People of Toruń
Educated men of intellect have always been estimated in Toruń. Throughout the centuries incomers, known for their erudition, had been encouraged to settle in the city, where they were offered prosperous living standard. In order to educated the local youth new schools had been established, whereas more affluent residents of Toruń had been frequently sending their sons to famous universities. This was done by popular merchant Nicolaus Copernicus, although he probably was not aware of splendor that will be bestowed upon the city by his offspring.
Among the eminent personalities in Toruń, Nicolaus Copernicus was undoubtedly the greatest >>>. However, there were others who made the city famous by their artistic contribution. People who significantly contributed to the development of Polish or European science include, for example Paulus Guldenius (1588-1658) - an eminent pharmacist, the court pharmacist of Polish Kings Ladislas Vasa and John Casimir Vasa, the author of the first Polish-German-Latin dictionary of pharmaceutical terms, comprising descriptions of the then medicines and illnesses; Adam Freytag (1608-1650) - a military engineer, doctor, professor, recognized expert on the Old Dutch School of Fortification; Samuel Thomas Soemmerring (1755-1830) - the most eminent anatomist, doctor and physiologist of the turn of the 19th century, the discoverer of macula lutea (an oval yellow spot near the centre of the retina of the human eye) and designer of the galvanic telegraph; Fryderyk Skarbek (1792-1866) – a leading representative of Polish economical thought, a professor of Warsaw University.
The intellectual elite of Toruń was created over centuries as well by such celebrities as Heinrich Stroband (1548-1609), a bibliophile, humanist, art patron, and at the same time the mayor of the city and founder of the Toruń Academic Gymnasium known for its high level of education and popularization of progressive ideas; Jakub Kazimierz Rubinkowski (1668-1749), a nobleman coming from the Kingdom of Poland, popular literary man and at the same time a city councilor or Samuel Bogumil Linde (1771-1847), a descendant of a German-Swedish family residing in Toruń, deserving recognition for his service in establishing the University of Warsaw, and first of all the author of an outstanding work, which is the Polish Language Dictionary, today's patron of the Award of Partner Cities founded in 1996 by the authorities of Toruń and Göttingen, Germany.
As early as 1568, thanks to the idea of mayor Heinrich Stroband, a Grammar School was established in the city, which 26 years later was raised to the rank of an Academic Gymnasium. However, the residents of Toruń dreamed about their own university. This idea was conceived in the 16th century, however, due to vicissitudinous life, this dream had come true only after five centuries.