Wieslaw Smętek, born in Poland in 1955, is a highly regarded illustrator, graphic designer and painter, known for creating covers for leading German newspapers and magazines such as Die Zeit, Stern and Der Spiegel.
His works are characterized by witty and intelligent allusions that give the magazines a unique look and make them instantly recognizable on newsstands. For example, he depicted former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a drenched poodle or Chancellor Angela Merkel as a quack protecting her chicks.
Smętek completed five years of education at the High School of Arts in Bydgoszcz and five years of studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, where he received a solid education in graphic design. In his career, he has moved from manual techniques, such as dry pastel, to digital, which has greatly increased his creative capabilities.
In 2023, he received the DIALOG award from the Federal Association of German-Polish Societies for his contributions to intercultural dialogue and the deepening of Polish-German relations. The award was presented by Rita Süssmuth, former president of the Bundestag, at a ceremony at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin.
His works are valued for their originality, surprising ideas and universality of message, making him one of the most widely published illustrators in the German media.
