Młynarski, who died on March 15, 2017, at the age of 75, was an iconic figure in Polish culture.
A highly versatile personality, he was also an actor, librettist and author of ingenious translations of the lyrics from musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret and Chicago and the songs of Jacques Brel, Charles Aznavour, Gilbert Becaud and Frank Sinatra.
According to the National Library, the Młynarski archive contains a wide range of highly valuable materials, including autograph manuscripts and typescripts of his poems, limericks and song lyrics, scripts of announcements to his song recitals, posters, press cuttings, letters, as well as 25 calendars from the years 1981 to 2015 with his daily remarks.
There is also a collection of Młynarski’s school copybooks, his youthful compositional attempts, photographs, materials documenting the history of Polish popular music from the pre-World War II period, and uncensored books and periodicals published clandestinely under communism.
Młynarski graduated in Polish studies from the University of Warsaw before launching his career in the student stand-up comedy movement in the 1960s.
He soon skyrocketed to stardom, with top awards at the National Song Festivals in the southern city of Opole.
His texts, ranging from satirical, biting comments on Poland’s political and social realities to highly emotional, lyrical verse, were hailed as poetry of the highest calibre.
(mk/gs)