1921 Stanisław Lem was born in Lwów, Poland (presently Lvov, Ukraine) to a family of a wealthy laryngologist 1932 starts education at the II K. Szajnocha State Grammar School in Lwów  1939 obtains secondary school certificate 1940-41 studies medicine at the Lwów University 1942 after the occupation of Lwów by German forces works as a mechanic helper and welder for a German firm recovering raw materials. 1944 after the second marching in of the Soviet army continues medical studies 1946 following the repatriation laws along with his family leaves for Kraków. 1946 makes his debut with a novel Człowiek z Marsa (A Man from Mars) published as several episodes in "Nowy Świat Przygód" 1946-48 cooperates with "Tygodnik Powszechny" and published poems and short stories 1946 enrolls at the Jagiellonian University to study medicine 1947-1950 works as a junior assistant for Konwersatorium Naukoznawcze lead by doctor Mieczysław Choynowski and collaborates with the monthly "Życie Nauki." ("The Life of Science") 1948 starts writing his first novel Szpital Przemienienia (Hospital of the Transfiguration) 1951 publishers his first book Astronauci (The Astronauts) 1953 marries M.D. Barbara Leśniak, a radiologist 1954 his father dies 1955 Czas nieutracony (further volumes of Hospital of the Transfiguration) 1957 Dialogi (Dialogs); Dzienniki gwiazdowe (The Star Diaries) 1959 Eden (Eden); Śledztwo (The Investigation)  1961 Pamiętnik znaleziony w wannie (Memoirs Found in a Bathtub); Powrót z gwiazd (Return from the Stars); Solaris  (Solaris) 1964 Niezwyciężony (The Invincible); Summa Technologiae 1965 Cyberiada (The Cyberiad) 1966 Wysoki Zamek (Highcastle) 1968 birth of his son 1968 Opowieści o pilocie Pirxie (Tales of Pirx the Pilot); Głos Pana (His Master's Voice) 1970 receives a prize from the minister of foreign affairs for popularization of Polish culture abroad 1971 Doskonała próżnia (A Perfect Vacuum) 1972 becomes member of the committee of Polska Akademia Nauk (Polish Academy of Sciences) and Polska 2000 (Poland 2000). 1973 Wielkość urojona (Imaginary Magnitude) 1973 A literary prize of the ministry of culture;  honorary member of the Science Ficiton Writers of America  1976 Katar  (The Chain of Chance) 1976 State Prize of the first degree for literature;  expelled from SFWA 1981 receives a honorary degree from the Warsaw Polytechnic 1981 martial law in Poland 1982 departure for a one-year scholarship of Wissenschaftskolleg in West Berlin. 1982 Wizja lokalna 1983-88 temporary residence in Vienna 1986 awarded Austrian state prize for European Culture for 1985 1987 Fiasko (Fiasco); Pokój na Ziemi (Peace on Earth) 1988 returns to Poland 1991 Austrian Kafka-prize for Literature 1994 becomes a member of  PAU (Polska Akademia Umiejętności) 1996 receives the Medal of the White Eagle 1997 receives honorary citizenship of the city of Kraków 1998 honorary degrees from: Opole University, State Medical University in Lviv, Jagiellonian University. 2000 Okamgnienie

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