Karol Piegza

Infobox Writer
name = Karol Piegza


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birthdate = Birth date|1899|10|9
birthplace = Łazy, Austria-Hungary
deathdate = death date and age|1988|2|3|1899|10|9
deathplace = Jablunkov, Czechoslovakia
occupation = Teacher, writer, folklorist, photographer, and painter
ethnicity = Polish
citizenship = Austrian, Czechoslovak
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Karol Piegza (9 October, 1899 – 3 February, 1988) was a Polish teacher, writer, folklorist, photographer, and painter from Zaolzie region of Cieszyn Silesia.

Piegza was born in Łazy the son of a coal miner. He worked at coal mining for a time when he was 14. It was in the coal mining colony in Łazy where he first listened to the stories and fables told by the coal miners. That experience influenced his future life and inspired his works until 1945.

At the beginning of 1918 Piegza was conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian Army and sent to the Italian Front of World War I. [Richter 2000, 28.]

After the war he was active in the social life and several organizations before World War II. He graduated from a school for teachers in Cieszyn-Bobrek and eventually worked as a teacher in Polish schools in Zaolzie—in Łazy, Orłowa, Stonawa, and after the war in Jabłonków. He was also a director of schools in Łazy, Stonawa, and Jabłonków.

During World War II Piegza was incarcerated in Nazi concentration camps in Dachau and Mauthausen-Gusen. [Sikora 1993, 20.]

After the war Piegza settled in Jabłonków where he became director of the Polish school (from 1945 to 1960) and worked in a local branch of PZKO (Polish Cultural and Educational Union). He helped organize the first Gorolski Święto festival in 1948, which presented the culture and traditions of the local people. Piegza was fascinated by the culture and traditions of Cieszyn Silesia and was a keen collector of everything related to regional culture.

He wrote his works in literary Polish and in the local dialect. His works often focus on regional folklore and regional fables, most often those of the local Gorols.

After his death in Jablunkov, the Karol Piegza Small Regional Museum in Bukowiec was opened.__NOTOC__

Works

Brochures

* "Malarze śląscy" (1937)
* "Kozubowa" (1939)
* "Ceramika cieszyńska" (1971)
* "Komedianci" (1979)
* "Cieszyńskie skrzynie malowane" (1983)

Short stories collections

* "Sękaci ludzie" (1963) and (1979)
* "Opowiadania beskidzkie" (1971)
* "Tam pod Kozubową" (1974)

Poetry collection

* "Echa spod hałdy" (1975)

Other

* "Hawiyrski bojki" (1952)
* "Gajdosz z Kurajki" (1953)
* "Toporem pisane" (1955)
* "Nowele beskidzkie" (1961)

Footnotes

References

* cite book
last = Málková
first = Iva
coauthors = and Svatava Urbanová
title = Literární slovník severní Moravy a Slezska (1945-2000)
publisher = Votobia
date = 2001
location = Olomouc
pages =
url =
doi =
isbn = 80-7198-515-5

* cite book
last = Radłowska-Obrusnik
first = Martyna
coauthors = and Otylia Toboła
title = Leksykon PZKO
publisher = Zarząd Główny PZKO
date = 1997
location = Czeski Cieszyn
pages =
url = http://www.kc-cieszyn.pl/biblioteka/strony/ramka.php?autor=leksykon&licz=1
doi =
oclc = 189531468

* cite journal
quotes =
last = Richter
first = Leszek
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year = 2000
month =
title = Karol Piegza
journal = Těšínsko‎
volume = 43
issue = 3
pages = 28–30
doi =
oclc =
id =

* cite book
last = Sikora
first = Władysław
coauthors =
title = Pisarze Zaolzia
publisher = Wydawnictwo Olza przy Radzie Polaków
date = 1993
location = Czeski Cieszyn
pages =
url =
doi =
oclc = 233485106