Vera Chytilová was the most important woman director of the Czechoslovak New Wave – although she remains relatively unknown outside of Central Europe. As the first female student of the prestigious FAMU film school in Prague, she had to fight in order to do things her own way. During the creative explosion of the Czechoslovak New Wave, she made her most well known film ‘Daisies’ (1966) – a surrealist pop-art comedy, about two young women who set their minds on creating humorous destruction around them. The 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion of her country stopped Chytilová’s promising career dead in its tracks, but unlike Miloś Forman (‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest’, 1975) and others, she refused to emigrate, despite the huge personal cost. After seven years of professional exile, she was allowed to return to filmmaking in the late 1970s, once again finding critical success. After the privatisation of the Czech film industry in the 1990s, she was one of the first to adapt with ‘The Inheritance’ (1992) – a scathing satire on the effect free-for-all capitalism was having on her fellow citizens. Having never compromised on her beliefs, she remained a moral authority in her country until her death in 2014, and continues to inspire those lucky enough to come across her films for the first time. Listen to the episode to hear her fascinating story. Click here to get the transcript Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Further reading Vera Chytilova Dies at 85; Made Daring Films in Czech New Wave // on nytimes.com "It's still revolutionary' : Věra Chytilová’s Daisies comes sixth in BBC poll of films by women // on Czech Radio.cz The Cinematic Gems of the Czechoslovak New Wave // on Hyperallergic.com Poles Conquer Czech Cinema // on Culture.pl The Most Powerful Films From Beyond the Iron Curtain // on Culture.pl Further watching Naughty Young People: Chytilová, Kučera, Krumbachova (2012) // documentary at Vimeo.com Thanks Tereza Kučerova // set designer and visual artist, for talking to us about her mother, and her childhood memories of the dramatic events of 1968. Anička Hanáková // for helping translate our conversation and sharing her own memories of her grandmother. Dr. Michal Bregant // director of the National Film Archive in Prague, for sharing his experience of working with Chytilová in the 1980s. Professor Jan Bernard // for talking about his former teaching colleague at at FAMU. Dr. Jindřiška Bláhová // Assistant Film Studies Professor at Charles University, for sharing her knowledge of Chytilová's life and work. Jakub Felcman // filmmaker and former student of Chytilová at FAMU, for talking to us about the Czech director as a teacher and mentor. Lastly, a special thanks to Barbora Lochmanová from the Czech Film Center and Jitka Rohanova from the Polish Institute in Prague for their help in making the episode possible. Credits Written & produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak & Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak 

Stories From The Eastern West

DAISIES

 Stanisław Lem was a science-fiction writer whose works, abilities and quirky sense of humor convinced Phillip K. Dick that he was too brilliant to exist and must have actually been a committee of people! Indeed his rare gift for blending philosophy with technology and action made him an instantaneously recognisable voice in the European sci-fi world and elevated him to the heights of popularity and critical acclaim. But Lem’s life was far from a textbook success story. Throughout his life, he struggled with traumatic wartime memories, distorted identities, and the communist system. But somehow, he was able to turn all the hardships and obstacles into elements of the incredible universes he created in his novels. In this episode, our hosts Nitzan and Adam will try to unravel some of the most confusing mysteries surrounding Lem: why did he choose to abandon his pre-war identity? How on Earth did he foresee the Internet in the 1960s? Is it true that he learned English from a dictionary in a week? Like our show? Get our newsletter! Further reading Stanisław Lem // bio on Culture.pl Stanisław Lem: Did the Holocaust Shape His Sci-Fi World? // on Culture.pl 13 Things Lem Predicted About The Future We Live In // on Culture.pl Phillip K. Dick: Stanisław Lem is a Communist Committee // on Culture.pl Lem Vs. Tarkovsky: The Fight Over ‘Solaris’ // on Culture.pl The Many Masks & Faces of Stanisław Lem // on Culture.pl Humorous Horrors: How Lem Taught His Nephew to Write Flawlessly // on Culture.pl 8 Science Fiction Films Adapted from Lem // on Culture.pl Further watching The Adventures of the Blindworm: An Orthographic Short Story by Stanisław Lem // on Culture.pl Thanks Agnieszka Gajewska // professor of literary studies, author of ‘Holocaust and the Stars: The Past in the Prose of Stanisław Lem’ (available in English from November 2021) and ‘Hasło: Feminizm’. Wojciech Orliński // a Polish journalist, writer, and blogger, author of the best-selling Lem biography ‘Lem: Życie Nie z tej Ziemi’ (Lem: A Life Out of This World). You can enjoy his incredible sense of humour on his blog (which he writes in Polish). Wiktor Jaźniewicz // Belarus’s premier ‘lemologist’, and owner of a ‘lemologic cabinet’ that you can see for yourself here. Credits Written & produced by Wojciech Oleksiak Edited by Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak 

VISIONARY

This year we have more great stories for you! There's going to be a bit of sci-fi, a pinch of socialist realism, a good portion of astronomy, and some old-fashioned moving testimonies from a region that never sleeps! Stay tuned: the first episode drops September 7th! Like our show? Get our newsletter!

Announcing Season IV

 Like most Polish jazz musicians, Zbigniew Namysłowski learned the basics of jazz listening to Willis Conover’s “Jazz Hour”. Originally starting his musical career playing piano, cello and trombone, Namysłowski became infatuated with the saxophone after meeting composer Krzysztof Komeda, who happened to be carrying an alto saxophone with him, on a train. During that chance encounter, Namysłowski gave the instrument a try and hasn’t stopped playing the saxophone ever since. His original experiments mixing jazz and folk quickly caught people’s attention and in 1962, Willis Conover himself invited Namysłowski and his band to the US to play at the Newport Jazz Festival. This incredible opportunity marked the eve of Namysłowski’s brilliant international career. Time stamps [01:00] Jazz and communism [02:00] Sopot festivals [04:30] The alto saxophone [06:06] The Voice of America jazz lessons [10:02]The American tour [12:23] Jazz Jamboree [13:40] Folk [17:17] Komeda [18:52] Favorites [23:28] The passport [26:24] Polish-American jazz [27:00] Young talents Music from the episode [11:00]  Composition:  Kalatówki ‘59  Artist: The Wreckers Album: At the last moment [14:15]  Composition: Piątawka  Artist: Zbigniew Namysłowski Quartet Album: Lola [19:47]  Composition: Winobranie / Jak nie ma szmalu to jest łaź   Artist: Zbigniew Namysłowski Album: Winobranie  Further reading Zbigniew Namysłowski // on Culture.pl Interview with Zbigniew Namysłowski // on londonjazznews.com Further watching Zbigniew Namysłowski performing in 2021 Zbigniew Namysłowski performing “Kujawiak goes Funky” in 1997  Zbigniew Namysłowski performing with folk musians during Jazz Jamboree in 1994 Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Paweł Brodowski. The show is brought to you by Culture.pl, the flagship brand of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written by Wojciech Oleksiak & Monika Proba Produced by Move Me Media Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Proofread by Adam Żuławski Translated by Mateusz Schmidt Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions. 

The Fusionist: Zbigniew Namysłowski

 Adam Makowicz grew up in a house where a piano was the centre of the home. His mother had long planned for him to become a classical virtuoso, but a meeting with a musician who introduced him to jazz changed this path completely. Adam packed his bags and left for Kraków, where he moved into a jazz nightclub and immediately became part of the city’s jazz scene. It was here where his thorough classical education and incredible talent led him to create his unique virtuoso style, one that merged the technique associated with classical music with the vibrance of jazz. In this episode, this standout Polish jazz pianist talks about freedom, beauty and interpretation in jazz music. Time stamps: [01:06] The centre of our home [02:03] Art Tatum [02:59] Radio [04:40] Rebel [05:09] Under the piano [06:49] Duo with Urszula Dudziak [09:30] John Hammond [11:06] Freedom [13:23] The first polish jazz virtuoso [14:04] Solo [15:10] Beauty  [15:58] New York [17:34] Martial Law [19:51] Chopin [22:20] Home Read the transcript of this episode Music from this episode [07:00] Composition: Darkness and Newborn Light Artist: Urszula Dudziak and Adam Makowicz Album: Newborn Light  [10:08] Composition: Chopin's Willows Artist Adam Makowicz Album: Adam  [20:44] Composition: Prelude No. 24 In D Minor Artist: Adam Makowicz, Leszek Możdżer Album: Możdżer vs. Makowicz at the Carnegie Hall  Further Reading  Adam Makowicz // on Culture.pl Willis Conover: The American Godfather of Polish Jazz // on Culture.pl Interview with Willis Conover // on memory.loc.gov Further Watching Adam Makowicz performing in 1986 Adam Makowicz performing with Leszek Możdżer Unit // Full album Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Paweł Brodowski. The show is brought to you by Culture.pl, the flagship brand of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written by Wojciech Oleksiak & Monika Proba Produced by Move Me Media Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Proofread by Adam Żuławski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions. 

The Virtuoso: Adam Makowicz

 “Polish jazz group - 100$ a night” Displayed on the posters in Michał Urbaniak’s band’s van while playing across Europe in the 60s, this hippy traveling player was soon to become one of the most innovative Polish jazz musicians in history. Though his  European career was quickly evolving,  the old continent simply didn’t feel like enough. From a very young age, Michał knew at heart that he was a New Yorker, eventually jumping at the first chance he got to move to the world’s jazz capital and signing with the legendary Columbia Records. The rest is history. Time stamps [01:11]  The Boys of America [02:29]  An Introduction to Miles [03:22]  New Yorker at heart [07:52]  100$ a night [09:55]  The violin [11:23] New York [12:14]  Columbia [13:19]  Folk [16:16]  The impossible deal [19:08]  Young talents [19:52]  Meeting Miles [23:15]  Poetry & jazz [27:22]  Young musicians Music from the episode [07:33] Composition: Bengal Artist: Super Constellation Album editions: Super Constellation / Fusion I [14:13] Composition: New York Baca Artist: Michał Urbaniak/Michał Urbaniak’s Fusion Album: Atma [20:34] Composition: Don’t Lose Your Mind Artist: Miles Davis Album: Tutu [25:44] Composition: Square Park Sunday Artist: Urbanator Album: Urbanator Further reading Michał Urbaniak // on Culture.pl Interview with Michał Urbaniak // on Culture.pl Michał Urbaniak’s web page Further watching  “New Yorker by Choice” // documentary film about Michał Urbaniak "Chameleon" by Urbanator // Music video Michał Urbaniak performing with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Paweł Brodowski. The show is brought to you by Culture.pl, the flagship brand of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written by Wojciech Oleksiak & Monika Proba Produced by Move Me Media Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Proofread by Adam Żuławski Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions. The project was carried out thanks to the cooperation with Polskie Nagrania / Warner Music Poland, Sony Music Publishing Poland Sp. z o.o and Urbaniak.com Foundation. 

The New Yorker: Michał Urbaniak

 Urszula’s love for unruly musical experiments got her kicked out from music school when she was a young girl. A few years later, like many young Poles, she stumbled upon The Voice of America - a radio station meant to bring American culture and censorship-free news to people locked up behind the Iron Curtain. This program is where Urszula heard jazz for the first time. Blown away by the uniqueness of the music, one of the voices she heard marked her particularly - the voice of Ella Fitzgerald. Hearing Ella made her realize the extent of creative freedom jazz could offer, specifically, her understanding that people's voices can serve as musical instruments. From then on, Urszula started developing her distinctive style of wordless vocalisation that can transport listeners to another dimension. Time stamps [01:55] The accordion [02:44] Trouble in school  [03:21] The Voice of America [04:44] Ella Fitzgerald [07:09] American jazz [08:35] Krzysztof Komeda [10:44] Love [11:29] Scandinavian restaurants [13:33] All that smoke [15:02] Discovering electronics [16:30] Duo with Adam Makowicz [19:16] New York [22:33] Papaya  [29:24] The best age Click here to read the transcript for this episode Music from the episode [14:08] Composition: Bengal Artist: Super Constellation  Album editions: Super Constellation / Fusion I  [17:37] Composition: Darkness and Newborn Light Artist: Urszula Dudziak and Adam Makowicz Album: Newborn Light  [22:33] Composition: Papaya  Artist: Urszula Dudziak Album: Urszula [26:18] Composition: Kama Ula Artist: Michał Urbaniak/Michał Urbaniak’s Fusion Album: Atma Further reading Urszula Dudziak // on Culture.pl A Foreigners Guide to Polish Jazz // on Culture.pl Willis Conover: The American Godfather of Polish Jazz // on Culture.pl From bop to żal: how jazz became the voice of freedom in Poland // on Guardian.com Further Watching Urszula performing in 1973 Urszula performing in 1998 Filipino soldiers dancing the Papaya dance Credits This episode of Rebel Spirits was hosted by Paweł Brodowski. The show is brought to you by Culture.pl, the flagship brand of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Written by Wojciech Oleksiak & Monika Proba Produced by Move Me Media Hosted by Paweł Brodowski Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak Proofread by Adam Żuławski Translated by Mateusz Schmidt Design by Dawid Ryski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Copyrights The publisher would like to thank all copyright owners for their kind permission to reproduce their material. Should, despite our intensive research, any person entitled to rights have been overlooked, legitimate claims shall be compensated within the usual provisions. 

The Queen: Urszula Dudziak

This week we've a special preview for you: Rebel Spirits! It's a podcast about five Polish jazz musicians who came of age in the 1950s and became mesmerised by the music they heard on the outlawed American radio station Voice of America. You'll hear how they went from learning to play jazz from worn-out vinyls to becoming icons that continue to inspire the music world today. Hosted by Paweł Brodowski, Rebel Spirits is brought to you by Culture.pl, the flagship brand of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. Coming June 2021. Available wherever you get your podcasts, and on Culture.pl.

Announcing: Rebel Spirits

 In 1967, Marian Marzyński was a popular TV show host and filmmaker in Poland. But then a seemingly faraway military clash sparked an unexpected conflict within the Polish communist party that led its Jewish members to be accused of anti-Polish sentiments. The conflict developed into an anti-Semitic campaign that affected all of Polish Jewish society and led to the emigration of the majority of the remaining Polish Jews, whose numbers had already been dwindled due to the Holocaust. Emigrating away from an authoritarian regime, Marian was able to process the events around him by filming them from his perspective, something he was previously unable to do. He continues to film his personal stories today. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [00:11] 1968: a year of global unrest  [02:08] Escape from the ghetto  [03:17] Never forget to lie [07:13] The war is over. Jewish identity after the war [08:22] Marian becomes a journalist [10:28] Internationalism vs. nationalism [10:46] The Six-Day War [12:08] Censoring 'Dziady' in the National Theatre [12:39] The mechanisms of hostility [14:55] Marian decides to leave  [16:16] First stop: Denmark [17:29] Marian films emigration  [18:38] Who were we? [19:45] What is emigration? [20:13] Film-making after emigration [21:30] Moving to the USA [23:06] Humour  [24:12] Marian’s returns to Poland [25:40] The inner child Further reading Marian’s website Interview with Marian Marzyński about his film 'Shtetl' // on PBS.org Further watching Life on Marz // Marian Marzyński's film on Vimeo.com Skibet/Hatikvah // Marian Marzyński's film on Vimeo.com Jewish Blues // Marian Marzyński's film on Vimeo.com Shtetl // Marian Marzyński's film on Vimeo.com Credits Written & produced by Monika Proba Edited by Wojtek Oleksiak, Adam Zulawski & Nitzan Reisner Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak 

STATELESS

 In 1938, Hitler's forces marched into Czechoslovakia, a country that had only gained its independence two decades earlier. A puppeteer named Josef Skupa was ready to fight back with the help of Spejbl and Hurvínek – a father son duo of wooden puppets. Because the Nazi German occupiers didn't seem to take puppets very seriously, Skupa's theatre in Pilsen was able to put on satirical performances that directly referred to the occupation and gave ordinary Czechs hope that one day things would be better. Eventually Skupa's luck would run out – the Gestapo even arrested his puppet duo. But all three were destined to become household names in the Czech Republic, a country that takes its puppets seriously... Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps 00:48] Imagine if Kermit the frog took on the Third Reich [02:12] Josef Skupa and Kašpárek farewell the Austrio-Hungarian Empire [04:36] A modern kind of puppet theatre [07:25] Spejbl and Hurvínek battle Nazi insects [08:30] Munich Conference and Carousel over Three Floors [11:44] Voničky and Long Live the Future [14:50] Death threats and a final anti-fascist play [16:28] Arrest of Skupa and his puppets [17:58] Escape from prison, Spejbl and Hurvínek rescued from the trash [20:51] Legacy of Josef Skupa and his puppets [21:43] Puppet-making workshop with Mirek and Leah [23:21] Credits Further reading Josef Skupa // on World Encyclopedia of Puppet Arts Jan Malik // on World Encyclopedia of Puppet Arts Sjebl and Hurvinek // on Wikipedia Quay Brothers' Puppetry Prescription in New York // on Culture.pl Puppets, Birds & Wycinanki // on Culture.pl The Bug Trainer – The Story of Władysław Starewicz // on Culture.pl Further watching Spejbl goes Mushroom Hunting // short episode from the 1974 bedtime series Return of Spejbl and Hurvinek, voiced by Josef Skupa's protege Miloś Kirchner. On Ceskatelevize.cz (Czech only) Further visiting Spejbl and Hurvinek Theatre // Puppet theatre in Prague opened by Josef Skupa in 1945 as a continuation of his theatre in Pilsen. They hold regular shows for kids and families. Plzeň Puppet Museum // Puppet museum located in the historic centre of Plzeň (Pilsen), the town where Josef Skupa opened his first theatre and the birthplace of Spejbl and Hurvínek. Puppets in Prague // Puppet-making workshop in Prague run by Mirek Trejtner and Leah Gaffen. Temporarily being run online. Credits Written & produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Wojtek Oleksiak & Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Thanks We’d like to thank Denisa Kirchnerova from the Spejbl and Hurvinek theatre in Prague, Tomáš Pfejfer, curator at the Puppet Museum in Pilsen, and Nina Malikowa for sharing their knowledge about Josef Skupa and his performances during WWII. Thanks also to Leah Gaffen and Mirek Trejtner from Puppets in Prague for talking to us and inviting Piotr to their skeleton-making workshop.  Lastly, a special thanks to Jitka Rohanova from the Polish Institute in Prague for her help in making the episode. 

PUPPETS

 Back in 2019, we got the chance to interview Anastasija Gulej. She was 95 at the time, living a happy life in one of Kyiv's suburbs. If you didn’t know her, you’d never tell be able to tell that she wakes up every day with the horrors of her past. Her past as an Auschwitz-Birkenau inmate.  Anastasija was already 18 years old when she was taken there, which makes her memories especially valuable. She remembers things perfectly clearly, she understood what was going around her, she knew what it was.  We strongly believe that keeping the memories of such events in mind is our duty, even more so now, when most of the people who could remember it are gone. Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [01:29] Beginning of the war [05:22] The first time Anastasija was afraid [07:31] Auschwitz-Birkenau [15:56] The Death March [20:17] Liberation. Bergen-Belsen Camp [22:25] Post scriptum [24:19] Credits Further reading There Was Love in the Ghetto: A Conversation with Paula Sawicka // on Culture.pl The Holocaust in Polish Literature: 7 Key Books // on Culture.pl You Never Know How Fate Will Play Out: An Interview With Józef Hen // on Culture.pl Further watching Zofia Posmysz: Memory That Will Save Us // on Culture.pl Preserving Memory: The Conservation of Auschwitz-Birkenau // on Culture.pl Preserving Memory: The Barracks of Auschwitz-Birkenau // on Culture.pl Preserving Memory: The Art of Auschwitz-Birkenau // on Culture.pl Credits Written and produced by Wojciech Oleksiak & Żenia Klimakin Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak & Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak 

WITNESS

 ‘Romania today is possibly the only European country where you can bump into a witch at the supermarket.’ The history of witches in Europe is a tumultuous and violent one. Always on the margins of society and in opposition to any form of hierarchy, their presence sparked fear and prejudice which led to prosecutions and witch hunts. But unbeknownst to many, their traditions have outlasted all of this. In Romania, the 21st century has turned out to be a surprisingly good time for witches. As a child, Clara learned that they could make anything happen. As a grown up, she had a few questions about it all and decided to knock on a witch’s door. But interviewing a witch turned out not to be so simple... Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [01:08] The spell [02:09] Ball lightning [07:14] Clara & her grandmother try to interview a witch [12:51] Clara & Monika team up [13:51] The most powerful witch in southeastern Europe [15:21] What a witch can do [16:30] Back to square one [23:00] Credits Further reading Romania's Modern Witches // on CNN Style Lucia Sekerková: A Peculiar Look at 21st-Century Witchcraft // photography on The Calvert Journal Beneath the Surface: The Occult Inspirations of Poland's Legendary Naive Artist Coal Miners // on Culture.pl 9 Supernatural Beings & Places of Polish Folklore // on Culture.pl Slavic Daemons: Fearsome & Formidable Females // on Culture.pl Séances, Dragons & Chakras: Kraków's Magical Past // on Culture.pl Further watching Witchcraft in Romania // video on VICE Asia Youtube channel Credits Written & produced by Monika Proba & Clara Kleininger Edited by Wojciech Oleksiak & Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Thanks A huge thanks to Mrs. Ardelanca and her daughter for foreseeing only good events. 

WITCHES

In the summer of 1976, the late Polish film director Andrzej Żuławski, responsible for infamous cult classics such as The Devil (1972) and Possession (1981), was given a green light to shoot the most expensive film ever made in Poland. On the Silver Globe was meant to be a massively ambitious science-fiction epic set on the Moon, showing the birth of a new civilisation, and produced without the benefit of modern special effects. But things didn't quite go to plan. The huge ambitions of a temperamental and demanding director combined with the financial and technological realities of 1970s Poland meant that the production faced an uphill battle from the first day of shooting. But with over 70% of the film already shot, and the end almost in sight, On the Silver Globe unexpectedly fell victim to the whims of a Communist Party hardliner and was relegated to cinematic history. How do you make a space opera without Hollywood special effects in a state-run economy? What were the crew doing in Mongolia? Who was Janusz Wilhelmi and why did he shut down the production? And does the story ultimately have a happy ending? Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [01:24] Intro [02:56] Flying to the Moon [05:10] Economic strife & a controversial director [07:20] Making a space opera without special effects [10:09] The Gobi Desert as the Moon [12:10] Production delays & cost overruns [16:15] Script changes & Hamlet monologues [18:37] A burning Shern [22:03] Wilhelmi arrives on the scene [25:55] ‘It’s over, lads.’ [29:38] Is this how the story ends? [33:54] Credits Further reading On the Silver Globe // film description on Culture.pl Andrzej Żulawski // bio on Culture.pl The Origins of Polish Sci-Fi & The Legacy of Jerzy Żuławski // feature article on Culture.pl about the origins of The Lunar Trilogy books and their far-reaching influence Jerzy Żuławski // bio on Culture.pl On the Silver Globe // on RogerEbert.com Further watching On The Silver Globe // fragment of the film after digital restoration, on Kadr Film Studio’s Youtube channel. Further visiting CETA Audiovisual Technology Centre// If you happen to be in the beautiful South-West city of Wrocław, you can visit the building that used to house the Wrocław film studio, which served as a base for the film, as well as such classics as The Saragossa Manuscript by Wojciech Jerzy Has. These days it houses a state-of the art special effects studio, but remains the home of the surviving costumes and props from On the Silver Globe. Credits Written & produced by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Wojtek Oleksiak & Adam Zulawski Hosted by Nitzan Reisner & Adam Zulawski Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Thanks We'd like to thank Andrzej Jaroszewicz, Andrzej Seweryn, Stefan Kurzyp, and Jerzy Śnieżawski for talking to us. Many thanks also to Daniel Bird for guiding us through the strange world that is On the Silver Globe. And lastly, a special thanks to Maria Duffek, costume designer at the CETA audiovisual technology centre in Wrocław for her help and extensive knowledge.

LUNAR

 After the Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east in 1939, many thousands of Polish families were deported to Siberian forced labour camps. There they not only faced bitter cold but constant hunger. Then Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union, and the families that were now allowed to leave tried to get as far south as possible. In many cases, only their children made it all the way to safety in Iran. Some Polish orphans were resettled in places like South Africa and Mexico, but a group of 700 would end up travelling on a US Navy ship to the small island nation of New Zealand, on the other side of the world. How did the children survive their perilous journey from Siberia to Iran, and end up in a place called Pahiatua in the New Zealand countryside? How did they adjust to a new life surrounded by sheep and cattle, and what happened when the camp they had begun to call home was finally shut down for good? Like our show? Sign up for our newsletter! Time stamps [02:10] Deportation from Eastern Poland to Siberia [06:15] Everyday life in the Labour Camps [09:30] The USSR joins the allies, amnesty, and getting out of Russia [12:08] The Polish Army gathers orphans from the countryside [14:30] Arrival in Pahlavi and Isfahan [16:25] Iran becomes dangerous and the children need to be resettled [17:05] Leaving for New Zealand on a US Navy Transporter [18:45] Arrival in Wellington and the camp in Pahiatua [21:21] Life in the countryside [23:49] The NZ government takes over caring for the children [25:18] Settling down, finding careers and getting married [28:03] Living the two cultures side by side [28:50] The arrival of Stefania's parents [30:30] Finding your place in the world Further reading / watching Polish Children of Pahiatua // on the Wellington City Council website Dzieci z Pahiatua // on ArchiwumEmigranta.pl (Polish) The Story of 700 Polish Children // Documentary (1966) on NZOnScreen.com The arrival of the Polish Children in Wellington // Newsreel (1944) on NZOnScreen.com Credits Written, produced & presented by Piotr Wołodźko Edited by Adam Zulawski & Wojciech Oleksiak Scoring & sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak Thanks This episode was produced with help from the Embassy of Poland in Wellington. We'd like to extend many thanks to Ambassador Zbigniew Gniatkowski and Anna Gołębicka-Buchanan for helping us get in touch with the protagonists of our episode. We'd also like to say thank you to Stanisław Manterys, Malwina Zofia Rubisz Schwieters and Jozef and Stefania Zawada for telling us their story, and to Karolina Palej for her assistance. 

ORPHANS

Little-known histories from Central & Eastern Europe that changed our world... Heard of how The Rolling Stones played for the Communist Party? The bear who fought in WWII? Or the man who single-handedly created an entire language? Each episode of our narrative podcast tells incredible stories that all have one thing in common: the Eastern West. #SFTEW

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Stories From The Eastern West

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