Professor Jerzy (George) Zubrzycki

To celebrate Professor Zubrzycki’s life and his contribution to sociology and the ANU, a Memorial Service will be held:

Date: Friday 20 November 2009
Time: 2.30-3.30pm, followed by refreshments
Venue: The McDonald Room, Menzies Library, Building 22, ANU
Parking: Please be aware that visitors parking on campus is highly competitive.
RSVP:  External Relations Office by Thursday 19 November
 

Founding Professor of Sociology in the Research School of Social Sciences at the ANU, Professor Jerzy (George) Zubrzycki sadly passed away on 20 May 2009.

Professor Zubrzycki joined the Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS) in the 1950s (in Demography) and was the foundation professor of sociology in RSSS, retiring in 1986.

Professor Jerzy (George) Zubrzycki Remembered

Biographical Note

Jerzy (George) Zubrzycki was born in Krakow, Poland on 12 January 1920. In 1938, he entered the Cavalry Officer Cadet School (Szkola Podchorazych Rezerwy Kawalerii) in Grudziadz (Northern Poland) to complete a year's compulsory Military Service before beginning university studies. Graduating in June 1939, he was essentially sent straight to the front to fight the invading German Army. He was taken prisoner by the Germans in September 1939, but escaped and served with the Polish underground movement eventually making his way to France, via Slovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia and Italy. Evacuated to Britain in June 1940, he served with the Polish Parachute Brigade, and the Polish Section of the Special Operations Executive (SOE).

In September 1945 Zubrzycki began studies at the London School of Economics, graduating in 1952 with a M.Sc.Econ in population studies. He then enrolled and completed a PhD at the Free Polish University in London.

In 1955 Zubrzycki accepted a post in the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU) and immigrated with his family to Australia in December 1955. He continued to work at the ANU until his retirement in 1986, founding the Department of Sociology in 1970.

Zubrzycki had written extensively on immigration and served on many government councils and inquiries into Australian immigration and multicultural policies. He was involved in a number of other organisations, including Lifeline, the Australian Family Association and the National Museum of Australia. He was a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences since 1994.

Zubrzycki was awarded a MBE Mily in 1945, a CBE in 1978 and made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1984. He was married, with four children.