"Baba na barykadzie": a new biography of poet Anna Świrszczyńska by Małgorzata I. Niemczyńska

"Baba na barykadzie. Opowieść o Annie Świrszczyńskiej" ("Baba on the Barricade: The Story of Anna Świrszczyńska") by Małgorzata I. Niemczyńska went on sale on 21 October 2026. At 624 pages, it is a substantial biography of one of the most distinctive Polish poets of the 20th century. The author has been discussing it in a series of media interviews, including one for Onet Kultura published on 10 November 2026.

Who was Anna Świrszczyńska

Anna Świrszczyńska (1909–1984) was a poet, playwright, translator, and author of radio drama scripts and children's books. Her collections include "Jestem baba" and "Budowałam barykadę". Polish Radio has described her as an artist ahead of her time, who wrote about the female body, love, ageing and war.

Quotations from her poems now appear on T-shirts, and her work has inspired music albums.

What the biography covers

According to Polish Radio, Niemczyńska reconstructs the poet's life from her childhood and youth in Warsaw, through the occupation and the Warsaw Uprising, in which Świrszczyńska served as a medic, to her years in Kraków. That period included creative work in many fields, a late marriage and motherhood.

The author also reaches forgotten works and, as the radio interviewers stress, debunks some myths that have built up. In the programme "Brakująca połowa dziejów" she said detailed research let her uncover unknown facts. One thread is the origin of the poet's mother, around which many stories have grown over the years. Niemczyńska does not want to reveal all her findings before people read the book, and says she built suspense so readers can uncover the secrets gradually.

"A biography that couldn't be done"

In the description of the Onet interview, the author admits that writing the book was a test of survival for her, but also a challenge. Everyone told her there was too little material and that a biography of Świrszczyńska could not be written. In her words, that is what stoked her ambition.

The full text of the Onet interview could not be retrieved, so this passage relies on the site's description.

For readers in the UK

The book is a new release published in Poland. Readers in the UK can look for it in Polish online bookshops or in Polish libraries and bookshops operating in the UK. The sources did not give any information on availability outside Poland.