In 1958, Michel Foucault arrived in Poland to work on his thesis. While he was there, he became involved with a certain 'Jurek,' who eventually lead the secret police to Foucault's hotel room, causing his subsequent exit from Poland. That boy's motivations and true identity were hidden for decades, until Ryzinski uncovered the truth about the whole situation. Foucault in Warsaw reconstructs a vibrant, engaging picture of gay life in Poland under communism - from the joys found in secret nightclubs, to the fears of not knowing who was a secret informant.