Stefania Grodzieńska (2 September 1914 – 28 April 2010) was a Polish writer, stage and theatrical actress during the Interbellum; dancer, radio announcer, and satirist known as the First Lady of Polish Humor.

Biography

Grodzieńska was born in

Łódź Łódź, also rendered in English as Lodz, is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located approximately south-west of Warsaw. The city's coat of arms is an example of canti ...

to a family of a university professor during the final years of the Russian imperial possession. She spent some of her childhood in Moscow, and attended a ballet school in Berlin. She married for the first time at the age of 18 and moved to

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 ...

in 1933. She worked in ''Cyganeria'' Theatre, and danced in ''Teatr Kameralny'' (''Intimate Theatre''). Soon, dir.

Fryderyk Jarosy The Fryderyk is the annual award in Polish music. Its name refers to the original Polish spelling variant of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin's first name. Its status in the Polish public can be compared to the American Grammy and the UK's BRI ...

brought her into the staff of ''Cyrulik Warszawski'', a Polish satirical theatre. Grodzieńska met there her second husband, writer Jerzy Jurandot whom she married in 1938. During the Nazi German

occupation of Poland 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 ...

they lived in the

Warsaw Ghetto The Warsaw Ghetto (german: Warschauer Ghetto, officially , "Jewish Residential District in Warsaw"; pl, getto warszawskie) was the largest of the Nazi ghettos during World War II and the Holocaust. It was established in November 1940 by the G ...

, but escaped before the murderous

Grossaktion Warsaw The ''Grossaktion'' Warsaw ("Great Action") was the Nazi code name for the deportation and mass murder of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto during the summer of 1942, beginning on 22 July. During the ''Grossaktion'', Jews were terrorized in daily rou ...

of 1942. After

World War II 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 ...

she started writing

feuilleton A ''feuilleton'' (; a diminutive of french: feuillet, the leaf of a book) was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art criti ...

s for the Polish satirical magazine ''Szpilki'', she also wrote many

monologue In theatre, a monologue (from el, μονόλογος, from μόνος ''mónos'', "alone, solitary" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes a ...

s and sketches. Her essays were performed by

Hanka Bielicka Anna Weronika Bielicka (9 November 1915 – 9 March 2006) was a Polish singer and actress who was known by the name Hanna and its affectionate diminutive Hanka. Life Hanka Bielicka was born in 1915 in Konovka near Poltava (then part of the Russ ...

Adolf Dymsza Adolf Dymsza (born Adolf Bagiński; 7 April 1900 – 20 August 1975) was a Polish comedy actor of both the pre-World War II and post-war eras. He starred in both theatre and film productions, mainly before World War II. He and Kazimierz Krukowski ...

Loda Halama Loda Halama (20 July 1911 – 13 July 1996) was a Polish dancer and actress. Principal dancer of Grand Theatre, Warsaw (1934–1936). She appeared in eleven films between 1927 and 1950. Selected filmography * '' Prokurator Alicja Horn'' (19 ...

Alina Janowska Alina Janowska (16 April 1923 – 13 November 2017) was a Polish actress. She appeared in more than 35 films and television shows between 1946 and 2017. Biography Janowska was born in 1923 in Warsaw into a wealthy family. She was arrested ...

Kalina Jędrusik Kalina Jędrusik (5 February 1930 in Częstochowa – 7 August 1991 in Warsaw) was a Polish singer and actress. She performed in more than thirty films from 1953 to 1991. Jędrusik was married to writer Stanisław Dygat. Biography Kalina J ...

Bogumił Kobiela Bogumił Kobiela (31 May 1931 – 10 July 1969) was a Polish stage and film actor. He was an actor of , Ateneum Theatre in Warsaw, Komedia Theatre in Warsaw, Bim-Bom student theatre, Kabaret Wagabunda and Kabaret Dudek. He suffered serious inj ...

Irena Kwiatkowska Irena Kwiatkowska (17 September 19123 March 2011) was a popular Polish actress, known in Poland for her many cabaret roles and monologues, as well as appearances in (mostly comedy) movies and television shows. Life Kwiatkowska graduated from th ...

and others. For several years Stefania Grodzieńska was working in

Polskie 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 ...

, and then for a couple of years in the entertainment section of

Telewizja Polska Telewizja Polska S.A. (; "Polish Television"; TVP), also known in English as the public Polish Television is a Polish state media corporation. It is the largest Polish television network, although viewership has been declining in the 2010s. Sinc ...

. She was the wife of

Jerzy Jurandot Jerzy Jurandot, born ''Jerzy Glejgewicht'' (19 March 1911 – 16 August 1979), was a popular Polish poet of Jewish ancestry, dramatist, satirist and songwriter. History Jurandot was born and died in Warsaw. He first became successful at the ...

, a poet, dramatist, satirist and songwriter. She died after a short illness on 28 April 2010, aged 95, in Skolimów.

Writings

She authored several sets of

s: ''Dzionek satyryka'', ''Jestem niepoważna'', ''Brzydki ogród'', ''Felietony i humoreski'', ''Plagi i plażki'', ''Rozmówki'', and ''Kłania się PRL''. She also wrote the novel, ''Wspomnienia chałturzystki'' as well as several biographies and memoirs.

Prizes and distinctions

* Diamentowy Mikrofon (''Diamond Microphone'') * Hiacynt (''Hyacinth'') * POL Polonia Restituta Komandorski BAR

Commander's Cross of the

Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta ( pl, Order Odrodzenia Polski, en, Order of Restored Poland) is a Polish state order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievement ...

POL Złoty Medal Zasłużony Kulturze Gloria Artis BAR

Gold Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grodzienska, Stefania 1914 births 2010 deaths Polish stage actresses Polish cabaret performers Polish ballerinas 20th-century Polish Jews Polish publicists Polish satirists Actors from Łódź Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Gold Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis Polish radio personalities Women satirists 20th-century Polish actresses Entertainers from Łódź 20th-century Polish ballet dancers