Wilhelm Mach

Wilhelm Mach, pen names il., Quidam, s., S., Współpracownik (26 December 1916, Kamionka – 2 June 1965 in Warsaw) was a Polish writer, essayist, poet and literary critic.

Life He was born in Kamionka near Ropczyce in a peasant family to Wincenty Mach and Apolonia née Białek. He attended a school in Kamionka, and then continued education in Ropczyce, from 1928 in a private school – Miejskie Staroklasyczne Koedukacyjne Gimnazjum in Ropczyce. He debuted with a poem Jesień (Autumn) printed in a school press Przyszłość (Future, issue from 1 September 1928) and a novella Dawne zapusty published in a timely Rola. From 1956 he traveled to the USSR and India, and from 1958 to Bulgaria several times, and in 1961 to the United States.

He was friends with Zofia Nałkowska, who appointed him one of the four curators of her legacy.

Private life The Polish literary circles were widely aware of Mach's homosexuality, but did not speak of it for over 20 years after his death. In Gorlice, Villa Szklarczykówka was called the House of Remembrance of Wilhelm Mach. During the occupation, this house was the seat of the Gorlice Gestapo.