born Aug. 4, 1904, Małoszyce, Russian Empire
died July 25, 1969, Vence, France
Polish novelist, story writer, and dramatist.
He is best known for his novel Ferdydurke (1937). He spent 24 years (1939–63) in voluntary exile in Buenos Aires, Arg., and later settled in France. His often bizarre and satirical works explore themes of sadomasochistic dependency and innate human immaturity, in sometimes eccentric prose. His writings were long banned in Poland, and he published his postwar works abroad, including the absurdist satires Trans-Atlantyk (1953), Pornografia (1960), and Kosmos (1965). His dramas anticipated the Theatre of the Absurd.