454:, was planned but remained unpublished when, in the winter of 1937–38 they moved to Paris: "I just knew I had to be in Paris." Themerson said. Here they found a circle of artists and writers, many Polish, among whom to live and move. Themerson wrote for various Polish publications in Paris; Franciszka started to paint, and illustrated children's books for Flammarion. They planned to stay there, but – as for most of their generation – the outbreak of World War II changed their lives. With the declaration of war in 1939, the Themersons both enlisted, Stefan joined the
135:
25:
773:, 'On Stefan Themerson' in Comparative Criticism, Volume 12: Representations of Self, 1990, pp 223ff. This edition includes first publication of Themerson's autobiographical fragments 'On Fathers, Wet Nurses and Wars' (dictated to Wadley July–August 1988), and a first bibliography of Themerson's written oeuvre, compiled by Wadley.
287:. In 1918 they returned to Płock, in an independent Poland, where Stefan attended the Władysław Jagiełło Gymnasium. During this time he first showed an interest in photography and also built a radio receiver. Stefan's older brother, Roman, also qualified as a doctor, but died of spinal tuberculosis in 1929.
541:, and then was sent to join the film unit of the Polish Ministry of Information and Documentation in London. There he and Franciszka, commissioned by the Polish Ministry of Information and Documentation, made two further short films,
330:
During these years the
Themersons lived and worked in Warsaw. Stefan contributed articles to various periodicals and prose and verse to school textbooks and wrote at least ten books for children which Franciszka illustrated.
450:, Stefan as editor, Franciszka as artistic editor (the journal of the film-makers' co-operative). Two issues were published, one on the French avant-garde, one on recent English film. A third issue, on the Polish
486:. There, in June, the regiment was disbanded, the officers abandoning their men and the men dispersing where they could. Themerson travelled inside France, first returning (on foot) to occupied Paris, then on to
712:, at Themerson's invitation. They maintain the press's archive as well. It was through this Dutch connection that some of his novels gained recognition in the English-reading world; in 1985, Dutch publisher
482:
In 1940 Themerson volunteered for a Polish infantry regiment in France, just in time for the German invasion and the Allies' collapse. His memory was of marching day and night in the summer heat to
407:
were remade by Bruce
Checefsky from descriptions of them when they first appeared, stills and storyboards. In 1983 Stefan, now living in London, made a reconstruction of the film with the
854:
Dempsey, Anna; Matteson, Benjamin; Karimi, Pamela (2011). "Reactivating the "Lost" Treasures of the
European Avant-garde: A Conversation with Artist and Filmmaker Bruce Checefsky".
318:. His first published piece of writing was also in 1928. He never formally left his studies but gradually withdrew to follow his other interests. Themerson met the art student
1130:
1185:
267:
His father, Mieczysław
Themerson, was a physician, social reformer and aspiring writer (some of his work was published). His mother was Ludwika Smulewicz. During the
840:
1201:
732:
446:
and other experimental artists and arranged first screenings of French and
English avant-garde films on their return to Warsaw. They also founded a review
506:. Meanwhile, he spent time in refugee camps, worked as a farm labourer, and spent nearly two years in a Polish Red Cross hostel, the Hôtel de la Poste in
411:. An incomplete copy of the original film was found in an archive in Berlin in 2019. Following restitution to the Themerson Estate, it was donated to the
779:
Jan
Kubasiewicz and Monica Strauss (ed), 'The Themersons and the Gaberbocchus Press' , exhibition catalogue, MJS Books, N.Y.(October 1993 – January 1994)
1257:
1174:
1165:
1153:
909:
669:
1125:
1262:
1252:
890:
700:
in the
Netherlands, under the title "The Chair of Decency". He died in London a few weeks after the death of his wife, in September 1988.
1009:
1237:
579:, who became a close friend until Schwitters' death in 1948. At about the same time he met others who remained close, including
1170:
89:
522:). Much of their sporadic correspondence from the years 1940–1942 concerned attempts to engineer Stefan's escape from France.
61:
1247:
776:
Ilona
Halberstadt (ed), Close-Up: The Art of Franciszka & Stefan Themerson , PIX no.1 (1993/4, Winter) pp. 67–122.
767:
Stefan
Themerson, 'Critics & My Talking Dog: Selected Stories, Essays, Lectures & a Play', (Black Scat Books, 2019)
1070:
1042:
747:
The
Themersons' eight volume archive has been assembled and catalogued by Franciszka's niece, the British arts curator,
68:
1277:
1232:
936:
537:, rejoining his wife and re-enlisting in the Polish army. He spent time with the army in Scotland, where he finished
108:
42:
1272:
1180:
75:
1138:
46:
1227:
610:) from 1948 to 1979. Most were designed and illustrated by Franciszka. They also worked with the translators
57:
953:
1267:
1242:
408:
595:, where they lived for the rest of their lives. A close neighbour was the experimental poet and publisher
1158:
611:
726:
495:
467:
1197:
1146:
214:
1087:
455:
443:
35:
977:"Stefan Themerson's Opera (St. Francis & The Wolf of Gubbio or Brother Francis' Lamb Chops)"
412:
82:
764:
Stefan Themerson, 'The Urge to Create Visions', (Gaberbocchus + De Harmonie, Amsterdam, 1983)
685:
623:
322:, in 1929. She graduated with distinction in 1931 and they married the same year in Warsaw.
1222:
1217:
815:
741:
385:, which remained in Warsaw, were lost in Paris in the Second World War, but the script for
319:
233:
202:
140:
8:
913:
871:
603:
395:
352:
299:
932:
558:
291:
875:
1074:
988:
863:
720:(Dutch: Euclides was een ezel"). This book was read by someone with connections at
693:
684:, a US publication which explored language and meaning-making. He wrote an opera, '
657:
588:
584:
820:
782:
770:
748:
721:
681:
645:
631:
615:
576:
534:
502:
in Paris and Normandy and had subsequently escaped to London on a troopship from
381:) (1937). These were shown with other experimental films of the time. All except
268:
253:
602:
Stefan and Franciszka Themerson published many of their works through their own
689:
471:
280:
257:
1211:
1109:
1018:
993:
976:
713:
284:
225:
1115:
418:
In 1935, with other young filmmakers, the Themersons founded a cooperative,
635:
627:
619:
580:
571:
554:
499:
463:
390:
303:
494:, he re-established contact with Franciszka. She had been working for the
867:
709:
607:
596:
566:
451:
439:
315:
307:
229:
592:
483:
237:
470:
as a cartographer, first in France then from 1940 in London after the
236:, they are regarded as leading husband-and-wife exponents of European
139:
Themerson in his studio in London, in front of a painting by his wife
526:
491:
340:
194:
the Gaberbocchus Press, novelist, filmmaker, composer and philosopher
134:
1085:
716:
published a translation of an English manuscript, which they titled
24:
801:
562:
487:
218:
755:
takes place annually in Themerson's native city, Płock in Poland.
708:
In 1979, the Gaberbocchus Press was taken over by Dutch publisher
466:
invasions and partition of Poland. Franciszka was seconded to the
249:
640:
503:
459:
311:
295:
891:"Rediscovered 1931 film Europa to get world premiere in London"
697:
665:
530:
507:
261:
221:
183:
794:
Unposted Letters, 1940–1942, Franciszka & Stefan Themerson
668:
circle, whom they visited in 1950, Stefan was the inventor of
1120:
435:
161:
213:(25 January 1910 – 6 September 1988) was a Polish writer of
1181:
Review of "Tom Harris" by Seamus Sweeney at nthposition.com
546:
339:
is still in print in Poland. Stefan also experimented with
276:
272:
1191:
724:, which in turn published the book in English, now called
1086:
Jasia Reichardt and Renata Jaskulska (7 November 2016).
981:
Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Litteraria Polonica
565:
meeting to celebrate the three hundredth anniversary of
525:
Towards the end of 1942 Themerson got across France via
907:
343:
and the two of them made five short experimental films
232:. He wrote in at least three languages. With his wife,
853:
399:, illustrated by surviving stills from the film and
910:"Nazi-looted film donated to BFI after restitution"
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
951:
692:' (1972). In 1981, Themerson delivered the annual
622:. Their list of some 70 titles included works by
271:Dr. Themerson served as a medical officer in the
1209:
796:, Gaberbocchus & De Harmonie, Amsterdam 2013
248:Stefan Themerson was born on 25 January 1910 in
974:
599:with whom the Themersons kept close relations.
954:"Stefan Themerson OuLiPo and Semantic Poetry"
908:Geraldine Kendall Adams (14 September 2021).
660:. The latter wrote an encouraging preface to
477:
514:in Polish and wrote the long poem in French
1096:interview with Richard, Klimowski and Sady.
133:
1258:Polish military personnel of World War II
992:
736:(1988). These two novels and the earlier
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
1010:"An outstanding novelist and publisher:
1007:
434:In 1936 and 1937 the Themersons visited
306:, but spent most of his time working on
1116:Stefan and Franciszka Themerson archive
1001:
926:
591:. Also in 1944 the Themersons moved to
393:was later published by the Themersons'
1263:Polish emigrants to the United Kingdom
1253:Warsaw University of Technology alumni
1210:
952:Wiśniewski, Tomasz (29 January 2016).
901:
533:whence he was flown to Britain by the
298:. After a year, he transferred to the
1090:[When thought trounces age].
888:
47:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
1008:Henshall, John (18 February 1989).
931:. London: Atlas Press. p. 14.
789:; 12 (2006 November), p. 35–36
634:, the first English translation of
438:, then the centre of the world for
415:for conservation and preservation.
13:
1040:
758:
14:
1289:
1103:
1092:Dziennik Płocki (The Płock Daily)
920:
889:Brown, Mark (14 September 2021).
1071:Archiwum Themersonów in Katowice
785:, 'Gaberbocchus Publishers', in
664:. Influenced by Queneau and his
379:The Adventures of a Good Citizen
275:'s army and the family lived in
23:
1186:Stefan and Franciszka Themerson
1088:"Kiedy Myśl jest ponad Wiekiem"
1079:
1064:
429:
325:
34:needs additional citations for
1238:Polish experimental filmmakers
1034:
968:
945:
882:
847:
833:
424:Spółdzielnia Autorów Filmowych
1:
826:
680:). His work was published in
383:Przygoda Człowieka Poczciwego
375:Przygoda Człowieka Poczciwego
243:
1112:of works by Stefan Themerson
805:, (Gaberbocchus Press, 1972)
490:, where, through the Polish
458:forming in France after the
16:Polish filmmaker (1910–2000)
7:
1248:University of Warsaw alumni
1198:PDFs of shorter works by ST
809:
730:(1986), and his last novel
654:The Good Citizen's Alphabet
252:, in what was then part of
10:
1294:
1177:on films by the Themersons
1126:Dalkey Archive Press pages
1121:Gaberbocchus Press website
1051:The Quarterly Conversation
1045:The Mystery of the Sardine
740:were later republished by
727:The Mystery of the Sardine
606:(the Latinised version of
496:Polish Government in Exile
478:Second World War and after
468:Polish government-in-exile
290:In 1928 Themerson went to
1278:Polish writers in English
1139:Description of remake of
703:
549:atrocities in Poland and
516:Croquis dans les Ténèbres
442:art, and London, meeting
409:London Film-Makers' Co-op
337:Mr Rouse Builds His House
198:
190:
168:
147:
132:
125:
1233:20th-century Polish Jews
1132:Reading Stefan Themerson
994:10.18778/1505-9057.38.03
975:Hejmej, Andrzej (2016).
662:Professor Mmaa’s Lecture
512:Professor Mmaa's Lecture
510:. Here he began writing
228:filmmaker, composer and
1273:Film people from London
927:Mathews, Harry (1998).
456:Polish Army in the West
217:, poet and inventor of
792:Jasia Reichardt (ed),
557:songs set to music by
413:British Film Institute
676:, and his 1975 tract
624:Guillaume Apollinaire
389:, based on a poem by
264:on 6 September 1988.
215:children's literature
1202:Obscure Publications
1047:by Stefan Themerson"
1014:by Stefan Themerson"
868:10.1162/thld_a_00157
816:Franciszka Themerson
742:Dalkey Archive Press
672:(see his 1945 novel
520:Sketches in Darkness
234:Franciszka Themerson
203:Franciszka Themerson
43:improve this article
1268:Writers from London
1243:Polish male writers
914:Museums Association
553:, inspired by four
551:The Eye and the Ear
1228:Writers from Płock
1204:can be found here.
1161:Drobiazg melodyjny
1134:by Nicholas Wadley
799:Stefan Themerson,
753:Themerson Festival
678:On Semantic Poetry
650:Exercises in Style
604:Gaberbocchus Press
405:Drobiazg melodyjny
396:Gaberbocchus Press
359:Drobiazg Melodyjny
333:Pan Tom Buduje Dom
320:Franciszka Weinles
300:Warsaw Polytechnic
58:"Stefan Themerson"
718:Euclid Was an Ass
618:, and the artist
561:. In 1944 at the
543:Calling Mr. Smith
292:Warsaw University
208:
207:
119:
118:
111:
93:
1285:
1097:
1095:
1083:
1077:
1075:Internet Archive
1073:– archived page
1068:
1062:
1061:
1059:
1057:
1038:
1032:
1031:
1029:
1027:
1005:
999:
998:
996:
972:
966:
965:
963:
961:
949:
943:
942:
929:Oulipo Compedium
924:
918:
917:
905:
899:
898:
886:
880:
879:
851:
845:
844:
837:
694:Huizinga Lecture
658:Bertrand Russell
589:Anthony Froshaug
585:Julian Trevelyan
575:, Themerson met
545:, an account of
240:and publishers.
211:Stefan Themerson
179:
177:
172:6 September 1988
158:
156:
137:
127:Stefan Themerson
123:
122:
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
1293:
1292:
1288:
1287:
1286:
1284:
1283:
1282:
1208:
1207:
1175:Bruce Checefsky
1166:Bruce Checefsky
1154:Bruce Checefsky
1106:
1101:
1100:
1084:
1080:
1069:
1065:
1055:
1053:
1041:Badman, Derik.
1039:
1035:
1025:
1023:
1012:Hobson's Island
1006:
1002:
973:
969:
959:
957:
950:
946:
939:
925:
921:
906:
902:
887:
883:
852:
848:
839:
838:
834:
829:
821:Jasia Reichardt
812:
783:Jasia Reichardt
771:Nicholas Wadley
761:
759:Further reading
749:Jasia Reichardt
733:Hobson's Island
722:Faber and Faber
706:
682:0 to 9 magazine
670:Semantic Poetry
646:Raymond Queneau
632:Kurt Schwitters
616:Stanley Chapman
577:Kurt Schwitters
480:
448:Film Artistique
432:
328:
269:First World War
254:Congress Poland
246:
186:
181:
175:
173:
164:
159:
154:
152:
151:25 January 1910
143:
128:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1291:
1281:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1206:
1205:
1195:
1192:GV Art website
1189:
1183:
1178:
1168:
1156:
1144:
1136:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1105:
1104:External links
1102:
1099:
1098:
1078:
1063:
1033:
1000:
967:
944:
937:
919:
900:
881:
846:
831:
830:
828:
825:
824:
823:
818:
811:
808:
807:
806:
797:
790:
780:
777:
774:
768:
765:
760:
757:
705:
702:
690:Wolf of Gubbio
612:Barbara Wright
539:Professor Mmaa
479:
476:
472:Fall of France
431:
428:
363:Musical Moment
327:
324:
281:St. Petersburg
260:, and died in
258:Russian Empire
245:
242:
206:
205:
200:
196:
195:
192:
191:Known for
188:
187:
182:
180:(aged 78)
170:
166:
165:
160:
149:
145:
144:
138:
130:
129:
126:
117:
116:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1290:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1246:
1244:
1241:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1203:
1200:published by
1199:
1196:
1193:
1190:
1188:at culture.pl
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1176:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1163:
1162:
1157:
1155:
1151:
1150:
1145:
1143:
1142:
1137:
1135:
1133:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1111:
1108:
1107:
1093:
1089:
1082:
1076:
1072:
1067:
1052:
1048:
1046:
1037:
1021:
1020:
1019:The Spectator
1015:
1013:
1004:
995:
990:
986:
982:
978:
971:
955:
948:
940:
938:1-900565-18-8
934:
930:
923:
915:
911:
904:
896:
892:
885:
877:
873:
869:
865:
861:
857:
850:
842:
841:"Wyborcza.pl"
836:
832:
822:
819:
817:
814:
813:
804:
803:
798:
795:
791:
788:
784:
781:
778:
775:
772:
769:
766:
763:
762:
756:
754:
750:
745:
743:
739:
735:
734:
729:
728:
723:
719:
715:
714:De Bezige Bij
711:
701:
699:
695:
691:
687:
683:
679:
675:
671:
667:
663:
659:
655:
651:
647:
643:
642:
637:
633:
629:
625:
621:
617:
613:
609:
605:
600:
598:
594:
590:
586:
582:
578:
574:
573:
568:
564:
560:
556:
552:
548:
544:
540:
536:
532:
529:and Spain to
528:
523:
521:
517:
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
493:
489:
485:
475:
473:
469:
465:
461:
457:
453:
449:
445:
441:
437:
427:
425:
421:
416:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
397:
392:
388:
384:
380:
376:
373:) (1935) and
372:
371:Short Circuit
368:
364:
360:
357:(1931–1932),
356:
355:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
323:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
288:
286:
285:Velikiye Luki
282:
278:
274:
270:
265:
263:
259:
255:
251:
241:
239:
235:
231:
227:
226:script writer
223:
220:
216:
212:
204:
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
171:
167:
163:
150:
146:
142:
136:
131:
124:
121:
113:
110:
102:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
1160:
1148:
1140:
1131:
1110:Bibliography
1094:(in Polish).
1091:
1081:
1066:
1054:. Retrieved
1050:
1044:
1036:
1024:. Retrieved
1022:. p. 23
1017:
1011:
1003:
984:
980:
970:
958:. Retrieved
956:. culture.pl
947:
928:
922:
903:
895:The Guardian
894:
884:
859:
855:
849:
835:
800:
793:
786:
752:
746:
737:
731:
725:
717:
707:
677:
673:
661:
653:
649:
639:
636:Alfred Jarry
628:Jankel Adler
620:Gwen Barnard
601:
581:Jankel Adler
572:Areopagitica
570:
555:Julian Tuwim
550:
542:
538:
524:
519:
515:
511:
500:cartographer
481:
447:
433:
430:1936 to 1939
423:
419:
417:
404:
400:
394:
391:Anatol Stern
386:
382:
378:
374:
370:
366:
362:
358:
353:
349:The Pharmacy
348:
344:
336:
332:
329:
326:1931 to 1935
304:architecture
289:
266:
247:
224:, novelist,
210:
209:
120:
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1223:1988 deaths
1218:1910 births
787:Parenthesis
710:De Harmonie
686:St. Francis
608:Jabberwocky
597:Bob Cobbing
567:John Milton
559:Szymanowski
452:Avant-garde
444:Moholy-Nagy
440:avant-garde
316:film-making
308:photography
302:to take up
256:within the
230:philosopher
99:August 2010
1212:Categories
1159:remake of
1147:remake of
856:Thresholds
827:References
738:Tom Harris
593:Maida Vale
484:St-Nazaire
365:) (1933),
351:) (1930),
341:photograms
244:Early life
238:Surrealism
176:1988-09-07
155:1910-01-25
141:Franciszka
69:newspapers
1171:interview
862:: 24–38.
527:Marseille
492:Red Cross
294:to study
1056:25 March
1026:25 March
876:57561574
810:See also
802:Factor T
688:and the
563:PEN club
488:Toulouse
219:Semantic
960:11 June
674:Bayamus
641:Ubu Roi
504:Bayonne
367:Zwarcie
312:collage
296:physics
174: (
153: (
83:scholar
1149:Apteka
1141:Apteka
935:
874:
704:Legacy
698:Leiden
666:Oulipo
535:R.A.F.
531:Lisbon
508:Voiron
464:Soviet
460:German
401:Apteka
387:Europa
354:Europa
345:Apteka
262:London
222:Poetry
199:Spouse
184:London
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
1173:with
987:(8).
872:S2CID
498:as a
436:Paris
420:S.A.F
250:Płock
162:Plock
90:JSTOR
76:books
1058:2017
1028:2017
962:2020
933:ISBN
751:. A
652:and
630:and
614:and
587:and
547:Nazi
462:and
403:and
314:and
283:and
277:Riga
273:Tsar
169:Died
148:Born
62:news
1164:by
1152:by
989:doi
864:doi
696:in
656:by
648:'s
638:'s
569:'s
45:by
1214::
1049:.
1016:.
985:38
983:.
979:.
912:.
893:.
870:.
860:39
858:.
744:.
644:,
626:,
583:,
474:.
426:.
422:,
335:,
310:,
279:,
1194:,
1060:.
1043:"
1030:.
997:.
991::
964:.
941:.
916:.
897:.
878:.
866::
843:.
518:(
377:(
369:(
361:(
347:(
178:)
157:)
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
