She played Gustlik’s lover in “Czterech Pancerni”. She dreamed of a big family, but she died alone

was born on December 5, 1928 in Lutsk, Ukraine. She inherited her talent and artistic flair from her mother, who took care of the house and raised four children on a daily basis. Her father, an architect by profession, died young, so just after the outbreak of World War II, the family fled Volhynia, finding refuge in Warsaw.

The war did not stop her from realizing her dreams. Krafftówna was one of the most outstanding actresses

Despite the ongoing occupation, Krafftówna did not stop dreaming of conquering the stage. In the war-torn capital, she began attending classes at the underground Drama Studio, which was located opposite the headquarters of the German organization Todt. She was educated under the supervision of Iwo Gall and his wife Halina. – I learned my profession in a space where I had to survive. And survival is existence, everyday life – in an interview for “Zwierciadło”. The master of the pre-war stage quickly became her mentor and an unrivaled role model both in her profession and in life. She later saw his qualities in all the artists she had the opportunity to collaborate with. – He was my great teacher and master. He shaped my way of looking at theater and my artistic thinking, she argued.

She made her debut on stage before reaching the age of majority, playing the role of the Fisherwoman in the play “Homer and the Orchid” at the Wybrzeże Theater in Gdynia, with which she was associated until the end of the 1940s. Later, for some time she performed, first in Łódź, and later in Wrocław, to finally return to Warsaw, where she fully spread her wings. She appeared on screen for the first time in 1953 in the comedy “Sprawa do doli”. In total, she created over 140 different characters. She has appeared in many cult productions, the most popular of which include: “Ashes and Diamonds”, “Nobody’s Calling”, “The Manuscript Found in Zaragoza” or . She was also successful as a star. Collaboration with Jeremi Przybora and Jerzy Wasowski, which lasted as many as 7 years, earned her the title of one of the most important ladies of the Polish cabaret scene.

Barbara Krafftówna was unlucky in love. She dreamed of a big family, but she died alone

Although she triumphed professionally, in her private life fate did not spare her, especially when it came to love. The actress’s first husband was a colleague, Michał Gazda. They got married in 1956, and soon their son Piotr was born, who died in 2009. However, the idyll was interrupted after 12 years when the man died as a result of injuries suffered after a car accident, which resulted in a heart attack. A few years later, Krafftówna decided to go to the USA, where she was to play in Witkacy’s “Mother”. She met her second husband overseas, Arnold Seidner, for whom she decided to leave her homeland. it lasted only half a year because the man died from a massive heart attack. Even though she was left alone, she did not decide to return to the country. She performed in the Polish theater and also took up directing. Only in 1998 did she return to Warsaw, where she continued her career. She was professionally active almost until the last moments of her life. Barbara Krafftówna died on January 23, 2022, at the age of 93.