UB Faculty Member Braun Receives Polish Award

By Craig Kaputa

Release Date: December 5, 1997 This content is archived.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Kazimierz Braun, professor of theatre and dance at the Âé¶¹´«Ã½o, has been awarded the Chivalry Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland in recognition of his outstanding work in Polish literature, theater and scholarship.

A native of Poland, Braun came to UB in 1987 to head the acting program. Prior to that, he held visiting professorships at several U.S. universities, and had a distinguished academic and theatrical career in Poland.

Fluent in several languages, he is the author of numerous books and hundreds of essays, articles and book reviews. He holds a doctorate of humanities in theater from Wroclaw University, a doctorate of philosophy in letters from Poznan University, a master of fine arts in directing from the National School of Drama in Warsaw and a master of letters from Poznan University.

In 1992, Braun was appointed to the rank of professor in Poland by President Lech Walesa. The full professorship in Poland is a state title, bestowed by the country's president based on a university promotion and recommendation. It is not an appointment to a university, nor is it directly connected to a specific university.

Some of his recent screenplays and adaptations include "American Dreams," a play produced by a Polish theater company in Toronto;" Animal Farm," an adaptation of the George Orwell novel that was produced at UB, and Immigrant Queen, a play produced in Poland, Ireland and Toronto.

Most recently, his translation of "Dummies' Ball," a 20th-century Polish play, was staged last month in the UB Center for the Arts and marked the U.S. premier of the work.

Braun resides in Getzville.