Zbigniew Herbert: October 29, 1924 - July 28, 1998. Polish poet and playwright Zbigniew Herbert was born in 1924. His works have been translated in most European languages. His awards include the Jurzykowski Prize (1964), the Austrian Government Prize for European Literature (1965) and the Petrarch Prize (1979). He created the character of Mr. Cognito. Herbert died in Warsaw in July, 1998.