Wielkopolska’soutstanding Europeans

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WARSZAWA

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Wielkopolska’s outstanding Europeans

They were with us nearly from the beginning of our history. Here they found refuge and good conditions for work. They became richer while living in the land of Wielkopolska and we were enriched by their presence, and by their works. Arriving here for various reasons and in various historical periods they they impacted our common history and today some of their names are still fondly remembered. Representing vari-ous nationalities, denominations and pro-fessions, some of them over time chose to become part of the local community, others were linked with Wielkopolska exclusively by their birthplace or by the time they spent here and the works they left behind. Starting from the 12th-13th cen-tury Jewish and German people used to settle here. In the 16th and 17th century the area provided shelter for religious non-conformists mainly fleeing from the author-ity of the ultra-Catholic monarchs of the House of Habsburg – Bohemian Brethren,

Arians, supporters of Calvinist and Lutheran doctrines. Polish rulers and landlords estab-lished new towns for them, and gave them permits to build their places of worship, while the newcomers contributed fresh ideas into our way of living. Italians, mainly artists, came here with the tides and trends of Renaissance and Baroque. Remarkable works of architecture, art and craft were created under their su-pervision or by their own hands. The 18th and 19th century saw the construction of numerous buildings by outstanding Ger-man architects while the parks and gardens were designed by French and German land-scape artists. Renowned foreign residents of Wielkopolska included: scholars, musicians, artists, statesmen and actors. It is impossible to mention all of them, yet it is a worthwhile idea to take a closer look at some of them including those who, perhaps unfairly, have been almost forgotten.

Palace in Pawłowice,photo: Z. Schmidt

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The Belgian

Charles Malapert (1581-1630)

The first Polish observatory in the modern sense of this word was probably located in the tower of the Jesuit church in Kalisz. It was here that in the early 1600s a Belgian astronomer, Charles Malapert car-ried out his research using a telescope with an equatorial mounting which was his own invention. Thanks to him Kalisz at that time became the most significant centre for astro-nomical studies in Poland. Charles Malapert was born in 1581 in Mons, Belgium. It is assumed he arrived in Poland around year 1610, after he became a Jesuit. He was a teacher of mathematics at the Jesuit College of Kalisz and at the same time conducted his astronomical studies for which he became famous. Malapert left Poland in 1617 for Flanders where he also taught mathematics at the University of Douai and continued as-tronomical observations initiated in Kalisz. He died in 1630, in Spain. Malapert started his observations of the sky in Kalisz in 1613 and today this date is regarded as the beginning of astronomical research in Poland conducted by means of telescope. A year later the learned Jesuit used the instrument for the first time to examine Sun spots which he, in fact, considered to be independent planets of the Solar System. Malapert also investigated the Orion Nebula, Saturn, Jupiter and its moons as well as the Moon. In his research he was assisted by his students from Kalisz: Szymon Perovius and Aleksy Sylvius. The scholar published many papers on astronomy and mathematics, as well as a collection of poems printed in Kalisz in 1615 and dedicated to Prince Władysław Waza. Today one of the streets here is named after the Belgian astronomer. On dis-play in the District Museum of Kalisz Region are replicas of his astronomical instruments; we can also have a look at the tower of the

Jesuit church where he carried out his obser-vations.

District Museum of Kalisz Regionul. Kościuszki 12, 62-800 Kalisz tel. 62 757 16 08, tel./fax 62 757 16 09 www.muzeum.kalisz.pl

The Czech

Dobrawa (? - 977)

The Bohemian princess Dou-bravka in Poland is known as Dobrawa or Dąbrówka, and in fact the original form of her name still remains uncertain today. Descending from the Czech dynas-ty of Prĕmysl she was a daughter of Boleslaus the Cruel, the Duke of Bohemia. She became part of Polish history as the wife of Duke Mieszko I and mother of King Bolesław Chrobry (Boleslaus the Brave) as well as Świętosława (who was married to Eric the Victorious, King of Sweden and after he died – to Sweyn Forkbeard, king of Denmark). We do not know when or where Dobrawa was born, we know nothing of her childhood and youth. Her wedding with the Polish Duke Mieszko in 965 was a result of an alliance concluded between him and the Bohemian Duke Boleslaus, Dobrawa’s father. The marriage was designed to strengthen this political affiliation. Because Mieszko was a pagan and Dobrawa was a Christian she is believed to have played an important part in the process of introducing Christianity to Poland – she came to Poznań assisted by her court which included Christian clergymen. The first Bishop of Poland, Jordan, may have been one of them. Dobrawa died in 977. Her resting place remains unknown. Tradition has it that she founded the churches of the Holy Trinity and of St. Vitus in Gniezno as well as the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island) in Poznań. Yet, it is ob-vious the latter was not founded by her as

the church is dated to the 15th century. The Chapel built by Dobrawa was located south of the area today occupied by the church – its relics were unearthed in the summer of 2009 by a team of archaeologists from Adam Mickiewicz University supervised by Prof. Hanna Kóčka-Krenz.

Jan Ámos Komenský (1592-1670)John Amos Comenius

By Czech people, who are im-mensely proud of his legacy, he is called “the Teacher of Nations”. He lived in Leszno from 1628 to 1656, except for the period of 1642-48 when he stayed in Elbląg. During that time he wrote his principal works on universal education as well as modern-style textbooks (including the famous course book of Latin „Janua linguarum reserata”), as well as works on philosophy, including those related to the

pansophic principle elaborated by him. Jan Ámos Komenský was born on 28 March 1592 in Nivnice in Moravia. He came to Poland in 1628 after the Habsburgs started persecuting Protestants. He found refuge in Leszno which from the mid-16th century was an important seat of the Bohe-mian Brethren. This outstanding Czech scholar is often considered the father of modern edu-cation. He initiated and promoted the idea of a unified system of education consisting of four consecutive levels and school types. He thought that all children, regardless of their gender or social position, should receive education; additionally, he believed that the first stage of schooling should be conducted in children’s native tongues, which should only be replaced with Latin at the level of secondary schools. While in Leszno, Comenius was a teacher and a rector of the local Gymnasium well-known for its high level of teaching. He was involved in the activities of the religious community and in 1632 became a senior of the Unity of the Brethren. Comenius left Leszno in 1656, and spent the rest of his life in Amsterdam, where he died on 15 November 1670. He is commemorated in Leszno in a number of ways: two schools were named af-ter him – the Secondary School of Economy and the Higher School of Vocational Train-ing. In front of the latter we can see a statue of Comenius designed by Ireneusz Daczka. The oldest bust of the Czech educator has been on display in Leszno since 1898; the work of Alfred Reichel, initially it stood in front of St. John’s Church and currently can be seen at the square which also bears the scholar’s name. The District Museum holds a per-manent exposition devoted to Jan Ámos Ko-menský and the Bohemian Brethren.

District Museum in Lesznopl. J. Metziga 17, 64-100 Lesznotel. 65 529 61 40, www.muzeum.leszno.pl

Bust of Jan Ámos Komenský in Leszno,photo: Z. Schmidt

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The French

Augustin Denizot (1836-1910)

The park surrounding the palace in Zakrzewo is his best preserved work in Wielkopolska. While he was arranging it, Augustin Denizot established fruit orchards which quickly became famous throughout the region and contributed to the growing interest in gardening among other landown-ers. Augustin Denizot was born on 16 December 1836 in Villers-aux-Bois, France. The young landscape artist was brought to Poland in 1859 by Count Albin Węsierski, owner of Zakrzewo. The romantic land-scaped park, which still can be seen today, was created before alterations were intro-duced to the mansion. Comprising an area of 16 hectares the park features a pond and a stream and is home to approximately 50 species of trees and shrubs, including those with the status of natural monument: a small leaved lime with a girth of 322 cm and a Lon-don plane with a girth of 387 cm. There are also charming avenues of old chestnut trees, limes, beech and plane trees, as well as rows of hornbeams. Denizot also designed the parks in

Uzarzewo and Kopaszewo, and during 1860-70 he remodelled the French park in Turew into an English garden. Today its northern part still retains the features of the land-scaped park; its southern part however has become a forest. The fame of the French gardener quickly spread beyond the borders of the Grand Duchy of Poznań, and as a result Denizot was commissioned to arrange gar-dens and orchards in Pomerania and Kielce regions. In 1867 he moved to Górczyn, which at that time was near Poznań and today is part of the city, and established his own gar-dening and fruit-growing enterprise. He died on 6 November 1910 in Poznań.

Suggested tour: Zakrzewo (near Kłecko) – Uzarzewo - Turew

The Germans

Maria Cunitz (1610-1664)

Johannes Hevelius addressed her “the Most Noble and Most Learned Mrs. Cu-nitio”. Indeed, a descendant of a family from Świdnica, Maria Cunitz (also known as Cu-nitia or Kunic) by her contemporaries was regarded as being as outstanding an astrono-mer as Johannes Hevelius and Johannes Ke-pler. She was born in Wołów on 29 May 1610, presumably in a mixed German and Polish family; she was a daughter of Maria Schultz and Heinrich Cunitz, a doctor of medicine and philosopher. She was phe-nomenally talented – she knew Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Italian, French, Polish and German. She played the lute, she could sing and paint, she studied medicine, yet her favourites were mathematics and astronomy. She used to observe the sky from the roof of her house in Świdnica, and applied the results to make calculations. In the 1630s, fleeing the persecu-tion of Protestants during the Thirty Years’

War, she and her husband (Elias von Löwen – a mathematician, and astronomer) took refuge in Łubnice in Wielkopolska. They were aided by the prioress of the Cistercian convent in Ołobok, Zofia Łubieńska, who provided support to Protestant families. And it was here, in Łubnice, in the vicinity of the Cistercian nunnery that Urania propitia the most important work by Maria Cunitz, was created. This work, which was an improve-ment on Kepler’s Rudolphine Tables brought her worldwide fame and recognition. It was also the first astronomical treatise which contained ephemerides of Venus. Today one of the craters on Venus is named Cunitz in recognition for her research on the motion and phases of this planet. The book, published in 1650 in Oleśnica was dedicated by the author to Em-peror Ferdinand III. Maria Cunitz wrote it in two language versions, in Latin and German, and this way contributed to the development of the German scientific language. After the war ended she returned to

Palace and park in Zakrzewo, photo: Z. Schmidt

Silesia in 1648. She died in Byczyn on 22 Au-gust 1664. The University Library in Poznań holds an original copy of Urania propitia published in 1650 in Oleśnica.

Tassilo von Heydebrand und der Lasa (1818-1899)

Tassilo von Heydebrand und der Lasa (in English known as „Baron von der Lasa”) was a diplomat, and most of all an out-standing 19th century chess master. He used to visit Osieczna frequently, particularly after 1884 when the local castle was inherited by his son Heinrich Bernhard Heydebrand und der Lasa from his grandfather. The place re-mained a property of the von Heydebrand family until the end of World War II. Tassilo von Heydebrand was born in 1818 in Berlin. He started playing chess when he was at school. He was a member of the ‚so-called ‚ Berlin Pleiades, a group of seven chess players who greatly contributed to promoting the game in Germany. Tassilo was not only a brilliant player but also a theoretician and historian of chess. His chess library consisted of over 2,000 volumes and in those times ranked among the most valuable collections of this type. He also wrote and published books in-cluding manuals and rulebooks. In his later years Tassilo von Hey-debrand used to spend more and more time in Osieczna, and being a connoisseur of art he aided his son in reconstructing the castle. It was also here that he celebrated his 80th birthday. A year later, due to his deteriorat-ing condition, doctors urged him to travel to Wiesbaden. Yet, he chose to stay in Osieczna; what is more he brought his chess collection here. He died on 27 July 1899, and was bur-ied at the Evangelical cemetery in Osieczna. The graveyard is no longer there yet the chess master’s tomb has been preserved and can be seen in the area formerly occupied by the cemetery, where in 2007 a lapidarium was created.

Cover of Urania Propitia by Maria Cunitz, photo: Z. Schmidt

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The part of his chess collection which survived World War II is now in the holdings of the Library of the Polish Acade-my of Sciences located in Kórnik. Organized since 2002, gatherings of chess historians are held in the Kórnik castle and their par-ticipants include descendants of Tassilo von Heydebrand.

Suggested tour: Osieczna – Kórnik

Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934)

Paul von Hindenburg was born on 2 October 1847, in a modest house at No.7, Bergstraße (today No. 6, Podgórna St.) in Poznań, to a family of a Prussian officer. His family had lived in Poznań since 1832, when his father Robert von Hin-denburg joined the 18th Infantry Regiment which was stationed here. In 1845 his father married Luisa Schwickart, also in Poznań, and in 1855 the family moved to Głogów.

Paul Hindenburg returned to Wielkopolska in 1884 for a period of 15 months to take command of the 58th Infantry Regiment sta-tioned in Wschowa. Paul von Hindenburg is remem-bered by history as an excellent German army officer, Field Marshal and statesman; during 1925-1934 he served as the President of Germany in the times of the Weimar Re-public. Despite his aversion to Adolf Hitler in 1933 he appointed him to the post of Reich Chancellor. Paul von Hindenburg died on 2 August 1934 in his estate in Neudeck (now Ogrodzieniec, in Warmińsko-Mazurskie Province). Contrary to his wish, he was bur-ied in a monumental mausoleum at the out-skirts of the town, today called Olsztynek. It was erected to commemorate the German victory over the Russian army in August 1914. In January 1945 the German army took away the coffin with his remains and

demolished the monument. The ashes of the Field Marshal were interred in the Church of St. Elizabeth in Marburg.

Robert Koch (1843-1910)

Wolsztyn region witnessed the be-ginning of the career of Robert Koch, a Ger-man doctor, who was to become one of the first scientists awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine. A graduate of the University of Göttingen he started his work as a physician in 1869 in Rakoniewice – his surgery was lo-cated at what today is No. 13, Pocztowa St. Koch was 26 years old at the time. In 1872 he was appointed to the position of district physician in nearby Wolsztyn. And it was here that he started investigating the etiol-ogy of anthrax. He had no laboratory and he conducted his research in a corner of the office where he consulted his patients. His secret co-worker was Józef Knechtel, a Pol-ish chemist; he was also aided by his wife, Emma. She gave him a microscope as a gift for his 28th birthday. In 1876 he presented the results of his research at the conference of the German Medical Association held in Wrocław. His findings made it possible for him to move to Berlin in 1880; when he was offered a job at the Imperial Health Office where he started his research leading to the

discovery of the bacterium causing tubercu-losis. For this achievement in 1905 he was awarded the Nobel Prize. Koch could speak Polish and had good relations with Poles. In recognition of his contribution to medicine in 1890 he was granted honorary membership by the Socie-ty of the Friends of Science in Poznań (which was particularly sensitive to anti-Polish atti-tudes). Robert Koch died in Baden Baden in 1910. The scientist has always been re-membered in Wolsztyn. During the interwar period there was a small museum devoted to him. After the war a memorial room was maintained; in 1996 it was transformed into a museum with the assistance of the Polish-German Foundation and Robert Koch Asso-ciation for Science. It is located in a former 19th century hospital which was also home to the world famous physician and bacterio-logist, the discoverer of bacillus anthracis, vibrio cholerae and mycobacterium tubercu-losis. Today in the museum we can see the original laboratory equipment dating from the time of his work here.

Doctor Robert Koch Museum ul. Roberta Kocha 12, 64-200 Wolsztyntel. 68 384 27 36www.muzea-wolsztyn.com.pl

Castle in Osieczna,photo: Z. Schmidt Heydebrand family coat of arms in Osieczna,

photo: Z. Schmidt

Robert Koch Museum in Wolsztyn, photo: Z. Schmidt

Inside Robert Koch Museum in Wolsztyn, photo: Archive of the Town Hall in Wolsztyn

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Carl Gotthard Langhans (1732-1808)

It is hard to believe that this most remarkable German architect of the early classicist period had studied law at the Uni-versity of Halle rather than the art of design-ing. He was a self-taught architect; he also studied the arcane of mathematics and ge-ometry by himself, and took lessons in draw-ing. He was born on 15 December 1732 in Kamienna Góra. Soon afterwards his fam-ily moved to Świdnica where his father for many years was the principal of the Gymna-sium. After graduating from university he settled down in Wrocław. His first project was carried out for the Evangelical church in Głogów, but he gained renown for the de-sign and construction of the palace for the Hatzfeldt family in Wrocław. His works also include the Archbishop’s Palace and the Cu-ria at Ostrów Tumski as well as the Pachaly family palace in Wrocław, the Evangelical churches in Wałbrzych and Syców, as well as a number of buildings in Berlin where he re-located in 1766. He was appointed to the po-sition of Director at the Supreme Construc-tion Office in 1788. Langhans contributed to the construction of numerous buildings in Berlin and Potsdam. His works include the extension of the Berlin Opera House, the

theatre in Charlottenburg, and the interiors at Bellevue Palace (today an official residence of the President of Germany). Much later, after World War II the palace was restored from ruin and its interiors were significantly altered, yet the oval room designed by Lang-hans, which had been undamaged, retained its original style. The crowning achievement of his Berlin period and Langan’s greatest work was the Brandenburg Gate, which to-day is a symbol of the German capital. In Wielkopolska Langhans cre-ated the palace in Pawłowice, which he de-signed and built for Maksymilian Antoni Mielżyński, the royal scribe and chamber-lain of King Stanisław August. Mielżyński, a connoisseur of art, was well educated and extremely rich. It was said that, as appro-priate for of one of such great fortune, he treated himself with a truly royal residence in Pawłowice, which was recognized as “one of the most sumptuous palaces in the Poznań region”. Surrounded by a park, the classicist complex consists of the palace and two an-nex buildings connected by semi-circular galleries. This was the first time that this kind of layout was seen in Wielkopolska, and in terms of its design the palace of Pawłowice was a herald of classicism in Wielkopolska.

Other works by Langhans in the re-gion include the church tower in Poniec and the formerly Evangelical church of the Holy Trinity in Rawicz (at present dedicated to St. Andrzej Bobola, and used by Catholics).Carl Gotthard Langhans died on 1 October 1808 in Wrocław-Dąbie.

Suggested tour: Pawłowice – Poniec - Rawicz

Peter Joseph Lenné (1789-1866)

He was called a master landscaper. Today the parks and gardens which he creat-ed still continue to amaze with their beauty. He was one of the most brilliant landscape architects of the classicist period. Peter Joseph Lenné was born on 29 September 1789 in Bonn, into the fam-ily of a Prussian court gardener. His skills and expertise were acknowledged in 1822 when he was appointed to the position of the Drector of the Royal Gardens; then in 1845 he became the Director General of the Prus-sian Garden. The list of his accomplishments (from Vienna to Koblenz) is long indeed, and his most famous works include Sanssou-ci Park in Potsdam as well as Tiergarten and Klein-Glienicke parks in Berlin. Peter Joseph Lenné died on 23 January 1866 in Potsdam. Wielkopolska also holds traces of Lenné’s art of landscaping. In 1822 he was commissioned by King Frederick William III to design Zwierzyniec Park in Złotów and its integral part - the gardens in the immediate surroundings of the palace. Zwierzyniec was an enclosed hunting area used by the impe-rial Hohenzollern family who owned Złotów at the time. Taking advantage of the former

Palace in Pawłowice,photo: Z. Schmidt

Church in Poniec,photo: Z. Schmidt

Landscape reserve in Złotów,photo: Z. Schmidt

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primeval forest, Lenné created an impressive landscape park with the so-called “octopus”, that is 8 routes departing from a centrally located clearing. Today its area comprising approximately 100 ha holds an amphitheatre and a centre for ecological education; one of the park’s avenues is named after Peter Jo-seph Lenné. Another park designed by Lenné in this area can be seen in Jarocin. Originally comprising an area of 30 hectares, the park surrounded the neo-Gothic palace owned by Władysław Radoliński. It is also assumed that he created the parks surrounding the palaces in Owińska and Radojewo for Otto von Treskow who owned these estates.

Suggested tour: Złotów – Owińska – Radojewo – Jarocin

Johann Christian Heinrich Metzig (1804-1868)

The German physician became so fond of Leszno and Polish people that he refused an order from the Prussian military authorities to move to Głogów and remained in Leszno, where he continued his practice of medicine. Johann Christian Heinrich Metzig was born on 20 May 1804 in Skwierzyna. In 1826, after completing his medical studies in Berlin he became a military physician. He was transferred from the Prussian capital in 1832 for one year to Strzałkowo, and then to Leszno. While he was working here he dis-tinguished himself by developing new meth-ods of treatment for severe war injuries. He was an excellent doctor, as well as a passionate polonophile. He was a spokesman for the idea of establishing an independent Polish duchy in Wielkopolska, with its own parliament, constitution and university, and with the King of Prussia as its sovereign. As the years progressed he was more and more persistent in his demand for estab-lishing the Polish state and for abandoning

the programme of Germanization conducted by the Prussians. Elected by the population of the District of Krobia-Wschowa in 1863 he became a member of the Prussian parlia-ment. A year later he defended four other members of parliament accused of involve-ment in the January Uprising against the Russian authorities. Johann Metzig died on 1 October 1868 in Leszno. He was buried at the Evan-gelical cemetery near the Church of the Holy Cross in Leszno. In the 1950s when the cem-etery was closed Metzig’s grave was moved to a different location. Then in 1985 his ashes were relocated again back to the vicinity of the (now Catholic) Church of the Holy Cross. The site is adorned with a statue mod-elled after the original tombstone. Adjoining the church there is a square named after Jan Metzig.

Julius von Minutoli (1805-1 860)

Julius von Minutoli is sometimes compared with Marceli Motty. Just as it is possible to learn about 19th century Poznań from the writings by Motty, we can imagine the city looking at works by Minutoli. In Polish history he is mainly remembered for his drawings of 19th century Poznań, even though he came here in 1832 in order to take up the position of a government adviser on matters pertaining to the military and the

police. In spite of the fact that he became the head of Prussian police, therefore his duties involved eradicating Polish pro-inde-pendence conspiracies, Poles have retained a positive impression of him. Julius von Minutoli was born on 30 August 1805 in Berlin, into the family of Heinrich Menu von Minutoli, a Prussian general of Italian descent, and Wolfradine von Schulenburg. Well-educated and witty, he quickly gained a central position in the social life of Poznań and maintained con-tacts with the most prominent personalities of the city and the region, including Polish people. Here he met Mathilda von Roten-han, whom he married in 1834 in Berlin, yet their four children were born in Poznań. Minutoli learned to speak Polish and so did his children. During his time in Poznań he made approximately 100 draw-ings depicting the city and its land-marks as well as historical places of Wielkopolska. Some of his draw-ings are now in the National Mu-seum in Poznań. References to Wielkopol-ska can also be seen in his drawings illustrating the course of events during the March Revolution of 1848 in Berlin (in

1847 he became the chief of Berlin police). One of these depicts eight Wielkopolska citi-zens who were released and pardoned by the Prussian King Frederick William IV (they had been sentenced to death during the sec-ond Moabit prison trial). During 1853-59 Minutoli was a

Square named afterDoctor Johann Metzig in Leszno, photo: Z. Schmidt

Grave of Doctor Johann Metzig in Leszno, photo: Z. Schmidt

Drawing by Minutoli depicting the town parish church and Jesuit college in Poznań, photo: Z. Schmidt

Portrait of Julius von Minutoli,photo: Z. Schmidt

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Prussian consul in Spain and Portugal. He died of cholera on 5 November 1860 near Shiraz, Persia, while touring the country as the chief representative of the Prussian au-thorities.

Georg Wilhelm Neunhertz (1689-1749)

His masterpieces, which can be seen in Wielkopolska, include polychromes ornamenting the most splendid Baroque domes of the churches in Ląd and Gostyń. Georg Wilhelm Neunhertz was born in 1689 in Wrocław. His parents were the painter Christian Neunhertz and Maria Magdalene, daughter of Michael Willmann. Georg was first taught to paint by his grand-father. He also received instruction from his uncle Johann Christoph Liška, and in 1712 inherited his workshop in Lubiąż, which in fact had been first established by his grand-father Willmann. Around 1724 Neunhertz moved to Prague, later he spent some time in Wrocław, and finally in 1728 settled down in Prague. A remarkable artist specializing in monumental frescoes, he worked in various places in Bohemia, Poland, and Lithuania as well as in Silesia - the region of his fam-ily roots. A number of his magnificent wall paintings can be seen in churches and pal-aces. His output also includes oil paintings

on religious themes. He was one of the most prominent painters of late Baroque in Cen-tral Europe. He died in Prague on 27 May 1749.

The most notable works by Georg Wilhelm Neunhertz in Wielkopolska: Ląd – polychrome inside the 38-metre dome in the Cistercian Church of the Blessed Vir-gin Mary, Help of Christians and of St. Nich-olas, depicting the apotheosis of the Church (1731–1732);Rydzyna – polychrome on the ceiling of the ball room in the castle, representing the apotheosis of the Sułkowski family, and de-picting the wedding ceremony of Aleksander Józef Sułkowski and Anna (née Przeben-dowska);Gostyń – frescoes with scenes from the life of St. Philip Neri in the dome of the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of St. Philip Neri on the Holy Mount in Głogówek (1746)

Suggested tour: Rydzyna – Gostyń - Ląd

Max Friedrich Rabes (1868-1944)

His works are on display in muse-ums in places such as Berlin, Dessau, Mu-nich and Vienna, as well as in Szamotuły

where he was born in 1868. This German painter, sculptor and illustrator specialized in landscapes and gen-re scenes and the style of his works is often described as reminiscent of impressionism. His work was greatly influenced by his trips to such places as Italy, Greece, Denmark, Russia, Turkey, Egypt and other countries of Africa as well as Asia. His impressions fre-quently inspired the theme of his paintings. In order to acquire funds for his journeys and for his passion for the Orient he also painted theatrical sceneries, and decorated parlours and dining rooms owned by Italian bourgeoisie. In the Szamotuły castle you can see a number of his paintings: “View to a cem-etery in Constanza”, “Landscape of Gebel el-Silsile on the Nile”, “Inside a tserkov in Walamo, Finland”, “War ruins in Tapiau”, “The favourite” and ”View from Taormina in Sicily II”

Museum of Górka Family Castleul. Wroniecka 30, 64-500 Szamotułytel./fax 61 29 218 13, 61 29 226 29www.zamek.org.pl

Ludvig Philipp Scharwenka (1847-1917)Franz Xavier Scharwenka (1850-1924)

They were both born in Szamotuły, to a German father August Wilhelm Schar-wenka and a Polish mother, Apolonia Emilia Golisch. Ludvig Philipp, the elder son, was born on 16 February 1847, and Franz Xavier on 6 January 1850. The brothers were first taught in a parish school in Szamotuły, and Ludvig Philipp learned the basics of music from the local organist. Later they both attended the Royal Frederick William Secondary School. During this time Franz Xavier started his formal education in piano playing and wrote his first musical compositions. In 1865 the family moved to Berlin where the brothers continued their musical education at Neue Akademie der Tonkunst

Polychrome on the ceiling of the ball room in Rydzyna Castle, photo: Z. Schmidt

Drawing by Minutoli depicting Raczyński Library in Poznań, photo: Z. Schmidt

„The Favourite” by M. F. Rabes,photo: Z. Schmidt

„View to a cemetery in Constanza” by M. F. Rabes,photo: Z. Schmidt

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under Theodor Kullak. In 1881 Franz Xavier established a conservatory in Berlin, which later from 1891 was conducted by his brother Philipp. This happened because Franz Xavier relo-cated to the USA where in 1891 he founded Scharwenka Music School in New York City – he ran it until 1898. Both brothers wrote a consider-able amount of music, yet today works com-posed by Franz Xavier are better known and performed more frequently. In fact he also wrote a course book on piano method. Ludvig Philipp died on 16 July 1917 in Bad Nauheim, and Franz Xavier on 8 December 1924 in Berlin. Works by both brothers can be heard during concerts organized by the Cul-ture Foundation of the Górka Family Castle in Szamotuły. Music by Franz Xavier Schar-wenka is presented regularly by Poznań Phil-harmonic Orchestra. Its album Franz Xaver Scharwenka – Piano Concerto No.4, Polish National Dances recorded with the Swiss pianist François Xavier Poizat, and conduc-tor Łukasz Borowicz was released by Naxos Records.

Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781-1841)

This German architect, designer and painter, who also created theatrical scen-eries, was one of the most remarkable Prus-sian artists of the classicist period. Karl Friedrich Schinkel was born

on 13 March 1781 in Neuruppin. He passed his civil service examinations at an early age which allowed him to execute independent construction projects. As early as 1800, fol-lowing the death of Friedrich Gilly he was commissioned to continue works initiated by the latter architect, including the con-struction of the classicist palace for Otto von Treskow in Owińska near Poznań. Schinkel’s civil service career reached its pinnacle in 1838 when he became Director General of the Prussian Construc-tion Department. Yet, his lasting legacy are the buildings which he left behind. His most notable works include: Altes Museum, Neue Wache, Neues Schauspielhaus, Schloss-brücke bridge, Glienicke palace and the edi-fice of the Academy of Construction in Ber-lin, New Pavilion in Berlin-Charlottenburg, the body and the interiors of Charlottenhof palace in Sanssouci Park in Potsdam as well as Babelsberg Castle in Potsdam. Schinkel designed grand edifices and public utility buildings, churches, villas, palaces and castles, and their style evolved from romantic Classicism to neo-Gothic. Interesting examples of his work survive not only in Berlin and throughout Ger-many but also in Poland (including many in Wielkopolska), The Czech Republic, and even Russia. He died on 9 October 1841 in Ber-lin.

Most notable works by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in Wielkopolska:

* palace in Owińska for von Treskow family (1801–1806)* hunting lodge for Duke Antoni Radziwiłł,

Palace in Antonin, as well as the Swiss house for the Duke’s son, Wilhelm, and the chapel (the Radziwiłł family mausoleum), both situated in the park surrounding the lodge (1822–1824); * Evangelical church (today Catholic church of St. Stanislaus) in Śmigiel (1827–1830) * Kwilecki family palace in Kwilcz (1828)* drawings for alterations in the castle in Kórnik (1828) (reconstruction based on Schinkel’s designs was executed during 1843-58) * Evangelical church (today Catholic church of St. Stanislaus Kostka) in Złotów (1828-1831)* church of the Ascension of Jesus in Wolsz-tyn (1830–1832)* Archbishop’s palace in Gniezno (1830-36)* palace in Sypniewo (today in Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province) (1835)* Evangelical church (today Catholic church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) in Międzychód (1838–1840)* church of St. Stansilaus in Buk (1838–1846)* Evangelical church (today Catholic garri-son church of Our Lady Queen of Poland) in Gniezno (1840–1842)

Suggested tours: 1. Buk – Śmigiel – Wolsztyn – Międzychód – Kwilcz2. Kórnik – Gniezno – Antonin3. Owińska – Sypniewo – Złotów

Church in Buk, photo: Z. Schmidt

Interior of the church in Buk, photo: Z. Schmidt

Palace in Owińska, photo: Z. Schmidt

Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland in Gniezno,photo: Z. Schmidt

Palace in Antonin, photo: K. Piechocki

WojewództwoPomorskie

WojewództwoZachodniopomorskie

WojewództwoLubuskie

WojewództwoOpolskie

WojewództwoKujawsko-Pomorskie

WojewództwoPomorskie

WojewództwoZachodniopomorskie

WojewództwoLubuskie

WojewództwoOpolskie

WojewództwoKujawsko-Pomorskie

GNIEZNO

JAROCIN

ANTONIN

RADOJEWO

BUK

SYPNIEWO

KALISZ

KONINWOLSZTYN

OBRA

ZAKRZEWO

UZARZEWO

TUREW

KÓRNIK

OSIECZNA

PONIECRYDZYNA

RAWICZ

ZAKRZEWO - UZARZEWO - TUREW

August Denizot

Tassilo von Heydebrand

Carl Gotthard Langhans

Peter Joseph Lenné

Georg Wilhelm Neunhertz

Karl Friedrich Schinkel

John Jonston

Andrea CatenazziGeorgio Catenazzi

Giovanni Catenazzi

Pompeo Ferrari

Francesco Maria Lanci

ROUTE:

OSIECZNA - KÓRNIK

LESZNO

OSTRÓWWLKP.

GNIEZNO

KALISZ

KONIN

OBRA

KÓRNIK

OSIECZNA

RYDZYNA

LESZNO

OSTRÓWWLKP.

1918

The Italians

Andrea Catenazzi (ca. 1640 - after 1701) Georgio Catenazzi (ca. 1640 - after 1686)Giovanni Catenazzi (ca. 1660 – after 1724)

It is a rare coincidence that three closely related individuals, representing the same craft, work abroad and all of them ac-complish notable results. This indeed hap-pened in the case of the Catenazzis. The brothers Andrea and Georgio were the first to come to Poland and were later followed by Andrea’s son. All three Italians were born in Mor-bio Inferiore near Mendrisio (today in Swit-zerland) - Andrea and Georgio around the year 1640 (the precise dates are unknown) and Giovanii around the year 1660. The brothers arrived in Poznań in 1661 or 1662 and, supervised by Krzysztof Bonadura, began work on the construction of the Bernardine church. It is presumed they contributed to the design of the monumental nave with its pillars adjoining the walls. Later Georgio replaced Bonadura in supervising the project. He is also credited with the con-struction of the Carmelite church in Poznań, as well as the Cistercian churches in Przemęt and Wągrowiec, and most importantly with alterations introduced to the Medieval Cis-tercian church in Ląd. In 1676 Andrea started construc-

tion of a church for the Oratorians of St. Philip Neri on the Holy Mount near Gostyń. Although generally he followed plans drawn up by the Venetian architect Baldassarre Longhena, Andrea is credited with many de-partures from the original, i.e. the church of Santa Maria della Salute in Venice. Andrea died in 1701. The most renowned of the three Catenazzis is Andrea’s son, Giovanni, com-monly considered to be one of the most important Baroque architects in Poland. He came to Wielkopolska in the 1680s and his first project was the construction of the par-ish church in Leszno. After his uncle Georgio died (ca. 1686) he continued his work at the Cistercian church in Przemęt and erected the church in Białcz Stary near Kościan. He is also credited for the construction of the Cistercian church in Obra, the expansion of the Cistercian nunnery in Owińska, church of Friars Minor in Woźniki near Grodzisk Wielkopolski and the manor church in Żerków (today parish church). Yet, his tal-ent was best revealed while he was working on the construction of the Jesuit church in Poznań where he was responsible for the construction of the chancel and for complet-ing the transept. He also drew up the design and initiated the construction of the Jesuit College, which after his death ca. 1724 was completed by a Jesuit builder, Jan Zelner.

Suggested tours: 1. Poznań – Białcz Stary – Leszno - Przemęt – Obra – Woźniki2. Owińska – Wągrowiec 3. Ląd - Żerków - Gostyń

Pompeo Ferrari (ca.1660-1736)

The church of the Oratorians of St. Philip Neri in Gostyń and the Cistercian Ab-bey in Ląd as well as the castle in Rydzyna are true gems of Baroque architecture in Wielkopolska. The Italian architect Pompeo Ferrari played an important role in creating all three. Pompeo Ferrari was born in Rome, ca. 1660. There he learned his profession and was a two time winner in architectural com-petitions organized by the Academy of Saint Luke – this may have been the reason why in Poland he used to introduce himself as Ro-manus. Ferrari was discovered by Rafał and Stanisław Leszczyński during their jour-ney to Italy in 1696. At that time Stanisław Leszczyński was the Voivode of Poznań, and later he became the King of Poland. He in-vited Ferrari to Rydzyna around 1700 and commissioned him to reconstruct the west-ern wing of the castle there. The central part of the wing was expanded to include avant-corps, at its ground floor Ferrari designed an ellipse-shaped vestibule and above it a two-storey ball room. The Italian architect settled for good in Wielkopolska and during the follow-ing decades designed not only buildings but

Church of Barefoot Carmelites in Poznań, photo: Z. Schmidt Church in Przemęt,

photo: Z. Schmidt Inside town parish church in Poznań, photo: Archive of Wielkopolska Tourist Organization, A. Piechocka

Church for the Oratorians of St. Philip Neri on the Holy Mount near Gostyń,

photo: Archive of the District Office in Gostyń

Town parish church in Leszno,photo: Archive of Leszno-Region Tourist Organization

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also architectural details such as portals, al-tars and tombstones. His legacy includes ap-proximately 20 major works of architecture. He died on 15 May 1736 in Rydzyna. Most notable works in Wielkopolska:

Gostyń – finishing works at the church of the Oratorians on the Holy Mount (including the dome), and the monastery of Oratorians Ląd nad Wartą – reconstruction of the Cis-tercian church (altar in the old chapter house, the first floor of the monastery, the Abbot’s Hall); the main nave of the Cistercian church with a 38-metre dome, three side altars Leszno – restoration of the town hall; Leszczyński family tombstones in the town parish church; design of the Evangelical Church of the Holy Cross; the chapel mauso-leum of W. Gruszczyński at the Evangelical

Church of St. John (today Catholic Church of St. John the Baptist) Osieczna – Franciscan monastery and churchOwińska – Cistercian church and nunnery Poznań - portal and altar in the town parish church (formerly the Jesuit Church),chapel and main altar at the Church of the Corpus Christi, Archbishop’s PalaceRydzyna – reconstruction of the castle

Suggested tour: Rydzyna - Leszno - Osieczna – Gostyń - Ląd – Poznań - Owińska

Francesco Maria Lanci (1799-1875)

When he came to Poland he was only 26 years old and he had already been awarded a gold medal for his doctoral the-

sis at the Academy of Saint Luke and the title of honorary professor at the same univer-sity. This Italian architect (born in Fano in 1799) spent most of his professional life in Poland. He was brought here in 1825 by the Małachowski family who commissioned him to reconstruct their mansion in Końskie. Lanci also worked in and near Kraków and then from 1844 in Warsaw where, commissioned by August Potocki, he supervised the reconstruction of the palace in Wilanów. However, his most famous work is the Golden Chapel in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Poznań, erected during 1835-41. It was designed to hold the mauso-leum of the earliest Polish monarchs. Lanci built it in the Byzantine style, re-using old walls from the earlier structure. The project

was commissioned by Edward Raczyński, who also provided funds for a significant part of the reconstruction. Lanci is also credited with the neo-Gothic re-construction of the churches in Pępowo and Kórnik. Francesco Maria Lanci died on 27 November 1875 in Warsaw.

Suggested tour: Poznań – Kórnik - Pępowo

Giovanni Battista di Quadro (? – 1590/91)

Today nearly every resident of Poznań knows that the famous Town Hall was designed by Giovanni Battista di Quad-ro, so it is hard to imagine that in the 17th and 18th century his name was completely forgotten. The fact that di Quadro regained his rightful place in history is credited to

Golden Chapel in Poznań Cathedral,photo: Z. Schmidt Church im Kórnik,

photo: Z. Schmidt

2322

Józef Łukaszewicz, a Poznań historian and former director of the Raczyński Library, who in the 1830s found the contract con-cluded in 1550 between the city authorities and the Italian architect for the rebuilding of the town hall. Little is known about the most fa-mous Italian connected with Poznań. Did he look like the sculpture made years later by Władysław Marcinkowski? The statue de-picts a young, handsome man wearing a long flowing coat and bending over his sketch-book; at his feet we could see the Church of St. Mary Magdalene with its tower. The sculpture was melted down by the Nazis dur-ing World War II but the designer’s original model survived in a museum. An enlarged and slightly changed replica was made when the Church of St. Mary Magdalene was re-

placed with the town hall and in 1998 it was mounted onto the façade of the building which once was home to di Quadro and to-day is occupied by the Henryk Sienkiewicz Literary Museum. We do not know when exactly he came to Poznań, or by what route. His roots were in the vicinity of Lugano, in the Ital-ian-Swiss border area. It is likely he came to Poznań via Silesia and in 1552 was appointed the city architect. In 1553 he bought and re-modelled house no. 84 in the Town Square and today his statue graces its front façade. After an initially successful career he ran into financial difficulties; several court actions were started against him for debt recovery and finally he was forced to sell off his prop-erty. The date of his death is unknown. The city records for the last time mention him as a living person on 10 April 1590 and the first reference to him as the “late master” is dated 10 April 1591.

The Jews

Leo Baeck (1873-1956)

Today his name is borne not only by numerous universities and three insti-tutes (in Jerusalem, London and New York) involved in researching the history of Ger-man-speaking Jewry but also by the asteroid 100047 Leobaeck, discovered in 1991. In Leszno, at No. 34 Chrobrego St. we can still see the house which witnessed the birth of Leo Baeck - a renowned rabbi, one of the most outstanding Jewish philosophers of the 20th century. He was born on 23 May 1873. His father, Samuel (who was also a philosopher), as well as both his grandfathers were rabbis. He grew up in Leszno where in 1891 he grad-uated from the renowned John Amos Come-nius Gymnasium. He studied at universities in Wrocław and Berlin. From 1897 to 1907 he was the rabbi of the Jewish religious com-munity of Opole. In 1905 he published his

most famous work on theology: „Das Wesen des Judenthums” (”The Essence of Judaism”). During the interwar period he was actively involved in various cultural, social and religious organizations, for example he headed the Association of Rabbis in Germa-ny. During World War II, in 1943 he was de-ported to Terezín concentration camp, where he miraculously avoided death. After the war he left for Great Brit-ain and received British citizenship. He trav-elled extesively as a lecturer; he was also the chairman of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. He died on 2 November 1956 in London. In his final years he concluded his second major work “This People Israel”.

Akiva Eger (1761 – 1837)

He was one of the most outstand-ing Jewish scholars of the 19th century, a Talmudist, and author of numerous works on Judaic laws. He was born on 8 Novem-ber 1761, and although his birth place, Ei-

Poznań City Hall,photo: Z. Schmidt

Sculpture by J. B. Quadro on the façade of Sienkiewicz Museum in Poznań, photo: Z. Schmidt

Grave of Akiva Eger at No. 26a, Głogowska Street in Poznań, photo: Z. Schmidt

Leo Baeck’s house at No. 34, Chrobrego St. in Leszno, photo: Z. Schmidt

2524

senstadt, was in Hungary (today Austria) he spent his entire adult life in Wielkopolska. At the age of 16 he came to Leszno in order to become engaged to Glückchen, daugh-ter of Itzig Margulies, a wealthy merchant. The young people got married in 1778, and thanks to the generosity of his father-in-law Eger could focus on his Talmudic studies. In 1780 he opened a school which attracted stu-dents from Poland, Germany, Bohemia, and Hungary. After the fire of Leszno in 1790, Akiva Eger and his family left for Rawicz with other fire victims. In 1791 he was ap-pointed to the office of rabbi in Mirosławiec. He held the position until 1815, when on 14 September he became the rabbi of the Grand Duchy of Poznań.

One of H.H. Glicenstein’s works in Konin Museum,photo: Archive of the District Museum in Konin

Eger is remembered in the history of Poznań not only as the most eminent rab-bi and lecturer of the local yeshiva, but also for his involvement in charitable activities: he organized aid for the poor, visited the sick, and initiated works aimed at establishing a Jewish hospital. Because of his knowledge, charity as well as modesty he was highly re-garded well beyond the Jewish community. He died on 12 October 1837 and was buried at the Jewish cemetery at what today is Głogowska St. The graveyard existed until World War II when it was demolished by the Nazis. After the war its area was desig-nated to hold facilities of the Poznań Interna-tional Fair. The only part of the former Jewish graveyard which is not occupied by buildings can be seen in the yard of house No. 26a, at Głogowska St. This is the place where Akiva Eger was buried. Thanks to the efforts of the Poznań Jewish community it was possible to restore this small patch of land to its origi-nal purpose. In 2008 six matzevahs made of black marble were placed to mark the graves of Akiva Eger, his second wife and two sons, as well as – symbolically – two other rabbis. To enter the cemetery at 26a, Głogowska St. you must contact apartment No. 7 via Inter-com. An image of Akiva Eger, surround-ed by a group of Jewish people amidst the crowd of Poznań residents, can be seen in the painting by Julius Knorr, entitled Poznań Town Square in 1838, which is on display at Poznań Historical Museum. In 2008 the square adjoining the former synagogue in Poznań was renamed after Akiva Eger.

Henryk Henoch Glicenstein (1870-1942) During the interwar period he was regarded as the greatest contemporary Jew-ish sculptor. This extremely talented visual artist spent the initial 13 years of his life in Turek, where he was born in 1870 to Icho-szi Glicenstein (a teacher in a Jewish school, who also manufactured matzevahs) and Rai

Berkowicz. Years later, in his memoirs, he fond-ly remembered the times of his childhood when he used to help his father embellish the gravestones with carved lions, candleholders or priestly blessing hands. Henryk left Turek at the age of 13, and for the next 4 years he wandered from town to town (he stayed in Kalisz for a year) and earned his living by carving small sculp-tures. In 1887 he went to Łódź where he worked for local craftsmen and soon became acquainted with the city’s artistic circles. During 1890-95 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he won a number of prizes in various compe-titions. In December 1896 he and his wife, Helena Hirszenberg, left for Rome. There he continued to work; one of his sculptures from that period, entitled Cain and Abel in 1900 was awarded with the silver medal at the World Exposition in Paris. Glicenstein received Italian citizenship in 1918, and lived there until 1928, and subsequently moved to the USA. He died in a car crash on 30 De-cember 1942 in New York. A permanent exposition devoted to Glicenstein’s life and work is on display in the District Museum in Konin. It contains letters written by the artist, family photographs, matzevahs made in his father’s workshop, and most importantly works by Glicenstein, including drawings, watercolours and the bas-relief entitled Santa, which were donated to the Konin museum by Dreyfuss-Glicen-stein Foundation in New York. We can also see here a plaster cast of his sculpture The Messiah, and original sculptures Ruth and Boas, Portrait of an Old Woman, Portrait of a Girl, The Player, a portrait bust of a young girl and the oil painting entitled Landscape of Luguria. One of the squares in Turek is named after Henryk Henoch Glicenstein.

District Museum ul. Muzealna 6, 62-505 Konin/Gosławice tel. 63 242 75 99, 63 242 74 31www.muzeum.com.pl

Lilli Palmer (1914-1986)

Encyclopaedias describe her as “a German theatre and film actress” even though the majority of her films were not made in Germany. She was of Jewish descent and her real name was Lillie Marie Peiser. Her parents were Rose Lissmann and Alfred Peiser, a renowned physician and head doc-tor of a Jewish hospital in Poznań. She was born on 24 May 1914 in Poznań in a house at Paulkirschstrasse (today No. 13, Fredry St.) and here she spent the first years of her life. After the First World War, like most Jewish people from Poznań, the Peiser fam-ily left the city. They moved to Berlin where Lillie acquired her education, and resolutely pursued her dream to become an actress. She made her debut in the theatre in Darm-stadt, and soon afterwards in Frankfurt, she adopted her artistic name Lilli Palmer. After Hitler came to power she left for Paris and then went to London where she appeared in Crime Unlimited. Before the war she also played in other films, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Secret Agent. In 1945 she left for the USA with her first husband, actor Rex Harrison. She appeared in Hollywood pro-ductions and played on Broadway; she shut-tled between America and Europe and made movies in various countries. After the war it was not until 1954 that she appeared, hesitantly, in a German film entitled Fireworks. That was followed by other productions, including Devil in Silk for which she was awarded a prize in the ca-tegory for the best German actress. During her acting career, in Amer-ica and Europe she created memorable per-formances in dozens of films and theatre plays. She died on 27 January 1986 in Los Angeles.

2726

Monument of John Jonston in Leszno, photo: Z. Schmidt

House in Leszno – No. 16, Rynek,photo: Z. Schmidt

The Scots

John Jonston (1603-1675)

Even though he was born to a Scot-tish father named Simon Johnston and a German mother, Anna Becker, in his adult life he used to add the word “Polonus” to his Scottish name. He was born in 1603 in Szamotuły. His parents were Calvinists. Ini-tially he attended schools conducted by Bo-hemian Brethren, and then studied philoso-phy, theology and Hebrew language at the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland. He returned to Poland in 1625 and until 1628 worked as a tutor for the Korczbok-Zawadz-ki family in Leszno. This was when he also turned to medicine and botany; over time he became renowned for his expertise in these fields and wrote a number of brilliant works

Calvinist cemetery in Leszno. The graveyard is no longer there - its site is occupied by a municipal park named after John Jonston. In 1975, on the 300th anniversary of his death a monument designed by Magdalena Więcek-Wnuk was unveiled there to honour his memory. The holdings of the Public Library in Leszno include an illustrated “zoological atlas” by Jonston entitled Historiae naturalis de quadrupedibus libri, published in Frank-furt am Main in 1650-1653. It is believed that house No. 16 in the Town Square (Rynek) was once home to Johnston. Since 1788 it has held a chemist’s shop. One of the streets of Szamotuły is named after Jonston.

Suggested tour: Szamotuły – Leszno

The Spanish

Sofia Casanova (1861-1958)

A Spanish-Polish love affair be-gan in Madrid in 1885, when Wincenty Lutosławski, a Polish philosopher met a young Spanish poet Sofia Casanova (born on 30 September 1861 in Almeiras in Galicia). Their wedding was held in Madrid in 1887 and after that Sofia Casanova set off with her husband for Kraków, and then accompanied him during his visits to European universi-ties. She also continued to write – poetry, prose, as well as articles about living in Po-land and Russia. Unfortunately, the relationship of two strong personalities did not stand the test of time – in 1907 Sofia and Wincenty parted ways. Casanova moved to Madrid but she returned to Poland after the outbreak of the First World War and worked as a cor-respondent for the Spanish daily ABC. She broke her ties with the newspaper only at the beginning of World War II when it refused to publish her reports from Warsaw depict-ing crimes committed by the Nazis. She was one of the most eminent Spanish female in-tellectuals of the late 19th and first half of the

20th century. In recognition of her work in 1926 Spaniards nominated her for the Nobel Prize. After the war she came to Poznań - she lived with the family of her young-est daughter Halina, who was married to Czesław Meissner, a doctor from Poznań. She spent the final years of her life in the house at Noskowskiego St. Sofia Casanova died on 16 January 1958 in Poznań and was buried at the ceme-tery at Lutycka St. Her descendants continue to live in the house at Noskowskiego St. (the house is not open to visitors).

Unknown Nationality

Jordan (? – 984)

Little is known about Jordan beside the fact that he was the first Polish bishop. We do not know where he came from or when exactly he arrived in the Polish land. It is pos-sible he came here with Dobrawa’s retinue in the year 965. In 968 he became the bishop of Poland, and his diocese included the en-tire country ruled by Mieszko I and was di-rectly subordinate to Rome. One thing that can certainly be assumed is that he played an important part in introducing Christianity to Poland. During the time he administered the diocese, the construction of the first Pol-ish cathedral was initiated in Poznań. Bishop Jordan probably died in 984. Bishop Jordan is commemorated with a bronze plaque designed by Wawrzy-Wawrzy-niec Samp, which in 2000 was placed in the floor of the main nave in the Poznań Cathe-dral.

on natural sciences and medicine (in Latin). Again he left to continue his stud-ies abroad, and upon his return to Leszno in 1631 he became a tutor to Bogusław Leszczyński; a year later the two set off for a journey around Europe. Having been award-ed his Ph.D.in medicine in Leiden, Hol-land (1634), Jonston once more came back to Leszno in 1636 and became the personal physician of the Leszczyński family; he also worked as a town physician and taught at the local Gymnasium. While in Leszno he became friends with John Amos Comenius. A physician, naturalist (especially interested in entomology, botany and ornithology), as well as a philosopher and educator, John Jonston left a legacy consisting of numerous works including some of encyclopedic scope. He left Leszno during the Swedish wars in 1656. That is when he moved to his estate in Składowice near Lubin where he died on 8 June 1675. He was buried at the

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Selected accommodation

PoznańSheraton Poznań Hotelul. Bukowska 3/9, 60-809 Poznańtel. 61 655 20 00, fax 61 655 20 01www.sheraton.plBrovaria HotelStary Rynek 73-74, 61-772 Poznań tel. 61 858 68 68, fax 61 858 68 69 www.brovaria.plSafir Hotel ul. Żmigrodzka 41/49, 60-171 Poznań tel. 61 867 37 11fax 61 867 83 36 www.hotelsafir.plPoznański Hotelul. Krańcowa 4, 62-030 Lubońtel. 61 649 99 88, fax 61 649 99 89www.hotelpoznanski.plIbis Poznań Centrum Hotelul. Kazimierza Wielkiego 2361-863 Poznań tel. 61 858 44 00fax 61 858 44 44 www.ibishotel.comNasz Klub Guest Houseul. Woźna 10, 61-777 Poznańtel. 61 851 76 30fax 61 851 66 81www.naszklub.plHanka School Youth Hostel ul. Biskupińska 27 60-463 Poznań Strzeszyn tel. 61 822 10 63fax 61 840 71 28 www.schroniskohanka.com

Gniezno Pietrak Hotelul. Chrobrego 3, 62-200 Gnieznotel./fax 61 426 14 97www.pietrak.plSchool Youth Hostelul. Pocztowa 11, 62-200 Gnieznotel./fax 61 426 27 80

Church in Złotów, photo: Z Schmidt

GostyńAbsolwent Guest Houseul. Helsztyńskiego 3, 63-800 Gostyńtel. 65 57 22 061www.fundacja-absolwent.plCukropol Hotelul. Hutnika 14, 63-800 Gostyńtel. 65 57 20 158www.cukropol.pl

Kalisz Europa HotelAl. Wolności 5, 62-800 Kalisztel./fax 62 767 20 31/33www.hotel-europa.plSchool Youth Hostelul. Handlowa 30, 62-800 Kalisztel. 62 757 24 04

Following the footsteps of Famous Europeans:

Antonin - Karl Friedrich Schinkel Białcz Stary - Giovanni Catenazzi Buk - Karl Friedrich SchinkelGniezno - Karl Friedrich SchinkelGostyń - Andrea Catenazzi, Pompeo Ferrari, Georg NeunhertzJarocin - Peter LennéKalisz - Charles MalapertKonin and Turek - Henryk Henoch GlicensteinKórnik - Tassilo von Heydebrand, Francesco Lanci, Karl Friedrich Schinkel Kwilcz - Karl Friedrich SchinkelLąd nad Wartą - Georgio Catenazzi, Pompeo Ferrari, Georg NeunhertzLeszno - Leo Baeck, Akiva Eger, Pompeo Ferrari, John Jonston, Jan Ámos Komenský, Johann MetzigŁubnice near Ołobok - Maria CunitzMiędzychód - Karl Friedrich Schinkel Obra - Giovanni CatenazziOsieczna - Pompeo Ferrari, Tassilo von HeydebrandOwińska - Giovanni Catenazzi, Pompeo Ferrari, Peter Lenné, Karl Friedrich Schinkel Pawłowice - Carl LanghansPępowo - Francesco LanciPoniec - Carl LanghansPoznań - Sofia Casanova, Andrea Catenazzi, Georgio Catenazzi, Giovanni Catenazzi, Maria Cunitz, Dobrawa, Akiva Eger, Pompeo Ferrari, Paul von Hindenburg, Jordan, Julius von Minutoli, Lilli Palmer, Giovanni Battista di QuadroPrzemęt - Georgio Catenazzi, Giovanni CatenazziRawicz - Carl LanghansRydzyna - Pompeo Ferrari, Georg NeunhertzSzamotuły - John Jonston, Max Rabes, Ludvig Scharwenka, Franz ScharwenkaŚmigiel - Karl Friedrich SchinkelWągrowiec - Georgio CatenazziWolsztyn - Robert Koch, Karl Friedrich Schinkel Woźniki - Giovanni CatenazziZakrzewo (near Kłecko) - Augustin DenizotTurew - Augustin DenizotZłotów - Peter Lenné, Karl Friedrich SchinkelŻerków - Giovanni Catenazzi

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Konin Pałacyk HotelAleje 1 Maja 15a, 62-510 Konintel. 63 245 77 77, fax 63 246 60 10www.hotel-konin.comSchool Youth Hostelul. Staffa 5, 62-505 Konin - Gosławicetel./ fax 63 242 72 35www.schronisko-goslawice.pl

LądHigher Theological Seminary of the Salesian Order Ląd 101, 62-406 Lądektel. 63 276 33 23, fax 63 274 37 85www.lad.plCentre for Natural Sciences Ląd 39, 62-406 Lądektel. 63 276 33 07

Leszno Akwawit Conference and Recreation Centreul. św. Józefa 5, 64-100 Lesznotel. 65 529 37 81fax 65 529 37 82www.akwawit.plWieniawa Hotelul. Rynek 29, 64-100 Lesznotel. 65 528 50 50www.wieniawa.pl

Nowe Miasto n. WartąAgrotouristic Farm Folwark KonnyHermanów 1, 63-040 Nowe Miasto n. Wartątel. 607 42 66 64www.hermanow.pl

Osieczna Palace in Witosław Witosław 1, 64-113 Osiecznatel. 65  535 05 96, 61 535 93 21www.apiherba.plApollo Guest Houseul. Śmigielska 7a, 64-113 Osiecznatel. 65 535 07 21

OwińskaJaśmin Hotel - Restaurantul. Dworcowa 19, 62-005 Owińskatel. 61 892 90 37www.hotel-jasmin.pl

Prusim k. KwilczaHotel OlandiaPrusim 5, 64-420 Kwilicztel. 61 291 53 79www.olandia.pl

Przemęt Popowo Stare Palaceul. Lipowa 26, Popowo Stare64-234 Przemęttel./fax. 65 549 85 75 tel. 503 922 151, www.palac-popowo.pl

Agritourist farm - Zagroda u Rzeźbiarza Patryk Murek , Górsko 3164-234 Przemęt tel. 65 549 47 37www.zagrodaurzezbiarza.pl

RydzynaSIMP Castleplac Zamkowy 1, 64-130 Rydzynatel. 65 529 50 40, 65 529 50 26www.zamek-rydzyna.com,pl

Środa Wlkp.Hotel Szablewskiul. Brodowska 38c, 63-000 Środa Wlkp.tel. 61 285 40 61www.szablewski.pl

Church in Pępowo,photo: Z. Schmidt

Church in Poniec,photo: Z. Schmidt

SzamotułyMaraton Hotelul. Sportowa 6, 64-500 Szamotułytel. 61 292 19 61www.maraton.szamotuly.plSchool Youth Hostelul. Obornicka 12, 64-500 Szamotułytel. 61 293 20 89www.bursa-schronisko.plPalace BaborówkoBaborówko, ul. Parkowa 164-500 Szamotułytel./fax 61 291 40 27www.baborowko.pl

Wągrowiec Pietrak Hotelul. Kościuszki 47, 62-100 Wągrowiectel. 67 268 58 25fax 67 262 86 07www.pietrak.pl

Wolsztyn Pałac Wolsztyn Hotelul. Drzymały 4, 64-200 Wolsztyntel. 68 346 93 58, 68 346 93 59www.palacwolsztyn.com.pltel. 68 384 27 46; 68 346 30 93; 68 346 30 94 fax 68 346 30 95Sports Hotelul. Bohaterów Bielnika 30, 64-200 Wolsztyn tel. 68 384 33 20www.stadion.wolsztyn.plKaukaska Hotelul. Poniatowskiego 19, 64-200 Wolsztyn tel. 68 347 28 52, tel/fax 68 347 12 84 www.kaukaska.pl

WronkiHotel Olympicul. Leśna 15a, 64-150 Wronki tel. 67 254 55 00, fax 67 254 55 11www.hotel-olymic.pl

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Publisher: Wielkopolska Tourist Organizationul. 27 Grudnia 17/19, 61-737 Poznań

Written by: Anna PlenzlerTranslation: Timothy Downey

Graphic design: Agencja Fotograficzna Studio-F, www.olszewskiphoto.plCover photos: Archive of Commune Tourist Information Centre in Wolsztyn, Z. Schmidt

ISBN: 978-83-61454-87-8Poznań 2012

Tourist Information

Poznań61-772 Poznań, Stary Rynek 59/60tel. 61 852 61 56, 61 855 33 79it@cim.poznan.pl

Entrance, ul.27 Grudnia61-816 Poznań, ul. Ratajczaka 44 tel. 61 851 96 45, 61 856 04 54 centrum@cim.poznan.pl

Poznań International Fair60-734 Poznań, ul. Głogowska 14tel. 61 869 20 84centrum@cim.poznan.pl

Airport Poznań-Ławica60-189 Poznań, ul. Bukowska 285tel. 61 849 21 40lawica@cim.poznan.pl

Poznań Railway Station60-801 Poznań, ul. Dworcowa 1tel. 61 866 06 67info@globtourfb.poznan.pl

Gniezno 62-200 Gniezno, ul. Rynek 14tel. 61 428 41 00info@szlakpiastowski.com.pl Kalisz62-800 Kalisz, ul. Zamkowatel. 62 598 27 31it@um.kalisz.pl

Konin62-510 Konin, ul. Dworcowa 2tel. 63 246 32 48biuro@lotmarina.pl

Leszno64-100 Leszno, ul. Słowiańska 24tel. 65 529 81 91, 65 529 81 92infotur@leszno.pl

Nowy Tomyśl 64-300 Nowy Tomyślpl. Niepodległości 10tel. 61 442 38 06r.ratajczak@nowytomysl.pl

Piła64-920 Piła, al. Niepodległości 33/35tel. 67 210 94 80pit@powiat.pila.pl

Puszczykowo62-040 Puszczykowo, ul. Poznańska 1tel. 61 633 62 83, 61 898 37 11promocja@puszczykowo.pl

Śrem 63-100 Śrem, ul. Okulickiego 3tel. 61 283 27 04unia@srem.com.pl Wolsztyn64-200 Wolsztyn ul. Roberta Kocha 12atel. 68 347 31 04gci@wolsztyn.pl

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