Born: February 19, 1812, Paris, France
Died: February 23, 1859, Paris, France
Early days. Father, Wincenty Krasinski was a Napoleonic general and later loyal subject of the tsar of Russia; mother, Maria Urszula nee duchess Radziwill. His godfather was the Emperor Napoleon I Bonaparte. He lost his mother in 1822. Krasinski was initially home schooled under the direction of the writer Jozef Korzeniowski. Later he went to Liceum Krzemienieckie followed by studying law at Warsaw University. But, when under the influence of his father, he refrained from political manifestations at Warsaw in 1829, he became so unpopular amongst his fellow-students that his father sent him to Geneva where he continued his studies and where he met Adam Mickiewicz. Krasiński was more socio-politically conservative than Mickiewicz and Slowacki. Upon his return to Warsaw his father wanted him to present himself at Tsar Nicholas's Court which he refused. During the period of radicalization of political views and appearance of reformist social programs Krasinski was decisively conservative, against revolution and- ultimately- against any armed struggle including the struggle for independence.
Personal matters. Krasinski had several romantic relationships. First was his cousin Amelia Zaluska, followed by Henriette Vilan. Then in 1834-1838 Joanna Bobrowa and finally from 1838 till 1846- Delfina Potocka. This relationship transformed into long-lasting friendship that influenced his work. In 1843 Krasiński married Countess Eliza Branicka with whom he had four children: Wladyslaw Wincenty, Zygmunt Jerzy, Maria Beatrycze and Eliza.
Literary career. He is best known for his philosophical Messianist ideas. His drama, Nie-boska Komedia (The Undivine Comedy, 1835), portrays the tragedy of an old-world aristocracy defeated by a new order of communism and democracy, and is a poetic prophecy of class conflict and of Russia's October Revolution; it was shown recently on the Polish and German stages. His drama, Irydion (1836), deals, in the context of Christian ethics, with the struggle of a subjugated nation against its oppressor. Next came Przedswit (Before Dawn) a most beautiful poem intended by Krasinski to be his last. Later (1844-1848) he wrote Psalmy Przyszłości (Psalms of the Future). This prompted Slowacki to write a polemic poem Odpowiedz (The Answer). Krasinski published much of his work anonymously. After 1848 Krasinski's health, which had been feeble, gave way completely. He spent some time in Baden and Heidelberg and traveled to France in search of a congenial climate; but his last years, saddened by family losses, were spent in a state of great physical suffering. After his death his body was transported to Opinogora near Ciechanow (Poland) the present site of Museum of Romanticism.
This article uses, among others, material from the Wikipedia article "Zygmunt Krasinski" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. :
Wikipedia (in Polish, an abbreviated version in English available)
Modified using material from other sources
Kultura Polska (in Polish), article by Halina Florynska-Lalewicz
Catholic Encyclopedia
Some of his works online :
God Had Denied Me; Undivine Comedy
Some of his works online in Polsih:
Nie-Boska komedia (oprac.Marek Adamiec)
O stanowisku Polski z Bozych i ludzkich wzgledow (oprac.Marek Adamiec)
Psalmy przyszlosci (oprac.Marek Adamiec)
English translations of some of his works:
Constance J. Ostrowski
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