PANAS Władysław

Born on 28 March 1947 in Dębica, near Kołobrzeg; son of Józef Panas and Władysława, née Czesuła. He attended the Grammar School in Kołobrzeg. After completing his advanced secondary education in 1966, he studied Polish philology at the Adam Mickiewicz University (UAM) in Poznan. He was involved in student protests of March 1968, for which he was held in custody for two months and expelled from UAM. He continued his studies at the Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) from 1969. He made his debut in 1970 with a published version of his seminar paper Poetyka „Widm” Tadeusza Gajcego (The Poetics of Tadeusz Gajcy's "Widma" [Spectres]), which was published in the journal "Polonista" (November issue). From 1972 he was employed at the publishing house of the KUL Scientific Society. In 1973, he defended his master's thesis, O koncepcji języka w prozie Brunona Schulza (Conceptions of Language in Bruno Schulz's Prose), which was published in "Roczniki Humanistyczne" 1974, no. 1). His research subsequently focused mainly on Schulz. From October 1974 he was employed at the First Chair of the History of Polish Literature at KUL. In 1976 he travelled to the USSR on a research fellowship. He met the Russian semioticians Yuri Lotman and Boris Uspenskij there. He collaborated with "Spotkania", an independent periodical for young Catholics, between 1978 and 1985, publishing under the names Biernat Gryficki, Ludwik W. Radzikowski, and Maria Teresa Larsen. He also collaborated with the periodical "Miesiące". He was awarded a doctoral degree in the humanities in 1984 following the defence of his thesis, W kręgu metody semiotycznej. Literatura – sztuka – kultura (In the Sphere of the Semiotic Method: Literature, Art, Culture), which was supervised by Prof. Stefan Sawicki. Beyond his interest in Schulz, in subsequent years he also explored the literature and culture of ethnic borderlands, with a particular focus on Jewish themes. In 1987, he started lecturing on contemporary Polish culture as part of the Programme in Polish Language and Culture for Foreign Students at KUL. In late June and early July 1988 he gave a series of lectures in Rome as part of the Summer University of Polish Culture that was organized by the Institute of Polish Christian Culture of the Foundation of John Paul II Foundation. He was awarded a habilitation degree from KUL in 1998 for his study Księga blasku. Traktat o kabale w prozie Brunona Schulza (The Book of Illumination: On Kabbalah in the Prose of Bruno Schulz). The following year he was appointed Chair of Literary Theory at KUL. From 1998 to 2001 he collaborated with the monthly "Na Przykład", where published two essay cycles: Dass and Jeździec Niebieski (The Heavenly Horseman). From 1999 to 2002 he also lectured at the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin and at the Teachers' College in Zamość. He was appointed associate professor at KUL in 2000 and became head of the Interfaculty Centre for the Study of Religious Literature. That year he was also appointed editor-in-chief of the yearbook "Roczniki Humanistyczne" and continued to conduct research on the multicultural traditions of Lublin. He collaborated with the Lublin-based NGO Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre Centre, which promotes the protection of cultural heritage and conducts educational initiatives. In 2002, he organized the international festival W ułamkach zwierciadła... Bruno Schulz (1892-1942). (In a Shattered Mirror... Bruno Schulz [1892-1942]), which was held in the city. That year he received the Artistic Prize of the City of Lublin and the honorary prize of the Bolesław Prus Award for artists connected to the Lublin region. He was made state-appointed professor in 2003. He was involved in cultural activities in Drohobych, Bruno Schulz's home town. He was also involved in establishing a museum dedicated to the writer, co-chairing its International Board, as well as the Bruno Schulz Festival. He joined the KUL Scientific Society and the Polish Writers' Association (SPP) in 2003. He was married to the psychologist Krystyna Tersa, née Kamińska. They had three children, Rafał, Paweł and Marta. He died on 24 January 2005 in Lublin. He is buried at the cemetery on Lipowa Street in the city. He was awarded a posthumous honorary doctorate from the Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University in Drohobych.