Waclaw Lednicki, Visiting Lecturer on Russian Literature, Twice Evaded Conquering Germans

Fugitive from two Nazi invasions, Waclaw Leduicki, professor of Russian Literature at the Universities of Cracow and Brussels, has been appointed Visiting Lecturer in Slavie for the academic year, the University announced yesterday.

Lednicki, recognized as one of the chief Polish authorities on Russian Literature, was teaching in Cracow when the Germans invaded his native land. Because he was out of the city when the Nazi legions swarmed into it he escaped the concentration camp which was the fate of most of his colleagues.

Escaped From Belgium

Allowed to leave Poland and teach at the Brussels University, he escaped from Belgium just before the invasion.

Born of Polish stock although his birthplace was Moscow, Leduicki attended the University of Moscow and then assumed Polish citizenship in 1918. He served in the Polish army during the campaigns of 1918-19 and 1921 against the Soviets, and was decorated for bravery upon the personal recommendation of General Sikorski, now Polish Prime Minister.

After leaving the army for the foreign office, he returned to scholarly work in 1923, and after taking his Ph.D. at Cracow taught at Brussels until he was called back to his alma mater as professor of Russian Literature in 1928. In recent years he has divided his time between the two universities.

Known Throughout Europe

He is widely known in Europe for his numerous essays and monographs on nineteenth-century Russian literature, particularly on his specialty, Pushkin.

Besides some advanced Russian instruction. Lednicki will teach Slavic 8 (Russian Novelists) and Slavic 110 (Pushkin), both second semester half-courses, and will give occasional lectures in Slavic 1 (Introduction to Russian Literature and Culture). Most of these lectures will probably be on the nineteenth century.