Julian Kawalec

Julian Kawalec (born October 11, 1916 in Wrzawy, died September 30, 2014 in Kraków) was a Polish prose writer, publicist and poet, and member of the National Council of Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth.

Biography He was born in the village of Wrzawy near Sandomierz. He was the son of Józef and Stanisława née Bobek – smallholders. After completing five grades of a village primary school, he began studying at an eight-grade Humanities Gymnasium in Sandomierz. This was possible thanks to the enormous effort of his parents and the so-called poverty certificate, which entitled him to discounts on tuition fees.

In 1935, after passing his high school leaving exams, he began studying Polish at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. During his studies, he supported himself by giving private lessons in Latin and German. He became involved in the folk movement. He was a member of the Polish Academic People's Youth - PAML. In 1938, he was a member of the board of this organization.

The war forced him to interrupt his studies. During the occupation, he stayed in his hometown. He collaborated with the resistance movement and organized secret education. Wanted by the Gestapo, he had to go into hiding.

After the liberation of the areas east of the Vistula, in the autumn of 1944 he was sent by his colleagues from the "Wieś" organization to work at the Polish Press Agency "Pol-Pres" in Lublin, where he served as a war correspondent.

He died on September 30, 2014. He was buried at the Rakowicki Military Cemetery at Prandoty Street in Kraków (section 7 WOJ-płd-11).