Slawomir Mrozek was born in Borzecin, Poland on June 29, 1930. He worked as a political journalist and cartoonist during the Stalinist era. He was a consistent critic of state communism and condemned Poland's part in the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. He left Poland in 1964 and went to Paris, eventually becoming a French citizen. He was one of Poland's greatest playwrights. His first play, The Police was published in 1958. His other plays include Out at Sea, Enchanted Night, Tango, The Emigrants, and The Ambassador. He also wrote collections of short story including The Elephant. He died on August 15, 2013 at the age of 83.