Marian Hemar
Encyclopedia
Marian Hemar born Jan Maria Hescheles, also Jan Mariański , Marian Wallenrod, was a Polish Jewish poet, journalist, playwright, comedy writer, and songwriter: he himself said that before the outbreak of World War II he had written 1200 songs including hits like Może kiedyś innym razem (Maybe Some Other Time) and Upić się warto (Let's get drunk).
Hemar (a pseudonym
formed from the first two letters of his last name and the first three letters of his middle name) was born on April 6, 1901, in Lwów. He studied medicine and philosophy at the local university and took part in the fights for the city
in 1918 and 1919 as a volunteer on the Polish side. At the invitation of Jerzy Boczkowski, director of the legendary Qui Pro Quo Theatre, he left for Warsaw in 1924; by 1925 when he moved to Warsaw
, he was already a well-known author, working at the Qui Pro Quo cabaret with Julian Tuwim
. He was a key figure in the Banda, Morskie Oko, and Cyrulik Warszawski ("Barber of Warsaw") cabarets and author of hundreds of Polish Radio sketches. He also wrote shmontses (szmonces) (Jewish jokes, monologues and sketches), and jointly composed political sketches with poets Julian Tuwim and Antoni Słonimski.
His unhappy love affair with the Warsaw diseuse Maria Modzelewska inspired many of his songs including Chciałabym, a boję się (Happy Days Are Here Again, aka I'd Love To Do It, but I'm Afraid)
Soon after the outbreak of World War II
Hemar fled Warsaw after being searched for by the Gestapo and reached Romania, and eventually the Middle East, where he signed up and served in the Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade
. During the war he continued his literary activity, organizing concerts, speeches and field theater plays for Polish troops. He also organized one of the few theaters operating in besieged Tobruk
.
After the war, Hemar was unable to return to communist Poland due to the persecution by the Polish authorities of all persons who were politically active. In 1939, he left for Palestine but settled in England in 1941, becoming one of the best-known figures in the Polish diaspora
. He continued to be popular in Poland with his weekly program broadcast by the Polish section of the Radio Free Europe
.
Hemar died on February 11, 1972, in Dorking
, Surrey (near London), and was buried at the local cemetery, although there are plans to move his remains to Poland.
Hemar (a pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
formed from the first two letters of his last name and the first three letters of his middle name) was born on April 6, 1901, in Lwów. He studied medicine and philosophy at the local university and took part in the fights for the city
Battle of Lwów (1918)
Battle of Lviv begun on 1 November 1918 and lasted till May 1919 and was a six months long conflict between the forces of the West Ukrainian People's Republic and local Polish civilian population assisted later by regular Polish Army forces for the control...
in 1918 and 1919 as a volunteer on the Polish side. At the invitation of Jerzy Boczkowski, director of the legendary Qui Pro Quo Theatre, he left for Warsaw in 1924; by 1925 when he moved to Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, he was already a well-known author, working at the Qui Pro Quo cabaret with Julian Tuwim
Julian Tuwim
Julian Tuwim , sometimes used pseudonym "Oldlen" when writing song lyrics. He was a Polish poet, born in Łódź, Congress Poland, Russian Empire, of Jewish parents, and educated in Łódź and Warsaw where he studied law and philosophy at Warsaw University...
. He was a key figure in the Banda, Morskie Oko, and Cyrulik Warszawski ("Barber of Warsaw") cabarets and author of hundreds of Polish Radio sketches. He also wrote shmontses (szmonces) (Jewish jokes, monologues and sketches), and jointly composed political sketches with poets Julian Tuwim and Antoni Słonimski.
His unhappy love affair with the Warsaw diseuse Maria Modzelewska inspired many of his songs including Chciałabym, a boję się (Happy Days Are Here Again, aka I'd Love To Do It, but I'm Afraid)
Soon after the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Hemar fled Warsaw after being searched for by the Gestapo and reached Romania, and eventually the Middle East, where he signed up and served in the Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade
Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade
Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade was a Polish military unit formed in 1940 in French Syria composed of the Polish soldiers exiled after the Invasion of Poland in 1939 as part of the Polish Army in France...
. During the war he continued his literary activity, organizing concerts, speeches and field theater plays for Polish troops. He also organized one of the few theaters operating in besieged Tobruk
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
.
He was called "The bard of Lvov, the troubadour of the London emigration". For 16 years (1953-1969) he prepared and presented weekly cabaret programmes for Radio Free Europe, in which - in prose and verse - he commented upon all the important news from post-war Poland.
After the war, Hemar was unable to return to communist Poland due to the persecution by the Polish authorities of all persons who were politically active. In 1939, he left for Palestine but settled in England in 1941, becoming one of the best-known figures in the Polish diaspora
Polonia
The Polish diaspora refers to people of Polish origin who live outside Poland. The Polish diaspora is also known in modern Polish language as Polonia, which is the name for Poland in Latin and in many other Romance languages....
. He continued to be popular in Poland with his weekly program broadcast by the Polish section of the Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a broadcaster funded by the U.S. Congress that provides news, information, and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East "where the free flow of information is either banned by government authorities or not fully developed"...
.
Hemar died on February 11, 1972, in Dorking
Dorking
Dorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...
, Surrey (near London), and was buried at the local cemetery, although there are plans to move his remains to Poland.