Rodryg Dunin (June 26, 1870 – October 26, 1928) was a Polish noble (
szlachta), a
hrabia
The hierarchy of noble titles in Poland was relatively uncommon throughout most of its history. Polish nobility ''szlachta'' enjoyed the principle of political equality of all its members. For this reason the idea of introducing the noble / aristoc ...
(
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
), and an
industrialist and
agriculturalist
An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.), is a professional in the science, practice, and management of agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, India, the Philippines, the ...
.
Polski Słownik Biograficzny
''Polski Słownik Biograficzny'' (''PSB''; Polish Biographical Dictionary) is a Polish-language biographical dictionary, comprising an alphabetically arranged compilation of authoritative biographies of some 25,000 notable Poles and of foreigner ...
(the Polish Biographical Dictionary) 1948 - Tome 6, Subtome 1
list of tomes
) His work in agricultural industry, including pioneering new techniques, earned him recognition among the
farming
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...
circles of early 20th century
Greater Poland.
Biography
Rodryg Dunin was born in
Marszewo,
Kreis Pleschen,
Province of Posen, to Stanisław Tadeusz Dunin (a participant in the 19th century
January Uprising), and Maria-Antonina Baranowska (daughter of the
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
playwright
Agnieszka Baranowska). He was a student at
Maria Magdalena Gymnasium (high school) in
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
, where he participated actively in a secret Polish educational-social youth movement, and later studied at academies in
Tetschen (Děčín),
Bohemia, and
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
,
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
.
He married Lucia (Łucja) Taczanowska (1862-1917), the widow of Stanisław Nieżychowski (1851-1897), and became the stepfather of her six children. Among his own children by the marriage was
Stanisław Antoni Piotr Dunin, an army officer who received the
Virtuti Militari
The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', pl, Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King St ...
award.
Estate
Rodryg Dunin's estate was in
Granówko,
Kreis Kosten. Formerly the seat of the
Nieżychowski family, it came into the hands of the Dunins following the 1898 marriage. The mansion was built by Nepomucen Nieżychowski, who owned the estate at the time. In 1923, he passed Granówek to his oldest stepson, Józef Nieżychowski, and bought the
Ruchocice manor near
Grodzisk Wielkopolski
Grodzisk Wielkopolski (german: Grätz) is a town in western Poland, in Greater Poland Voivodeship (Wielkopolskie), with a population of 13,703 (2006). It is south-west of Poznań, the voivodeship capital. It is the seat of Grodzisk Wielkopols ...
from Tiedemann, an
HKT member.
Dunin would later use Ruchocice to provide an
orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or ab ...
aiming to protect Polish children from
Germanization
Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, people and culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nationalism went hand in hand. In ling ...
.
Industry and agriculture
Dunin played an important role in Greater Poland agricultural-industrial organizations, including serving as a councillor of the
Poznańskie Ziemstwo Kredytowe and holding seats on the boards of numerous institutions.
His capacity to both introduce new techniques and to balance with tradition earned him a reputation among Polish farmers for modernity and innovation. He founded an
alcohol factory, local train, and in 1912 installed the first rain-based
irrigation system
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been develop ...
in the
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
area. He mentored young farmers and was invited to lecture in contemporary centers of farmer education, both in Poznań and
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
.
See also
*
Dunin (surname) The Polish surname Dunin originated in the 12th century with Piotr Włost Dunin. He was Palatine of Poland and the castellan of Wroclaw (Silesia), as well as, Brother in law of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth (Boleslaw Krzywousty). The coat of arms ...
, other figures who share the family name
Notes
References
* ''Polski Słownik Biograficzny'' (the
Polish Biographical Dictionary
''Polski Słownik Biograficzny'' (''PSB''; Polish Biographical Dictionary) is a Polish-language biographical dictionary, comprising an alphabetically arranged compilation of authoritative biographies of some 25,000 notable Poles and of foreigner ...
), Tome 6, Subtome 1
* "Dziennik Poznański", (Polish daily) issue 250, 1928;
* "Gazeta Rolnicza" (Polish daily) issue 44—5, 1928; Spoken information from Mrs. Katarzyna Załęska written by
Tadeusz Vetulani
Tadeusz Bolesław Vetulani (13 March 1897 – 24 February 1952) was a Polish agriculturalist and biologist, associate professor of Adam Mickiewicz University in animal husbandry. He was a pioneer of biodiversity research in Poland and conducted no ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dunin, Rodryg
1870 births
1928 deaths
People from the Province of Posen
Counts of Poland
Polish businesspeople
Polish agriculturalists
Rodryg