During funeral ceremonies in the southern city of Kraków on Wednesday, Poland's upper-house Speaker Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska said that Stuhr was "a great actor, a wonderful teacher, an outstanding representative of the Polish intellectual elite, a friend, a social activist, and a wonderful person."
Renowned film director Agnieszka Holland said the deceased actor left behind a wealth of iconic roles, memorable performances, and a legacy of professional excellence. She added that despite his star status, he kept a low profile and maintained a human touch throughout his career.
Photo: PAP/Łukasz Gągulski
"From the beginning, he had a duality that was incredibly intriguing," Holland said of Stuhr. "On the one hand, he was deeply attached to Kraków conservatism ... on the other, he was a jester, a comedian who didn't shy away from pleasures. This duality was reflected in his acting and various life roles."
Those at the funeral included Poland's Culture Minister Hanna Wróblewska and a crowd of fellow actors, among them Olgierd Łukaszewicz, Dorota Segda, Magdalena Zawadzka and Marek Kondrat, state news agency PAP reported.
Kraków residents honored Stuhr with loud applause for the last time as his urn was carried to be laid to rest at the city's historic Rakowicki Cemetery.
Stuhr died on July 9 after a long battle with cancer. In 2020, the actor suffered a stroke, and in 2011, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. He also experienced a heart attack.
In February 2024, Stuhr briefly returned to the theatrical stage to direct the play Genius by Polish dramatist Tadeusz Słobodzianek at the Polonia Theater in Warsaw. He also appeared in one of the main roles, as Russian director and educator Konstantin Stanislavski, who is considered the father of modern theater.
Stuhr is survived by wife Barbara, son Maciej, also an actor, and daughter Marianna.
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Source: PAP/Onet.pl/Youtube.com/@ŚwiatGwiazd; x.com/@krakow_pl/@PolskiSenat/@RadioKrakow/facebook.com/MaciejStuhr
