INTERVIEWEE: Janina Ludawska
INTERVIEWEE’S BIOGRAPHY AND DETAILED THEMES DEVELOPMENT: sztetl.org.pl/en/oral-history...
INTERVIEWER: Józef Markiewicz
OPERATOR: Przemysław Jaczewski
RECORDING COPYRIGHT: POLIN Museum of the History of the Polish Jews
RECORDING DATA: August 15, 2017
THE MOST IMPORTANT THEMES:
00:00:00 - Life in Warsaw in 1967, working at the Institute of the Ministry of Culture, membership of the party; presence at the rally where W. Gomułka spoke. Resistance to the growing antisemitism in the Warsaw theatrical school environment.
00:05:50 - The painting of a Star of David on office door and reactions to this incident.
00:08:2 - Memories of “Dziady”, theatrical play directed by K. Dejmek.
00:10:14 - A meeting of the Ministry of Culture leadership.
00:13:57 - Leaving for Paris in 1968, dismissing from job.
0015:35 - Discussion on “Dziady” from a theatrologist’s perspective.
00:22:15 - Prior to 1968, discussions within the party and at the Ministry about the performance of “Dziady”.
00:25:28 - Surprise at W. Gomułka’s speech, work as W. Gomułka’s translator, negative impression of W. Gomułka.
00:28:48 - Naivety on the issue on antisemitism; a lack of contact with antisemitism; a lack of awareness of the Kielce pogrom.
00:29:45 - The desire to help rebuild Poland as the reason for returning to Poland from Sweden in 1945.
00:31:45 - The atmosphere between the time of W. Gomułka’s speech and March 1968; leaving for France; dismissal from job.
00:34:58 - Friends caring for the property left behind in Poland; sending books in parcels.
00:37:49 - First years in Sweden.
00:38:30 - Professional life - working as a translator and working with B. Bierut, W. Gomułka i E. Osóbka-Morawski; organising the First International Youth Festival in Prague.
00:45:47 - Joining the Party.
00:47:35 - Meeting Zofia Gomułka.
00:49:10 - The diversity of Jewish theatres in pre-War Warsaw and Jewish theatre after the War.
00:54:20 - Interest in Jewish theatre as a connection with Jewish culture.
00:59:20 - Artistic standard of Jewish theatre.
01:00:24 - Reaction to the Six Day War, attitude towards Israel, Sweden, loss of faith in a world without xenophobia.
01:04:51 - Sweden in the 1960’s.
01:11:18 - Son and his awareness of Jewish origins.
01:11:18 - Interest in Polish politics and Polish society.
01:12:24 - Visiting Poland; unwillingness to return permanently to Poland.
01:14:20 - Polish-Jewish identity, connection to Polish culture.
01:17:31 - Working at the university in Sweden.
01:19:16 - Interest in the works of Gombrowicz.
01:22:25 - Considering xenophobia as a lesson which Polish society should learn from the events of March 1968, the emigration of Jews as a huge loss for Polish culture and education.
01:27:17 - Connection with Polish culture.
01:29:29 - Antisemitism in the world and in Sweden.
01:35:23 - The Kałecka Grammar School in Warsaw.
01:35:50 - The influence of the emigration experience, loss of faith in the possibility of changing social reality.
01:42:04 - Relations between people, the lack of belonging to an organisation, democracy in Sweden and her assessment of it.
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