Later years Henryk Sienkiewicz

nobel laureate, 1905

sienkiewicz maintained ties polish right-wing national democracy politicians , critical of socialists, moderate , declined become politician , deputy russian duma. in cultural sphere, involved in creation of kraków , warsaw monuments adam mickiewicz. supported educational endeavors , co-founded polska macierz szkolna organization. reasonably wealthy 1908 sales of books, used new wealth support struggling writers. helped gather funds social-welfare projects such starvation relief, , construction of tuberculosis sanatorium @ zakopane. prominent in philanthropy in literature.

in february 1895 wrote first chapters of quo vadis. novel serialized, beginning in march 1895, in warsaw s polish gazette, kraków s czas (time), , poznań s dziennik poznański (poznań daily). novel finished march 1896. book edition appeared later same year, , gained international renown. in february 1897 began serializing new novel, krzyżacy (the teutonic knights, or knights of cross); serialization finished in 1900, , book edition appeared year.

in 1900, three-year delay due approaching centenary of mickiewicz s birth, sienkiewicz celebrated own quarter-century, begun in 1872, writer. special events held in number of polish cities, including kraków, lwów , poznań. jubilee committee presented him gift polish people: estate @ oblęgorek, near kielce, later opened school children.

in 1905 won nobel prize lifetime achievements epic writer. in acceptance speech, said honor of particular value son of poland: pronounced dead — yet here proof lives on.... pronounced defeated — , here proof victorious.

sienkiewicz s residence @ oblęgorek

his social , political activities resulted in diminished literary output. wrote new historical novel, na polu chwały (on field of glory), meant beginning of new trilogy; was, however, criticized being lesser version of original trilogy, , never continued. similarly, contemporary novel wiry whirlpool (novel), 1910, sought criticize of sienkiewicz s political opponents, received polemical , politicized response. 1910 novel young people, w pustyni w puszczy (in desert , wilderness), serialized in kurier warszawski (the warsaw courier), finishing in 1911, better received , became popular among children , young adults.

after outbreak of world war i, sienkiewicz visited @ oblęgorek polish legions cavalry unit under bolesław wieniawa-długoszowski. after, left switzerland. ignacy paderewski , erazm piltz, established organization polish war relief. supported work of red cross. otherwise, eschewed politics, through shortly before death endorsed act of 5th november 1916, declaration emperors wilhelm ii of germany , franz joseph of austria , king of hungary, pledging creation of kingdom of poland envisioned puppet state allied with, , controlled by, central powers.