Winawer studied physics at the
University of Heidelberg, then served at the
University of Amsterdam as assistant to
Nobel laureate Pieter Zeeman. In 1917–21 he held an academic post at the
Warsaw Polytechnic, in Poland. Winawer penned popular social comedies, often incorporating scientific themes; columns on
science and
literature; and
science-fiction stories. In 1921 he acted in the Polish silent film,
Pan Twardowski. Also in 1921,
Joseph Conrad translated into English Winawer's short play,
The Book of Job. Despite the
translation’s shortcomings, Winawer felt pleased with it. But in spite of Conrad's efforts, the play was never staged in England; the translation was published only after Conrad's death. After the outbreak of
World War II, Winawer lived in
Lwów, where he served as an assistant to physics Professor
Stanisław Loria. In 1941, after the city's occupation by
Nazi Germany, Winawer was sent to the
Warsaw Ghetto; but in 1942 he managed to escape and lived under an assumed name. Arrested by the Germans, he was sent to the
Treblinka concentration camp, but he again managed to escape. == Death ==