Major Waldemar Fydrych

Waldemar Fydrych ( called Major) ( born April 8, 1953 in Toruń ) is a Polish social activist and Happeningkünstler. He is the founder of the Orange Alternative movement ( Pomarańczowa Alternatywa ).

Life

Fydrych studied history and art history at the University of Breslau. His independent work he began in the seventies. After August 1980, he founded in Breslau, the " motion for new culture " (Ruch na Rzecz Nowej Kultury ). Shortly thereafter, in 1981, he laid the foundation for the movement of the Orange Alternative.

At the time of martial law in Poland, the Major was known as the dwarf forms to daub with paint stains house walls painted. Those patches of color should cover anti-regime slogans. From 1986 he began to organize events that still take place at regular intervals. In 2005 there were over 60, who are now enshrined in history as the Orange Alternative.

For his actions he was awarded many times: In 1988, he received the prize of solidarity by the editors of pulse in London, as well as Polkul in Australia. " Excellent ," he was also available with special attention on the part of the Ministry of Internal Security, which observed its activity Major Fydrychs exactly. In May 1988, during an event at which he distributed sanitary towels (a rarity at the time), Waldemar Fydrych was arrested and sentenced to three months in prison. Given subsequent mass demonstrations but was released shortly afterwards.

The Major is loved in controversial form, hated and admired. Waldemar Fydrych always proved fantasy and imagination. Very early he showed a liking to the misleading others. Convened for patterning the goals of the community service of military service, he appeared in the uniform of a major. Although he reluctantly ableistete military service, he pretended to unbridled enthusiasm, which was considered a mental incapacity. When he was asked to prove his superior honor, he began to dub him as a colonel, while he referred to himself as a major. From this period dates his pseudonym, which is left to him to this day.

Short biographical note based on a doctoral thesis by Nicole Gourgaud ( University of Lyon, Nov. 93)