Piotr Domaradzki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Piotr Domaradzki
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Domaradzki in 2006
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| Born |
Piotr Krystian Domaradzki
June 21, 1946 Strzelce Opolskie, Poland
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| Died | November 4, 2015 (aged 69) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Nationality | Polish American |
| Other names | Peter K. Domaradzki |
| Alma mater | University of Gdańsk |
| Occupation | Journalist |
Piotr Krystian Domaradzki (June 21, 1946 – November 4, 2015) was a Polish-American journalist, essayist, and historian. For 30 years, he worked at Dziennik Związkowy. This was the oldest and largest Polish-language newspaper in the United States. From October 2009 to March 2013, he was the paper's main editor. He moved from Poland in 1984 and became a U.S. citizen in 1996.
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Life and Work
Early Life in Poland
Piotr Domaradzki was born in Strzelce Opolskie, a town in south-western Poland. He finished high school in Gdańsk. Later, he studied at the University of Gdańsk. His main subject was the military history of ancient times.
In December 1981, a time called martial law began in Poland. This meant the government took strict control. Piotr, then 35, was very active in the Solidarity trade union. He helped organize members and create their news. Even after martial law ended in 1983, the political situation was still difficult. So, in January 1984, he left Poland for France.
Moving to the U.S.
Ten months later, Piotr, his wife Janina, and son Krystian (born 1979) moved to the U.S. In November 1985, they were given political asylum. This meant they could stay safely in the U.S. The family settled in Chicago. In 1991, they had another child, a daughter named Sara.
Newspaper Editor in Chicago
Soon after arriving in Chicago, Piotr Domaradzki started working for Dziennik Związkowy. He was an assistant editor from 1985 to 1987. He held this role again from 1998 to 2009. In 2009, he became the newspaper's editor-in-chief.
In 1996, he co-founded a discussion group called Konwersatorium "Dialog 96". He started it with Wojciech Wierzewski, another Polish writer in Chicago. This group talked about cultural and intellectual topics.
His Writings and Art
Piotr Domaradzki was a talented person. He was a graphic artist, musician, and painter. He also wrote many books and essays. One of his novels, Wiórki kokosowe [Coconut Shreds], was published in Poland in 2003.
He also translated books. He translated Harvey Sarner's book about General Anders and the Second Polish Corps. This book was published in Poland in 2006. Piotr also wrote historical books. These included Homo Armatus: History of Warfare in Antiquity (1979) and The Defense of Lwów (1981). His historical essays often appeared in Dziennik Związkowy's weekly section, Kalejdoskop.
Wikipedia Contributions
Piotr Domaradzki was also very active on Wikipedia. His username was "Belissarius". He contributed to both the Polish and English Wikipedia. He wrote about many different subjects.
On Polish Wikipedia, he made his first edit in September 2004. His last two edits were on October 20, 2015, the day of the fire at his home. He made over 100,000 edits on Polish Wikipedia. He also created about 1,200 articles there. He also uploaded many photos and drawings to Wikimedia Commons.
Death
On October 20, 2015, a fire broke out at Piotr Domaradzki's home in Chicago. Firefighters rescued him, but he was unconscious. He was taken to the hospital. He died on November 4, 2015, at age 69. The cause of death was from breathing in too much smoke. He never woke up after the fire.
