Norman Davies
Norman Davies (born 8 June 1939 in Bolton) is a British-Polish historian, an alumnus of Magdalen College, Oxford, who in Britain was awarded the CMG, and in Poland, the Order of the White Eagle.
He is emeritus Professor of SSEES-UCL in London, Honorary Fellow of St Antony’s College, Oxford, and a Fellow both of the British Academy and the Akademia Umiejetności. He holds seven honorary doctorates in the UK and Poland, and six honorary citizenships.
He is the author of over twenty books, most notably of God’s Playground: A History of Poland (2 vols, OUP, 1981), as well as White Eagle, Red Star (1972), Europe: a history (1996), The Isles: a history (1999), Microcosm (on Wroclaw, 1999), Rising ’44 (2003), Europe at War (2006), Vanished Kingdoms (2013), Trail of Hope (2016), Beneath Another Sky (2017), About Myself, (2019), Galicia (2023,) and Plus Ultra (2024). etc.
His works have been translated into thirty-two languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Estonian. 2025 saw him awarded the title of Człowiek Roku (Person of the Year) by Gazeta Wyborcza, and is due to see both the publication of his next book, Igrzyska Dziejow, by ZNAK (Cracow) and his doctoral Jubilee at the Jagiellonian University.
Awards
2009-2019
House of European History, Brussels – Member of the Scientific Committee
2018
Honorary Fellow of St Antony’s College, Oxford
A symbolic return to the academic community with which he has been associated for decades.
2018
Honorary Doctor of Humanities, University of Bolton
Meeting with the spiritual leader of Tibet.
An inspiring episode — the conversation with the Dalai Lama held intellectual and spiritual significance for Davies.
2011
Order of the White Eagle
The highest state decoration of the Republic of Poland awarded to Norman Davies.
An honor recognizing many years of promoting Polish history worldwide. A moment of acknowledgment by the country to which he dedicated a large part of his work.
2007
Doctorates honoris causa
University of Warsaw.
2000
Doctorates honoris causa
University of Gdańsk.
For outstanding academic achievements in the study of European history and for promoting Poland on the international stage.
1995
Meeting with President Ryszard Kaczorowski
London, Embassy of the Republic of Poland. A symbolic link between Polish London and reborn Poland
1984
Order of Polonia Restituta, 4th Class.
With President Edward Raczyński. One of the highest Polish state decorations, awarded by the Polish Government-in-Exile for outstanding contributions to the promotion of Polish history.
CAREER
1981
God’s Playground.
Published in English (1981),
translated into Polish “for the drawer” (1984),
not officially published in Polish until 1989;
alongside the Hungarian edition.
1979
Meeting with Pope John Paul II
Castel Gandolfo – “Thank you for being here”. A personal and spiritual encounter with the Polish Pope.
1976
Poland, Past and Present.
A bibliography of English-language works about Poland.
1974
Doctor of Historical Sciences
Jagiellonian University
1972
Publication of White Eagle, Red Star.
First major book – about the Polish–Bolshevik War.
The 1970s
Academic work in London
British Museum – Norman Davies worked in a building next door
Years of research and writing, the beginning of his academic career in the United Kingdom.
Youth and Travels
1962
First visit to Poland
Warsaw, April 1962 – “Poland is like a radish”. A symbolic beginning of a fascination with Poland – “red on the outside, white on the inside”: communist on the surface, but deeply national and resistant within.
1961
Journey by Jeep to Byzantium and Spain. Exploration of European culture – from antiquity to modern times. Inspiring encounters with history.
Education
1960
Bachelor’s degree graduate.
Graduation from Magdalen College, University of Oxford.
1958
Oxford, exam time.
Norman takes his final exams at the University of Oxford.
1957
The First Eleven of Bolton School.
1957
Bolton School. Norman Davies is standing first on the right.
1948-1953
Norman Davies
Education
Bolton School
Childhood
1947
Norman with a friend in front of his father’s pharmacy.
1944
The Davies family. Norman, with his leg in a cast, on Uncle Don’s lap.
1940
First steps. Moss Bank Park, Bolton.
1909
The Davies family. In the front row, on the left — Norman Davies I, on the right — Richard Davies.
1900
Ancestors and Family Roots
The Isherwood family. Norman Davies’s grandmother, Elizabeth Bolton, née Isherwood, second from the right in the middle row next to her father; behind her is Edwin Bolton, Norman Davies’s grandfather.
