Agnieszka Osiecka

Agnieszka Osiecka (Polish pronunciation: [aɡˈɲɛʂka ɔˈɕɛt͡ska]; 9 October 1936 – 7 March 1997) was a Polish poet, writer, author of theatre and television screenplays, film director and journalist. She was a prominent Polish songwriter, having authored the lyrics to more than 2000 songs, and is considered an icon of Polish culture.

Life and career

Osiecka was born in Warsaw, the only child of Wiktor Osiecki, a pianist and composer of Serbian, Romanian-Vlach and Hungarian descent, and a scholar Maria Sztechman. She spent her early years in Zakopane where her father played the piano at the Watra Restaurant. After World War II the Osiecki family moved to Warsaw and settled in the Saska Kępa borough. The small flat soon became Osiecka’s favourite place to work. She lived there almost her entire life. After her death, the Okularnicy Foundation placed a commemorative plaque on the building.

Agnieszka was exceptionally gifted. She completed her coursework much more quickly than other students and graduated from Marie Skłodowska-Curie High School in 1952. She trained as a swimmer at Legia Sports Club and studied journalism at the University of Warsaw (1957–61) and film-directing at the prestigious National Film School in Łódź (1957–61) but dropped film-directing and started writing. Osiecka published essays and articles in the student press during her university years. She joined the famous Student Satirical Theatre (STS) in 1954 and wrote 166 political and lyrical songs for this company. She used to say "I am a journalist, that is why some of my songs are reports which rhyme." She served on the artistic board of the STS Theatre until it closed in 1972.