Aleksander Birkenmajer

In 1908-1912 he studied classical philology, physics, mathematics and history at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.

But earlier in 1931 he resigned the post in the History of Exact Sciences Department to protest against the lack of activity of the Polish Ministry of Religious Denominations and Public Instruction and the Jagiellonian University authorities, because of their absence of endeavors to develop Polish science.

Released in the autumn of 1940 he got back to the library as a simple librarian,[1] and struggled to save and secure the collections during the war.

In the midst of 1944 he was fired from Library, because some valuable manuscripts - previously destined to be sent to Nazi Germany - had disappeared.

He became quickly a renowned international expert in the field of research of Copernicus and Aristotle' heritage.