Jacek Kaczmarski

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Jacek Kaczmarski, 1994

Jacek Kaczmarski (March 22, 1957, Warsaw - April 10, 2004, Gdańsk) was a Polish singer, songwriter, poet and author. He was considered a voice of Solidarity for his commitment to the fight for freeing Poland from communist rule. His protest songs criticized the regime and appealed to traditions of patriotic resistance against oppression of Polish people. He remains best known for his protest songs on social and political subjects ("Mury" (Walls), "Obława" (Wolf hunt)). However, he was more of a poet than a politically engaged singer, and most of his texts have not lost its meaning with the demise of the Soviet union and the communist block.

He made his debut in 1977 on the Student Song Festival, where he was awarded first prize for his work "Obława" (Wolf hunt) based on song "Охота на волков" by Vladimir Vysotsky. In 1980 he won Second prize at the Opole Song Festival for "Epitafium dla Włodzimierza Wysockiego" (Epitaph for Vladimir Vysotsky).

After the imposition of the martial law in Poland, Kaczmarski chose to emigrate (1981 - 1990). From 1982 he was an editor and journalist with Radio Free Europe, where he had his own broadcast: A Quarter with Jacek Kaczmarski.

After his return to Poland (after the Round Table negotiations had brought communist rule in Poland to an end) he toured the country with his friend, artist Zbigniew Łapiński. The tour was recorded and released ('Live') and it achieved Gold album status in 2001. His other albums included "Mury" (Walls), "Nasza klasa" (Our class), "Raj" (Paradise), "Muzeum" (Museum), "Pochwała łotrostwa" (Praising the Rascals), "Wojna postu z karnawałem" (The Fight Between Carnival and Lent). However, he was soon disillusioned by the developments in Poland after 1989 and emigrated to Australia.

Kaczmarski was known not only for his politically motivated lyrics but also for characteristic (very dynamic, sometimes even aggressive) acoustic guitar playing and expressive performance. He performed before contrastingly different audiences, groups of friends in their homes and campus venues to big concert halls in Poland, Europe and America.

Kaczmarski suffered from cancer of the larynx which was attributed to his heavy smoking. After the diagnosis had been made he couldn't afford the costs of continuing the treatment. In response a nationwide fundraising campaign was organized. However, Jacek Kaczmarski, out of fear of irrevocably losing his voice, did not agree on standard procedures in cancer therapy and resorted to alternatives such as vilcacora and sangre de drago, and many other "natural" remedies.

He died in a hospital in Gdańsk.