Stefan Chwin, Professor at the University of Gdańsk, gave a lecture entitled “Gdańsk, Capital of a Rebellious Poland: Solidarity, Hope for Poles, Berlin and Europe”, commemorating the anniversary of the death of the distinguished British-American historian Tony Judt.
Stefan Chwin (born 11 April 1949 in Gdańsk) is a novelist, essayist, literary critic, historian of literature, graphic artist and academic.
Chwin has been associated with the University of Gdańsk since 1973, when he joined the Institute of Polish Philology as a junior research assistant. He went on to become a professor at the university and continued his academic and teaching work there until his retirement in 2023.
His books published in English include Death in Danzig, a translation of his acclaimed novel Hanemann, translated by Philip Boehm and published by Harcourt in 2004, followed by British editions from Secker & Warburg and Vintage.
Tony Judt was a distinguished British-American historian, public intellectual and engaged commentator on public affairs who died prematurely in 2010. He was the author of the monumental Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 and numerous other books. He established and for many years directed the Remarque Institute at New York University, a unique platform for dialogue between Europe and America that brought together and inspired intellectuals, social activists, writers, scholars and politicians.
The Tony Judt Lecture series commemorates his intellectual legacy and his commitment to public debate about Europe and its history.