Andrzej Jan Szwalbe (1923-2002) was a Polish lawyer, social and cultural activist and manager of the musical life in Bydgoszcz. He was the originator and creator of numerous artistic projects outside the region. In 1993, he has been designated as "Honorary Citizen of Bydgoszcz". He was awarded the highest state orders for his contribution to Polish culture.

Biography

Konserwatorium Muzyczne w Warszawie przed 1939

Pre-WWI period

Andrzej Szwalbe was born on 30 June 1923 in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

. His mother was Eufemia née Sobieraj and his father Sylwester Jan Szwalbe. The latter worked as a tax clerk. His mother had a pivotal influence in the way Andrzej led his life: she believed that his duty was to serve his homeland in the field of high culture and that it was his life's important mission. She loved to read difficult books on national, social and philosophical topics to him. Andrzej studied in Warsaw at ''

Mikołaj Rej Mikołaj Rej or Mikołaj Rey of Nagłowice (4 February 1505 – between 8 September/5 October 1569) was a Polish poet and prose writer of the emerging Renaissance in Poland as it succeeded the Middle Ages, as well as a politician and musician. ...

'' Secondary school Nr.11 and ''

Adam Mickiewicz Adam Bernard Mickiewicz (; 24 December 179826 November 1855) was a Polish poet, dramatist, essayist, publicist, translator and political activist. He is regarded as national poet in Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. A principal figure in Polish Ro ...

'' Secondary school Nr.4. Encouraged by his mother to develop and take on self-discipline, he also attended the music school at Chopin University of Music, where he was a piano student in the class of Prof. Paweł Lewicki. There he met later famous Polish musicians, such as

Witold Lutosławski Witold Roman Lutosławski (; 25 January 1913 – 7 February 1994) was a Polish composer and conductor. Among the major composers of 20th-century classical music, he is "generally regarded as the most significant Polish composer since Szyman ...

. During the Nazi

occupation Occupation commonly refers to: *Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment *Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, th ...

, while he was completing his first year of law studies at the

University of Warsaw The University of Warsaw ( pl, Uniwersytet Warszawski, la, Universitas Varsoviensis) is a public university in Warsaw, Poland. Established in 1816, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the country offering 37 different fields o ...

, he also worked as a messenger. In 1944, he was arrested and imprisoned by the Germans in the internment camp 121 of

Pruszków Pruszków ( yi, ‏פּרושקאָוו) is a city in east-central Poland, situated in the Masovian Voivodeship since 1999. It was previously in Warszawa Voivodeship (1975–1998). Pruszków is the capital of Pruszków County, located along t ...

; from here he escaped to Krakow.

Polish People's Republic years

After

WWII World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Szwalbe lived in

Ciechocinek Ciechocinek (Polish pronunciation: ; German language, German (1941-1945): ''Hermannsbad'') is a spa town in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-central Poland, located on the Vistula River about east of Aleksandrów Kujawski and south-east of ...

but soon he moved to Bydgoszcz. In 1948, he graduated from law studies at

Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń or NCU ( pl, Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu, UMK) is located in Toruń, Poland. It is named after Nicolaus Copernicus, who was born in Toruń in 1473. and for three years he worked at the university in different positions as an assistant, a lecturer and then head of the

Human resources Human resources (HR) is the set of people who make up the workforce of an organization, business sector, industry, or economy. A narrower concept is human capital, the knowledge and skills which the individuals command. Similar terms include ...

department. However, he was more enthusiastic to become a cultural activist rather than develop his career as a lawyer. In 1949, Szwalbe made himself known to the public by giving a spontaneous speech during a concert of the ''Pomeranian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra'' (the ancestor of the ''

Pomeranian Philharmonic , native_name_lang = , image = File:Bdg Filharmonia fr 1 07-2013.jpg , image_size = 300px , image_alt = Pomeranian Philharmonic Bydgoszcz , image_caption = Pomeranian Philharmonic in Bydgoszcz , coor ...

'') at the Bydgoszcz Chamber theatre on Grodzka Street for a petition demanding not to abandon the Orchestra. After collecting thousands of signatures, Szwalbe went to the administrative authorities to make his point. This event made him a recognizable figure in the local society. In 1951, he was appointed administrative director of the ''Pomeranian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra''. A year later, his efforts were rewarded. As by the decision of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage on 15 December 1952, the Pomeranian Symphony Orchestra, operating since 1946, in recognition of its high level and merits in the promotion of music, was nationalized on 1 January 1953, taking the name of ''

Ignacy Jan Paderewski Ignacy Jan Paderewski (; – 29 June 1941) was a Polish pianist and composer who became a spokesman for Polish independence. In 1919, he was the new nation's Prime Minister and foreign minister during which he signed the Treaty of Versaill ...

.'' Andrzej Szwalbe was designated as the head of the ''Social Committee for the Construction of the Philharmonic'' ( pl, Społeczny Komitet Budowy Filharmonii). The building was erected three years later, with an inaugural concert performed on 16 November 1956, broadcast on the

Polish Radio Polskie Radio Spółka Akcyjna (PR S.A.; English: Polish Radio) is Poland's national public-service radio broadcasting organization owned by the State Treasury of Poland. History Polskie Radio was founded on 18 August 1925 and began making ...

. The architecture of the newly built edifice in Bydgoszcz, designed by

Stefan Klajbor Stefan Jan Klajbor (20 October 1924 – 5 July 1991) was an architect and a cultural personage of Bydgoszcz during the 20th century. Early life and studies Stefan Jan Klajbor was born in Bydgoszcz on 20 October 1924. He was the son of Jan, a ra ...

, referred to the National Philharmonic in Warsaw. In the following years, Szwalbe carried out several new projects: * with Marian Turwid he co-initiated the ''Bydgoszcz Scientific Society'' ( pl, Bydgoskie Towarzystwo Naukowe) in 1959; * he was the initiator of the erection of the Opera Nova (opened in 2006) in the city. Szwalbe was the direct manager of the project for many years after the start of construction in 1973; * in 1961, he launched a publishing series at the Pomeranian Philharmonic, entitled ''The history of Polish music in Pomerania'' ( pl, Z dziejów muzyki polskiej na Pomorzu). He initiated the establishment of a branch of the ''Scientific and Research Station of the Institute of Musicology'' from the

in Bydgoszcz. He conducted extensive scientific activity in coordination with both institutions and the ''Bydgoszcz Scientific Society'', . In 1962, together with Stanisław Gałoński, a music director and musicologist from Krakow, Andrzej Szwalbe established the ''Capella Bydgostiensis'', one of the leading Polish

chamber orchestras Chamber or the chamber may refer to: In government and organizations *Chamber of commerce, an organization of business owners to promote commercial interests *Legislative chamber, in politics *Debate chamber, the space or room that houses deliber ...

dedicated to Early Music. A year later, he inaugurated the ''Polish Music Festival'', which later transformed into the ''Bydgoszcz Music Festival'' ( pl, Bydgoski Festiwal Muzyczny). In 1966, with the help of musicologist Zofia Lissa and prof. Hieronim Feicht (then manager of the Polish music department at the University of Warsaw), Szwalbe set up the international festivals and musicological congresses ''Musica Antiqua Europae Orientalis (MAEO)'', which have become a recognized event in Europe and contributed to the increased visibility and popularity of music from Central and Eastern Europe in the world. The achievements of the scientific congresses partnering the MAEO sessions were compiled into several books (e.g. ''Acta Scientifica'') and through the publishing series ''Monumenta MAEO'' promote Polish music and culture worldwide. In 1970, thanks to Szwalbe's efforts, a new gallery for the ''Municipal Art Gallery BWA'' was erected at 20 Gdańska Street. He played a decisive role in opening a Bydgoszcz branch of the Academy of Music in Łódź in 1974, which afterwards became an independent institution, the Bydgoszcz Music Academy - "Feliks Nowowiejski". To house the latter, Szwalbe took control of the historic

building A building, or edifice, is an enclosed structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory (although there's also portable buildings). Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and fu ...

of the Prussian administrative region in 1975, located at the corner of Słowackiego and 20 Stycznia 1920 streets. Taking specific care to the high artistic level of Bydgoszcz ensembles of the Philharmonic, Andrzej Szwalbe commissioned outstanding Polish composers to write dedicated works, such as the piece for baritone and

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

, ''Gray Fog'' ( pl, Siwa Mgła) by

Wojciech Kilar Wojciech Kilar (; 17 July 1932 – 29 December 2013) was a Polish classical and film music composer. One of his greatest successes came with his score to Francis Ford Coppola's '' Bram Stoker's Dracula'' in 1992, which received the ASCAP Award a ...

. He intended the Philharmonic to be a cultural melting-pot, combining music with various art disciplines. To achieve this, over the years he built several collections inside the building of the

, all related to music: * a gallery of sculptural portraits of musicians; * a

tapestry Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven by hand on a loom. Tapestry is weft-faced weaving, in which all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike most woven textiles, where both the warp and the weft threads ma ...

collection; * a unique collection of 18th and 19th century

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

s. Nowadays, the ''Andrzej Szwalbe Collection'' is visible in nearby Ostromecko palace. He also made his vision of a ''Music District'' in Bydgoszcz a reality by developing the area around the seat of the Philharmonic by installing cultural and educational institutions (i.e. Bydgoszcz Music Academy - "Feliks Nowowiejski", Music Schools Group, Jan Kochanowski Park) in the neighbourhood. In particular, the park harbours an outdoor gallery of monuments dedicated to composers and virtuosos. At the beginning of the 1980s, Szwalbe came up with the idea of restoring the splendor and culture-centric functions to nearby palaces of

Ostromecko Ostromecko is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Dąbrowa Chełmińska, within Bydgoszcz County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It lies south-west of Dąbrowa Chełmińska, east of Bydgoszcz, and n ...

and

Lubostroń Lubostroń is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Łabiszyn, within Żnin County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It lies approximately south of Łabiszyn, north-east of Żnin, and south of Bydgoszcz. T ...

. In the former, he set up a gallery of Polish contemporary

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

s and graphics from Tadeusz Brzozowski. He envisioned the ''Palace and park ensemble'' in Ostromecko to fulfill the role of a ''Bydgoszcz

Wilanów Wilanów () is a district of the city of Warsaw, Poland. It is home to historic Wilanów Palace, the "Polish Versailles," and second home to various Polish kings. History The first mentions of a settlement in the area can be traced to the 13t ...

''. He expanded the cultural life in Bydgoszcz with consistency, foresight and optimism. He was deeply emotionally connected with the city.

Third Polish Republic

After retiring in 1991 and handing over the director position of the Philharmonic to Eleonora Harendarska, Szwalbe retained his interest in cultural life and spoke on many issues both on a local and national level. He was awarded the title of ''Honorary Director of the

'' and received the title of ''Honorary Citizens of Bydgoszcz'' in 1993. Andrzej Szwalbe was a modest and very hardworking man and a lover of art and music. He was able to successfully implement his visions and dreams in difficult times (

Polish People's Republic The Polish People's Republic ( pl, Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989 as the predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland. With a population of approximately 37.9 million ne ...

) while overshadowing his merits, not caring about any personal benefits. He was an outstanding creator of culture in Bydgoszcz, but also a person of merit for Polish culture. Szwalbe's vision, consistency in action, mediation skills, as well as great erudition and even greater modesty were always emphasized. His closest musical friends, outstanding Polish composers (

Henryk Mikołaj Górecki Henryk may refer to: * Henryk (given name) * Henryk, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, a village in south-central Poland * Henryk Glacier, an Antarctic glacier See also * Henryk Batuta hoax The Henryk Batuta hoax was a hoax perpetrated on the Polish ...

Krzysztof Penderecki Krzysztof Eugeniusz Penderecki (; 23 November 1933 – 29 March 2020) was a Polish composer and conductor. His best known works include ''Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima'', Symphony No. 3, his '' St Luke Passion'', '' Polish Requiem'', ' ...

) talked about him as a showcase of Bydgoszcz culture. Andrzej Szwalbe died suddenly on 11 November 2002 in Bydgoszcz, surviving only one month to his wife, Dobrosława. He was buried in the Catholic cemetery of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at 2 Ludwikowo street in Bydgoszcz.

Awards and recognitions

On 18 March 1993, the City Council awarded him the title of ''Honorary Citizen of Bydgoszcz''. It was the first ''Honorary Citizen'' title awarded since 1945. During his lifetime, Andrzej Szwalbe had two books written about him: ''Andrzej Szwalbe – portret niedokończony'' ( en, Andrzej Szwalbe - an unfinished portrait) by Adam Bezwiński and ''Życie na przełomie'' ( en, Life at the turn) by Krystyna Starczak-Kozłowska. He also had a bronze bust chiseled by artist Michał Kubiak, which is now exhibited inside the Philharmonic building. On 19 April 2007, Kubiak created a life-size statue of Szwalbe, which stands in the main square of the Philharmonic. Mural A Szwalbe

On 30 June 2003, a commemorative plaque was unveiled on the tenement house where Andrzej Szwalbe lived at 75

Dworcowa Street Dworcowa Street is one of the main streets of Bydgoszcz, in Downtown district ( pl, Śródmieście). Many of its buildings are registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Heritage List. Across the street, between Warmia and Marcinkowskiego ...

. Since 2007, he is the patron of the ''

Primary School A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

Nr.67'' in Bydgoszcz. A street in downtown Bydgoszcz, next to the Philharmonic Hall and the Music School ensemble, was renamed in his honor. The collection of old and historic pianos in Ostromecko Palace is now exhibited as ''The Andrzej Szwalbe Collection''. On 18 January 2013, the ''Andrzej Szwalbe "Heritage" association'' ( pl, Stowarzyszenie im. Andrzeja Szwalbego "Dziedzictwo") has been launched. Its goal is to gather people who are close to the ideas and activities of Andrzej Szwalbe, as a "visionary in the domain of the culture and science", not only in Bydgoszcz but also in the entire

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

. In 2017, the namesake of Andrzej Szwalbe has been assigned by

plebiscite A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of ...

of Bydgoszcz inhabitants to one of the 18 new tramways purchased by the city. In November 2023, the city of Bydgoszcz unveiled a

mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...

depicting Andrzej Szwalbe at 89

Honors

* Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, awarded posthumously by the decision of president

Aleksander Kwaśniewski Aleksander Kwaśniewski (; born 15 November 1954) is a Polish politician and journalist. He served as the President of Poland from 1995 to 2005. He was born in Białogard, and during communist rule, he was active in the Socialist Union of Pol ...

on 15 November 2002, ''for outstanding services to the national culture''; * Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta, awarded in 1996, for ''outstanding services to the Polish culture''; * Gold Cross of Merit in 1955, ''on the 10th anniversary of the People's Republic of Poland for merits in the field of culture and art''.

Gallery

File:Bydgoszcz-plaque-Andrzej-Szwalbe.jpg, Commemorative plaque at 75,

, Bydgoszcz File:Bdg ASzwalbe a 05-2013.jpg, Szwalbe statue by Michał Kubiak (2007) File:Szwalbe tablica.JPG, Plaque with engraved text at the bottom of the statue File:Bdg Szwalbe przed filharomnią.jpg, The statue with the

building in the backdrop

References

External links

* *
Bydgoszcz Scientific Society

Pomeranian Philharmonic

Music School of Bydgoszcz

The Andrzej Szwalbe Collection, Ostromecko
*
Ostromecko Palace and Park

Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Szwalbe, Andrzej 1923 births 2002 deaths People from Bydgoszcz Prisoners of Dulag 121 Pruszków