Jędrzej Kitowicz

Who was Jędrzej Kitowicz?

Jędrzej Kitowicz was a Polish historian and diarist.

According to Roman Pollak, a historian of Polish literature, Kitowicz was born into a bourgeois family in Wielkopolska, 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. 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 III was an attempt to portray the culture of Poland during the first half of the 18th century. Memoires, or History of Poland 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 could not keep himself objective, speaking out against Stanisław August Poniatowski and the reformists. He died in Rzeczyca.