Edward Henryk Cyfus – storyteller, writer and depositary of the local dialect of Warmia; an author of more than two hundred tales, as well as a primer and dictionary of the Warmia dialect, he promoted the Warmia traditions throughout Poland (Olsztyn, Warmińsko‑Mazurskie Voivodeship, Warmia)

He started speaking about Warmia – its language, history and people – so that others could hear and understand it in the 1990s.

For five years, every week, he told stories in the local dialect on Radio Olsztyn and he presented a programme titled ‘Warnijo’ on Telewizja Polska (Polish Television, the national broadcaster).

He brought out Elementarz warmiński (Warmia Primer), a short story collection called Gawędy warmińskie (The Tales from Warmia), the saga A życie toczy się dalej (The Life Goes On) and many other publications about the region.

Thanks to his efforts, the local dialect of Warmia was added to the National List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Edward Cyfus died on 31 May 2025 in Olsztyn, but his words remain – written down, recorded and remembered.