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  Jews:

Ary Sternfeld
   
    Ary Sternfeld (1905–1980) was born on May 14, 1905 in Sieradz in the Jewish Family. In 1915, along with his family he moved to Lodz. Next, he studied at the Jagiellonian University and the University in Nancy, France. He graduated from the university in France as a top student with the mechanical engineer’s degree. In the years 1928–1930, he studied at the Sorbonne in order to get a PhD in cosmonautics. However, having met with no understanding of the Paris world of science he returned to Lodz and started the work of his life, i.e. ”An Introduction to Cosmonautics”. He finished it in 1933. It was devoted to, among others, trajectories of satellite orbits and issues connected with space flights such as rocket technology and gravity load. One year later, after a cold reception of the work by the participants of a meeting of the section of the Association of Friends of Astronomy, he left for Paris. There, he was granted the R. Esnault-Peltrie and A.L. Hirch international astronautical award. In spite of successes in France, Ary Sternfeld left for the Soviet Union in 1935, which at that time was the only country interested in his theories. He worked at the Jet Propulsion Research Institute. Most of the years of World War Two, he spent in Serov in the Ural Mountains. In 1944, he returned to Moscow, where he lived until his death on July 5, 1980. He died during preparations for the next visit to Poland.
    On October 4, 1957, the first artificial satellite of the Earth was launched – Sputnik 1 along the orbit calculated by Ary Sternfeld. Due to the American-Soviet arms race, after the war-time period of oblivion, the entire world recalled about the scientist from Sieradz. His works were translated into over 30 languages, and he was given numerous awards such as the honorary doctorate of the University of Nancy, the International Galabert Prize and the honorary doctorate in technical sciences of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, the Honorary Member of the Lorraine Academy and Society of Sciences, honorary doctorate of the National Technical Institute in Lorraine, and the Grand Gold Medal of the Eastern Industrial Association. The scientific achievements of Ary include 20 books and 400 articles.

    He treated Sieradz as his home. ”Sieradz and Lodz – my hometowns”, ”Sieradz and Lodz – my dearest towns” – that’s what Ary Sternfeld used to say. He confirmed these words by his visits to Sieradz: in 1956, 1964, 1967 and in 1976. He was also a precursor of two stamp collecting exhibitions devoted to cosmic issues, which were held in Sieradz in 1962 and 1966. Appreciating its inhabitant, the town awarded Ary the title of the Town’s Honorary Citizen (1963), the title of the Person of Great Merits for Sieradz Town (1965), and the diploma of the Honorary Member of the Association of the Friends of Sieradz (1976).