Henryk Sienkiewicz: (1849-1916) Polish Novelist

Henryk Sienkiewicz was born in Wola Okrzejska, a town in Russia-ruled Poland.  Eventually due to economic difficulties, his family moved to Warsaw, where he entered into the university.  Sienkiewicz studied literature, history, and philology at Warsaw University while also writing newspaper columns.  In 1872, he wrote his first novel, Na marne (In Vain) and his first short story, Stary Sluga (An Old Retainer) in 1875.  (The Encyclopedia Britannica, 15^th Edition, p. 788)

In 1876, Sienkiewicz traveled to the United States to work as a correspondent for the Gazeta polska (Polish Gazette).  He spent much of his life writing and publishing short stories and was so loved by the Polish people, that he was given a small estate in Oblegorek, near Kielce.   “During World War I, he promoted the cause of Polish independence and organized relief for Polish war victims.” (The Encyclopedia Britannica, 15^th Edition, p. 788) 

Sienkiewicz is most noted for his work titled, Quo Vadis, a novel dealing with the Emporer Nero and Christian persecution, by which he received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1905.  (Sanford, George and Adriana Gozdecka-Sanford. Historical Dictionary of Poland.  p.186)

“The bronze bust of Sienkiewicz was given in 1947 by the Polish National Alliance and was unveiled on July 3, 1949.” (Lederer, Clara. Their Paths Are Peace. p. 84)

Photographs:

Bust of Sienkiewicz The Cleveland Memory Project

Photographs of the Garden

Further Reading:

Books and Writers

The Literature Collection

The Poles, The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

Polish National Catholic Church, The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

Sanford, George and Adriana Gozdecka-Sanford.  Historical Dictionary of Poland.  Metuchen, New Jersey: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., p.186, 1994

The Encyclopedia Britannica, 15^th Edition, Vol. 10, p. 788, 2002.