Katarzyna Łaniewska facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Katarzyna Łaniewska
Katarzyna Łaniewska in 1968
Born	Katarzyna Janina Łaniewska-Błaszczak 20 June 1933 Łódź, Poland
Died	(2020-12-07)7 December 2020 (aged 87) Warsaw, Poland
Alma mater	Theatre Academy in Warsaw
Occupation	Actress, political activist
Years active	1953–2020
Spouse(s)	Ignacy Gogolewski ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1964)​ Andrzej Błaszczak ​ ​ (m. 1984; his death 2018)​

Katarzyna Janina Łaniewska-Błaszczak (born June 20, 1933 – died December 7, 2020) was a famous Polish actress. She was known for her work in theatre and films. She was also a brave activist who fought for freedom in Poland.

Katarzyna's Early Life

Katarzyna Łaniewska was born in Łódź, Poland. Her parents were also from Łódź. Her father was a Polish soldier from World War I. He was also involved in helping people work together in co-operatives.

Sadly, her father was seen as a "dangerous person" by the Nazis, who were a very cruel group. He was killed at Auschwitz, a terrible concentration camp.

Katarzyna, her mother, and her brothers and sisters lived through the Warsaw Uprising. This was a big fight against the Nazis in Warsaw. After the uprising, they were sent to a camp in Pruszków. They finally returned to Warsaw in January 1945.

After the war, Katarzyna joined "harcerstwo," which is like the Polish version of Scouting.

Becoming an Actress

In 1955, Katarzyna finished her studies at the Theatre Academy in Warsaw. She started her acting career that same year.

She became the head of the Warsaw branch of the Association of Polish Stage Artists (ZASP). This group helps actors and artists. From 1992 to 2006, she was also part of an important committee for ZASP.

In September 2013, she started writing a column for a weekly magazine called "W Sieci."

Fighting for Freedom

When she was a student, Katarzyna was part of a socialist youth group. Later, she joined the Polish United Workers' Party.

However, by the late 1970s, she started to get involved in the fight against the communist government in Poland. This was called the anti-communist opposition.

In 1980, she helped start a branch of Solidarity at the Ateneum Theatre. Solidarity was a huge trade union that fought for workers' rights and freedom.

Katarzyna helped organize concerts that celebrated Polish history and freedom. She also helped share secret newspapers and books that the government didn't want people to read. During this time, she worked with a brave priest named Jerzy Popiełuszko, who also fought for freedom.

After 1989, when Poland became a democracy, Katarzyna continued to be active in politics. In the 2011 elections, she ran for a seat in the Senate. She was supported by the Law and Justice party. She received many votes, showing how much people respected her. She often spoke at events supporting the Law and Justice Party.

Katarzyna's Family Life

Katarzyna Łaniewska was married twice. Her first husband was Ignacy Gogolewski. They got married after her third year of studies and had a daughter named Agnieszka. Their marriage lasted for ten years.

Later, in 1984, she married her second husband, Andrzej Błaszczak. They were together until he passed away in 2018.

Awards and Recognition

Katarzyna Łaniewska received many awards for her acting and her work for Poland. Some of her important awards include:

• 1966 – Cross of Merit (Poland)
• 1970 – Order of Polonia Restituta
• 1975 – Medal of Merit for National Defence
• 1998 – Order of Polonia Restituta
• 1999 – Cultural Activist of Merit (for helping to publish secret materials during a difficult time in Poland)
• 2006 – Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis
• 2007 – Order of Polonia Restituta (for her "amazing work for democratic change in Poland" and for fighting for free speech and media).

Theatres She Worked At

Katarzyna Łaniewska performed in many famous theatres in Warsaw:

• Polish Theatre in Warsaw – 1955–59 and 1983–95
• Drama Theatre in Warsaw – 1959–62 and 1966–77
• National Theatre, Warsaw in Warszawie – 1962–66
• Ateneum Theatre – 1977–83

Film and TV Roles

Katarzyna Łaniewska had a very long and successful career in films and television. She appeared in many different types of movies and TV shows. Here are a few examples of her work:

Images for kids

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  Katarzyna Łaniewska in 1968

See also

In Spanish: Katarzyna Łaniewska para niños