By Marcin Mierzejewski
30 November 2005

Polskie Radio has broadcast regular programs for 79 years. Over that time, more than a provider of reliable and up-to-date information, it has also been a proponent of culture—the culture of the spoken word and sound.

“Halo, halo, Polskie Radio Warszawa, fale [waves] 480”—with those words, Polish Radio launched its regular broadcasts. The first program was aired on Sunday, April 18, 1926, at 5 p.m. from a studio on the second floor of an old building of Towarzystwo Kredytowe Ziemskie at the corner of Kredytowa and Mazowiecka streets in Warsaw. Participants of the Polish Radio inauguration included Dr. Aleksander Skrzyński, then prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Prof. Stanisław Grabski, minister for religious denominations and public enlightenment, and the cream of Warsaw society. Not many guests knew that the studio on Kredytowa Street had a broadcasting station on Narbutta Street in Mokotów, lent to the broadcaster by the Polish Radio Engineering Society (PTR).

The premiere broadcast was announced by the first Polish Radio presenter, Janina Sztompkówna. The company’s founder and first director Zygmunt Chamiec delivered an inaugural speech in Polish and French. The artistic program featured a talk about Frederic Chopin, a performance by singer Adela Comte-Wilgocka and an excerpt from Stefan Żeromski’s Popioły (Ashes) read by Stefan Jaracz, an outstanding actor of the interwar period. From then on, each and every happy owner of a radio—a rare device at that time—was able to listen to Polish Radio programs from 5 p.m.-11 p.m. daily.

Why, then, the round 80th anniversary? Poland’s first radio broadcast was aired in Warsaw in February 1925 from the PTR transmitting station at a frequency of 385 meters. It was a test program and at the same time a technical experiment preceding the establishment in August 1925 of the limited-liability company Polskie Radio Sp. z o.o. Its founders were Chamiec and Tadeusz Sułowski. The company held a nationwide monopolistic broadcasting license.

■ The youngest child in the family
The 1990s marked a difficult transition in the history of the Polish Radio, which faced commercial competition for the first time. In December 1999, the Warsaw and Mazovia region alone had more than 20 private radio stations. Public radio, created from former structures into Polskie Radio SA, aired four domestic programs. Radio Polonia also broadcast abroad in foreign languages.

Polskie Radio BIS, referred to as the “youngest child” in the Polish Radio family, enjoys a special place among programs to this day. Radio BIS has since 1994 fulfilled the role of an educational broadcaster, mainly addressing young people, but also listeners of various ages who are hungry for knowledge. Full of competitions and quiz shows, the BIS formula is able to teach and stimulate its listeners. BIS programs include a “literary marathon” with Pan Tadeusz, a radio production of an opera based on Juliusz Słowacki’s play Balladyna, Science Picnics and various open-air events organized for listeners in the summer.

■ Priceless archives
Alongside news, Polskie Radio SA also organizes training courses, leases recording studios and makes recordings. Polskie Radio has a huge archive that sells materials from its eight decades of operation. The Polish Radio archives include speeches by prewar statesmen as well as by Marshal Józef Piłsudski and Prime Minister Wincenty Witos, recordings of Polish Radio programs with dramatic communiqués of imminent German bombings in September 1939 and unique fragments of broadcasts aired by Polish troops from Algiers in 1943. Recordings have been preserved in the archive of the legendary radio station Błyskawica (Lightning), which broadcast from the Polish capital during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. Błyskawica—built in clandestine conditions under the supervision of short-wave radio expert Antoni Zębik alias Biegły, was heard throughout Europe.

The archive also includes many items of interest from more recent times, including a statement delivered prior to the “3 x Yes” referendum by Władysław Gomułka, a leading activist of the Polish Workers’ Party (PPR) turned longtime First Secretary of the Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR). A report has been preserved from the 1948 Unification Convention, when the Polish Socialist Party (PPS) and the Soviet NKVD-controlled PPR united to establish a single party, the PZPR. Polish Radio shelves hold tapes with famous speeches by communist leaders such as Bolesław Bierut, Edward Gierek, Wojciech Jaruzelski and Mieczysław Rakowski, along with recordings from the 1980 August Agreements in Gdańsk and the 1989 Round Table talks.

To commemorate the anniversary, the Polish Radio archive has prepared an album entitled Głosy naszej historii (Voices of Our History). The double album contains an audio recording of the most important moments connected with the formation of the Third Republic and many other recordings illustrating key events in the 20th century as well as the beginning of the 21st century, through Poland’s accession to the European Union on May 1, 2004. “Using radio resources, we decided to show the political history of our country over the past eight decades. We hope that the release will be an interesting audio guide to our country’s recent past. For two hours, listeners will hear statements by individuals who determined the fate of Poland and recordings of historical events.”

■ Music of radio standard
A separate and key branch of the Polish Radio is music. Polskie Radio has a number of well-equipped recording studios at its disposal. The most important is the S-1 studio, or the Witold Lutosławski concert hall—named after an outstanding Polish artist and preeminent 20th-century composer. The studio, located in Warsaw on Woronicza Street near the main building of Telewizja Polska SA, is considered one of the best concert halls in Europe, first and foremost thanks to its impeccable acoustics. S-1, which can accommodate an audience of more than 400, is a cult venue for Warsaw and Polish music lovers. It has hosted hundreds of concerts, premiere performances and music radio broadcasts. Moreover, the hall sometimes hosts TV program recordings.

The S-1 studio is also the headquarters of the Polish Radio Orchestra (POR), founded soon after the end of WW II in 1945 by violinist and conductor Stefan Rachoń. The Rachoń Radio Orchestra had a variety of tasks to fulfill, with popular and light music accounting for a large part of its repertoire. The orchestra’s basic tasks included making archival recordings for the Polish Radio and Television, which were then a single institution.

Starting in the mid-1970s, the artistic profile of the orchestra underwent significant change. New conductors fulfilled the role of artistic director. In 1976-80, the orchestra was led by Włodzimierz Kamirski, who consistently introduced a new repertoire to transform the ensemble into a symphony orchestra. This work was continued by Jan Pruszak (1980-88) and Mieczysław Nowakowski (1988-90). Under Tadeusz Strugała (1990-93), the band obtained its current name and moved from the M-1 studio on Myśliwiecka Street to its new headquarters on Woronicza Street.

Since 1993, POR’s artistic director has been Wojciech Rajski. After assuming the post, Rajski carried out considerable changes in the ensemble, involving a group of young and enthusiastic musicians. Today, alongside recordings, the POR gives concerts both in Warsaw and abroad. It has been hosted in countries such as France, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic, receiving a warm reception from audiences and critical acclaim. The POR’s most spectacular achievements include a gala concert in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1995, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and performances in the Alte Oper in Frankfurt and the Netherlands—in the famous Concertgebouw hall in Amsterdam. The POR inaugurated observances of the Polish Year in Sweden with a performance in the City Hall in Stockholm as well as the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Poland and Lithuania with two performances at the Vilnius Philharmonic. Recently, in October this year, the POR conducted by Rajski went to Brussels to take part in the gala concert We Thank Europe, marking the finale of celebrations of the 25th anniversary of Solidarity.

A radio symphony ensemble is also active in Katowice. The Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra (NOSPR), formerly the Great Orchestra of the Polish Radio and Television in Katowice, boasts a rich tradition and well-established international renown. The NOSPR regularly plays in symphonic concerts and makes recordings for both Polskie Radio and leading record companies worldwide.

Polskie Radio also has at its disposal the Polish Radio Choir in Cracow and the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra in Poznań. The orchestra, led for 37 years by conductor Agnieszka Duczmal, specializes in chamber music. It originally operated under the patronage of the Jeunesses Musicales society, becoming a full-time ensemble of the Polish Radio and Television in 1977. A breakthrough moment in the activity of the orchestra was a Silver Medal from Herbert von Karajan at the International Meetings of Young Orchestras in West Berlin in 1976. Amadeus cooperates with leading Polish and foreign soloists and frequently tours Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Far East. Poznań musicians have performed in the world’s most famous concert halls, including Venice’s La Scala. According to London’s The Independent, Amadeus belongs to the world’s best orchestras of this kind, with an exceptional sound, excellent legato and unparalleled conductor.

Amadeus regularly records for the Polish Radio; the radio archives contain more than 300 hours of music performed by the orchestra, encompassing a repertoire from Baroque to contemporary music. The orchestra also makes recordings for foreign radio and television stations, including the BBC (London), CBC (Montreal), Norddeutsche Rundfunk and Mexican radio. Amadeus has recorded more than five hours of music for French Television 1.

■ Mission on the Internet
Polskie Radio is an extensive theme and the subject matter of many books. One article barely scratches the surface of this esteemed institution, which is now celebrating an anniversary. Mention is due, among others, to the editorial staff of the Polish Radio Theater and its outstanding artistic achievements—extensively featured in The Polish Voice in the past.

The Polskie Radio company mission refers in general to broadcasting radio programs. The Polskie Radio Program Council and Management make sure that commercial activities do not dominate the activity of the public media. So far, they have fulfilled their task well, as attested by the excellent standard of broadcasts and the public confidence Polskie Radio enjoys. For many years, public radio has topped the rankings of institutions enjoying public trust in Poland. Just as positive are the results of surveys concerning assessments of Polish Radio broadcasts (see sidebar).

In addition to its informative function, the most important Polish Radio objective seems to be its cultural role, from promotion of good Polish and propagation of knowledge through access to high culture. Today, in the era of the electronic media, the radio is increasingly marginalized in favor of the computer. Polskie Radio, despite its advanced age, is not afraid of that challenge. See for yourself at: www.polskieradio.pl.


Institution We Trust
Polskie Radio SA systematically conducts surveys of public trust in Polskie Radio. Two recent polls indicate a stable level of trust. According to an omnibus poll conducted by the Pentor polling center in late August and early September, Polskie Radio ranks very high among other institutions—60 percent of respondents trust Polskie Radio and 57 percent positively rate the radio’s work.

There are no considerable differences between the levels of trust and opinions about the work of Polskie Radio and the major commercial radio stations RMF FM and Radio Zet. Despite certain differences of statistical significance (many more Poles trust PR than Radio Zet), the institutions’ credibility level is essentially similar (60-56 percent of trust versus 11-12 percent distrust). The stations’ work is evaluated similarly (57 percent positive ratings and 6-5 percent negative).

The survey was conducted as a multi-topic omnibus poll on an all-Polish, randomly selected and representative sample of 1,000 Poles over 15 years of age.

Source: Public Relations Department of PR SA.


• Feb. 1, 1925—the first trial radio broadcast in Poland
• August 1925—Polskie Radio Sp. z o.o. established
• 1927—Polskie Radio is the first station worldwide to inaugurate an international exchange of programs
• 1929—Polskie Radio granted a new license
• May 1931—a powerful transmitting station of 120 kW established in Raszyn
The interwar period saw intensive development of radio services and the production of Polish radios took off. Radio programs featured a modern and high artistic standard. The radio attracted great minds and talented writers, conductors and actors. Radio staff and collaborators included writers Jan Parandowski, Zenon Kosidowski, Jerzy Szaniawski, Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, Maria Dąbrowska and Maria Kuncewiczowa; conductors Grzegorz Fitelberg and Zdzisław Górzyński; and actors Stefan Jaracz and Aleksander Zelwerowicz.
• 1939—the radio station in Raszyn damaged in the first days of September, but as soon as Sept. 7, Warszawa 2 went on the air at an order from Warsaw military commander Gen. Walerian Czuma and the capital’s civilian commander/mayor Stefan Starzyński. The station was managed by Polskie Radio music director Edmund Rudnicki. Warszawa 2 provided world news and announced air-raid alerts. Its broadcasts included a famous speech by Starzyński, calling on the capital residents to defend the city against the Germans.
• Sept. 30, 1939—German occupation authorities took over the broadcasting station, confiscated radio receivers and forbade Poles from tuning in under threat of death.
• Oct. 1, 1939—Polskie Radio moved underground
• Nov. 20, 1944—under a decree issued by the Polish Committee of National Liberation (PKWN), representing the interests of the new communist authorities, Polskie Radio was transformed into a state-owned enterprise.
The makeshift station “Pszczółki” (Bees) initially broadcast from a railyard in Lublin and was then transported to Praski Park in Warsaw. In the first postwar years, damaged radio stations were rebuilt and new stations were launched in the regained territories in western Poland.
• 1946—a decision to rebuild the 10 kW station Warszawa 2.
• 1948—Polskie Radio transformed into the Central State Radio Office Institution (CUR), and subsequently the Polskie Radio Committee. As a central state administration institution, it was directly subordinate to the prime minister.
• Since October 1949—two nationwide radio stations on the air
• September 1957—Experimental Studio founded, one of a few workshops of sound and electronic music in the world working for composers, the radio, television and film.
• March 1958—Polskie Radio 3 appeared, received initially in Warsaw and nationwide only in 1962. Polskie Radio 3 proposed a model somewhat different from the other two channels, mainly addressed to students and young intellectuals.
• July 1961—the first test stereo broadcast aired
• The 1960s brought important changes in terms of the broadcast schedule, with the development of the radio novel, up-to-date programs for young people and the literary report. In January 1966, nighttime programs were introduced, including music and news services.
• 1974—in Konstantynów near Gąbin, a 646-meter tower with a 2,000 kW transmitter was erected, at that time the world’s tallest, considerably increasing Polskie Radio 1 coverage. Polish Radio could be received not only in Europe, but also in Northern Africa, the Middle East and the vast territory of the then Soviet Union.
• The 1970s saw the first live radio broadcasts: Lato z Radiem (Summer with the Radio)—since 1971, Sygnały Dnia (Signals of the Day)—since 1973 and Cztery Pory Roku (The Four Seasons). These program blocks were hosted by, among others, Sławomir Szof, Tadeusz Sznuk, Tadeusz Cichomski, Lesław Nowak and Antoni Mielniczuk.
• January 1976—the educational channel Polskie Radio 4 was launched.
• August 1991—the tower in Konstantynów collapsed and its role was assumed by the broadcasting station in Raszyn, modernized in 1992.
• December 1993—Polskie Radio obtained the status of a joint-stock company wholly held by the Treasury
• 1994—launch of the Radio Information Agency (IAR), the Center for Folk Culture at Polskie Radio 2 and Polskie Radio BIS—the heir to Polskie Radio 4. That same year, Polskie Radio SA became a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
• September 1999—the Radio Broadcasting Center (RCN) was completed in Solec Kujawski; the transmission apparatus ensures a capacity of 1,000 kW. The opening ceremony attracted many dignitaries, including Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski and Primate of Poland Cardinal Józef Glemp. (from www.polskieradio.pl)

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