Codzienność i niezwykłość Krakowa lat 1978–1983 w dziennikach Henryka Majcherka

The daily life and peculiarities of Krakow during the years 1978–1983 in the journals of Henryk MajcherekThe journals written by Henryk Majcherek, the doyen of Krakow’s acting world, are a source for research into the history of Poland and, in particular, the so-called Polska Ludowa (People’s Poland). They were written from the 1960s until the beginning of the 21st century and contain innumerable carefully-noted details. Here, just a small fragment of the memoirs are presented. They require explanation. Written down by the author, they are a picture of Krakow, of a neglected historical town, a picture of the knowledge at that time and a depiction of the scale of the problems. Without support in the form of descriptions and references, the reader may not fully understand the details or the depth of the differences dividing the Poland of that time – a country of the Warsaw Pact – from the “free” world, in which purchasing butter, cheese or nails was not a problem. At the same time, the reader becomes a witness to the golden times of Polish theatre and cabaret, as well as the work and daily reality of great directors and actors.