Karol Szajnocha
Encyclopedia
Karol Szajnocha was a Polish
writer, historian, and independence activist. Self-taught, he would nonetheless become a notable Polish historian of the partitions
period.
and Lwów; in that period Szajnocha adopted the polonized version of his name (from Scheinoh to Szajnocha).
In 1834 while in gymnasium
he founded a secret society, "Societ of the Ancient Times" (Towarzystwo Starożytności), dedicated to collecting information on the historical monuments of the partitioned
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
and inspired by the Philomath Student Movement
. The society was discovered and closed by the authorities and Szajnocha received a mild punishment. In 1835 he entered the University of Lwów, philosophical department. In 1836 he was found guilty of spreading pro-Polish and anti-government leaflets and poems (on the anniversary of the recent November Uprising
); he was imprisoned from January of that year till mid 1837 and for the first several months he was locked in a single cell without any light. For activism related to Polish pro-independence movement he was also expelled from university and forbidden to reenlist. He continued his education unofficially (he was mostly self-taught), although later he would receive some help from his mentor, August Bielowski), concentrating first on linguistics
(he started in prison where by reading grammar books he learned the English language
), later on literature and history.
Szajnocha became a private tutor as well as journalist and an editor of several important Polish publications in Lwów (he was connected, amongst others, to Dziennik Mod Paryskich, Tygodnik Polski, Rozmaitości, and Dziennik Literacki). In 1838 he joined a new secret organization, Sarmacja. While pro-Polish it was moderate in its views and argued against an armed struggle. In 1839 he first published his own literary works; he wrote poems, novels, dramas and historical essays as well as translate (primarily from Serbian language
). Around 1847 his vision started to worsen and was advised by medical doctors to limit amount of writing and reading; he rejected their advise. By that time his fame had grown and twice (in 1850 and 1862) he was offered a position at the Jagiellonian University
, which he refused. Beginning in 1853, he worked in the Ossolineum
Institute, which helped him to publish some of his works. In 1855 he married Joanna Bilińska.
In 1860 he became completely blind (he already had major problems reading since 1856) but would not give up reading and writing - he would listen to a lector and dictate his works as well as write himself with the aid of a device he designed himself (although eventually rheumatism
would prevent him from that). On 10 January 1868 he died in Lwów and later buried in the Łyczakowski Cemetery
. His funeral
was well known and attended by many and seen as a Polish patriotic manifestation.
(1855-1856), Kazimierz the Great, marshal, hetman, voivode, and magnate Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski
and others (Szkice historyczne (1854—1869), Dwa lata dziejow naszych, 1646 i1648 (1865-1869), Obrazy lechickie, Śmierc Czarnieckiego, Obyczaje pierwotnych Słowian). He was also one of the initiators of work on and the publisher of the Monumenta Poloniae Historica (published from 1864 to 1893), a six-tome compilation of important primary sources related to history of Poland
.
He was recognized by his contemporaries, both Polish speaking and foreign, as a major historian of Poland. His works became known outside the academic circles, and were reportedly read, among others, by the future Nobel prize
winning Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz
. His most notable work "Jadwiga i Jagiełło, 1374—1413" (first edition 1855-1856; second updated edition 1861) was praised in Encyclopedia Britannica 1911 edition as a "great monograph, justly described as a pearl of historical literature... the result of twelve years of exhaustive study... our best authority on the first union between Poland and Lithuania."
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
writer, historian, and independence activist. Self-taught, he would nonetheless become a notable Polish historian of the partitions
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
period.
Biography
Karol Szajnocha was born as Karol Scheinoha von Wtelensky on 20 November 1818 in Komarno, son of Germanized and Polonized Czech Wacław Scheinoh-Vtelenský and Maria Łozińska. Karol attended schools in SamborSambir
Sambir is a city in the Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Sambir Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast. It is located at around , close to the border with Poland.-History:...
and Lwów; in that period Szajnocha adopted the polonized version of his name (from Scheinoh to Szajnocha).
In 1834 while in gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
he founded a secret society, "Societ of the Ancient Times" (Towarzystwo Starożytności), dedicated to collecting information on the historical monuments of the partitioned
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
and inspired by the Philomath Student Movement
Philomaths
The Philomaths, or Philomath Society , was a secret student organization that existed from 1817 to 1823 at the Imperial University of Vilnius.-History:...
. The society was discovered and closed by the authorities and Szajnocha received a mild punishment. In 1835 he entered the University of Lwów, philosophical department. In 1836 he was found guilty of spreading pro-Polish and anti-government leaflets and poems (on the anniversary of the recent November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
); he was imprisoned from January of that year till mid 1837 and for the first several months he was locked in a single cell without any light. For activism related to Polish pro-independence movement he was also expelled from university and forbidden to reenlist. He continued his education unofficially (he was mostly self-taught), although later he would receive some help from his mentor, August Bielowski), concentrating first on linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
(he started in prison where by reading grammar books he learned the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
), later on literature and history.
Szajnocha became a private tutor as well as journalist and an editor of several important Polish publications in Lwów (he was connected, amongst others, to Dziennik Mod Paryskich, Tygodnik Polski, Rozmaitości, and Dziennik Literacki). In 1838 he joined a new secret organization, Sarmacja. While pro-Polish it was moderate in its views and argued against an armed struggle. In 1839 he first published his own literary works; he wrote poems, novels, dramas and historical essays as well as translate (primarily from Serbian language
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
). Around 1847 his vision started to worsen and was advised by medical doctors to limit amount of writing and reading; he rejected their advise. By that time his fame had grown and twice (in 1850 and 1862) he was offered a position at the Jagiellonian University
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
, which he refused. Beginning in 1853, he worked in the Ossolineum
Ossolineum
The Ossolineum or Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich a meritorious department for Polish science and culture , which was founded for the Polish Nation in 1817 by Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński, and was opened in 1827 in Lviv.It was one of the most important Polish...
Institute, which helped him to publish some of his works. In 1855 he married Joanna Bilińska.
In 1860 he became completely blind (he already had major problems reading since 1856) but would not give up reading and writing - he would listen to a lector and dictate his works as well as write himself with the aid of a device he designed himself (although eventually rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
would prevent him from that). On 10 January 1868 he died in Lwów and later buried in the Łyczakowski Cemetery
Lychakivskiy Cemetery
-History:Since its creation in 1787 as Łyczakowski Cemetery, it has been the main necropolis of the city's inteligentsia, middle and upper classes. Initially the cemetery was located on several hills in the borough of Lychakiv, following the imperial Austro-Hungarian edict ordering that all...
. His funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
was well known and attended by many and seen as a Polish patriotic manifestation.
Works
He is remembered mostly for his contributions as a historian. Hist first academic work, Pogląd na ogół dziejów polskich, was published in 1847. He wrote many works, on Polish kings Bolesław Chrobry (1849), Władysław Łokietek (between 1849 and 1854), Władysław Jagiełło (Jogaila) and Queen Jadwiga of PolandJadwiga of Poland
Jadwiga was monarch of Poland from 1384 to her death. Her official title was 'king' rather than 'queen', reflecting that she was a sovereign in her own right and not merely a royal consort. She was a member of the Capetian House of Anjou, the daughter of King Louis I of Hungary and Elizabeth of...
(1855-1856), Kazimierz the Great, marshal, hetman, voivode, and magnate Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski
Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski
Prince Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski was a Polish noble , magnate, outstanding politician and military commander. Lubomirski was a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire SRI. He was the initiator of the Lubomirski Rokosz....
and others (Szkice historyczne (1854—1869), Dwa lata dziejow naszych, 1646 i1648 (1865-1869), Obrazy lechickie, Śmierc Czarnieckiego, Obyczaje pierwotnych Słowian). He was also one of the initiators of work on and the publisher of the Monumenta Poloniae Historica (published from 1864 to 1893), a six-tome compilation of important primary sources related to history of Poland
History of Poland
The History of Poland is rooted in the arrival of the Slavs, who gave rise to permanent settlement and historic development on Polish lands. During the Piast dynasty Christianity was adopted in 966 and medieval monarchy established...
.
He was recognized by his contemporaries, both Polish speaking and foreign, as a major historian of Poland. His works became known outside the academic circles, and were reportedly read, among others, by the future Nobel prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winning Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz was a Polish journalist and Nobel Prize-winning novelist. A Polish szlachcic of the Oszyk coat of arms, he was one of the most popular Polish writers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905 for his...
. His most notable work "Jadwiga i Jagiełło, 1374—1413" (first edition 1855-1856; second updated edition 1861) was praised in Encyclopedia Britannica 1911 edition as a "great monograph, justly described as a pearl of historical literature... the result of twelve years of exhaustive study... our best authority on the first union between Poland and Lithuania."