We all know well, or have at least heard something, about Leopold von Sacher-Masoch.
And what do we know about his grandfather, Franz Mazoch, who lived, worked and died in Lviv for a long time?
Rector of Lviv University, honorary citizen of Lviv, doctor of pharmaceutics, professor of medical and theoretical training for surgeons at the Department of Surgery, Franz Mazoch was born in the city of Ujmoldova (now Romania) on April 21, 1763.
He studied medicine at the University of Vienna. And from 1788 he worked in the Vienna hospital.
He moved to Lviv after his marriage, on February 10, 1793. Here he was offered a position at the Department of Surgery of Lviv University.
In 1827, Franz Mazoch was elected rector of Lviv University.
He and his wife had five children. However, only three became adults. Their daughter Karolina married Lviv police director Leopold von Sacher, who added his wife’s surname to his own. After all, Mazokhs were very respected in Lviv at that time.
He died on March 18, 1845 in Lviv and was buried at the Lychakiv cemetery. A rather modest monument stands on his grave – a stele with the surname Mazoch. A stone poppy is engraved on the ceiling as a symbol of oblivion.
And also – the coat of arms of the medical dynasty. A sphere with two wings crowns the monument. Cemetery workers do not recommend walking here in the dark. They say that fornication can catch on and a person gets lost in the cemetery and will not be able to find a way out.
