In response to my article today on Mises.org, a correspondent from Poland writes:
[L]et me send you another, more direct connection:
Carl Menger. He was born in Nowy SÄ…cz (Neu Sandec in German, this was also part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy at this time, hence you may come across this German version of the place’s name). It is a town circa 70km South-East from Krakow. Wadowice, where Karol Wojtyla was born is a town circa 40km South-West from Krakow. Both men studied at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and got their degrees from this University — Menger got Ph.D. in law from UJ before he left for Vienna, and Karol Wojtyla got his Masters from UJ (and maybe also PhD, but I am not sure).
I would only add that the Jagiellonian University in Krakow has a long and distinguished history, having been formed in 1364 after King Casmir the Great received permission from Pope Urban V to establish a university in Krakow. It was only the second university established in Central Europe. Both its history and presence today reflects the hope that still existed in the difficult 14th century.
