Polish Philosopher dies at 81
Leszek Kolakowski, a Polish philosopher and historian, died Friday in Oxford, England, according to the Gazeta Wyborcza in which his family placed a death announcement. He was 81.
Kolakowski was long-time resident of England, and died as a result of a sudden, short disease. “His death has elicited an outpouring of eulogistic remembrance in Poland, where he was respected for his academic achievements and his opposition to communism,” writes the Associated Press.
Born in 1927, Kolakowski grew up in a Poland occupied by Nazi Germany. When World War II ended, he was able to attend and graduate from Warsaw University after which he began a career as a professor. Through a number of mediums, Kolakowski began speaking out regarding the shortcomings of communism and Marxist theory. This, in a communist Poland, eventually forced him into exile.
In exile, Kolakowski’s decision to disavow Marxism made him an inspiration for his nation’s struggle against communism. While at UC Berkley and Oxford University, he wrote books on the history of ideas, including a book that described Marxism as “the greatest fantasy of our century.”
According to Poland’s foreign minister, Kolakowski’s body will be returned to the country and buried with military honors.
[photo: Library of Congress]
Tags: communism, Leszek Kolakowski, Marxism, philosopher, Poland