Jerzy Toeplitz

Jerzy Toeplitz (* November 24, 1909 in Kharkov, † July 24, 1995 in Warsaw) was a Polish film historian, educator and longtime president of the Film School in Łódź.

Life

Toeplitz studied law in Warsaw. In the 1930s, he wrote for numerous Polish newspapers and film magazines articles about film. In 1930 he was one of the founding members of the Society of Lovers of artistic film named START. Between 1934 and 1937 he worked in London as a script consultant of the film production company Toeplitz Film Production, the company of a cousin. During the German occupation in World War II he lived in Warsaw and worked as an English teacher.

After the war, he was among the pioneers of the reconstruction of the Polish film industry. First, he was in 1945 head of the foreign department of the state film production. He was one of the founders of the Film School in Łódź and initially worked there from 1949 to 1951 as a lecturer. In 1957 he was appointed rector of the Łódź Film School and remained so until 1968. According to the student riots in March 1968, he was dismissed because he had the support students in their protests. In 1972 he left Poland due to an invitation from the Australian government, but also because he was subjected to pressure from the Polish authorities because of his Jewish origin. First, he lectured at the University of Melbourne and then founded in 1973 in Sydney, the first Australian Film and Television School, was a Director until 1979. The library of the college was later named after him. Toeplitz was a staff member in the Christian Peace Conference (CFRP).

By the end of his life he gave seminars film studies at the University of Warsaw. He also had a permanent column in the Polish magazine movie.

His most important journalistic work is the six -volume history of the film. In addition to his teaching and work as an author, he was also active internationally in different functions. From 1948 to 1972 he was President of the International Federation of Film Archives. From 1966 to 1972 he was Deputy Chairman of the International Council for Film and Television by UNESCO.

Works (selection)

  • Historia sztuki filmowej, tom I: 1895-1918. Filmowa Agencja Wydawnicza, Warsaw 1955.
  • Historia sztuki filmowej, tom II: 1918-1928. Filmowa Agencja Wydawnicza, Warsaw 1956.
  • Historia sztuki filmowej, tom III: 1928-1933. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1959.
  • Historia sztuki filmowej, tom IV: 1934-1939. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1969.
  • Historia sztuki filmowej, tom V: 1939-1945. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1970.
  • Historia sztuki filmowej, tom VI: 1946-1953. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1990.
  • Historia filmu polskiego, tom 1: 1895-1929. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1966.
  • Historia filmu polskiego, tom 2: 1930-1939. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1988.
  • Historia filmu polskiego, tom 3: 1939-1956. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1974.
  • Historia filmu polskiego, tom 4: 1957-1961. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1980.
  • Historia filmu polskiego, tom 5: 1962-1967. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1985.
  • Historia filmu polskiego, tom 6: 1968-1972. Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe, Warsaw 1994.
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