Belgium in 2017.