Biography

Dominik Poleski (pen name), born Tadeusz Chmielewski, grew up in a small town in Poland near the border with the former Soviet Union. As a curious child and teenager, he experienced firsthand the harsh realities of life under a totalitarian communist regime—marked by misery, poverty, persecution, and hopelessness. These early experiences left a deep and lasting impact on his psyche.

In 1972, his parents traveled to Canada for what was meant to be a temporary visit, but it soon became permanent. This sudden change left the family separated and scattered for several years. During this time, Dominik and his two brothers lived in different parts of Poland, enduring severe hardships in a hostile world where little made sense. The country remained under the grip of a totalitarian communist system, dominated by rigid Marxist-Leninist ideology.

Later, Dominik moved to Lublin to live with his aunt, where he graduated from the Institute of Technology in Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Railways. By the late 1970s, the brothers were finally reunited with their parents in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

In the early 1980s, Dominik attended the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), graduating in Civil Engineering Technology. Several years later, he pursued his passion for storytelling and earned a diploma in Creative Writing.

In 1987, he moved with his wife and son to the Metro Vancouver area in British Columbia, where he continues to live today. Over the years, he built a career in the design and drafting of steel structures, contributing to numerous prominent buildings across the United States and Canada.

Alongside his professional work, Dominik has nurtured a lifelong passion for literature, art, social issues, and politics, consistently engaging in creative writing, including both prose and poetry.