Stefan Darecki (Dieriewianko – surname was changed in 1934) was born in Warsaw, Poland on August 15, 1906. He received his M.Sc degree in 1931 at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of Warsaw University of Technology (WUT), where he was studying radio engineering under the supervision of professor Janusz Groszkowski. He began his professional career in 1929 as a senior assistant in the Radio Research Institute (now Tele and Radio Research Institute). He focused his work around the radio electronical measurements which lead the development of several novel measurement methods and models of measurement equipment. In the period between the year 1934 and the start of World War II he was the head of the Radio-reception Section of the newly established State Institute of Telecommunications. During the World War II he was cooperating with the polish resistance movement and was actively working both as a teacher and a researcher in the field of radio electronics. He was part of the team lead by professor Janusz Groszkowski, that successfully decoded the parameters of the radio equipment which was part of the guidance systems of the V-1 flying bombs and V-2 rockets.
In 1945 he resumed his work in the State Institute of Telecommunications as the head of the Measurements Section. In 1956 Institute was reorganized, and new Tele and Radio Research Institute was established, where professor Darecki was employed as the head of many different Departments and as the Deputy Director for Research. During the period 1945-1976 he served at the Warsaw University of Technology. He was also member of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
Apart from his duties as a teacher and researcher, professor Darecki worked for more than 50 years as an editor and editor-in-chief in many polish scientific journals related to telecommunication and radiocommunications.
Professor Darecki received many awards and decorations such as Golden Cross of Merit (1937), Knight’s Cross (1956) or Order of Polonia Restituta (1969).
Professor Darecki passed away on 15 January 1990.