Aleksander Kulisiewicz sound recordings - Jak umierał mój glos [JUM]
Overview
- Description
- 31 sound reels categorized by Kulisiewicz as "How my voice was dying." Kulisiewicz (A.K.) discusses various biographical information in (monologue) story form. This series is divided into various parts with their own sub-titles and includes recordings of songs and poetry.
Reel 1 - JUM 1A
Side A is part of "My mother's romance" (Part I) which includes a prologue, family history, and father. Side B is a continuation of Part II, "The Quail and the Lunatic" including Roob, Old songs from A.K.'s childhood, Rubato and Smierdzionka.
Reel 2 - JUM 1B
Side A is a continuation of "My mother's romance" (Part I) which includes Marriage troubles, and Step-mother's Dream. Side B is the beginning of Part II, "The Quail and the Lunatic" including Quail, and Live Wires.
Reel 3 - JUM 2
Side A is a continuation of "Fascinating Labyrinth" (Part III) which includes "Z ogrodowej altany," Whistling, Czardasz "Tu jedna mam nozke," "Zdrowas Maryja," Tabumm, “The freedom of improvisation,” Hadyn's "Lobzowianie." Following, is the beginning of Part IV, "Meager Ripening," including "Ty jestes moim slonkiem." Side B is a continuation of Part V, "Career" including Cioci Helli, Wujio Ali, and Children's songs.
Reel 4 - JUM 2A
Side A is a continuation of Part V, "Career," which includes "Wajnka," "Ila" (tango), Gestapo, "Ciribiri-bera," and Balkan Tour. Side B is the beginning of Part III, "Fascinatin Labyrinth," including gypsy orchestra, gypsy sounds, A.K.'s first performance with the gypsies, “Fear of the Gypsies,” and Ecstasy.
Reel 5 - JUM 3
Side A is the beginning of Part VI, "Film Troubles" which includes "Lima," Crazy career, and My mother's grave. Side B is the continuation of Part V, "Career" including Bagatelle, "Kegnaj mi," "To ty i ja," and "Lima."
Reel 6 - JUM 3A
Side A is a continuation of Part V, "Career" which includes Tirnowa, Ambition, and Bagatelle. Side B is a continuation of Part VI, "Film Troubles" including My mother's grave, Vienna, Whistling, Various whistling techniques he learned, and "Ptasznik."
Reel 7 - JUM 4
Side A is a continuation of Part VI, "Film Troubles," which includes 1938 Film Career, Vienna, "Die Alten Strassen," Czardasz Dying, and Knocking out his teeth. Side B is the beginning of Part VIII, "Chorus from the Depths of Hell" including 1940, Baumkotter, Marose wize, Fortune teller.
Reel 8 - JUM 4A
Side A is Part VII, "The Year 1939," which covers A.K.'s return to Poland, his stay in Vienna, joining the circus, and the song, "Shanghai." This is followed by the beginning of Part VII, "Chorus from the Depths of Hell" which includes the year 1940. Side B is a continuation of Part VI, "Film Troubles" including Bronowicz's death, Czechs, Belgium, the Do-re-mi Agency, and the Lord of Cambridge.
Reel 9 - JUM 5
Part of this tape seems to be a copy of a Polish Radio broadcast during which A.K. performed and discussed various camp songs. Side A is a discussion of the "Juddischer Todessang." Side B is the performance of "Juddischer Todessang" with guitar accompaniment, followed by a continuation of Part VIII, "Chorus from the depths of hell," which is a literary fantasy based on certain events A.K. experienced while at Sachsenhausen. This literary fantasy includes the Fortune Teller.
Reel 10 - JUM 5A
Part of this tape seems to be a copy of a Polish Radio broadcast during which A.K. performed and discussed various camp songs. Side A is a recording of A.K. performing "Germania" (accordion accompaniment), "Pozegnanie Adolfa" (w/guitar), "Maminsynek" (w/ guitar), "Repeta" (guitar), "Zimno, panie" (guitar), "Byla u mnie" (guitar), and "Wielka Wygrana" (accordion). Side B is continuation of Part VIII, "Chorus from the depths of hell," which is a literary fantasy based on certain events A.K. experienced while at Sachsenhausen. This is followed by Part IX, "Erika," which is also a literary fantasy including subtitles, Confession, House of the SS man, Horoscopes, Altana, Protection, and Letters. This particular segment is continued on reel-to-reel NPR VII B/1.
Reel 11 - JUM 6
Side A is a continuation of Part X, "Siesta" a literary fantasy based on certain events A.K. experienced while at Sachsenhausen. It includes subtitles, Erika, Bombensucher, Bathroom, and Ich Tanze. This is followed by Part XI, "The Agony,"-- also a literary fantasy including, Vera, Hunger, Two Romances, and Erika's Coming. Side B is blank.
Reel 12 - JUM 7
Side A is an article by A. Stronski recorded in 1979. This recording, #477, includes both German and Polish segments. Side B is a continuation of Part X, "Siesta" which is a literary fantasy based on certain events A.K. experienced while at Sachsenhausen. This literary fantasy includes further discussion about Erika and Vera.
Reel 13 - JUM 7A
Side A of this tape is simply a recording of A.K. performing various camp songs such as "Mister C," "Byla u mnie," "Muzalman," "Choral," and "Pieciu z Sachsenhausen." Side B is the beginning of Part X, "Siesta," which is a literary fantasy based on certain events A.K. experienced while at Sachsenhausen. This literary fantasy includes a further development of "Vera" and "Erika" and can best be described as a sensual/pseudo-erotic narrative.
Reel 14 - JUM 7B
Side A of this tape is simply a working recording of A.K. performing various camp songs (with guitar accompaniment) such as "Notturno 1941," "Sen o Pokoju," "Byla u mnie," "Muselman," and "Pieciu z Sachsenhausen." Side B is a continuation of Part X, "Siesta," which is a literary fantasy based on certain events A.K. experienced while at Sachsenhausen. This literary fantasy includes a further development of "Vera" and "Erika" and can best be described as a sensual/pseudo-erotic narrative.
Reel 15 - JUM 8
JUM 8 was recorded on 14 Nov 1966. Side A of this tape is a duplicate copy of the Prologue/Introduction found on Side A of JUM 1. The rest of Side A is blank. Side B is a continuation of Part XI, "Agony," which is a literary fantasy based on certain events A.K. experienced while at Sachsenhausen. This literaryd fantasy includes a further development of "Erika" and can best be described as a sensual/pseudo-erotic narrative. Side B also contains the beginning of Part XII, "The Damned Years," which deals with A.K.'s return to Poland from Sachsenhausen, his first jobs, and his first and unhappy marriage to Elizabeth, his abandonment of her after news of her pregnancy, and his subsequent move to Prague where he worked with blind patients teaching them to play the guitar. A.K. also mentions the three month period when he himself was blind after having contracted a contagious disease from a SS guard dog he was ordered to care for while at Sachsenhausen.
Reel 16 - JUM 8A
Side A is a continuation of Part XII, "The Damned Years," which is about A.K. during his stay in Prague and the various women he dated. A.K. also sings Czech and Polish pop songs with guitar accompaniment during this segment. They include: "Czarny Jim," "Lima," "Prsi, prsi," "Anicka, dusicka," "Na kopecku stala," and "Zdalo mi se." Side B is a continuation of Part XII, "The Damned Years." This segment contains a discussion of A.K.'s prewar film experience, his first broadcast in Prague, and his first verse written in Czech. A.K. also talks about Polish Radio consistently rejecting him. The remainder of Side B is blank.
Reel 17 - JUM 9
Side A is Part XXX, "IEST-1968," which concerns the German festival IEST in 1968, A.K.'s preparations for that festival, A.K.'s 50th birthday, and his discovery that he had diabetes. A.K. also discusses his impressions of the festival and his repertoire. Finally, A.K. mentions that the neck of his guitar had been broken three times by 1968. Side B is a continuation of Part XXX, "IEST-1968" (International Essen Sang Tag). A.K. talks more about the concert, people that he met, and the Polish Christmas carol with changed text (Chlebe w kolo) that he also sings. A.K. then mentions his aspirations to record Polish folk songs for fear that they will be forgotten and lost to future generations. A.K. sings among other folk song fragments "Nie plac o mnie" and "Jestem sobie chlopak mlody" and provides commentary about them. Finally, A.K. mentions a verse that he wrote which he believes represents his life: "I have come to this world to share with you pain, as others have come to share pleasure, with the same passion others express when hoarding their gold."
Reel 18 - JUM 10
Side A is Part XXVIII, "It came to be 1971," which concerns A.K.'s life and family troubles. A.K. mentions his divorce from Barbara Severin, the woman who mothered Krzysztof Kulisiewicz, which was official at the end of 1970 and the death of his step-mother Francziszka caused by cancer at the beginning of 1971. A.K. talks more about his lover, Emilia Urbanska, and about the various affairs that his step-mother had. A.K. also mentions a step-sister and the names of several in-laws of whom he was not favorable. Side A also contains Part XXIX, "My Father's Agony," where A.K. talks about his father who died less than a year before his step-mother of the same cancer. Side B is a continuation of Part XXIX, "My Father's Agony." A.K. discusses his father's last hours before his death at the hospital and his feelings towards his father at that time. A.K. then talks about his own sons Marek, Roman, and Krzysztof and his two half-sisters. Part XXX, "The Funeral" concerns the funeral of A.K.'s father and is actually a second, not-related Part XXX. The first Part XXX that A.K. created is "IEST-68" found on JUM 9.
Reel 19 - JUM 11
Side A is Part XXX, "The Funeral," which concerns A.K.'s father and his father's funeral as well as A.K.'s mother. A.K. also mentions that he is uncertain whether his birthdate is 10 or 7 September 1918. Side A also contains Part XXXI, "Moscow - 1971," which is a discussion of A.K.'s impressions of Moscow while he was there on a concert tour, for the making of his film, and for a Radio interview in 1971. Side B is a continuation of Part XXXI, "Moscow - 1971." Along with commentary about his stay, A.K. performs "Wieczerny Dzwon" a cappella, "W poliach," and "Za lagrem" with guitar.
Reel 20 - JUM 12
JUM 12 was recorded on 18 November 1971. Side B is Part XXXI, "Moscow - 1971," which is a discussion of A.K.'s impressions of Moscow while he was there on a concert tour along with a discussion of the concert itself. A.K. also talks about his difficulties with his in-laws, the Severins. The remainder of Side B is blank. Side A is a continuation of Part XXXI, "Moscow - 1971." Besides A.K.'s commentary about his stay and his film, he mentions the possibility of a film to be produced in Poland.
Reel 21 - JUM 13
Reel 22 - JUM 14
Reel 23 - JUM 14A
Reel 24 - JUM 14B
Reel 25 - JUM 14C
Reel 26 - JUM 15
Reel 27 - JUM 16
Reel 28 - JUM 17
Reel 29 - JUM 18
Reel 30 - JUM 19
Reel 31 - JUM 20 - Date
-
Recorded:
approximately 1945-1982
- Credit
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Krzysztof Kulisiewicz
- Contributor
-
Collector:
Aleksander T. Kulisiewicz
- Biography
-
Aleksander (Alexander) Kulisiewicz (1918-1982) was born in Kraków, Poland in 1918. He was a law student in German-occupied Poland when, in October 1939, he was denounced for antifascist writings, arrested by the Gestapo, and sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, near Berlin. An amateur singer and songwriter, Kulisiewicz composed 54 songs during more than five years of imprisonment at Sachsenhausen. After Russian troops liberated the camp on May 2, 1945, he remembered his songs, as well as those learned from fellow prisoners, dictating hundreds of pages of text to his attending nurse at a Polish infirmary. The majority of Kulisiewicz’s songs are darkly humorous ballads concerning the sadistic treatment of prisoners. Performed at secret gatherings, imbued with biting wit and subversive attitude, these songs helped inmates cope with their hunger and despair, raised morale, and offered hope of survival. Beyond this spiritual and psychological purport, Kulisiewicz also considered the camp song to be a form of documentation. “In the camp,” he wrote, “I tried under all circumstances to create verses that would serve as direct poetical reportage. I used my memory as a living archive. Friends came to me and dictated their songs.” In the 1950s, Kulisiewicz began amassing a private collection of music, poetry, and artwork created by camp prisoners, gathering this material through correspondence and hundreds of hours of recorded interviews. In the 1960s, he inaugurated a series of public recitals of his repertoire of camp songs, and issued several recordings. Kulisiewicz’s major project, a monumental study of the cultural life of the camps and the vital role music played as a means of survival for many prisoners, remained unpublished at the time of his death. He toured both Europe and the United States performing concerts of his works and the works of other Holocaust survivors until about 1980. He died in Kraków, Poland, on March 12, 1982. His archive is the largest extant collection of music composed in the camps.
- Format
- Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Audiotape (reel-to-reel); magnetic; 7 inches
Physical Details
- Language
- Polish
- Genre/Form
- Music. Oral histories.
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- You do not require further permission from the Museum to access this archival media.
- Copyright
- Copyright Undetermined
- Conditions on Use
- Owner of copyright, if any, is undetermined. It is possible this is an orphan work. It is the responsibility of anyone interested in reproducing, broadcasting, or publishing content to determine copyright holder and secure permission, or perform a diligent Fair Use analysis.
Keywords & Subjects
- Personal Name
- Kulisiewicz, Aleksander Tytus, 1918-
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Recorded Sound Provenance
- Aleksander Kulisiewicz compiled the small archive of music, poetry, literature, photographs, and sound recordings during the years after his liberation from Sachsenhausen concentration camp at the end of World War II. Many of the reproductions in the collection are a result of Kulisiewicz borrowing materials from former fellow camp inmates and other camp survivors. He did this in order to build a research collection which he would use to compile and publish his anthology of concentration camp music and poetry. Kulisiewicz was unsuccessful in publishing the anthology before his death, and many of the drafts for the work are found in this collection. His son, Krzysztof Kulisiewicz, obtained the collection in 1989 and sold it to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum received the paper records, photographs, sound recordings, microfilm, and artifacts on March 2, 1992.
- Recorded Sound Source
- Kulisiewicz, Krzysztof
- Record last modified:
- 2024-02-21 07:29:55
- This page:
- http://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn712176
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Also in Aleksander Kulisiewicz collection
The Aleksander Kulisiewicz collection contains sound recordings, objects, microfilms, correspondence, music scores and notation, personal narratives, artwork, poetry, manuscripts, research notes, photograph, negatives, and various other documents compiled by Aleksander Kulisiewicz from 1945 until the time of his death in 1982. The materials in the collection relate to a variety of Holocaust topics, but mainly music, poetry, art, and theater in the concentration camps during World War II. Kulisiewicz compiled the small archive of music, poetry, literature, photographs, and sound recordings during the years after his liberation from the Sachsenhausen concentration camp at the end of World War II. Many of the reproductions in the collection are a result of Kulisiewicz borrowing materials from former fellow camp inmates and other camp survivors. He did this in order to build a research collection, which he would use to compile and publish his anthology of concentration camp music and poetry. Kulisiewicz was unsuccessful in publishing the anthology before his death but drafts for the work are found in this collection.
Black plastic pipe stem
Object
Cigarette holder
Object
Cigarette lighter
Object
Identification bracelet
Object
Handbag
Object
Identification card holder
Object
Accoustic guitar and bag
Object
Aleksander Kulisiewicz collection, 1939-1986
Document
The Alexander Kulisiewicz collection contains microfilms, correspondence, music scores and notation, personal narratives, artwork, poetry, manuscripts, research notes, photograph, negatives, and various other documents compiled by Aleksander Kulisiewicz from 1945 until the time of his death in 1982. The materials in the collection relate to a variety of Holocaust topics, but mainly music, poetry, art, and theater in the concentration camps during World War II. Kulisiewicz compiled the small archive of music, poetry, literature, photographs, and sound recordings during the years after his liberation from the Sachsenhausen concentration camp at the end of World War II. Many of the reproductions in the collection are a result of Kulisiewicz borrowing materials from former fellow camp inmates and other camp survivors. He did this in order to build a research collection, which he would use to compile and publish his anthology of concentration camp music and poetry. Kulisiewicz was unsuccessful in publishing the anthology before his death but drafts for the work are found in this collection.
