Gustav Adolph Sennewald

Gustav Adolph Sennewald (born January 26, 1804 in Bielitz , Austrian Silesia , † July 16, 1860 in Warsaw ) was a Polish publisher and bookseller of German nationality who worked in Warsaw in the first half of the 19th century.

Biographical summary

Sennewald was born into a German merchant family as the son of Karl Friedrich and his wife Marie Friederike (birth name unknown). Nothing is known about his going to school. He was 20 years old when he appeared in Warsaw in 1824 and became an apprentice to the bookseller and publisher Brzezina, who owned his shop in the historic center of the city not far from the Royal Castle. Just four years later, Sennewald was able to buy shares in the company and became a co-owner. After Brzezina's death in 1832 , Sennewald compensated the heirs and became the sole owner of the company. Soon he expanded their field of activity by buying a lithographic workshop and oneLending library with French ( 1840 ) and later ( 1842 ) Polish books opened, and in the next few years also a sheet music rental . He was in close contact with publishers and booksellers from Leipzig , which meant that he always had access to new publications.

Sennewald made great contributions to the Polish book: he published novels by well-known writers such as Józef Ignacy Kraszewski and many translations from foreign languages, etc. a. Books by Charles Dickens and Eugène Sue . He also published religious books (also in German), school books, guides for farmers and scientific, especially medical positions. A total of 184 books were published by his publisher. The musical department, which was very profitable , was also very developed : he published a.o. a. Sheet music for many of Stanisław Moniuszko's operas .

Gustav Adolph Sennewald married Wilhelmine Michaeline Hermann ( 1805 - 1883 ) from a wealthy Warsaw Protestant family and had three daughters and a son with her. All daughters married in the circle of wealthy Warsaw Lutherans , the son Gustaw Karol (* 1832 Warsaw - † 1896 there) took over the company in the last months of his father's life and managed it until his own death in 1896. His luxury editions were particularly popular Novels that he had decorated with numerous woodcuts . His son Władysław Gustaw (* 1860 Warsaw, † 1929 there) sold the book publisher and the stocks of the lending libraries soon after taking over the company and dealt exclusively with sheet music (which were printed in Leipzig), but sold the company in 1901 . Until 1905 it was operated under the name "Gustaw Sennewald" and then liquidated.

All of the Sennewalds were buried in the Protestant cemetery in Warsaw.

literature

• Polski Słownik Biograficzny . Volume 36: Schroeder Franciszek - Siemiatycki Chaim . Instytut Historii, Warsaw 1996.
• Eugeniusz Szulc: Cmentarz Ewangelicko-Augsburski w Warszawie. Zmarli i i Rodziny . Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, Warsaw 1989, ISBN 83-06-01606-8 , ( Biblioteka Syrenki ).