It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Professor Barbara Czopek-Kopciuch, who passed away on 7th July 2020. She was an excellent proper name researcher, editor-in-chief of the journal Onomastica, long-time head of the Department of Onomastics at the Institute of the Polish Language PAS, chair of the Polish Commission on Names of Localities and Physiographic Objects, chair of the Onomastic Group of the Polish Academy of Sciences Committee on Linguistics, member of the Commission on Slavic Onomastics (International Congress of Slavic Studies), International Council of Onomastic Sciences, Polish Onomastic Society, as well as of the Linguistic Commission of the Kraków Branch of PAS, Society of Friends of the Polish Language, and Polish Linguistic Society.

Professor Barbara Czopek-Kopciuch has authored numerous valuable works in the field of onomastics, including monographs Nazwy miejscowe dawnej ziemi chełmskiej i bełskiej (w granicach dzisiejszego państwa polskiego) [Place names of the former Land of Chełm and Land of Bełz (within the borders of the present-day Poland)] (1988), Adaptacje niemieckich nazw miejscowych w języku polskim [Adaptations of German place names in Polish] (1995), Nazwiska polskie w Zagłębiu Ruhry [Polish surnames in the Ruhr region] (2004). She was the editor and co-author of the toponomastic dictionary Nazwy miejscowe Polski [Place Names of Poland] since 1996 to 2020.

She will remain in our memories as an undisputed luminary of onomastics and as a diligent, good, and kind person.

Editorial Team