Stanislaw Lem (1921-2006)

One of the world's leading science fiction writers, Polish author Stanislaw Lem, died on Monday in Krakow. During World War II, Lem was a resistance fighter against the Nazis; he used science fiction because he felt he could communicate his controversial ideas more freely through the genre, often under the radar of would-be political censors. His stories - nearly 30,000,000 copies in all - have been published in over 40 languages, and his best-known novel, Solaris, twice has been adapted to film.

Additional information on Lem:
Wikipedia
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Lem's Website
CNN
Reuters
New York Times
Los Angeles Times
Washington Post

Do not trust people. They are capable of greatness.
Stanislaw Lem, "Holiday", September 1963