Stefan Themerson

Stefan Themerson was born on 25 January 1910 in Płock, in what was then part of Congress Poland within the Russian Empire, and died in London on 6 September 1988.

His father, Mieczysław Themerson, was a physician, social reformer and aspiring writer (some of his work was published). His mother was Ludwika Smulewicz. During the First World War Dr. Themerson served as a medical officer in the Tsar's army and the family lived in Riga, St. Petersburg and Velikiye Luki. In 1918 they returned to Płock, in an independent Poland, where Stefan attended the Władysław Jagiełło Gymnasium. During this time he first showed an interest in photography and also built a radio receiver. Stefan's older brother, Roman, also qualified as a doctor, but died of spinal tuberculosis in 1929.

In 1928 Themerson went to Warsaw University to study physics. After a year, he transferred to the Warsaw Polytechnic to take up architecture, but spent most of his time working on photography, collage and film-making. His first published piece of writing was also in 1928. He never formally left his studies but gradually withdrew to follow his other interests. Themerson met the art student Franciszka Weinles, in 1929. She graduated with distinction in 1931 and they married the same year in Warsaw.