Kaczmarski was considered by many to be the voice of the anti-communist Solidarity movement in the 1980s, for his commitment to a free Poland, independent of Soviet rule. His songs criticized the ruling regime and appealed to the tradition of patriotic resistance within Poles. He remains best known for his protest songs on social and political subjects ("Mury" (Walls), "Obława" (Wolf hunt)). However, he was more a poet than a political singer, and his texts have not lost their meaning with the demise of the Soviet union and its communist block.
He made his debut in 1977 at the Student Song Festival, where he was awarded first prize for his work "Obława" (Wolf hunt) based on song "Охота на волков" by Vladimir Vysotsky. In 1980 he won Second prize at the Opole Song Festival for "Epitafium dla Włodzimierza Wysockiego" (Epitaph for Vladimir Vysotsky).
Kaczmarski chose to emigrate after the imposition of the martial law in Poland in 1981, and would not be allowed to return until 1990. From 1982 he was an editor and journalist with Radio Free Europe, with his own radio program, A Quarter with Jacek Kaczmarski.
After his return to Poland (following the Round Table negotiations that brought and end to communist rule) he toured the country with his friend and artist Zbigniew Łapiński. The tour was recorded and released as Live, and it achieved Gold album status in 2001. His other albums included "Mury" (Walls), "Nasza klasa" (Our class), "Raj" (Paradise), "Muzeum" (Museum), "Pochwała łotrostwa" (Praising the Rascals), "Wojna postu z karnawałem" (The War between Carnival and Lent). However, Kaczmarski was soon disillusioned by the developments in Poland after 1989 and would eventually emigrate to Australia.
Kaczmarski was known not only for his politically motivated lyrics but also for his characteristically dynamic — even aggressive — classical guitar playing, and expressive performance style. His deep knowledge of not only the history of Poland but also Classical literature resulted in a wide variety of insightful connections between cultures and eras via song (for example "Powtórka z Odysei," recalling Homer's Odyssey or "Lalka," a masterful strike at the heart of a riveting Polish novel). He often performed before contrastingly different audiences: groups of friends in their homes, campus venues, and large concert halls in Poland, the rest of Europe and America.
Kaczmarski in the late 1990s was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx (attributed to his heavy smoking). He could not afford the costs of the treatment and in response a nationwide fundraising campaign was organized. However, Jacek Kaczmarski, out of fear of irrevocably losing his voice, did not agree to standard cancer therapy and resorted instead to alternatives such as vilcacora and sangre de drago, among other "natural" remedies.
He died in a hospital in Gdańsk 2004.
Listy
Jacek Kaczmarski Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Piszę w sprawie mego męża, poety.
Od lat trzynastu w pełnej izolacji,
Od lat dwudziestu trzech zamknięty w twierdzy.
Siedzi przed murem w inwalidzkim wózku,
(Coś po torturach w kręgosłupie zaszło)
Był oskarżony o kontrrewolucję,
Mąż mi pisał, że czuje się wolny
I to jest prawda - jest i będzie ze mną,
A ja po świecie błąkam się potwornym
I szukam kogoś, kto by się tym przejął."
"Szanowny Panie Prezydencie Stanów!
Piszę w sprawie mego męża, poety.
Od lat dwudziestu trzech izolowany,
Ma pojedynczą celę w ciężkiej twierdzy.
Prezydent Francji nie mógł nic poradzić,
A mąż mój cierpi za parę słów prawdy.
I chyba wiedział, że prawda go zdradzi,
Ale nie myślał, że zdradzi go każdy!
Pan się nie musi przejmować układem!
Proszę mi pomóc, perswazją lub siłą!
Mąż jest kaleką, marzeń nie ma żadnych,
Prócz tego byśmy wspólnie lat dożyli."
"Szanowny Panie Pierwszy Sekretarzu!
Piszę w sprawie mego męża, poety.
Ponad dwadzieścia lat podlega karze
Naprawdę nazbyt ciężkiej dla człowieka.
On nic nie zrobi, nic już nie napisze,
Będziemy żyli, jakby nas nie było.
On w swoim wózku przecież tylko myśli
O przyjaciołach, którzy już nie żyją.
Nie proszę łaski - proszę o pogardę,
Jeden wzgardliwy ruch wszechwładnej ręki.
Niech pan napisze: A poszli do diabła!
I odejdziemy. I skończą się męki."
Boże Jedyny, dzięki Ci za siłę,
Którą nam dałeś na te długie lata.
Bo, choć osobno - jesteśmy silniejsi
Od kata
Oraz od przyjaciół kata.
The song "Listy" by Jacek Kaczmarski is a powerful plea from the wife of a poet who has been incarcerated for 23 years. The first verse is addressed to the President of France, asking for his intervention in the case of her husband, who has been locked away for 20 years in isolation. The poet was accused of anti-revolutionary activity and is now confined to a wheelchair due to spinal cord injuries from an interrogation session. The wife tells the President that her husband believes himself to be free while in prison and that she is the only thing connecting him to the outside world.
In the second verse, the wife now addresses the President of the United States. She explains that her husband has a single cell in a heavy fortress and that the French President could offer no assistance. The poet suffers torture and punishment for telling the truth, and his words were ultimately used against him. The wife implores the President of the United States to intervene and help them both live out their lives together since the poet has no dreams left except for that.
Finally, in the third verse, the wife addresses the First Secretary of the Communist Party. After spending more than 20 years imprisoned, her husband is broken and unable to write. She asks the Secretary for one final act of cruelty, so they can leave this earth behind, and the misery can end for both of them. Despite the physical and emotional pain, the wife feels strong and thanks God for giving them the strength to survive throughout these years.
Overall, Kaczmarski's "Listy" is a gripping song that talks about the experience of those incarcerated for speaking their truth, the emotional and psychological effects of imprisonment, and the unyielding human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
Szanowny Panie Prezydencie Francji!
I am addressing the honorable President of France.
Piszę w sprawie mego męża, poety.
I am writing about my husband, a poet.
Od lat trzynastu w pełnej izolacji,
For thirteen years now, he has been in complete isolation,
Od lat dwudziestu trzech zamknięty w twierdzy.
And for twenty-three years, he has been locked up in a prison.
Siedzi przed murem w inwalidzkim wózku,
He sits in front of a wall, in a wheelchair,
(Coś po torturach w kręgosłupie zaszło)
(His spine was damaged, possibly from torture)
Był oskarżony o kontrrewolucję,
He was accused of counterrevolution,
A pan podobno zna Fidela Castro.
And rumor has it that you know Fidel Castro.
Mąż mi pisał, że czuje się wolny
My husband wrote to me that he feels free,
I to jest prawda - jest i będzie ze mną,
And that is the truth - he is and will be with me,
A ja po świecie błąkam się potwornym
While I wander the terrible world,
I szukam kogoś, kto by się tym przejął.
And seek someone who would care about this.
Szanowny Panie Prezydencie Stanów!
I am addressing the honorable President of the United States!
Od lat dwudziestu trzech izolowany,
For twenty-three years, he has been in isolation,
Ma pojedynczą celę w ciężkiej twierdzy.
In a single cell within a harsh prison.
Prezydent Francji nie mógł nic poradzić,
The President of France could not do anything,
A mąż mój cierpi za parę słów prawdy.
And my husband suffers for a few true words.
I chyba wiedział, że prawda go zdradzi,
And maybe he knew that truth would betray him,
Ale nie myślał, że zdradzi go każdy!
But he did not think that everyone would betray him!
Pan się nie musi przejmować układem!
You do not have to worry about the agreement!
Proszę mi pomóc, perswazją lub siłą!
Please help me, through persuasion or force!
Mąż jest kaleką, marzeń nie ma żadnych,
My husband is disabled, has no dreams,
Prócz tego byśmy wspólnie lat dożyli.
Except to live out our years together.
Szanowny Panie Pierwszy Sekretarzu!
I am addressing the honorable First Secretary!
Piszę w sprawie mego męża, poety.
I am writing about my husband, a poet.
Ponad dwadzieścia lat podlega karze
For over twenty years, he has been punished,
Naprawdę nazbyt ciężkiej dla człowieka.
Truly, punishment too harsh for any human.
On nic nie zrobi, nic już nie napisze,
He will do nothing, he will write nothing,
Będziemy żyli, jakby nas nie było.
We will live as though we do not exist.
On w swoim wózku przecież tylko myśli
In his wheelchair, he only thinks
O przyjaciołach, którzy już nie żyją.
Of friends no longer living.
Nie proszę łaski - proszę o pogardę,
I do not ask for mercy - I ask for contempt,
Jeden wzgardliwy ruch wszechwładnej ręki.
One disdainful gesture from the omnipotent hand.
Niech pan napisze: A poszli do diabła!
Let you write: 'Go to hell!'
I odejdziemy. I skończą się męki.
And we will leave. And the torment will end.
Boże Jedyny, dzięki Ci za siłę,
Oh Lord, thank You for giving us strength,
Którą nam dałeś na te długie lata.
That You have given us through these long years.
Bo, choć osobno - jesteśmy silniejsi
Because even though we are apart, we are stronger
Od kata
Than the torturer
Oraz od przyjaciół kata.
And even from the friends of the torturer.
Contributed by Sophie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lynx Defier
Translation of ‘Listy’ by Jacek Kaczmarski
" "Respected sir, President of France!
I write about my husband, a poet.
From thirteen years in full isolation,
From twenty-three years locked in a fortress.
Sits before a wall in a wheelchair
(Something after tortures had happened to the spine),
He was accused of counter-revolution,
And you sir supposedly know Fidel Castro.
Husband, he wrote to me that he feels free
And that is true - he is and will be with me,
And I wonder this monstrous world,
And look for someone who would care about this!"
"Respected sir, President of the States,
I write about my husband, a poet.
From twenty-three years isolated,
Has a one-man cell in a harsh fortress.
President of France could do nothing,
When my husband suffers for a few words of truth.
And he surely knew, that the truth will betray him,
But didn't think that everybody will betray him!
Sir, you don't need to worry about the arrangement!
Please help me, with persuasion or force!
My Husband is an invalid, doesn't have any dreams,
But for us to reach old age together."
"Respected sir, First Secretary!
I write about my husband, a poet.
From twenty-three years undergoing a punishment,
Truly too harsh for a human.
He will do nothing, write nothing more,
We will live as if we didn't exist.
He, in his wheelchair only thinks
About his friends, that are already dead.
I don't ask for mercy - I ask for contempt, *
One careless move of the omnipotent hand.
Sir, only write: go to hell! ** And we'll go.
And the suffering will end."
God, thank you for the strength,
Which you have given us for these long years.
Because, despite being apart - we're stronger
From the executioner
And the friends of the executioner! "
(Original text by Jacek Kaczmarski)
*contempt - not exactly, more like 'looking at you from above with dislike'.
**go to hell - literally 'go to the devil', but 'go to hell' sounds better in English, and means basically the same thing.
+ there's many 'and' used in the translation. In the original, Polish, there are numerous versions of the word 'and', so it doesn't repeat as often.
++ this is my first translation of any of Kaczmarski's songs, but I have been listening to them for quite a while, so I hope I preserved some of the original greatness. My intent was to translate the content of the text first and foremost, not the rhymes, the interesting word choice, or the melody, so forgive me for losing the rhythm of the song.
+++ this is my translation, if you find a professional one that is the same, then I would think I have done a good job.
Comment if you have any improvements or questions.
Abcd Mefgh
"Dear Mr President of France!
I am writing regarding my husband, a poet.
For thirteen years in complete isolation,
For twenty-three years confined in a fortress.
He sits in front of the wall in a wheelchair
(Something happened to his spine because of the torture),
He was accused of counter-revolution,
And you supposedly know Fidel Castro.
My husband wrote to me that he feels free
And it's true - he is and will be with me,
And I'm wandering in a monstrous world
And I'm looking for someone who cares."
"Dear Mr. President of the States!
I am writing concerning my husband, the poet.
He has been isolated for twenty-three years,
He has a single cell in a heavy fortress.
The President of France could do nothing,
And my husband suffers for a few words of truth.
And I think he knew that the truth would betray him,
But he didn't think everyone would betray him!
You don't have to worry about the dealings!
Please help me, by persuasion or by force!
My husband is a cripple, he has no dreams,
Except for us to grow old together."
"Dear Mr First Secretary!
I am writing concerning my husband, a poet.
For twenty-three years he has been subject to a punishment
Truly too heavy for a man.
He will do nothing, he will write nothing more,
We'll live as if we didn't exist.
In his wheelchair he only thinks
Of friends who are no longer alive.
I do not ask for mercy - I ask for contempt,
One contemptuous movement of the all-powerful hand.
May you write: Go to hell!
And we shall go away. And the torment shall end."
God Only, thank you for the strength,
Which Thou hast given us for these long years.
For, though apart, we are stronger
From the one who tortures
And from his friends
Encore
Dołącz do nas na facebooku: https://www.facebook.com/Wroc%C5%82awski-Salon-Jacka-Kaczmarskiego-187155067966738/
XenoPL
Jedna z ładniejszych pieśni jednak chyba najtrudniej dostępna. A tu już 15 lat zleciało [*]
Dariusz Głowacki
Wspaniały, niezwykle przejmujący tekst...
Jan Klawisz
Ach. Te dzieła mistrza.
piotr sulkowski
Armando Valladares Pérez – kubański pisarz, poeta oraz więzień polityczny i działacz społeczny. Przeciwnik reżimu Fidela Castro. Valladares został uwięziony w wieku 23 lat w 1960. W więzieniu spędził 22 lata. Został zwolniony na osobistą prośbę François Mitterranda. Wyemigrował do USA
Ala Łukasiak
Żonie udało się doprowadzić do jego uwolnienia. :)
Adrian S
Dzieki za kontekst.
Artemisia
Niesamowite...
Lynx Defier
Translation of ‘Listy’ by Jacek Kaczmarski
" "Respected sir, President of France!
I write about my husband, a poet.
From thirteen years in full isolation,
From twenty-three years locked in a fortress.
Sits before a wall in a wheelchair
(Something after tortures had happened to the spine),
He was accused of counter-revolution,
And you sir supposedly know Fidel Castro.
Husband, he wrote to me that he feels free
And that is true - he is and will be with me,
And I wonder this monstrous world,
And look for someone who would care about this!"
"Respected sir, President of the States,
I write about my husband, a poet.
From twenty-three years isolated,
Has a one-man cell in a harsh fortress.
President of France could do nothing,
When my husband suffers for a few words of truth.
And he surely knew, that the truth will betray him,
But didn't think that everybody will betray him!
Sir, you don't need to worry about the arrangement!
Please help me, with persuasion or force!
My Husband is an invalid, doesn't have any dreams,
But for us to reach old age together."
"Respected sir, First Secretary!
I write about my husband, a poet.
From twenty-three years undergoing a punishment,
Truly too harsh for a human.
He will do nothing, write nothing more,
We will live as if we didn't exist.
He, in his wheelchair only thinks
About his friends, that are already dead.
I don't ask for mercy - I ask for contempt, *
One careless move of the omnipotent hand.
Sir, only write: go to hell! ** And we'll go.
And the suffering will end."
God, thank you for the strength,
Which you have given us for these long years.
Because, despite being apart - we're stronger
From the executioner
And the friends of the executioner! "
(Original text by Jacek Kaczmarski)
*contempt - not exactly, more like 'looking at you from above with dislike'.
**go to hell - literally 'go to the devil', but 'go to hell' sounds better in English, and means basically the same thing.
+ there's many 'and' used in the translation. In the original, Polish, there are numerous versions of the word 'and', so it doesn't repeat as often.
++ this is my first translation of any of Kaczmarski's songs, but I have been listening to them for quite a while, so I hope I preserved some of the original greatness. My intent was to translate the content of the text first and foremost, not the rhymes, the interesting word choice, or the melody, so forgive me for losing the rhythm of the song.
+++ this is my translation, if you find a professional one that is the same, then I would think I have done a good job.
Comment if you have any improvements or questions.
Faziu Faziowski
Szefie. "Od 13 lat" tłumaczymy "For 13 years" a nie "from 13 years"