Baranczak Granted Passport, To Assume Post at Harvard

After more than three years of waiting, Polish dissident scholar Stanislaw Baranczak yesterday received his government's permission to travel to the United States and accept a three-year teaching post at Harvard.

He and his family should arrive here "in about two weeks," his mother, contacted in Poznan, Poland, said last night.

The 33-year-old poet, essayist and literary critic from Poznan--who could not be reached for comment last night because he does not have a phone--was described by his mother as "very tired" from his academic and dissident work, but "overjoyed" at the news that the government had accepted his application for a passport.

In March 1978, Baranczak accepted a three-year associate professorship in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures. Since then he had on seven separate occasions requested travel documents--most recently last October--and was turned down each time.

Yesterday, however, Baranczak was told by an official of the Polish Ministry of Education that his eighth appeal had been successful, and he picked up the passport at the Ministry's local office, his mother said through a translator.

Winning Ways

Approval for Baranczak's departure had reportedly been delayed for some time because of bureaucratic red tape at the ministry and at Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznan, where Baranczak teaches. Both have granted him three-year leaves-of-absence, his mother said.

Harvard officials who have been involved in efforts to gain Baranczak's departure last night expressed relief, pleasure and caution.

"I want to express my deep satisfaction and anticipation of seeing him," Donald E. Fanger, chairman of the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, said.

But, alluding to Baranczak's active participation in dissident activities despite government disapproval, Fanger added. "I'm restraining my rejoicing until he shows up at Logan."

Fanger said no specific plans have been made for Baranczak's work here once he arrives, but it is presumed that he will begin teaching next fall. Since September 1978, Baranczak has been listed in University catalogues as instructing Polish language and literature classes and occupying a Boylston Hall office.

No More

"I am so glad to hear this news. This had been dragging on for so long and had become a nightmare," Wiktor Weintraub, Jurzykowski Professor of Polish Languages and Literatures Emeritus, said last night.

The Polish government's action--which U.S. and Polish officials did not officially confirm--follows several months of indications that Baranczak's chances for a passport were on the rise.

Last fall, after several years in which he could only publish his works in illegal underground publications, Baranczak signed a contract to have his latest book printed by an official book company.

In addition, officials at the University of Poznan--which dismissed Baranczak in 1977, ostensibly because of his political activities--reinstated him, reportedly at students' request.

In December, he received permission to make a one-day visit to Stockholm for ceremonies honoring Nobel Prize-winning Polish author Czeslaw Milosz.

And about two weeks ago, Fanger received an optimistic letter from Baranczak expressing hope that his application for a leave of absence would soon be approved.

Harvard officials speculated that the Polish authorities' apparent change of attitude may have come out of liberalizing efforts of labor and intellectual unrest in Poland, although Fanger noted that Baranczak, because of his extensive dissident activity, "was one of the hardest pills for [the government] to swallow."

The government's decision to grant Baranczak a passport should bring to an end more than three years of protracted, complex and often frustrating efforts to secure his arrival here.

The discussions, which on at least one occasion seemed close to a successful conclusion only to fall apart at the last minute, involved private citizens and the U.S. State Department, in addition to Harvard and Polish officials.

President Bok--who could not be reached for comment--sent several protests in 1978 and 1979 to the Polish Embassy in Washington, which responded last summer with a letter suggesting six Polish scholars other than Baranczak for Harvard to invite.

Daniel A. Steiner '54, general counsel to the University who has been handling the matter for Bok, said he would have no comment "unless and until" Baranczak arrives. Dean Rosovsky, who said that he had last year written former Secretary of State Edmund S. Muskie regarding Baranczak, said he voted be "very delighted" if Baranczak can come here.

In Washington, neither U.S. nor Polish officials could confirm that Baranczak had received his passport, but both took optimistic tones.

Romuald Spasowski, Poland's ambassador to the U.S., said when contacted last night that "I don't see any difficulty" in Baranczak's coming here. A State Department spokesman said "we understand there's some movement in the case" but would not go further.

Baranczak's family--his wife. Anna, 10-year-old son Michel and three-year-old daughter Ania--were also granted passports yesterday and will accompany him here. His exact travel plans are not yet set, his mother said.

A founding member in 1976 of the Committee for Social Self-Defense (KOR). Poland's most prominent dissident group, Baranczak is the author of several volumes of poetry and criticism and has edited and translated the works of e. e. cummings, Dylan Thomas and others