The funeral of actor and director Jerzy Stuhr has ended. Crowds of Krakow residents, including his collaborators and students, bid farewell to the icon of Polish cinema. The artist was buried at the Rakowicki Cemetery. Dorota Segda, Agnieszka Holland and Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska took part in the ceremony. Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś recalled Stuhr’s role as Piotr Wysocki in Andrzej Wajda’s “Noc listopadaowa”.
The funeral began on Wednesday at 12 noon with a mass in the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Krakow. Then the urn with the artist’s ashes was taken to the cemetery, where the actor was laid to rest in the family tomb.
When the urn with Jerzy Stuhr’s ashes left the Church of St. Peter and Paul, there was applause.
Funeral of Jerzy Stuhr PAP/Łukasz Gągulski
“You will have immortality”
– 77 years of life, half a century of work, we come and put it on the altar, we ask Jesus what of it is immortal, what of it can take us into eternity – said Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś during his sermon.
He added that for him Jerzy Stuhr “has forever become Piotr Wysocki” from “Noc listopadaowa” directed by Andrzej Wajda. – It’s also almost half a century. I remember the scene when he enters the officer cadet school and calls on 160 young officer cadets to fight for freedom. And I can hear the promise that Athena makes to him: “You will have immortality” – the cardinal recalled.
Funeral of Jerzy Stuhr PAP/Łukasz Gągulski
– The dream of immortality, the dream of Wysocki, Wyspiański addressed to whom? To the actor, to the one who listens, to the one who experiences? Is it the desire for freedom, the desire for justice that eliminates injustice, is this what takes us to immortality? Is sharing this value, this dream, what takes us to infinity, immortality? – wondered Cardinal Ryś.
– These are our questions and Jesus answers them today, he answers with the revelation of who God is – said the Cardinal.
Funeral of Jerzy StuhrPAP/Łukasz Gągulski
Kidawa-Błońska: he kept his courage, he didn’t lose it
During the ceremony, a speech was given by, among others, the Marshal of the Senate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska. The politician pointed out that no one was prepared for the artist’s departure. – Obvious words come to mind: a great actor, a great teacher, a true representative of the Polish intelligentsia, a true representative of the Polish elite, a friend, a social activist, a wonderful person. We all know that these terms referring to the Polish intelligentsia, to the elites, sound provocative in recent times – in times of smallness, which, unable to create something great on its own, reached out for greatness in order to destroy it – she stated.
Kidawa-Błońska emphasized that the elite, of which “Jerzy Stuhr was and will always remain a representative, is not an elite of empty privilege or irritating superiority”. – It is an elite of great, authentic talent and really hard work on craft, acting skills, in a word. And that is what Jerzy Stuhr was like throughout his life – with his wonderful roles, weaknesses, mistakes, wise, responsible and brave declarations – she stated.
Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska during the funeral of Jerzy StuhrPAP/Łukasz Gągulski
She added that “in times of populist attack on the intelligentsia” the actor “became a target”. – As a sensitive man, he suffered because of it. His closest ones saw and felt it very well, but we all saw it too. But Jerzy Stuhr maintained his courage in those times, he did not lose his courage. And most importantly, it did not destroy his work. He did not give this satisfaction to the little people attacking him – the Marshal of the Senate recalled.
Funeral of Jerzy StuhrPAP/Łukasz Gągulski
Minister of Culture and National Heritage Hanna Wróblewska emphasized that the artist’s work was and is extraordinary, of fundamental importance for cinematography. – Jerzy Stuhr is an exceptional example of a complete actor, leaving his mark wherever he was present – in film, in the theater or on television, or simply among us. Remembering him today, we cannot forget his extraordinary intelligence. He was not ashamed of weakness, he transformed it into the strongest strength, the strength of sincerity – she said.
She added that his character will be associated with great stage and film creations, with the wisdom he brought to each of his roles, with the humor and human warmth that emanated directly from each of his statements. – Artists like Jerzy Stuhr never leave. His roles, films, books will be with us forever. The legacy he left behind will live on in our hearts and minds, and his acting creations will inspire future generations – added the Minister of Culture.
Students say goodbye to the former rector of AST
Among the speakers in the church was also the rector of the Stanisław Wyspiański Academy of Theatre Arts (AST) in Kraków, Dorota Segda. – A great actor, director, but also our rector. Professor Jerzy Stuhr held this position for four terms. The State Higher School of Theatre Arts – today the Academy of Theatre Arts – was his place on Earth – Segda recalled.
– We were, we are and we will always be proud that an artist and a person of this class undertook the mission of leading our university and us on the path to theatre with a capital “T” – emphasized the Rector of AST.
Dorota Segda quoted the words published by students of Professor Jerzy Stuhr following his death. – Jerzy Stuhr, my master. One of the most important people who shaped me as an actor. He was my beloved teacher at the Krakow State Drama School – she read the entry by actor Rafał Dziwisz.
– He was a giant of acting. He shared his experience generously. He opened my eyes and hearts and my colleagues’ to the beauty and hardships of this profession. He sensitized me to the power and meaning of words and rhythm. He shaped my sense of taste. He made me fall in love with literature, music, and the fine arts. His knowledge, erudition and extraordinary sensitivity hidden under the mask of an exaggerated ego – all of this to a large extent molded me into an actor, but also the person I am. My gratitude to him for all these gifts is difficult to put into words – the rector of AST quoted Dziwisz’s opinion.
– My dear professor, great actor, great teacher, you will always be in my memory – she quoted the words of actor Roman Gancarczyk.
Dorota Segda explained that she “only cited some of the entries”. – But there were very, very many such entries. And they are a testimony of gratitude and admiration for our master – she assessed.
– Your artistic achievements, your dedication to the university. Your wonderful ideas on how to manage it, how to develop it, but also your civic attitude, your courage and uncompromising attitude, your patriotism will always be our guide – she said. – In times when the world needs authorities, you were a priceless gift that we received and we are still learning how to use it. Honor your memory – emphasized the rector of AST in Krakow.
The actor was laid to rest in the family grave at the Rakowicki Cemetery PAP/Łukasz Gągulski
Director Agnieszka Holland spoke at the cemetery. “When a person dies, they suddenly cease to be the person they were at the moment of death. So when I think of Jurek, I think of him mainly as the young actor I met in the last year of theatre school. From the beginning, he had a duality that was incredibly intriguing. On the one hand, he was very attached to the tradition of Krakow conservatism and Krakow intellectuals, and on the other hand, he was a daredevil and a comedian who did not shy away from fun,” the director recalled.
She also said that Stuhr “equipped us with great wealth”. – There are people who go through life in such a way that they leave almost no trace and then they are washed out of the memory of both loved ones and acquaintances and subsequent generations, whereas Jurek left so many material and immaterial traces (…). And I think that he will remain for my generation, that’s for sure, but also for the generation of his children and his grandchildren – said the director.
The director of the National Old Theatre in Krakow, Waldemar Raźniak, also spoke and recalled the outstanding roles played by Jerzy Stuhr on that stage. According to him, he created characters that “will remain forever in the memory of the audience and in the history of Polish theatre”. – Professor, the team and crew of the National Old Theatre are saying goodbye to you. Colleagues and students from Krakow, Katowice, Bytom are saying goodbye. Polish art has suffered a great loss – added the director of the Krakow stage.
Film, television, theatre
Jerzy Stuhr was born on April 18, 1947 in Kraków. In 1970 he graduated from Polish studies at the Jagiellonian University, and in 1972 from the Kraków State Drama School, of which he became rector years later. After graduation, he was employed at the Helena Modrzejewska Old Theatre in Kraków. Earlier, in 1971, he appeared as a film actor in “A Million for Laure” by Hieronim Przybył and “The Third Part of the Night” by Andrzej Żuławski.
In 1977, he created the first of his most famous film roles. In Feliks Falk’s “Wodzirej” he played Lutek Danielak. Stuhr then played a morally ambiguous man – an unscrupulous lawyer – in the drama “Bez chwilenia” directed by Andrzej Wajda (1978). Stuhr’s other famous roles include roles in the films “Szansa” by Feliks Falk (1979), “Pociąg do Hollywood” by Radosław Piwowarski (1987), “Obywatel Piszczyk” by Andrzej Kotkowski (1988), “Persona non grata” by Krzysztof Zanussi (2005) and “Kajman” by Italian director Nanni Moretti (2006).
As a theatre artist, for many years – since 1972 – he was associated with the Modrzejewska Old Theatre in Kraków. On its stages he played in plays directed by, among others, Andrzej Wajda, Konrad Swinarski, Jerzy Jarocki, Jerzy Grzegorzewski. On this stage he directed plays independently. Stuhr’s achievements also include many years of cooperation with Italian theatres, which began in the eighties.
In 2020, the actor suffered a stroke. Earlier, in 2011, he was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. Observing the world from a hospital bed, he began writing a diary, which was later published under the title “Tak sobie myśli”. In February this year, the artist returned to the stage. At the Polonia Theater in Warsaw, he directed the play “Geniusz” based on the play by Tadeusz Słobodzianek, in which he played the Russian director and educator – considered the father of modern theater – Konstantin Stanislavski.
Source of the main photo: PAP/Łukasz Gągulski
