BIEGELEISEN, HENRYK

BIEGELEISEN, HENRYK (1855–1934), Polish literary historian and ethnographer. On his mother's side a grandson of Naḥman *Krochmal, Biegeleisen was assimilated and even made his sons convert. He was for many years principal of a girls' school run by the Jewish community at Lvov. Biegeleisen published a number of studies and monographs on Polish romantic literature. These include Pan Tadeusz Mickiewicza ("Mickiewicz's Pan Tadeusz," 1884); Lirnik mazowiecki ("The Bard of Mazovia," 1913) on the poet Teofil Lenartowicz; and Ilustrowane dzieje literatury polskiej ("An Illustrated History of Polish Literature," 5 vols., 1898–1901). He also edited the works of Słowacki, *Mickiewicz, and Fredro, and a Polish translation of Shakespeare. In the field of ethnography Biegeleisen wrote a number of original studies, among them Matka i dziecko w obrzédach, wierzeniach i zwyczajach ludu polskiego ("Mother and Child in the Rites, Beliefs, and Customs of the Polish Folk," 1927); Wesele… ("Wedding…," 1928); U Kolebki – przed ołtarzem – nad mogilą ("At the Cradle – Before the Altar – By the Tomb," 1929); Lecznictwo ludu polskiego ("Popular Cures of the Polish Folk," 1930); and Śmierć w obrzędach, zwyczajach i wierzeniach ludu polskiego ("Death in the Rites, Customs, and Beliefs of the Polish Folk," 1931). One of his sons, bronislaw biegeleisen-Żelazowski (b. 1881), was professor of psychology in various Polish universities, and published works in his field.

bibliography:

Polski Słownik Biograficzny, 2 (1936), 30–32; F. Pajączkowski, in: Pamiętnik Literacki, 31 (1934), 244–7 (bibl.); Wielka Encyklopedia Powszeczna, 1 (1962), 779–80 (on Bronislaw; incl. bibl.).

[Moshe Altbauer]