The outstanding inhabitants of Znin

Wanda Dobaczewska (1892-1980)
She was born in the region of Vilnius, where she started writing. In 1951 she moved to Znin. She wrote many novels connected thematically with Paluki region. During the Nazi occupation of Poland she was kept prisoner in a concentration camp. She drew on her first-hand experiences in the book “Kobiety w Ravensbruck” [Women in Ravensbruck]. She is also the author of “Czlowiek, ktorego nazwano Diablem” [The Man Who Was Called The Devil – the book about Mikolaj Nalecz, the owner of the castle in Wenecja, called the Devil because of his alledged cruelty]; the youth books “Korzenie” [The Roots], “Nikt nie jest winien” [Nobody's guilty], “Rudzielec” [The Ginger], “Spoleczenstwo nie z tej ziemi” [The Society Out Of This World]. The grave of the author is situated in Znin.

Erazm Glinczer (1535-1603)
Writer, educationalist, the leader of Grater Poland Lutherans. He was born in Znin as a burgher. He wrote the first book on education in Poland, “Ksiazka o wychowaniu dzieci” [The Book On The Education Of Children].

Aleksaner Guttry (1813-1891)
Insurgent, organizer of the Polish cultural life during the period of the Partitions of Poland. He was born in Paryz, near Znin. His family moved to Poland from Scotland in the C18th. He took part in November Uprising (1830-1831), the Revolutions of 1848 and during the January Uprising (1863) he was commissar of Grater Poland appointed by dictator Marian Langiewicz. An activist of Liga Polska [Polish League] and the founder of Dziennik Polski paper. For the participation in January Uprising he was sentenced to death in absentia by the Prussians. After some time spent abroad, after the declaration of amnesty he returned to his estate in Piotrkowice. He is the author of the book “Mr Mieroslawski – his works and doings”. He was aide-the-camp of Mieroslawski [click <a target="_blank" xhref="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwik_Mieros%C5%82awski">here</a> to learn more about the person] during the Revolutions of 1848.

Jakub of Znin
Archbishop of Gniezno. He fought for the independence of the Polish Church, which was subdued under the archdiocese of Magdeburg for a short period. He obtained a bull from pope Innocent on 7th July 1136 stating that the Polish Church is subordinate directly to the pope. The bull was named “the golden bull of the Polish language” by  A Brücker for it is a treasury of surnames and names of villages under the dominion of archbishops of Gniezno (29 names of villages in Paluki region).

Klemens Janicki (1516-1543)
He came from the peasantry. He was born in Januszkowo near Znin. At first he attended the parish school in Znin, then he studied in Lubranski Academy in Poznan. He also studied in Padua, where he got a degree in the liberal arts and philosophy. He wrote in Latin only. He is the author of the elegy “O sobie samym do potomnosci” [“On Myself for Posteriority”]. The precursor of the Renaissance in Poland.

Leon Ksycki (1875-1937)
Printer and publisher. He was born in Potulice to a family of teachers. He learned his profession in Wagrowiec as an apprentice of Teodor Kreglewski. In 1901 he established a publishing house and a book shop in Znin. He published books as well as magazines, among others “Oredownik Urzedowy Powiatu Zninskiego” [the press organ of Znin district], magazine for children – “Moj Swiat” [“My World”], “Paluczanin”, which came out three times a week, “Ilustrowany Kurier Polski” and the weekly for women - “Moja Przyjaciolka” [“My friend”], which had the circulation of 250 000. He promoted Polish literature in the pages of “Moje powiesci” [“My Novels”] weekly. After his death his son, Andrzej, took over father's business. He also changed his name back to Krzycki.

Stefan Lubienski (he lived in the C18th)
Suffragan bishop, bishop of Gniezno and a parish priest in Znin. He ordered the erection of the classical manor house (the so called Sufragania). He renovated the parish church in the baroque style. A portrait of the founder is hanging on the wall in St Florian's church in Znin.

Tadeusz Malachowski (1928-1987)
was a renowned painter living and working in Znin. He was an outstanding graphic artist and a portraitist. His style is marked by a peculiar selection of colours. He created the cycle of paintings entitled “Dramaty” [“Dramas”]. He was extremely sensible, he depicted the problems of contemporary people and the world under the threat of atomic annihilation in his paintings. The exhibition of his works is displayed in Muzeum Ziemii Paluckiej [Paluki Region Museum] in Znin.

Mikolaj of Wenecja (?-1400)
He came from the family of Nalecz. He was the castellan of Naklo. By the end of the C14th he built a stone castle in Wenecja. From 1381 onwards he held the office of a judge in Kalisz. He owned over twenty villages. In the civil war with Grzymalitas he led the family of Nalecz's forces and sacked the estates of bishop Bodzanty. Probably it was then when he was called “Krwawy Diabeł” [Bloody Devil] for the first time. He is the protagonist of numerous legends.

Wanda Pieniezna (1897-1967)
Born in Znin, she comes from Dembinscy family, a well-known burgeois family. Along with her husband, Seweryn Pieniezny, who was a publisher and journalist of “Gazeta Olsztynska”, she fought for Warmia and Mazury regions to remain Polish in all respects. Her husband was murdered by the Nazi in the death camp in Hohenbruch. She survived the death camp of Ravensbrück and saw the idea she fought for all her life becoming realized.

Janusz Rychlewski (1915-1987)
The son of a businessman and an insurgent from Znin. He wrote a number of short stories and novels, among others “Zielone granice” [“Leaky Borders”], “Czapka frygijska” [“Phrygian Bonnet”], “Czlowiek z gutaperki” [“Bakelite Man”], as well as dramas: “Pieczec krwi” [“The Seal of Blood”], “Chichot Mefista” [“Mephistopheles' Giggle”].

Jan Sniadecki (1756-1830)
Mathematician, astronomer and philosopher. He was the son of a brewer and mayor of Znin. Sniadecki studied in Cracow, Göttingen and Paris. He was active in Komisja Edukacji Narodowej [Commision of National Education]. He gave lectures in Cracow and Vilnius, for many years he was the the vice-chancellor (the president) of the University of Vilnius. He was one of the greatest Polish scientist of the Enlightenment. His greatest works include “Filozofia umyslu ludzkiego” [“Human Mind Philosophy”], “Trygonometria kulista” [“Spherical trygonometry”]. He established the base of the Polish terminology in mathematics. His grave is located in Jaszuny in Lithuania.

Jedrzej Sniadecki (1757-1838)
Jan's brother. He was born in Znin. He was an outstanding biologist, physician and chemist of the Enlightenment. He held the position of the profesor of the University of Vilnius. He was the proponent of empiricism. He created the first Polish chemistry dictionary. He wrote a number of treatises, among others “Poczatki chemii” [“The Beginnings of Chemistry”], “O fizycznym wychowaniu dzieci” [“On the Physical Upbringing of Children”] or “Teoria jestestw organicznych” [“Organic Beings Theory”]. He was buried in Horodnik in Belarus.