Fryderyk Skarbek

Count Fryderyk Skarbek (1792–1866) was the son and heir of Kacper and Ludwika Skarbek, the owners of Żelazowa Wola. According to Chopin family tradition, Skarbek was Chopin’s godfather, although he was not present at the baptism at the Brochów church in 1810. It is generally accepted that recognising Skarbek as Chopin’s godfather might have something to do with his presence at the prior home baptism, i.e. the baptism by water immediately after the birth.

Skarbek began his schooling under the tutelage of Mikołaj Chopin at Żelazowa Wola in 1802. He went on to become an outstanding statesman, Royal Warsaw University professor, economist, historian, and a successful writer of novels, plays and journals (catalogued in 1878 but only published in their entirety in 2009). Skarbek maintained a close and warm relationship with the Chopins all his life and held his first teacher and tutor in high regard.