Zielony Balonik
Encyclopedia
Zielony Balonik was a popular literary cabaret
founded in Kraków
by the local poets, writers and artists during the final years of the Partitions
of Poland
. The venue was a gourmet restaurant of Apolinary J. Michalik called the Michalik's Den (Jama Michalika). The cabaret was founded in 1905 and ran regularly until 1912 (staged occasionally until 1915).
The grand opening of the Green Balloon cabaret took place on October 7, 1905 in a located in the heart of Kraków Old Town, not far from the medieval St. Florian's Gate. It was an art cabaret, meant only for the cultural elite. The organizers made sure that the guests show enthusiasm; those who didn't, were no longer invited. As a result the audience consisted of a closed group of regulars, whose composition didn't change. Soon, rumors began to spread among the local bourgeoisie
that the Green Balloon stage was a place of orgies, nude dancing and all manner of dissipation. Boy-Żeleński
responded on behalf of Zielony Balonik by writing a bawdy, humorous poem "Pieśń dziadkowa" (Grandpas Song) confirming that indeed, it is a Sodom and Gomorrah
, synonymous with impenitent sin. However, the elitist treatment carried with it a major drawback. Gradually the ground breaking stage performances became depleted of fresh new topics and captivating lyrics for the songs, and the intervention of preventive censorship in the cabaret's scripted dialogues
by Austrian authorities resulted in further avoidance of any pressing political issues stemming from the foreign occupation of the country.
Over time even the regulars began to miss Balonik's green humor. One additional reason for its slow but relentless disintegration was that the living conditions of contributing artists began to deteriorate under the repressive Austrian rule
. The patrons turned reluctant to dig further into the mine field of political satire
. It was one of the main distinguishing features of Zielony Balonik from the French and German cabarets of the time.
The main contributors included two Masters of Ceremonies
: Jan August Kisielewski
, and Stanisław Sierosławski; the slew of writers such as: Witold Noskowski, Tadeusz Zakrzewski, Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński
(from 1906), Adolf Nowaczyński, Edward Leszczyński, Leon Schiller
, and Juliusz Osterwa; as well as a group of visual artists in charge of set-design and exhibits, including: Witold Wojtkiewicz
, Kazimierz Sichulski, Karol Frycz, Henryk Szczygliński, Alfons Karpiński
, Stanisław Kamocki, Stanisław Kuczborski (painter)
, Stefan Filipkiewicz
, Henryk Uziembło, Fryderyk Pautsch, Tadeusz Rychter
, Ludwik Puget and Ignacy Blaschke.
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...
founded in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
by the local poets, writers and artists during the final years of the Partitions
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
of Poland
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...
. The venue was a gourmet restaurant of Apolinary J. Michalik called the Michalik's Den (Jama Michalika). The cabaret was founded in 1905 and ran regularly until 1912 (staged occasionally until 1915).
The grand opening of the Green Balloon cabaret took place on October 7, 1905 in a located in the heart of Kraków Old Town, not far from the medieval St. Florian's Gate. It was an art cabaret, meant only for the cultural elite. The organizers made sure that the guests show enthusiasm; those who didn't, were no longer invited. As a result the audience consisted of a closed group of regulars, whose composition didn't change. Soon, rumors began to spread among the local bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
that the Green Balloon stage was a place of orgies, nude dancing and all manner of dissipation. Boy-Żeleński
Tadeusz Boy-Zelenski
Tadeusz Kamil Marcjan Żeleński was a Polish stage writer, poet, critic above all, and translator of over 100 French literary classics into Polish...
responded on behalf of Zielony Balonik by writing a bawdy, humorous poem "Pieśń dziadkowa" (Grandpas Song) confirming that indeed, it is a Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah
Sodom and Gomorrah were cities mentioned in the Book of Genesis and later expounded upon throughout the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and Deuterocanonical sources....
, synonymous with impenitent sin. However, the elitist treatment carried with it a major drawback. Gradually the ground breaking stage performances became depleted of fresh new topics and captivating lyrics for the songs, and the intervention of preventive censorship in the cabaret's scripted dialogues
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
by Austrian authorities resulted in further avoidance of any pressing political issues stemming from the foreign occupation of the country.
Over time even the regulars began to miss Balonik's green humor. One additional reason for its slow but relentless disintegration was that the living conditions of contributing artists began to deteriorate under the repressive Austrian rule
Austrian partition
The Austrian partition refers to the former territories of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth acquired by the Austrian Empire during the partitions of Poland in late 18th century.-History:...
. The patrons turned reluctant to dig further into the mine field of political satire
Political satire
Political satire is a significant part of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political arguments where such arguments are expressly...
. It was one of the main distinguishing features of Zielony Balonik from the French and German cabarets of the time.
The main contributors included two Masters of Ceremonies
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
: Jan August Kisielewski
Jan August Kisielewski
Jan August Kisielewski , brother of Zygmunt, was a Polish writer, essayist and playwright, co-founder of the legendary literary cabaret Zielony Balonik in Kraków during the final years of the Partitions of Poland....
, and Stanisław Sierosławski; the slew of writers such as: Witold Noskowski, Tadeusz Zakrzewski, Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński
Tadeusz Boy-Zelenski
Tadeusz Kamil Marcjan Żeleński was a Polish stage writer, poet, critic above all, and translator of over 100 French literary classics into Polish...
(from 1906), Adolf Nowaczyński, Edward Leszczyński, Leon Schiller
Leon Schiller
Leon Schiller de Schildenfeld was a Polish theater and film director, critic and theoretician. He was also a composer and wrote theater and radio screenplays....
, and Juliusz Osterwa; as well as a group of visual artists in charge of set-design and exhibits, including: Witold Wojtkiewicz
Witold Wojtkiewicz
Witold Wojtkiewicz was a Polish neoromantic painter. He started his education at the Warsaw School of Drawing in 1898 and continued at the Academy in Kraków. His original and inventive work anticipated Polish Expressionism. Wojtkiewicz often employed grotesque motifs and irony in his work...
, Kazimierz Sichulski, Karol Frycz, Henryk Szczygliński, Alfons Karpiński
Alfons Karpinski
Alfons Karpiński was a Polish painter specializing in portraits of women, still-life and foreign landscape of Italy and France. Karpiński studied painting in Kraków at the School of Fine Arts under Leon Wyczółkowski between and after 1903 at the Munich Academy under Anton Ažbe, until 1907...
, Stanisław Kamocki, Stanisław Kuczborski (painter)
Stanisław Kuczborski (painter)
Stanisław Kuczborski was a Polish modernist painter, graphic artist and caricaturists. His mother, Klotylda Kuczborska was a sister of renown painters Aleksander Gierymski and Maksymilian Gierymski...
, Stefan Filipkiewicz
Stefan Filipkiewicz
Stefan Filipkiewicz was a Polish painter and designer, notable for his landscapes inspired by the Young Poland movement...
, Henryk Uziembło, Fryderyk Pautsch, Tadeusz Rychter
Tadeusz Rychter
Tadeusz Rychter was a Polish early twentieth century artist best remembered for his watercolors of the Holy Land....
, Ludwik Puget and Ignacy Blaschke.