Olsztyn atrakcje

Born on 25 February 1890 in Olsztyn, son of Seweryn – senior and Joanna Pieniężna (born Liszewska). He got educated in Olsztyn, and since 1906 he worked in a printing house of ”Gazeta Olsztyńska”, the magazine with which he was connected all his life. Since his youth he was a member of various Polish organizations such as Polish - Catholic Societies ”Zgoda” and ”Jedność”. During World War I he got enlisted and spent 2 years in the front line as an infantry soldier. In 1918 Pieniężny took charge of ”Gazeta Olsztyńska”, and on and off, he stayed in charge of the magazine until the outbreak of Word War II. After the Plebiscite defeat of Poles on 11 July 1920, he took over ”Mazur”, another magazine, closed down in Ortelsburg (Szczytno) Seweryn Pieniężny was also one of the leaders of IV District of Union of Poles in Germany. Thanks to his engagement, ”Gazeta Olsztyńska” was the only Polish magazine, which managed to remain on the market until 1939. Pieniężny married Kazimiera Wanda Dembińska in 1920. They had a son Konstanty, who died in 1942 and three daughters: Ewa (married name - Bojarska), Maria (married name -Frieman) and Halina (died in 1945). In the interwar period he was frequently tried by the German authorities for his alleged anti – German activity. Apart from taking care of the magazine, Pieniężny wrote his own colum, using the dialect of Warmia, the column entitled ”Kuba spod Wartemborka gada”.

On 1 September 1939 Gestapo entered the building of ”Gazeta Olsztyńska” in Młyńska Street (non - existent any more). The last issue was confiscated and Pieniężny was arrested and soon transported to a concentration camp Hohenbruch near Konigsberg. The printing and editorial office was ostentatiously demolished in November 1939. Seweryn Pieniężny – junior was executed on 24 February 1940 in Hohenbruch. He was one of the Poles, who did not leave East Prussia after Plebiscite defeat and still maintained tradition, culture, Polish language and education in the German territory. To honour him in 1947 a city in Warmia called Melzak was renamed - Pieniężno. In 1964 Olsztyn commemorated Pieniężny with a stone and the seat of ”Gazeta Olsztyńska” was reconstructed between 1989-92.