Adam Mickiewicz Bust

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Adam Bernard Mickiewicz, born on December 24, 1798, was a prominent Polish poet, dramatist, essayist, publicist, translator, and professor of Slavic literature who played a key role in Polish Romanticism. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets not only in Poland but also across Europe and among the Slavic nations. As Poland's national poet, Mickiewicz is celebrated alongside other prominent figures known as the "Three Bards." His poetry has been compared to that of Byron and Goethe, solidifying his status as a leading Romantic dramatist. Mickiewicz's most notable works include the poetic drama Dziady (Forefathers' Eve) and the national epic poem Pan Tadeusz. These influential pieces not only showcased his literary prowess but also served as inspiration for uprisings against the three imperial powers that had partitioned Poland out of existence. His other notable works, such as Konrad Wallenrod and Grażyna, demonstrate his skill in crafting powerful narratives. Mickiewicz's life was marked by a strong desire for independence, which led him to spend five years exiled in central Russia after his activism sparked the attention of Russian authorities. In 1829, he successfully fled the Russian Empire and settled abroad, first in Rome and then in Paris, where he lectured on Slavic literature at the Collège de France for three years. Mickiewicz's life came to an end in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire, likely due to cholera, while he was organizing Polish and Jewish forces to fight Russia in the Crimean War. In 1890, his remains were repatriated from Montmorency, Val-d'Oise, France, to Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, Poland.