Jan Królewski was born on May 20th 1934 Leszczyny, in Małopolskie voivodship in Poland. In 1955 he graduated from I High School named after Henryk Sienkiewicz in Świebodzin. He was accepted into the Pomeranian Medical Academy in Szczecin, later graduating with the doctor of medicine diploma in 1962. After his residency he started his first job the same year in the Municipal Hospital in Słupsk at the Children Surgery Ward. In 1965 he relocated to the Children Surgery Clinic in Szczecin. Two years later he received the first level of medical specialization, and in 1968 he began to work in a newly opened Orthopaedic Clinic under professor Tomasz Żuk. He received a Doctor of Medical Science degree in 1973 with the doctoral dissertation titled: “The mechanisms and pathology of experimental ulna bone fractures with a dislocation of radial bone head of Monteggio type”.
In 1975 he received the medical specialization of second degree in orthopedic and traumatology. Ten years later he received a postdoctoral degree based on the dissertation titled “Patomechanika odkształceń i narastania ciasnoty kanału kręgowego i międzykręgowego w dolnym odcinku lędźwiowym kręgosłupa na tle przeciążeniowo-zwyrodnieniowym w badaniach doświadczalnych, obserwacjach klinicznych i radiologicznych”. In 1987 he was nominated for an associate professor position. Between 1988-2004 he performed the duties of the Head of the Department and Children Orthopaedic Clinic at PAM (Polish Academy of Sciences), at the same time fulfilling the function of the Head of the Orthopaedic Clinic for Adults in Zdunowo until 1992. The academic title of professor he received on 18th of June in 1996, and the nomination for the professor in 2001. Two years earlier, in 1999 Professor Jan Królewski was decorated as Knight of the Order of the Smile.
He was a member of many local and international science associations: The Polish Orthopaedic and Traumatology Society, the International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology-SCIOT and Szczecin Science Association. He was one of the founding members of Children Orthopaedic Division. He participated in Science Committees of established orthopaedic journals: “Ortopedii Traumatologii i Rehabilitacji”, “Chirurgii Narządu Ruchu i Ortopedii Polskiej” i “Kwartalnika Ortopedycznego. During his scientific work he published over a 100 research papers on clinical and practical topics.
During his work he concentrated on the pathology of the lumbosacral part of the spine. He published the results of biomechanics experimental works, as well as his reports from radio diagnosis of spine injuries, his research was valued in Poland and abroad due to the practical use in orthopedics practice; based on the research results. Professor Królewski raised many generations of orthopedists. Between the years 1989-2005 he was the promoter of six PhD students, a reviewer in nine doctoral dissertations and two post doctoral habilitations (1997-2005). In spite of retiring in 2005, he was supporting the Clinic of Children Orthopedics and Traumatology at Pomeranian Medical University.
In recognition for his contribution in the development of child orthopedics he received the I. Wośko distinction during the XXI Child Orthopaedic Symposium in 2011. He was the recipient of many distinctions for scientific and didactic achievements. Among some are: Złoty Krzyż Zasługi, Krzyż Kawalerski Orderu Odrodzenia Polski, and Medal Komisji Edukacji Narodowej. He passed away on May 17th in 2012. He was buried at the Central Szczecin Cemetery. He was a doctor with a big heart, for whom the most important goal was to ease the suffering of the patient. He was known for his understanding and patient approach when helping the needy. On 30th of September 2014 a ceremony of naming one of the streets in Szczecin after him took place. The following were present: Archbishop Andrzej Dzięga, Priest Mitrat Bohdan Hałuszka, the Vicar of Wrocław- Gdańsk Diocese, the representative of municipal government: Mayor of Szczecin Piotr Krzystek, Deputy Marshal of Szczecin Voivodeship Andrzej Jakubowski, family and friends of professor, the residents and clergy. As his son Piotr Królewski recalls “The most important thing for my father was to hear the laugh of the child”.