Józef Garliński

Józef Garliński (14 October 1913, Kiev - 29 November 2005, London) was a Polish historian and prose writer. He wrote many notable books on the history of World War II, some of which were translated into English. In particular, his book Fighting Auschwitz, translated into English in 1975, became a best-seller.

He studied at the Jesuit school Zakład Naukowo-Wychowawczy Ojców Jezuitów w Chyrowie. Garliński participated in the Invasion of Poland of 1939 and was a member of the Armia Krajowa. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Germans and imprisoned in Pawiak, later in Auschwitz and Neuengamme German concentration camps. Garliński was prisoner number 121421 at the Auschwitz camp and had arrived on 13 May 1943, on the same transport as Jerzy Chmielewski (Home Army code names Jacek and Rafal), after which they were both sent to a Penal Company.[1]

After the war Garliński settled in Great Britain, where he completed doctoral studies in History at the International London School of Economics and Political Science.