Kornel Makuszyński (1884–1953) – writer, publicist, theatre critic, one of the most popular children’s writers – was born in Stryj and spent his youth in Lviv. Here he attended secondary school and studied in the Philosophy Faculty at the Jan Kazimierz University. Before the First World War, he worked as the literary manager of the City Theatre. The First World War cast Makuszyński and his first wife, Emilia, née Bażeńska, deep inside Russia. Released from exile with the help of his friends, he returned to Poland. After several months spent working at the City Theatre in Lviv, he left the city for good. He lived in Kiev until 1918 and worked as the literary director of the Stanisława Wysocka Polish Theatre (‘Teatr Polski Stanisławy Wysockiej’) and served as the president of the local Writer and Journalist Society (‘Towarzystwo Literatów i Dziennikarzy’). He wrote his first novels while living in Kiev. When Poland regained independence, a new chapter of the writer’s life began in Warsaw. He wrote his most popular children’s books in the 1930s: ‘Przygody Koziołka Matołka’ (‘The Adventures of Silly Billy the Goat’), ‘O dwóch takich co ukradli księżyc’ (‘Of the Two That Stole the Moon’), ‘Przyjaciel wesołego diabła’ (‘Cheerful Devil’s Friend’), ‘Skrzydlaty chłopiec’ (‘Winged Boy’), ‘Wielka brama’ (‘Great Gate’), ‘Wyprawa pod psem’ (‘Dog-Omened Expedition’), ‘Szatan z siódmej klasy’ (‘Seventh-Grade Satan’), ‘List z tamtego świata’ (‘Otherworldly Letter’). His work as a writer was interspersed with fervent journalistic activity.