He was an icon of music in Poland, the creator of the greatest hits of his generation. She is a world-renowned model climbing the career ladder. Although Małgorzata was only 18 at the time, she could already boast of great achievements in the industry. She walked in the shows of the largest fashion houses, i.e. Young Poland or Telimena, and took part in photo sessions for the largest magazines. She was the first Polish woman in history to appear on the cover of Italian Vogue. As an aspiring actress, she also tried to break into the world of film. Almost from the first conversation they were inseparable. Czesław Niemen used to say that Małgorzata was his muse. For three decades, they created a harmonious and happy marriage, which was interrupted by the sudden death of the musician.
A chance meeting brought them together forever. It was love at first sight
Before they met in person, their first meeting took place in the corridor of Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych in 1973. She played a cameo in the movie “Girls to Take”, and he recorded the music for this production. It is true that they passed each other without a word, but Małgorzata recognized him immediately. Years later, she admitted that although he intrigued her, she pretended not to be interested in him. She knew that the artist had crowds of loyal admirers and did not want to be considered another admirer.
It intrigued me, but I didn’t look back. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing some minor looking for an artist. Czesław later told me that he had stopped and looked after me. He was hoping I would turn around
— a model in the pages of “Gala”.
The first time they spoke was shortly after one of the fashion shows. The after party took place in the then popular Remont club, where Małgorzata went in the company of Grażyna Hasse. There they met Niemen, and the designer introduced them to each other. They quickly caught a common language and spent almost the entire evening together. A few days later, in the model’s absence, he showed up at her house, where he left a note with a short sentence that bound the two together forever.
Then I lost my mind forever
were the words written on a small piece of paper.
After the wedding, they lived in a small studio flat. The musician’s fans sitting under the windows were a test for their marriage
In 1975, they got married. They lived together in a studio located near the Saxon Garden. It was then that the first real test of a newly baked marriage took place. The singer was at the peak of fame then, and the crowd of fans did not leave him even for a step. Some of them were so intrusive that they sat under the windows of their apartment day and night.
It would seem that such a state of affairs would be difficult for the young wife to accept, but Małgorzata approached it very maturely. She knew that this was the price of fame and did not make jealous scenes for the musician. She trusted him and was sure she had no reason to worry about his fidelity. “We left our recognition or popularity at the door. At home, we were like any Kowalski or Wiśniewski family. Czeslaw was 34 when we met. I had a feeling he had figured it out. In addition, he was a very smart and caring man – said his wife in an interview for “Uroda Życia”.
The children cemented Niemen’s marriage. Małgorzata devoted herself to her family and Czesław to her career
A year after the wedding, a daughter appeared in the world, and two years later Eleonora. Małgorzata suspended her modeling career and focused entirely on running a home and raising children. At that time, Czesław was still passionately creating and giving concerts. He was rarely at home, and when he was, he focused on work locked behind the door of his studio.
Over the years, I had the feeling that my father devoted little time to us, that music and art were the most important things to him
— she recalled her childhood in “Viva!” the elder daughter of the marriage.
Although the artist was preoccupied, things were going well between the couple. They enjoyed spending time together, even when each of them was busy with their own things. Presence, being next to them, was as valuable to them as conversation. “I believe that everyone needs to be alone with themselves. We were autonomous units. The children went to sleep, and we immersed ourselves in our activities,” said Małgorzata.
Czesław Niemen was a flesh and blood artist. In their common house, he dealt with all repairs, furniture renovation and carpentry. He was a real handyman and enjoyed physical work. He believed that it is she who builds the true character and perseverance of a person. He had many plans to implement, but he postponed many things in time for the sake of creating music. “He hoped to have enough life to compose, write, paint, and furnish our home at the same time. He wanted to do everything himself, the artist’s wife recalled.
Czesław Niemen had been ill for years. His death was a shock to his relatives
Czesław Niemen struggled with cancer of the lymphatic system for many years. As a vegetarian, which he has been almost all his life, he decided to support pharmacological treatment with natural methods. Shortly before his death, he was hospitalized where he contracted pneumonia. Unexpectedly, on January 17, 2004, Czesław Niemen died. He was just under 65 at the time. In the last moments of his life, his wife and daughters watched over his bed. Complications from the disease were given as the official cause of death. The musician’s widow could not cope with the loss for a long time.
Nothing was ever the same for me after that. And this impossibility is the worst. At first I thought it was a bad dream. That I will wake up from it and Czesław will complain again that I eat meat. And then the days and months went by and I realized it wasn’t a dream
– she said after his death in the magazine “Uroda Życia”. Małgorzata and Czesław Niemen were married for 30 years.
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Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
