Aleksander (Alexander) Kulisiewicz (1918-1982) was born in Kraków, Poland in 1918. He was a law student in German-occupied Poland when, in October 1939, he was denounced for antifascist writings, arrested by the Gestapo, and sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, near Berlin. An amateur singer and songwriter, Kulisiewicz composed 54 songs during more than five years of imprisonment at Sachsenhausen. After Russian troops liberated the camp on May 2, 1945, he remembered his songs, as well as those learned from fellow prisoners, dictating hundreds of pages of text to his attending nurse at a Polish infirmary. The majority of Kulisiewicz’s songs are darkly humorous ballads concerning the sadistic treatment of prisoners. Performed at secret gatherings, imbued with biting wit and subversive attitude, these songs helped inmates cope with their hunger and despair, raised morale, and offered hope of survival. Beyond this spiritual and psychological purport, Kulisiewicz also considered the camp song to be a form of documentation. “In the camp,” he wrote, “I tried under all circumstances to create verses that would serve as direct poetical reportage. I used my memory as a living archive. Friends came to me and dictated their songs.” In the 1950s, Kulisiewicz began amassing a private collection of music, poetry, and artwork created by camp prisoners, gathering this material through correspondence and hundreds of hours of recorded interviews. In the 1960s, he inaugurated a series of public recitals of his repertoire of camp songs, and issued several recordings. Kulisiewicz’s major project, a monumental study of the cultural life of the camps and the vital role music played as a means of survival for many prisoners, remained unpublished at the time of his death. He toured both Europe and the United States performing concerts of his works and the works of other Holocaust survivors until about 1980. He died in Kraków, Poland, on March 12, 1982. His archive is the largest extant collection of music composed in the camps.
Two of these cassette tapes were not able to be played (or digitized) after baking in November 2019 - TK 38 and TK 68. TK 38 contained Side A: Consultation in Czech re the making of a film about life in the camps between A. Kulisiewicz, Brabec, Pletka, Sztimglova recorded on 28 March 1977 in Prague. Side B is a continuation of the above followed by a continuation of Krzyszfof Kulisiewicz's dictation of the review of the book,"Ecce Homo" by Professor Hahiro Sakanishi about camp life, which came out in English. (Beginning of this dictation has not yet been located on another tape/s.) TK 68 contained Sides A & B: 1964 documentary recording of Prof. Bruckner recounting his experiences in various camps, particularly in Stutthof rerecorded by A. Kulisiewicz 18 Jun 1981 in Krakow. Side B: 1964 recording from Audycja Polskiego Radia called"Kalejdoskop Kulturaln" featuring a segment on A.K.'s camp songs, followed by a list of recordings/performances done by A.K. between 1963 - 1965 as dictated by A. K. in 1967. Missing: TK 4 - Documentary tape recordings of reports given by survivors. Person/s conducting interviews unknown. Side A: Jurr...; Lason "Serenada Haft").Contains dialogue and songs in German followed by report of Stanislaw Lason from Trzebinia, Poland, who was a prisoner at Auschwitz I and Buchenwald. His interview was conducted on 15 Sept 1976 in Krakow, Poland and includes a performance of a Polish camp song. Side B: Korinek; Cervinka; Dedina. Contains reports given in Czech by Joseph Korinek on 1 Apr 1977 in Prague, Bogumir Cervinka, and Dedina. Dialogue interspersed with Czech, Polish and German songs. TK 80 - Sides A & B: A.K. dictating written memoirs about his work, concerts, and public response to his work after WWII. A.K. recounts some interesting information concerning his concerts. Side B also includes a recording of various Polish folk songs from the Podhale region (Nowy targ).
52 cassette tapes including recordings compiled by Aleksander Kulisiewicz consisting of songs, poetry, interviews, lectures, radio broadcasts, and other music programs. Cassette 4, TK 5 Side A includes a duplicate recording of a lecture-demonstration given by Aleksander Kulisiewicz (A.K.) at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, 12 Feb 1974 as re-recorded on 14 May 1974 in Paris. Various Polish camp songs performed by A.K. with guitar accompaniment are followed by a discussion of these songs both in Polish and in French. Side B consists of a concert of Polish camp songs performed in -Tarnowskie-Gory on 25 May 1974 by A.K. Some titled pieces include:"Spalona Matka""Sorrow, fire awaits me""Once was a girl named Elzunia (Protest song)" We are like living rocks" These songs, among others, are performed a capella, with guitar accompaniment, or with accordion accompaniment. Cassette 5, TK 6 Side A: A continuation of a monologue by A.K. titled"Jak umieral moj glo" (How my voice was dying), Section 54, recorded in West Germany. (Beginning of monologue and date of recording unknown). Monologue concerns Kulisiewicz's workshop on Jewish Todessang and camp songs given at a festival in Mainz, West Germany and the audience's reaction to the pieces he performed. Several song fragments are sung by Kulisiewicz throughout his monologue. Remaining material on Side A includes primarily Polish popular songs (cabaret, tango, lullabye) from Kulisiewicz's pre-WWII repertoire during the late 1930s performed by A.K. in a Paris hotel room (date unknown). Songs are interspersed with reminiscences, the recording intended for someone in Mainz. Side B appears to be a continuation of A.K.'s monologue re the festival in Mainz and other reminiscences recorded in Anette Degenhardt room in Gunzenheim?, West Germany. Cassette 6, TK 7 Side A includes documentary recording #716 (serial system uncertain) titled"Work of a young poetess, 'Zdziczaly Zajac" recorded in Krakow on 12 Feb 1976. Subject matter discussed during interview of poem's author, conducted by A.K., is unrelated to the Holocaust. Remainder of Side A is a copied fragment of the Paris (Leupold) recording found on file unit VI. JUM..., Side A. Side B contains a report by survivor Wieslawa Kielar recorded in Krakow on 9 Feb 1976 by A.K.. The dialogue concerns the camp song,"Birkenau" Remainder of Side B is another copied fragment of the Paris (Leupold) recording found on file unit VI. JUM..., Side A. Cassette 7, TK 8 Recordings of lecture demonstrations given by A.K. at the Unterhaus Theater in Mainz, Germany during a week long series called"Songs from Hel" presented by A.K. in April 1974. Side A contains Concert I at Unterhaus. Side B contains Concert II at Unterhaus. Recordings of both camp songs and Polish cabaret and folk songs performed by A.K. both with guitar accompaniment and a cappella. Cassette 8, TK 11 Side A: Mainz 75, Second Day... Includes a recording of the Finksten? Festival held in Mainz, Germany on 16 May 1975. Side B: Mainz 75; Alex...; Provocation; Public Enslavement. Includes a lecture demonstration given by A.K. concerning camp songs. Cassette 9, TK 12 Side A: The performer Suverkrup and others... Concert of German songs recorded in Mainz, Germany in 1975. Side B: Mainz 75; Workshop (II). Interview of A.K. Most of Side B is blank. Cassette 10, TK 13 Side A: Burg Waldeck;"My performance" Chile... Recording of various songs in German and Spanish performed in Mainz. Side B: Mainz 75; Workshop... Includes a lecture demonstration of camp songs by A.K. in German. Songs sung in Polish with guitar accompaniment. Cassette 11, TK 14 Side A: JUM 54 (I) -- Documentary recording of A.K., Section 54 (beginning of the sequence"Jak umieral moj glo" [How my voice was dying]) titled"And once again a festival in Main" recorded May 1975 in the room of Anette Degenhardt in Moguntsy/Gozumheim, Germany. (The continuation of this section is found on file unit cass VI JUM.) Side B: Mainz 75; Burg Waldeck; Susi... Contains a continuation of A.K.’s monologue regarding the 1975 festival in Mainz including fragments of German and Polish songs, and a recording of A.K.'s workshop re camp songs given during the festival. Discussion and performance of the camp song,"Weeping Tower" included. Cassette 12, TK 15 Side A: Report of A. Choroby - TND; JUM 55 SNZ. Includes an account given by Anton Choroba re Felix Niewiegiol's internment by the German's 1921-1945 recorded in Gliwicach on 16 July 1974. Remainder of Side A is a monologue titled,"Severin nareszcie zdicha" (Severin was finally dying), by A.K. recounting the last years of Tadeusz Severin's life. Recorded in - Lodzyslaw, Poland on 25 Jan 1975, the monologue has no relation to the Holocaust. Side B: Lublin (III)-NR; Polak...; Kiciu. Contains a series of talks and poetry readings, given in Polish, by various people in Lublin, Poland (date unknown) re cultural life in different Nazi camps, followed by a lecture demonstration given by A.K. re camp songs (date unknown). Camp songs sung a cappella and discussed are,"Birkenau""Victoria""Zywe kamieni" (Livings stones). Discussion of songs includes info re text and melodic attribution, in which camps they were sung, languages, and years in which the songs were sung. Cassette 13, TK 16 Side A:"Marsz Pasiakow" Chycki; Poeza... Includes recording of"Marsz Pasiako" (March of the men in striped uniforms) performed by A.K. and documentary recording #557 from 5 Feb 1975 titled ''Account of the poet prisoner Waclaw Chycki re poems from Sachsenhausen" The two poems read and discussed are Chycki's"Gdy wroc" (If I return) and"Wielki Dzie" (Great Day). End of Side A contains some camp songs and song fragments performed a cappella by A.K. Side B: Szostak; Tacina (Imparted secret). Documentary recording #558 titled,"Account of Kazimierz Szostak, prisoner of Buchenwald and Gross Rosen" Interview is a discussion of the cultural life at Buchenwald and Gross Rosen, focusing primarily on music, as remembered by Szostak. German and Polish camp songs discussed in this interview and demonstrated a capella by Szostak include"Aberdahn""Abervon""Im Tieringen Land" and"Marsz Grauer Erde" Cassette 14, TK 17 Side A: Janiuk 1974, Wspomnienia (Recollection). Side B: Zuk-Skarszewski, Falkensee, Zyciorys (memoir). Side A includes a dialogue between Edward Janiuk and A. Kulisiewicz re cultural life at Sachsenhausen recorded on 14 Dec 1974 in Lublin, Poland. Dialogue re poems and songs interspersed with Kulisiewicz and Janiuk singing camp song fragments a cappella "There is only on" and"Germani"). The end of Side A and all of Side B contains documentary recording #488 recorded in Chrzanow on 12 Jan 1975. This is an account primarily concerned with musical life at the camps given by Ludwik Zuk-Skarszewski. Zuk-Skarszewski and A.K. sing and discuss certain song fragments --some of which were composed by Zuk-Skarszewski-- a cappella including,"Cantilena""Marsz Heil Europa""Marsz plyn polska floto""Biala bajka""Pozegnanie" and"Marsz Zbyszka Koczanowicza" Cassette 15, TK 18 Side A: Father Szymkiewicz (II) & Tacina. Side B: Father Szymkiewicz (I), origins of the"Szopka Goralsk" (Dachau theatrical production) and poetry from Dachau. Side A is a continuation of a discussion between A.K. and Father Szymkiewicz regarding the Dachau theatrical production written by Father Szymkiewicz in 1944 while he was interned at Dachau along with a recitation of fragments of 'Szopka Goralska" Side A also includes documentary recording #558 recorded in Krakow titled,"Discussion with Jan Tacina, co-author of a collection of Polish camp songs" Side B contains the beginning discussion of"Szopka Goralska" documentary recording #557, titled"Account by Father Aleksander Szymkiewicz, author of"Szopka Goralska" includes Szymkiewicz reciting verses, and discusses at great length the particulars surrounding the production's genesis. Segments of this tape recorded on 12 and 15 Mar 1975. Cassette 16, TK 19 Side A: fragmental recording of the record"Szopka Dacha" which includes poetry and songs. End of the tape is a recording of A.K. in discussion with Father Szymkiewicz, librettist, concerning the comparison between the original and the recorded version of"Szopka" Side B, recorded on 7 May 1975, includes seafaring songs performed by Wlodimierz Glowacki with accordion accompaniment that were sung by marines in camps(?) (Texts and melodies arranged by Glowacki.) A.K. provides a list of song titles at the end of Glowacki's performance and the name of a recording of various songs on the record label Muza. Cassette 17, TK 20 Side A: Father Wozny,"Szopka Goralsk" at Dachau. Includes documentary recording #611 titled,"Account of Father Wozn" recorded in Krakow 17 Jun 1975. Father Wozny discusses"Szopka Goralsk" and limited information regarding cultural life at Dachau. This account is followed by A.K. performing various Polish camp songs and folk songs with guitar accompaniment including,"Choral""Crematorium""Oh my Buchenwald" and"They drove a boy to a camp" (Recording date unknown) Side B contains a recording of a symposium held in Lublin, Poland regarding cultural life in the Nazi camps. Different speakers address various aspects of cultural life in several camps. A.K., as one of the speakers, discusses camp songs and their significance, supplementing his talk with fragments of different songs performed a cappella. Cassette 18, TK 21 Side A: Hertig, Account of verses for her. Includes documentary recording #577 recorded 11 Sep 1974 in Oswiecim, Poland titled,"Account of Halina Hertig" During this recording Hertig recites poems written for her by a male prisoner titled,"Kwiat auschwic" (Auschwitz's flower),"Cierpieni" (Suffering). Side A also includes Polish camp songs performed by an anonymous woman, lullabies sung by A.K. and his wife to son Krzsztof, and various camp songs performed by A.K. (recording place and date unknown). Side B includes a dictation of various poems and verses written by different prisoners and recorded in 1974 by A.K., a recording of Jewish camp? songs sung in Yiddish taken from a record, and more writings by prisoners dictated by A.K. Cassette 19, TK 22 Side A includes a recording of a record disc which recounts in Yiddish a deportation of Polish Jews? to Auschwitz in a narrative form, including Yiddish and Polish songs. Following is a recording of French songs about the Holocaust and an avant-garde piece in Czech or Russian. Side B is a continuation of the avant-garde piece, a recording of"Zywe Kamieni" (Living Rocks) sung by an unidentified chorus of men, and documentary recording #601 titled,"Account of Zofia Cwierkowa, Widow of the Poet, Constanty? Cwierk" recorded 18 Mar 1975, and which discusses Cwierk's poetry "Zosienko moja""Janeczka""Spotkanie z zon"). Cassette 20, TK 23 Side A: Includes more dictations of prisoners' writings and poetry by A.K. made at the Auschwitz museum in Poland on 9 Sep 1974, followed by a recording of several speakers at the Lublin symposium on cultural life in the concentration camps who discuss the significant psychological role music and poetry played in resistance. The end of Side A contains more dictations from the Auschwitz museum by A.K. Side B: Includes a recording of a concert held in Radzonkow, Poland on 26 May 1974. A.K. is performing camp songs with accordion or guitar accompaniment including,"W Auschwitzlager gdzie mieszkale" (Camp Auschwitz where I lived),"Marsz Pasiako" (March of the men in stripes), the Italian song,"Pace ci, guerda n" (Peace yes, War no), and"Wierzy Placzonc" (Weeping towers). Some limited discussion of camp songs also provided by A.K. Also on Side B is an account by Stanislawa Gaskowa­ Lempart recorded 28 May 1974 re camp songs she remembers:"Takie miesce jest na swieci" (Such a place is on this earth),"Niewolnicze tang" (Slave tango),"Montelupich fajno jes" (Montelupich is grand),"Mamo nie jestesz ty zemn" (Mama you are not with me), and a few German songs. Cassette 21, TK 24 Sides A and B include a performance by A.K. for"Hochschul" students from Bonn, West Germany in Krakow, Poland recorded 19 Oct 1975. His concert of German and Polish camp songs is followed by a discussion/interview during which A.K. comments on his songs. Among the Polish songs are,"Byla sobie raz Elzunia""Za lagrem szumi gaj""Chlebem w kolo sie przelamiem""Wierzby Placzonce" This is followed by a very poor quality recording of someone singing a camp? song. Cassette 22, TK 27 Side A: Doc. recording #744 titled,"Account of Mieczyslaw Jamka, former prisoner of Auschwitz II" recorded 13 Apr 1976 in Krakow, Poland. Discussion of origins of Auschwitz camp songs and Jamka singing a cappella"Birkenau""Cyganko" and"Czekam cie" Side A also contains Doc. recording #816 titled,"Account of Zofia Stempien-Bator, former prisoner of Auschwitz II" recorded 22 Apr 1976 in Krakow, Poland. Discussion of origins of Auschwitz camp songs and life in diff. camps. This recording is preceded by a recording of Bator singing"Birkena" in 1972. Side B is a continuation of Bator's account including Bator singing"Pocia" (aka Ukochana w trnzporcie), and a recording of"Birkena" sung by Zofia Posmysz on 20 Apr 1976 in Krakow, Poland. Cassette 23, TK 29 This tape contains a remarkable survivor testimony by Anna Piechowska who survived Bergen Belsen and Auschwitz, recorded 1976. A.K. sent her a tape to record a song for which she composed the melody and text while at Bergen Belsen called"Zeby tego Hitlera" The only other song recorded on the tape at the end of Side B is"Matczyne rec" which Piechowska used to sing in Auschwitz. Piechowska also mentions the names of various marches and romantic songs which she sang with other women at the camps. Cassette 24, TK 30 Sides A & B: Documentary recording #477 titled,"Account by Mr. Suzuki and his assistant" recorded 4 Oct 1976. Includes a discussion of the nature of certain Polish folk songs led by A.K., followed by a discussion of misc. topics. Side B includes Suzuki translating an article about A.K. and camp songs into very broken English with K. Kulisiewicz translating into Polish. Cassette 25, TK 31 Side A: A brief discussion between Sakanishi and A.K. which begins on this tape in progress and which, as a result, is difficult to learn the context of was recorded 4 Oct 1976. Also on Side A are documentary recordings #911 and #951 which are not Holocaust related. #911 recorded on 9 Oct 1976 contains contemporary protest songs sung by Adam Macedonski with guitar accompaniment. #951, also recorded in 1976, includes protest songs sung by Wojciech Wojnarobski with guitar accompaniment, followed by a 1976 recording of the Greek singer, Mocios Jorgos, singing a couple of songs in Greek. Titles of all songs on Side A are provided in the hard copy index. Side B includes a recording of the soundtrack from the movie"Rich Povert" starring Shirley Temple followed by documentary recording #557 which is an account by Czeslaw Radokowski, who survived Gusen and Auschwitz I, recorded in Krakow on 27 Jan 1977. Radokowski sings camp and other songs including"Janeczka""Sonj" and"Niewolnicze tango" providing a brief discussion of each of these songs as well. Cassette 26, TK 32 Side A: Recorded from Stockholm TV? A. Kulisiewicz discusses and performs with guitar accompaniment"Jewish Todessan" which he remembers hearing at Sachsenhausen in 1942 before a whole barrack of Jews was sent to the gas chambers. This song followed by several Polish camp songs of a satirical, resistance nature including,"Tango truponosow""Germania""Czarny Bohm""W Auschwitzlager" The Polish camp song"Choral" like the humorous songs, are performed by A.K. with guitar accompaniment. The song,"Hym" and two songs performed by a Jewish woman with guitar accompaniment, recorded from TV? "Ich wandre dursc" and a Yiddish? lullaby) are also found on Side A. Side B: Includes documentary recording #511, a copy of Wolf Biermann's Koln, Germany concert from November, 1976, followed by a 1 Jan 1977 recording Kulisiewicz has titled"Bogus", and a recording of praise given to A.K. on 26 Jan 1977 at"Wiecior Oswiecimakow i Towarzystwa Lekarskiego" Cassette 27, TK 37 Side A: Documentary recording #557 titled,"Consultation with film director, Wieslaw Stradomski re film plans of A. Kulisiewicz" recorded on 30 Jan 1976. A.K. mentions various autobiographical information and sings camp song fragments a cappella. Songs include,"Hymn""Kolysanka dla Birkenau""Dziesiec tysiecy" and a camp love song about Roman Friedleine falling in love with a gypsy. Side B: Includes documentary recording #748 titled,"Account of former Gusen and Dachau prisoner Heinrich Wrzeszczynski" recorded in Przemysl? 1 Jul 1977. Wrzeszczynski mentions various musicians from Dachau and speaks generally about cultural life in the camps. This account is followed by various camp songs and camp song fragments including,"Todessang""O moj Buchenwaldzie""Repeta""Zywe kamienie" and"Krzyk ostateczn" recorded on 31 Jan 1976 in Krakow. Cassette 28, TK 39 Side A: Talk regarding camp life and performance of various camp songs by A.K. recorded in Prague, 1977. Camp songs discussed and performed include:"International hymn of prisoner" (guitar accompaniment),"Zywe kamienie""Yiddischer Todessang""Germania""Ukrzyzowany 1944""Szarla­ tiuga" and"Dicke Luft (fragment)" Side B is a continuation of the discussion on Side A. Cassette 29, TK 40 Side A: Continuation of Chomiakow's letter begun on end of Side B, followed by an account in progress by Leszczynska who discusses how a mother sang her infant a lullaby just before she was taken to the crematorium. End of Side A is a recording of Bureg's wife singing a lullaby. Side B begins with an informal recording made at the KLS? Club in Prague during 1977. In this recording, A.K. discusses and demonstrates certain camp songs to an audience of Czechs. This is followed by a recording of Victor Jarra performing Spanish songs (most likely unrelated to the Holocaust). The beginning of Chomaikow's letter begins at the end of Side B. The significance of this last recording is difficult to learn as Kulisiewicz offers no explanation of it. Cassette 30, TK 41 Side A: Recording of the 1975"Hits or Anti­-hits Festiva" in Mainz with A.K. commenting in Polish and singing in German. Following is a recording of A.K.’s daughter? and grandson?. Lastly, A.K. sings Polish folk and popular songs of which the date and place of recording are unknown. Side B continues with Kulisiewicz's Polish songs, followed by Kulisiewicz at Unterhaus in Germany speaking in German about camp songs. Finally, Side B includes the recorded introductions each in their own respective language from several countries where A.K. gave lecture demonstrations including: Sorbonne, France, Feb 1974; Torin, Italy, 1965; Moscow, USSR, 1971; and Berlin, Germany, 1975. Cassette 31, TK 46 Side A: Account by the composer, Prof. Edward Bury, former prisoner of Stutthof, re- Wlodzymierz Wnuka and criticisms of A.K.'s work, recorded 23 March 1978. Side B: A.K.’s rehearsal of various camp songs a cappella, with guitar or accordion accompaniment including,"Janeczko""List do mamy""Tesknota za wolnoscia""Niewolnicze tango""Marsz pasiakow""Ach zyj" Side B also includes documentary recording #723 titled,"Account of Zdzislaw Rudowski" re evening songs and cultural life at Falkensee, recorded in Krakow on 2 Oct 1978. Cassette 32, TK 47 Side A: Documentary recording #879 re A.K.'s and Sakanishi's co-authored book about the Holocaust, recorded in Oswiecim on 29 Dec 1978. First segment on tape records the photographs at the Oswiecim Museum Archives to be used in the to-be-published book. Next segment on Side A is a monologue by A.K. re various clergymen and women who were murdered during the Holocaust. Side B is a continuation of the monologue about the clergy, followed by a 17 Jan 1979 recording made in Krakow of Krzyztof Kulisiewicz recounting Prof. Sakanishi's visit to Poland from Saporo, Japan. Cassette 33, TK 47 Side A: Continuation of A.K.'s recollections of Sakanishi's visit, as recorded on tape XLVII.a, followed by a recording of A.K. in dialogue with Prof. Sakanishi. Side B is a continuation of that dialogue followed by a recording of a discussion between A.K. and TV representatives concerning a to-be TV broadcast of an interview with A.K. Cassette 34, TK 49 Sides A & B: Documentary Recording #875 of a performance by A.K. at the Krakus Cultural House recorded in Krakow, 11 Jan 1979 during Sakanishi's visit to Poland. A.K. sings Polish Christmas carols with altered camp texts, including"Wsrod nocnej""Lulajze""Tu, w Stutthofie""Hej, Koleda" and"Chlebem" Also included on the tape are,"List do matki""W Auschwitzlager""Pozegnanie Adolfa""Marsz pasiakow""Moje rece""Pasiaki""Hymn Ravensbruck" along with limited information about some of these songs. Cassette 35, TK 52 Sides A & B: Lecture demonstration (Concert) by A.K. recorded at the Jewish Community Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 27 Oct 1979. Includes excellent summaries and translations of various camp songs in English. A.K. sings both a cappella and with guitar accompaniment various camps songs including,"Kolysanka dla synka""Jiddischer Todessang""Spalona Matka""Ich wandre durch Theresienstadt""Szymon Ohm""Der Todestango" Die lebenden Steine""Hymn""Stoi nocka" and"Heil, Sachsenhausen" Also included is a commentary by the man who recorded the concert (name unknown) re his impressions of A.K. and a song written by this man about A.K. Side B also includes documentary recording #887 of A.K. in conversation with Prof. Sakanishi re their book about life in the camps, recorded 14 Jan 1979 in Krakow during Sakanishi's visit there. Cassette 36, TK 53 Side A: Recording of Shoschana Kalisch singing Yiddish camp and ghetto songs for A.K. recorded 6 Nov 1979. Songs include,"Lullaby for the orphan""Kryjowka""Is mein mit mir in der Nacht""Orphan's song""Tragic lullaby""Ghetto song""Still, still" Side B is blank. Cassette 37, TK 54 Side A: Includes a talk given on Rosebery d'Arguto by Kate Jurr in German, followed by part three of K. Kulisiewicz' s dictation of"Ecce Hom" "essay on camp ar") recorded in Krakow in 1980. Side B includes a recording of A.K.'s first meeting with Janet Blatter, director of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Center, in 1980. During this meeting they discuss the human creative, psychological response to the condition of the camps. One can also get a sense of A.K.'s spirit in this recording perhaps more than anywhere else. A.K. discusses how prisoners sang songs directly after they were beaten to remind themselves that they were still human beings and not animals. Cassette 38, TK 56 Side A: Translation of the main themes discussed in Sakanishi's book,"Ecce homo" into Polish, recorded in Krakow on 8 Aug 1979. Following is documentary recording #843 recorded in Krakow on 18 Aug 1979/6? This recording is of A.K. in consultation with Dr. Inge Lammel and his assistant Ulbricht Magister concerning Dr. Lammel's book,"International Concentration Camp Song" in German. Side B: Recording of Professor Nakano of Japan in German conversation with A. Kulisiewicz, followed by a translation of reviews on"Ecce Hom" into Polish by K. Kulisiewicz, recorded in Krakow on 20 March 1980. Cassette 39, TK 58 Sides A & B: Recording of A.K.'s lecture demonstration at Peter Wortsman's house in New York, April 1979. This tape provides good performances of camp songs and informational summaries of each song's genesis and related history. Songs performed both a cappella and with guitar accompaniment include,"Jiddscher Todessang""Kolysanka dla synka""Spalona matka""International hymn of· prisoners""Graue Kolonnen""Wierzby placzace""W murowanej piwnicy""Jewish song" Cassette 40, TK 59 A.K. on the"Simply Fol" radio program on Wisconsin Public Radio broadcast November 1979. This broadcast recording provides an excellent portrayal of Kulisiewicz's spirit, including some factual information about his life. It also provides the genesis of certain camp songs and some song translations as well as the· songs themselves performed by Kulisiewicz. Those songs include,"Hymn""Kolysanka dla synka""Byla sobie raz Elzunia""Ich wandre""Jiddischer Todessang""Byla u mnie moja Polska" This recording also provides information concerning A.K.'s guitar. Side B includes A.K. in German conversation with Prof. Nakano (re ?) , recorded in Krakow 6 Mar 1980 (documentary recording #911). Cassette 41, TK 61 Side A: Documentary recording #857 recorded in Krakow 16 April 1980 titled,"Consultation with Andrzej Radom from TV-Warsaw re a film about camp songs -"Spiewa wiezien" Side B: blank tape. Cassette 42, TK 65 Sidea A & B: Poetry from Gusen recited by A. Kulisiewicz, recorded 5 Dec 1976. These are mostly excerpts taken from Karwacki's book"Bronic swiat przed Naz" (Defending the world against Nazi). Documentary recording #889 titled,"Account by Stanislaw Dobosiewicz -- former prisoner of Gusen and Dachau.” Cassette 43, TK 66 Sides A & B: Sequel to tape LXV. Dictation by Dobosiewicz of poetry from Gusen recorded in 1976 by A.K. and interspersed discussion of cultural life in the camp. Cassette 44, TK 67 Sides A & B: Information concerning daily and cultural life in camps as found in primary sources (prisoners' writings) at the Auschwitz museum dictated by A.K. on 14 July 1975. Cassette 46, TK 70 Sides A & B: Documentary recording #117 recorded on 23 Jun 1981 in Krakow titled,"Consultation with Mr. and Mrs. Jurek re documentation of camp songs.” In his discussion, A.K. mentions some very interesting information concerning his childhood as well as some discussion on how his memory is so sharp. He also tells the history behind Liebeskind's song"Kolysanka dla syn" and performs it with guitar accompaniment. Cassette 47, TK 71 Side A: 1979 documentary recording of post war performance at Klub Majdanek. Includes poetry, performance of camp songs "Zywe Kamienie""Hymn Majdanka""Hymn""Marsz Pasiako") by A.K. with guitar accompaniment and other guest performances. Side B: A.K. sings various camp songs and songs from his younger years before the war with guitar or accordion accompaniment. There is some dialogue between A.K. and a woman but it is barely audible. Cassette 48, TK 72 Side A: A.K. speaking in German at Radio BRD, 1974. Documentary recording #812 - A.K. in conversation with Mr. Bussem 19 Apr 1981 in Krakow concerning preparations for the making of a Swiss film. (This discussion also includes fragmental performances of camp songs by A.K.) Side B: Recording of a meeting at the Kuznica Club in Poland on 25 Apr 1980 to discuss music and poetry of the camps. Former prisoners recite poetry and perform certain music of the camp (e.g. Arbeitslager Marsz) in Polish. Cassette 49, TK 77 Side A: Documentary recording #911 titled,"Consultation with Prof. Tamura from the Tokyo College of Musi" recorded in Krakow 29 Sept 1981. Conversation concerns Tamura's plans to write about A.K. and Polish camp songs in Japan. Side A also includes documentary recording #912 recorded in Krakow on 26 Nov 1981 which is a conversation in German with Stefan Rogner from Frankfurt, followed by Polish folk songs from Podhale. Side B seems to be a recording of a Polish documentary film called"Swiadkowie" (Witnesses) about A.K. and his camp songs broadcast on 29 Apr 1980? followed by an account written by Czarnecki? concerning life and music at Buchenwald and dictated by A.K. Cassette 50, TK 79 Sides A & B: A.K. in Concert in Nuremberg, West Germany performing the following camp songs:"Living Stones""Jewish Death Song""Egzekucia""Hymn""Im walde""Wierzby Palace""W morowanej piwnicy"
Aleksander Kulisiewicz sound recordings - Cassette Tapes [TK]