Zbigniew Herbert

Polish writer and poet (1924-1998) · Poland · On the map · Writers · Died at 73

Zbigniew Herbert was a Polish poet, essayist, drama writer and moralist. He is one of the best known and the most translated post-war Polish writers. While he was first published in the 1950s, soon after he voluntarily ceased submitting most of his works to official Polish government publications.

Zbigniew Herbert is read about 257 times a day, in 35 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026

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A life in dates

1998Died28 July 19981997Preis der Stadt Münster für Europäische PoesieAwardSamuel-Bogumil-Linde prizeAward1994Preis der SWR-BestenlisteAward1991Jerusalem PrizeAwardVilenica PrizeAward1987Bethlen Gábor AwardAward1979Petrarca-PreisAward1973Herder PrizeAward1965Austrian State Prize for European LiteratureAward1963Kościelski AwardAward1924Born29 October 1924

People around Zbigniew

Family

Zbigniew Herbert

Partners

Former spouse Katarzyna Herbert

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Also in Deutsch

Media & music

Photos 5

An excerpt from The Envoy of Mr. Cogito, Gdańsk

Zbigniew Herbert (early 1980s)

"The loss of memory by a nation is also a loss of its conscience" (Herbert). Plaque at Mehringplatz, Berlin.

Statue of Zbigniew Herbert in Kielce, Poland

Awards

Samuel-Bogumil-Linde prize1997

Preis der Stadt Münster für Europäische Poesie1997

Preis der SWR-Bestenliste1994

Vilenica Prize1991

Jerusalem Prize1991

Bethlen Gábor Award1987

Petrarca-Preis1979

Herder Prize1973

Austrian State Prize for European Literature1965

Kościelski Award1963

Order of the White Eagle

Knight of the Order of Polonia Restituta

About this person

He resumed publication in the 1980s, initially in the underground press. Starting in the 1960s, he was nominated several times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. His books have been translated into 38 languages.

Country

Poland