The Patron's biography
Stanisław Staszic (1755-1826)
An outstanding statesman, author, philosopher, naturalist, economist and mastermind of education and science. He was best known as a philanthropist. He is mostly remembered for his extensive and efficient activity in the Duchy of Warsaw and Congress Poland. He received holy orders in 1779. He was active in Warsaw between 1788 and 1826 (with a break in 1790-1797). He was a member of the Warsaw Society of Friends of Learning since 1800. He created its scientific programme in accordance with the needs of the state.
He was the Society's president between 1808 and 1826. In 1807-1812 he worked in the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Treasury. Between 1810 and 1812 he was also a member of the State Council. In 1815-1824 he worked in the Ministry of Education and Religion and the Ministry of Interior and Police as the director of the Department of Trade, Crafts and Industry. Since 1824 he held the post of the Minister of State.
While working there, he not only inspired progress, but also organized education (especially vocational) and industry (mostly mining and metallurgy). Between 1816 and 1818 he was one of the key founders of the Royal University of Warsaw, the author of its statute and the president of its General Council. In 1824 he created a plan to establish the first Polish technical academy. In 1825-1826, as president of the Polytechnic Council, he organized the Preparatory School for the Institute of Technology. He donated all of his income to charity. In 1806 he gifted a building on Kanonia Street for the Society of Friends of Learning and in 1820-1824 he built the Society a new headquarters known today as the Staszic Palace.
He was the initiator and primary founder of the statue of Mikołaj Kopernik and a cofounder of the statue of Józef Poniatowski. In 1823 he founded an obelisk in Grochów (on Podskarbińska Street) to commemorate the construction of the Brześć Road. By his last will he established foundations for a few Warsaw hospitals and almshouses, the Institute for the Deaf and construction of the House of Refuge and Work (currently a part of the Wolski Hospital).
In Warsaw Staszic was a quite popular individual and a subject of many anegdotes. Thanks to his efforts and generous donations the Staszic Palace, Kopernik and Poniatowski statues were built, which continue to exist nowadays. In his testament he has given great funds for some of Warsaw's hospitals, a medical department of Warsaw University, the Institute for the Deaf and construction of the House of Refuge and Work on Wolska Street. His grave is located in a former Camaldolese Church in Bielany. He is an author of numerous works fundamental for development of science in Poland for example on geology, statistics and sociology:
⦁ "Remarks upon the Life of Jan Zamoyski" (1787)
⦁ "Warnings for Poland" (1790)
⦁ "On Polish Statisctics" (1807)
⦁ "On the Origin of the Carpathian Mountains" (1815)
⦁ "Humankind" (1819-1820)
For his work he received multiple honours and distinctions: in 1816 he became a State Councillor in the Duchy of Warsaw and in 1824 - a Minister of State. In 1815 he was awarded the Order of Saint Stanislaus (I class) and in 1824 - the Order of the White Eagle.