Zbigniew Herbert

Polish poet

Born: October 29, 1924 · Died: July 28, 1998

Famous Persons

Who was Zbigniew Herbert?

Zbigniew Herbert (Polish: [ˈzbiɡɲɛf ˈxɛrbɛrt] ; 29 October 1924 – 28 July 1998) was a Polish poet, essayist, drama writer and moralist. He resumed publication in the 1980s, initially in the underground press. His books have been translated into 38 languages. Herbert was one of the main poets of the Polish opposition to communism. Starting in 1986, he lived in Paris, where he cooperated with the journal Zeszyty Literackie. On 1 July 2007 the Polish Government instituted 2008 as the Year of Zbigniew Herbert.

Historical significance

He is one of the best known and the most translated post-war Polish writers. While he was first published in the 1950s (a volume titled Chord of Light was issued in 1956), soon after he voluntarily ceased submitting most of his works to official Polish government publications. Starting in the 1960s, he was nominated several times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. In 2013, the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Award was established in honour of the poet and his literary legacy. While he was first published in the 1950s, soon after he voluntarily ceased submitting most of his works to official Polish government publications.

Statue of Zbigniew Herbert in Kielce, Poland

Sources and further reading

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MLA

“Zbigniew Herbert.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/zbigniew-herbert/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

APA

Zbigniew Herbert. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/zbigniew-herbert/

Chicago

“Zbigniew Herbert.” thisDay. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/zbigniew-herbert/.

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