Witold Gombrowicz was born in a small village near eastern border of Poland (actually Ukraine) in relatively rich, noble family. He studied law and French literature at Warsaw university in Poland, from 1926 to 1932. During his studing he was sort of bon-vivant strongly involved in cultural and social life of Warsaw establishment. After finishing his education, he was employed by Polish Ministry of International Affairs as a translator. There he met his best friend Wladyslaw Gierdoyc. In 1935 he published several short novels. They were, however, found strange and unpopular in Warsaw cultural establishment. His first success was a novel Ferdydurke which became famous because of strong critics by nationalistic part of Warsaw establishment. Several days before World War II he bought a ticket for a trial trip of the very first Polish transatlanitic ship called Stefan Batory. During this trip Germany suddenly invided Poland. Stafan Batory's trip was finished in Buenos Aires,Argentina, where all civilian passengers of the trip were forced to take off. Many of them, including Gombrowicz had to stay in Argentina for longer due to the lack of money to go anywhere else. First, Gombrowicz was invited by the Argentinian part of his friend Giedroyc's family, to wait for the end of war in their estate, but after German invasion on France, it started to be obvious that war might take some time. Gombrowicz settled down in Buenos Aires for the next 25 years. He was working as a teacher of French language in a private secondary school. At the same time, he met his future wife Rita, who was a member of Buenos Aires artistic bohema. After World War II Gombrowicz as a son of rich land-owner could not come back to Poland ruled by communist government. His novels and dramas were on "black list" in Poland until the late 70s, however, they were published in Polish by his friend Witold Giedroyc, who established in '50 a Polish publishing house called Kultura in Paris, France. Many books published by Kultura were then smuggled to Poland, so Gombrowicz works were well known in Poland. Giedroyc translated also Ferdydurke and Transatlantyk to French. In late '50 Transatlantyk was put on stage in Paris and the drama was found very interesting by many French theatre critics and Gombrowicz became relatively famous in France. In 1965 Gombrowicz left Argentina and settled down with his wife in Paris.
His works are famous because of the deep psychologism, a strong "smell" of absurd and paradox, and anti-nationalism.
His most famous novels and dramas: