Jan Czynski
Encyclopedia
Jan Kazimierz Czyński was a Polish
independence activist, lawyer by education, writer and publicist, a life-time fighter for the emancipation
of the Jews
, trade supporter, utopian socialist, radical democrat
.
He was born on 20 January 1801 in Warsaw
, Prussian partition of Poland
, South Prussia
province of the Kingdom of Prussia
, in a Polish Jewish family of Frankists (followers of Jacob Frank
- Jews who converted to Roman Catholicism). After finishing his studies at the University of Warsaw
, Czyński became a lawyer and activist in Lublin
, supporter of Polish Jacobins
and member of Patriotic Society
(Towarzystwo Patriotyczne). In 1830 he participated in the November Uprising
(1830-1831) as an adjutant
to the local Polish commander, col. Wincenty Szeptycki. He became known as one of most vocal supporters of the Uprising and the founder of the first daily newspaper in Lublin, "Kurier Lubelski". After the Uprising was defeated, the Russian government issued a bounty
(1,000 chervonets) for his capture; Czyński went into exile
, escaping to Prussia
and eventually joining the Great Emigration
in France.
In Paris
, France, he became one of the important activist of the Polish emigrants, where he successfully merged the Polish independence and pan-European thought (particularly Fourierist
utopian socialism
). Early coworker of Joachim Lelewel
. Member of Polish National Committee
. Co-organizer of Polish Democratic Society
(Towarzystwo Demokratyczne Polskie). Disagreed with Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski
, as well as with the messianism
of Adam Mickiewicz
. Supporter of emancipation
of the Jews and eventually of the Polish positivists
, with whom he agreed that through education of society Polish independence can be secured. Member of French Institute of History and Literary Society. Author of many publications, editor of several newspapers: editor in chief of "Postęp" and "La Pologne", co-editor of "Północ" with Szymon Konarski
, contributor to "Archives Izraelites" and "Gazeta Narodowa", publisher of "La Russie Pittoresque", publisher and editor of "Echa Miast Polskich"". After some time he moved from Paris to London
, England, where he died on 30 January 1867.
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...
independence activist, lawyer by education, writer and publicist, a life-time fighter for the emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
of the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, trade supporter, utopian socialist, radical democrat
Polish Jacobins
Polish Jacobins was the name given to a group of late 18th century radical Polish politicians by their opponents.Polish Jacobins formed during the Great Sejm as an offshoot of the "Kołłątaj's Forge" of Hugo Kołłątaj Polish Jacobins (or Hugenots) was the name given to a group of late 18th century...
.
He was born on 20 January 1801 in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Prussian partition of Poland
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...
, South Prussia
South Prussia
South Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1793 to 1807. It was created out of territory annexed in the Second Partition of Poland and included in 1793*the Poznań, Kalisz and Gniezno Voivodeships of Greater Poland;...
province of the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, in a Polish Jewish family of Frankists (followers of Jacob Frank
Jacob Frank
Jacob Frank was an 18th century Jewish religious leader who claimed to be the reincarnation of the self-proclaimed messiah Sabbatai Zevi and also of the biblical patriarch Jacob...
- Jews who converted to Roman Catholicism). After finishing his studies at the University of Warsaw
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
, Czyński became a lawyer and activist in Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
, supporter of Polish Jacobins
Polish Jacobins
Polish Jacobins was the name given to a group of late 18th century radical Polish politicians by their opponents.Polish Jacobins formed during the Great Sejm as an offshoot of the "Kołłątaj's Forge" of Hugo Kołłątaj Polish Jacobins (or Hugenots) was the name given to a group of late 18th century...
and member of Patriotic Society
Patriotic Society
Patriotic Society can refer to two Polish organizations:* National Patriotic Society formed by Walerian Łukasiński* Patriotic Society or Patriotic Club formed by various activists during the November Uprising...
(Towarzystwo Patriotyczne). In 1830 he participated in the 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...
(1830-1831) as an adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
to the local Polish commander, col. Wincenty Szeptycki. He became known as one of most vocal supporters of the Uprising and the founder of the first daily newspaper in Lublin, "Kurier Lubelski". After the Uprising was defeated, the Russian government issued a bounty
Bounty (reward)
A bounty is a payment or reward often offered by a group as an incentive for the accomplishment of a task by someone usually not associated with the group. Bounties are most commonly issued for the capture or retrieval of a person or object. They are typically in the form of money...
(1,000 chervonets) for his capture; Czyński went into exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
, escaping to Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
and eventually joining the Great Emigration
Great Emigration
The Great Emigration was an emigration of political elites from Poland from 1831–1870. Since the end of the 18th century, a major role in Polish political life was played by people who carried out their activities outside the country as émigrés...
in France.
In Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France, he became one of the important activist of the Polish emigrants, where he successfully merged the Polish independence and pan-European thought (particularly Fourierist
Charles Fourier
François Marie Charles Fourier was a French philosopher. An influential thinker, some of Fourier's social and moral views, held to be radical in his lifetime, have become main currents in modern society...
utopian socialism
Utopian socialism
Utopian socialism is a term used to define the first currents of modern socialist thought as exemplified by the work of Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, and Robert Owen which inspired Karl Marx and other early socialists and were looked on favorably...
). Early coworker of Joachim Lelewel
Joachim Lelewel
Joachim Lelewel was a Polish historian and politician, from a Polonized branch of a Prussian family.His grandparents were Heinrich Löllhöffel von Löwensprung and Constance Jauch , who later polonized her name to Lelewel.-Life:Born in Warsaw, Lelewel was educated at the Imperial University of...
. Member of Polish National Committee
Polish National Committee (1831-1832)
Polish National Committee was one of the first Polish organizations of the Great Emigration in France. It was founded soon after the failure of the November Uprising by Joachim Lelewel...
. Co-organizer of Polish Democratic Society
Polish Democratic Society
Polish Democratic Society was one of the most important organizations of Polish Great Emigration in 19th century France. Formed in 1832 from a faction of the Polish National Committee and led by Tadeusz Krępowiecki and Aleksander Pułaski, it argued for the need of drastic reforms in reconstituted...
(Towarzystwo Demokratyczne Polskie). Disagreed with Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski
Adam Jerzy Czartoryski
Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski was a Polish-Lithuanian noble, statesman and author. He was the son of Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski and Izabela Fleming....
, as well as with the messianism
Messianism
Messianism is the belief in a messiah, a savior or redeemer. Many religions have a messiah concept, including the Jewish Messiah, the Christian Christ, the Muslim Mahdi and Isa , the Buddhist Maitreya, the Hindu Kalki and the Zoroastrian Saoshyant...
of Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Bernard Mickiewicz ) was a Polish poet, publisher and political writer of the Romantic period. One of the primary representatives of the Polish Romanticism era, a national poet of Poland, he is seen as one of Poland's Three Bards and the greatest poet in all of Polish literature...
. Supporter of emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
of the Jews and eventually of the Polish positivists
Positivism in Poland
Positivism in Poland was a socio-cultural movement that defined progressive thought in literature and social sciences of Partitioned Poland following the suppression of the 1863 January Uprising against the occupying army of Imperial Russia...
, with whom he agreed that through education of society Polish independence can be secured. Member of French Institute of History and Literary Society. Author of many publications, editor of several newspapers: editor in chief of "Postęp" and "La Pologne", co-editor of "Północ" with Szymon Konarski
Szymon Konarski
Szymon Konarski was a 19th-century Polish radical democratic politician and revolutionary. As a politician, he supported the radical idea of social and economic equality for all men, as well as the right of political and national liberty and self-governance.Konarski supported the idea of land...
, contributor to "Archives Izraelites" and "Gazeta Narodowa", publisher of "La Russie Pittoresque", publisher and editor of "Echa Miast Polskich"". After some time he moved from Paris to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England, where he died on 30 January 1867.
Selected publications
- Question de Juifs Polonais (Question on Polish Jews), Paris, 1831
- Le Reveil d'Israel, Paris, 1847
- Le Fils de la Juive, Paris, 1848
- Israel en Pologne, Paris, 1861
Further reading
- Michael Sibalis, Jan Czynski: Jalons pour la biographie d'un fouriériste de la Grande émigration polonaise, Cahiers Charles Fourier 6 (1995):58-84.
- Adam Gałkowski, Polski patriota – obywatel Europy. Rzecz o Janie Czyńskim (1801-1867), 2004, ISBN 8388973967