“Wojciech Młynarski, referred to by the Security Service as a writer ‘without a permanent place of work’, from February 14, 1976 was included in the Case of Operational Development (SOR) crypt. ‘Talent’ conducted by Department III of KSMO under No. 14572” Of the National Memory, archival materials on the surveillance of a recognized artist, author of words to such hits as “We are on holiday”.
Code name ‘Talent’. Wojciech Młynarski under surveillance by the SB
The spokesman of the Institute of National Remembrance, Dr. Rafał Leśkiewicz, emphasizes that Młynarski is another Polish artist who was interested in the services due to his views and the fact that in his work he showed the shortcomings of the communist system. Therefore, Młynarski was “repeatedly, preventively investigated. He was, inter alia, banned from leaving for two years” – reports Leśkiewicz.
Wojciech Młynarski appeared in, among others the files of the Ministry of Internal Affairs due to contacts with foreigners observed by the SB. In Warsaw, he met with an American diplomat (code name ‘Atom’) in September 1968, visited the US embassy in March 1974, and in 1983 enjoyed a party at an American crypt diplomat. ‘Alert 83’ – we read in
The authorities watched Młynarski also because in 1976 he signed the “petition 101” protesting against the planned changes to the constitution of the Polish People’s Republic: entering the “leading” role of the Polish United Workers’ Party and the inviolability of the alliance with the USSR. In the same year, he was banned from traveling abroad for two years – thus he did not obtain a passport to travel to scheduled concerts in the United States.
SB agents, as part of “operational activities”, planned to limit his stage performances, play his works on radio and television (the blockade was supposed to last six months), they also wanted to prevent the release of his albums. In the files you can find a mention that at the beginning of November 1976 the recording of the new album of the band 2 plus 1 was stopped, because Młynarski was the author of most of the lyrics. In 1977, SB agents decided that he was not “actively involved in negative political activities”. At that time, the ban on traveling abroad was lifted.
As we read on the website of the Institute of National Remembrance, in the following years Wojciech Młynarski was no longer subject to formal surveillance, but the Security Service kept collecting information about him. In his files it was noted that, inter alia, after the imposition of martial law, “along with other artists with anti-socialist attitudes,” he joined the boycott of radio and television. In 1983, he refused to participate in the festival in Opole and persuaded other artists to do so. Agents working on him also noted that he had maintained close relations with “representatives of the anti-socialist opposition” for several years. The file also mentions “hostile accents” during his performances.
In total, the catalog of people investigated by the communist services contains information about 17 767 people.
Wojciech Młynarski. A legend of Polish song and cabaret
Wojciech Młynarski was born on March 26, 1941 in Warsaw and died at the age of 76 in 2017. For over 55 years he has co-created Polish culture as a cabaret, actor, original recitals, as well as a translator and playwright. He wrote about 2,000 lyrics for songs, some of which have entered the canon of Polish culture for good. In his texts, he combined the lightness of form with observations of reality, satire, criticism, and universal truths.
His phonographic debut as a songwriter was an album with the song “Jesienny Pan” performed by Krystyna Konarska, released in 1963. Over the next decades, Młynarski wrote texts for the greatest celebrities of Polish song: Maryla Rodowicz, Czesław Niemen, Anna German, Anna Jantar, Krzysztof Krawczyk, Zdzisława Sośnicka, Stan Borys, Ewa Bem, Alicja Majewska, Irena Santor, Jarema Stępowski and Jerzy Połomski, as well as for the bands Alibabki, Czerwono-czarni, Skaldowie or 2 plus 1.
His first author’s album was entitled “Wojciech Młynarski sings his songs” and was released in 1966. It is on it that the cult hits “W co się się” and “We are on holiday” were placed. He has recorded a dozen or so albums in a variety of styles – from classical bands, through collaboration with jazzmen, to a recital with piano accompaniment alone, or film music (“Panna Z Mokra Głową”). He is also the creator of a form called a sung column.
Source: Gazeta
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
