Over the last twelve months Poland has suffered a loss of numerous valuable citizens. Below is a list of several of those that will forever be etched in our minds.
Ludwik Dorn (1954-2022)
Dorn was a prominent opposition activist under communism, notably with the Committee for the Protection of the Workers (KOR) and the Solidarity trade union. After the collapse of Poland's communist system, he became involved in politics. A seasoned lawmaker, Dorn served as a deputy prime minister and interior minister in two Law and Justice governments between 2005 and 2007. In his later years, Dorn was active as a political columnist and commentator until his death on 7 April.
Daniel Passent (1938-2022)
Born into a Polish-Jewish family in 1938, Passent managed to survive the Holocaust in a series of hiding places, aided by both Poles and Jews. Spanning several eras, Passent’s life included being a war correspondent in Vietnam in the 1960s; serving as Poland’s ambassador to Chile between 1996 and 2001; and marrying the celebrated poet and lyricist Agnieszka Osiecka. Over the years, he authored numerous books, wrote satirical sketches and hosted a radio show. The well-known Polish journalist, writer and diplomat passed away on 14 February, aged 83.
Franciszek Pieczka (1928-2022)
With an acting career spanning almost 70 years, Pieczka starred in over 100 productions. He rose to nationwide fame featuring in The Four Tank Men and Dog (1966-1970), a Polish black-and-white cult series. Playing Gustaw Jeleń, better known as "Gustlik", Pieczka became a symbol of his region of origin, the Polish southern region of Upper Silesia. In 1976, he won the award for Best Actor at the Polish Film Festival for The Scar. Pieczka is regarded as one of Poland’s finest actors of all time. He died on 23 September at the age of 94.
Barbara Krafftówna (1928-2022)
Following her memorable role in Andrzej Wajda’s celebrated Ashes and Diamonds (1958), Krafftówna delivered a string of acclaimed performances in movies by Wojciech J. Has, including her most critically praised turn in 1962’s How to Be Loved, which brought her the best actress award at the 1963 San Francisco Film Festival. With her characteristic and versatile voice, Krafftówna also excelled at comedy shows, notably on the wildly popular TV show The Elderly Gentlemen’s Cabaret (1958-1966). Her status as a much-liked on-screen performer was cemented with a role in one of the most successful Polish TV series of all-time: The Four Tank Men and a Dog (1966-1970). Hailed as “the Grand Lady of the Polish Stage,” she passed away on 23 January.
Jerzy Trela (1942-2022)
Jerzy Trela, who was indelibly linked with Poland’s southern city of Kraków, appeared in some 350 theatre and film roles over a career spanning six decades. On stage, he was Claudius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Gustaw-Konrad in Adam Mickiewicz’s Forefathers’ Eve, and Raskolnikov in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, among other roles. Trela’s talent was also harnessed by Poland’s leading filmmakers, including the Oscar winner Andrzej Wajda (1999’s Mister Thaddeus), Agnieszka Holland (1981’s A Lonely Woman) and Krzysztof Kieślowski (1993’s Three Colours: White). He remained active until his death on 15 May at the age of 80.
Sylwester Chęciński (1930-2021)
Chęciński remains best known for the much-loved three-part comedy saga, Our Folks (1967), Take it Easy (1974) and Love or Leave (1977), which follows the fortunes of two rival clans forced to relocate to Poland’s "Western Regained Territories" after World War II. He was also no stranger to spy thrillers, TV series and action movies, such as 1983’s Big Shar, a story of an ageing poker master that attracted 2 million cinemagoers. Dubbed “the painter of Polish personalities,” Chęciński died on 8 December. He was 91 years of age.
Zbigniew Namysłowski (1939-2022)
A pianist and cellist by training, Namysłowski also played trombone and eventually made a name for himself as a sax player, composer and arranger. He had more than 30 LPs and CDs to his credit. He led numerous bands, mostly quartets and quintets, working closely with such household names in Polish music as Krzysztof Komeda, Czesław Niemen and Michał Urbaniak. An extremely versatile musician, Namysłowski was keen to explore ethnic music and perform together with folk bands from Poland's southern Tatra mountain region, as well as to blend jazz with classical music. The winner of numerous awards from prestigious Polish and international music magazines, he passed away on 7 February.
Stefan Gierowski (1925-2022)
Considered one of the most renowned representatives of Polish abstract art, Gierowski explored the figurative trend and remained under the influence of cubism in the early stages of his career. Having entered the abstract path in 1957, he never gave titles to his works, merely providing them with Roman numerals. One of his major works from that period is the Painting the Ten Commandments series, inspired by a 15th-century Tablet of Ten Commandments. Gierowski was also a professor at the Fine Arts Academy in Warsaw for several decades. He died on 14 August, aged 97.
Janusz Kupcewicz (1955-2022)
Part of the Polish national team, Kupcewicz was notably a participant of the World Cup in 1978 and 1982, and later a coach, football activist, and local government activist. He’ll be remembered through the goal he scored in the game against France at the 1982 World Cup, which was instrumental in securing the bronze for Poland. The former midfielder passed away on 4 July.
Tomasz Wójtowicz (1953-2022)
Wójtowicz was a key player for Poland’s national men’s volleyball team when it won the world championship in Mexico in 1974 and the Olympic gold at Montreal in 1976. Considered one of the biggest names in Polish volleyball, he passed away on 24 October after losing a long battle against cancer.
November 1 marks All Saints’ Day, a religious holiday of Catholic origin, celebrated by Christians of many denominations in Poland, who visit cemeteries to pay tribute to those who passed away.
(pjm)