Jerzy Pawłowski facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jerzy Pawłowski

Pawłowski in 1968
Personal information
Born	(1932-10-25)25 October 1932 Warsaw, Poland
Died	11 January 2005(2005-01-11) (aged 72) Warsaw, Poland
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	74 kg (163 lb)
Sport
Sport	Fencing
Club	Ogniwo Warszawa Gwardia Warszawa Legia Warszawa
Medal record Representing  Poland Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 3 1 World Fencing Championships 7 6 5 Total 8 9 6 Olympic Games Gold 1968 Mexico City Sabre individual Silver 1956 Melbourne Sabre individual Silver 1956 Melbourne Sabre team Silver 1960 Rome Sabre team Bronze 1964 Tokyo Sabre team World Fencing Championships Gold 1957 Paris Sabre individual Gold 1959 Budapest Sabre team Gold 1961 Turin Sabre team Gold 1962 Buenos Aires Sabre team Gold 1963 Gdansk Sabre team Gold 1965 Moscow Sabre individual Gold 1966 Moscow Sabre individual Silver 1954 Luxembourg Sabre team Silver 1962 Buenos Aires Sabre individual Silver 1963 Gdansk Sabre individual Silver 1967 Montreal Sabre individual Silver 1969 havana Sabre team Silver 1971 Viena Sabre individual Bronze 1953 Brussels Sabre team Bronze 1957 Paris Sabre team Bronze 1958 Philadelphia Sabre team Bronze 1959 Budapest Sabre individual Bronze 1970 Ankara Sabre team

Jerzy Władysław Pawłowski (born October 25, 1932 – died January 11, 2005) was a famous Polish fencer. He was also known for having a secret role as a double agent.

Jerzy Pawłowski's Amazing Fencing Career

Jerzy Pawłowski was a talented fencer from Poland. He won many medals in the sport of fencing. Fencing is a sport where two people fight with special swords.

Olympic Achievements

Pawłowski competed in the Summer Olympics six times. This is a lot of Olympic appearances! He won a gold medal in the individual saber event at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. This was a very special win. He was the first non-Hungarian fencer in 48 years to win an Olympic sabre gold.

He also won three silver medals and one bronze medal. These were at the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Games.

World Champion Fencer

In 1967, the International Fencing Federation said he was the best fencer ever. He won many gold medals at the World Fencing Championships. He won individual titles in 1957, 1965, and 1966.

He also helped his Polish team win gold medals. They beat the strong Hungarian teams in 1959, 1961, 1962, and 1963.

Pawłowski's Fencing Style

Jerzy Pawłowski was not very big, but he was very graceful. He moved his body with great control. His legs moved quickly, but his upper body seemed still. He would do surprising moves to score a hit.

People in the audience would often gasp at his daring style. After a point, he would give a polite smile and a knowing look. It was like he was sharing a secret with the crowd.

By the 1970s, he became a master of fencing technique. He had amazing footwork, like a dancer. One coach said Pawłowski had eight different ways to move forward. Each move was planned to get a certain reaction from his opponent.

His Hungarian coach, Janos Kevey, even taught him with two sabres at once! Pawłowski just got faster and faster.

Life Beyond Fencing

Pawłowski was born in Warsaw, Poland. His father was a car mechanic. Jerzy studied law at a university in Warsaw. He and his father took part in the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. Later, Jerzy joined the army and became a major.

He started fencing a bit later than some, at age 16. He focused on the sabre. By 1953, he was already a top fencer.

A Popular Hero

Jerzy Pawłowski was a hero in Poland. He wrote a book about the Olympics in 1973. He often appeared on television. He also gave talks to sports clubs and army groups. This made him very popular across Poland.

He received high awards from the state. Fencing became a very popular sport in Poland because of him. He even became the president of Polish fencing while still competing!

His Lifestyle

In the mid-1960s, Pawłowski lived a comfortable life. He drove a fancy car, like the country's prime minister. He had a large apartment in Warsaw. It was filled with old furniture, expensive books, and nice paintings. He could speak several languages easily. His friendly personality made him friends all over the world.

Pawłowski seemed to stay young for a long time. He reached the world final 17 times in his career. In 1973, at age 42, he almost won another medal. This was nearly 20 years after his first success.

Jerzy Pawłowski's Secret Role

In 1975, Jerzy Pawłowski was arrested. News spread that he was involved in secret activities. He had been working as a double agent. This means he worked for two different groups at the same time. He worked for Polish intelligence from 1950 and for the U.S. CIA from 1964.

This news was a big shock to the public in Poland. Many people, especially young people, looked up to him.

Life After Prison

Pawłowski spent ten years in prison. After his release in 1985, he chose to stay in Poland. He spent the rest of his life as a painter. He also became known as a faith healer. He would help people with their pains.

He even started fencing again in his mid-fifties. He went to a club and beat many younger fencers. He tried to compete again, but some parents did not want their children to fence against him. So, he stopped competing.

He was married three times. His last wife, Iwonka, was with him for over 40 years. She lost her job after his arrest but started working again after he was released.

Pawłowski wrote another book in 1994 called My Longest Duel. In this book, he talked about his secret life. He said he wanted freedom, just like when he was a boy in the Warsaw uprising.

People wondered why he took on such a risky secret role. Some said it was for money. Others said he just loved taking risks. This love for risk-taking also made him a great fencer.

See also

In Spanish: Jerzy Pawłowski para niños

• List of Poles
• List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games