Mato Kósyk

Mato Kósyk (18 June 1853 – 22 November 1940) was a German minister and Sorbian language poet.

He was born in Werben, Prussia, emigrated from Lower Lusatia to the United States, and died at his rural home near Albion, Oklahoma.

Kósyk maintained contacts with practically all important representatives of Sorbian cultural life: Kito Šwjela, Hajndrich Jordan, Bjarnat Krušwica, Juro Surowin and Alfons Parczewski, as well as Michał Hórnik and Jan Arnošt Smoler.

In January 1884 however, he transferred to a German seminary in Chicago, Illinois, instead, and continued his studies in a liberal Lutheran direction.

Although Kósyk worked in the United States among German- and Frisian-speaking farmers, he never ceased to write his Sorbian tales and poems during this period.

After returning, Kósyk endeavoured to have his ordination recognized; he very much wanted to fill a vacancy in Drachhausen near Peitz.

Anna came from Duszno (formally Hochberg, now part of Trzemeszno), a village in Kreis Gnesen in the Province of Posen.

Wilma left Albion a year after Kósyk's death taking his papers with him; these have been deemed lost.

During this last period, Kósyk maintained intensive contacts with the young Sorbian writer Mina Witkojc.

Hexameters are also used in Ten kśicowany ("The Crucified") and Helestupjenje Jezusa Kristusa ("The Descent of Jesus Christ to Hell").