Jonasz Kofta
Encyclopedia
Jonasz Kofta, really name: Janusz Kofta (born 28 November 1942 in Mizocz, Volhynia
, today Ukraine
; died 19 April 1988 in Warsaw
) was a Polish
songwriter
and poet.
The Kofta family came to Warsaw
after the Second World War and later lived in Wrocław and Poznań
. Jonasz's father was a Jew. In 1961 Kofta received his Matura
in High School of Arts in Poznań and began to study painting
in Warsaw. By this time he had begun to write poetry and cabaret
numbers. In 1962, together with Adam Kreczmar and Jan Pietrzak
, he opened the student cabaret club Hybrydy in Warsaw. In 1964 he became the literary director of the cabaret.
Starting in 1966 his poems, satires and song texts were published in newspapers. From 1968 to 1980 he often worked with Kreczmar and Pietrzak at Pod Egida, one of the most popular Polish cabarets. Here he gained a reputation for being one of the most poetic and most politically important songwriters in Poland. In the 1980s he had continued poor health, including cancer
. He died after choking to death on his meal.
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
, today Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
; died 19 April 1988 in 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...
) was a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and poet.
The Kofta family came 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...
after the Second World War and later lived in Wrocław and Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. Jonasz's father was a Jew. In 1961 Kofta received his Matura
Matura
Matura or a similar term is the common name for the high-school leaving exam or "maturity exam" in various countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia,...
in High School of Arts in Poznań and began to study painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
in Warsaw. By this time he had begun to write poetry and cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
numbers. In 1962, together with Adam Kreczmar and Jan Pietrzak
Jan Pietrzak
Jan Pietrzak is a Polish comedian, founder of Kabaret pod Egidą . He co-founded the 'Hybrydy' student cabaret with Jonasz Kofta in . One of the popular comedians and voices of anti-communist Poland, his "Żeby Polska była Polską" song became one of the protest songs and hymns of...
, he opened the student cabaret club Hybrydy in Warsaw. In 1964 he became the literary director of the cabaret.
Starting in 1966 his poems, satires and song texts were published in newspapers. From 1968 to 1980 he often worked with Kreczmar and Pietrzak at Pod Egida, one of the most popular Polish cabarets. Here he gained a reputation for being one of the most poetic and most politically important songwriters in Poland. In the 1980s he had continued poor health, including cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. He died after choking to death on his meal.