Jerzy Kronhold was
born in Silesian Cieszyn near the Czech border in 1946. He studied
Polish Language and Literature at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków
and Theatre Direction at the National Academy for Theatre in Warsaw.
The poet and playwright débuted with his first texts in 1965. Following
the unrest and demonstrations of March 1968 in Poland he joined the
Group Teraz (Now) which is considered as belonging to the poets' circle
»New Wave«. This formed in opposition to the ideology and language of
the ruling political system and championed the opening of the socialist
aesthetic towards everyday life. Kronhold's first volume of poems,
»Samopalenie« (1972; t: Self-combustion), is both radical and
provocative and explicitly shows its sympathy for the rebellious youth
movement. In the eighties he belonged to the activists of
what is today the Polish-Czech-Slovakian foundation »Solidarity«, which
at the time arose from the collaboration of independent movements in
the two neighbouring countries. One year before, his second collection
of poems »Baranek Lawiny« (1980; t: The Lambkin of the avalanche)
appeared, and was followed shortly afterwards by »Oda do ognia« (1982;
t: Ode to fire). In 1984 Kronhold's poem »Astigmatismus« was translated
into German and published in the anthology »Ein Jahrhundert geht zu
Ende« (t: A century draws to its close).
For the twenty-first
anniversary of the Warsaw Pact in 1989 Kronhold organised a
demonstration in his hometown Cieszyn, in which some members of
parliament took part and during which Polish citizens apologised to
Czechs for the participation of Polish soldiers in the quelling of the
Prague Spring uprising. Following the collapse of Communism in Eastern
Europe, Kronhold founded the theatre festival »Na granicy« (On the
Border) and published his poetry volume »Niż« (1990; t: Deep). He
became the Polish Consul General in Ostrava, Czech Republic, in 1991
and for the past few years has been the head of the Polish Cultural
Institute in Bratislava.
Kronhold presented his most recent volume
of poetry in 2000, »Wiek Brazu« (t: Bronze Ages), which brought him
renewed recognition as poet. In these short poems the author carries
out a gentle and sometimes ironic departure from the gestures of
impetuous protests. Some of the icons from his youth, figures such as
Jan Palach and Ulrike Meinhof, are quoted, as well as Jesus, whose name
however turns out to be an illuminated advertisement for jeans. Here,
as opposed to his early texts, the author filters the miraculous and
the momentous through various aspects of everyday life.
In 2004
Kronhold was awarded the Golden Cross of Merit by the Republic of
Poland for his service to the advancement of understanding between
Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He lives in the countryside
with his family.
© internationales literaturfestival berlin
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Samopalenie
Wydawn. Literackie
Kraków, 1972
Baranek Lawiny
Wydawn. Literackie
Kraków, 1980
Oda do ognia
Beskidzkie Towarzystwo Społeczno-Kulturalne
Bielsko-Biała, 1982
Niż
Towarzystwo im. Zofii Kossak
Cieszyn, 1990
Wiek Brazu
Wydawn. a5
Kraków, 2000 | 
