Jędrzej Kitowicz

Jędrzej Kitowicz (born in autumn of 1727 or 1728, likely in Wielkopolska, died 3 April 1804 in Rzeczyca) was a Polish historian and diarist.

According to Roman Pollak, a historian of Polish literature, Kitowicz was born into a bourgeois family, and was later employed in the service of wealthy priests. He was a rotmistrz of the Confederation of Bar in Wielkopolska. In 1771 he joined a religious seminary, while he remained in service of the bishop of Kujawy Antoni Ostrowski (who later became the primate of Poland). In 1777 he took Holy Orders and in 1781 he become the provost of Rzeczyca where he spent the rest of his life.

He is best known as the author of two unfinished treatises. "Description of Customs during the reign of August II" ("Opis obyczajów za panowania Augusta III", published in 1840) was an attempt to portray the culture of Poland during the first half of the 18th century. "Memoires, or History of Poland" ("Pamiętniki, czyli Historia polska", published partially in 1840, complete edition in 1971) was a chronicle of the years 1743-1798, with special attention to the Confederation of Bar. Kitowicz's works, especially "Opis obyczajów..." have a significant literary and historical value, although he couldn't keep himself objective, speaking out against Stanisław August Poniatowski and the reformists.

References

*Polish|Jędrzej Kitowicz|10 February 2006
* Literatura polska. Przewodnik encyklopedyczny, Warszawa 1984