Jacek Kaczmarski

Jacek Kaczmarski ( born March 22, 1957 in Warsaw, † April 10, 2004 in Gdańsk ) was a Polish singer, poet and writer.

Life

He was referred because of his commitment to the fight against communist oppression as " Bard of Solidarity". His protest songs criticized the regime and appealed to the tradition of patriotic resistance of the Poles. Best known he was by his songs with social and political issues (eg Mury ( "walls" ), Obława ( " hunt " ) ).

He had 1977 on the Student Song Festival, where he won for his title Obława ( " hunt " ) won first prize his first appearance. In 1979 he founded together with Przemysław Gintrowski and Zbigniew Łapiński a songwriter trio. In 1980 he won the 2nd prize at a festival in Opole for Epitafium dla Włodzimierza Wysockiego ( "Epitaph for Vladimir Vysotsky "). After the proclamation of martial law in 1981, Kaczmarski decided to emigrate. Therefore, the trio with Gintrowski and Łapiński broke up. Since 1984, he worked for Radio Free Europe in Munich as an editor and journalist. He had his own show A Quarter with Jacek Kaczmarski.

After the end of the communist regime in Poland, he returned and was with his friend Zbigniew Łapiński concerts across the country. The tour was recorded and released (Live); the album received the gold record. Other albums bear the title Mury ( "walls" ), Nasza klasa ( "Our Class"), Raj ( "Paradise" ), Muzeum ( " Museum " ), Pochwała Łotrowstwa and Wojna postu z Karnawałem ( " The Battle between Carnival and Lent "). Kaczmarski was not only for his politically motivated texts, but also for his distinctive guitar playing ( very dynamic and aggressive) and his expressive performances known. He played to very different audiences: from appearances in front of friends to large concert halls in Europe and America.

1995 Kaczmarski moved with his family to Australia, but visited Poland for concerts and in order to drive sales. In March 2002, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. The necessary medical treatment because he could not afford in Australia, he returned to Poland, where a national fundraiser was organized by his fans. He died on April 10, 2004 in a hospital in Gdansk.