Birth

Born in Bialystok, the first child of Mordka and Rozalia Zamenhof. His birth name is recorded as Лазарь - Lazar. His official name is therefore Lazar Markovich Zamenhof.

Writes a play about Babel

Starts at high school but has to stop after two months because of illness. In the time off he writes a five-act play in Russian The Tower of Babel.

Starts high school

Restarts his first year at high school. He later recalls being the first in his class for the nine years that he was in high school, in both Bialystok and Warsaw.

Moves to Warsaw

Ludoviko's father secures a post as a school inspector and the family moves to Warsaw, living at 28 Nowolipie. He soon gets a teaching job at the grammar school in Warsaw, reportedly teaching German.

Starts working on his language

Ludoviko starts learning English and realises that languages don't have to be burdened by complicated grammatical forms.

Lingwe Uniwersala

Ludoviko and his friends sing a hymn written in the earliest version of Esperanto, Lingwe Uniwersala.

Moves to Moscow

Ludoviko finishes school and moves to Moscow to study, intending to become a doctor. He returns to Warsaw in 1881.

Restarts work on his language

Ludoviko returns from Moscow and studies at university in Warsaw. He recommences working on his language.

A time of change

Ludoviko finishes his studies in Janaury and sets up a clinic in Veisiejai, Lithuania. His request to ask for Klara Silbernik's hand in marriage is declined. Ludoviko retrains as an opthalmologist. His language is now ready.

Everything changes

Ludoviko gets engaged to Klara. He marries her on August 9^th.

On July 26^th the first book in Esperanto receives publishing permission. It becomes known as the Unua Libro.

The Dua Libro (= "Second Book") is published. Ludoviko becomes a father when Adam is born on June 11^th. Ludoviko tries to launch the first Esperanto magazine but is denied permission.

La Esperantisto, the first magazine in Esperanto, is published in September. The Adresaro, a list of the first 1000 learners, is published. Ludoviko's daughter Sofia is born on December 13^th.

La Espero

Ludoviko writes a poem in Esperanto and Russian which is published in the Plena Lernolibro de la Tutmonda Lingvo Esperanto por Rusoj. It is called La Espero and will go on to become the hymn of the Esperanto movement.

A time of despair

La Esperantisto closes down. Ludoviko is in financial peril and reduces his Esperanto activity. The magazine Lingvo Internacia appears in December.

The Zamenhofs' third and final child, Lidja, is born on January 29^th. Ludoviko creates the Fundamento (Foundation) of Esperanto. English and French Esperantists meet in Boulogne on June 7^th. Their later "kongreseto" in Calais and Dover leads to an idea to hold something bigger the following year.

No interpreters needed

Ludoviko is called up for the war in Manchuria but fails his medical. The French government make him a Knight of the Honorary Legion. The first World Esperanto Congress takes place in Boulogne.

The Old Testament

Zamenhof starts work systematically translating the Old Testament.

Finishes his translation of Old Testament. Starts to translate Andersen's Fairy Tales.

La Majstro mortis

Ludoviko dies on April 14^th He is buried two days later.