Youth-Stempovsky, Kazimierz

The early years

Born in Venice in a wealthy family of Polish landowners. In 1890–92, he studied at the St. Anna’s gymnasium in Krakow , continued his studies at the Jesuit school in Khirov (1892–95), and then since 1895 at the Russian state school in the city of Kamenetz-Podolsky .

School certificates of this period were issued in the name of Stempovsky. This is later, starting an acting career, he will use the name of their generic noble coat of arms - the Young Man. The first exits to the stage of Polish theaters, he signed only as Kazimierz Youth and, having already become famous, became known only as Kazimierz Youth-Stempovsky.

Theater

Initially, he planned to devote himself to opera singing (he had a beautiful bass). Kazimierz made his debut as a killer in the play “Piast” by Alfred Shchepansky in 1889 on the stage of the Polish Theater in Poznan, where he lasted for one season.

Since 1900, he studied dramatic art at the diction and recitation studio at the Warsaw Music Society (WTM).

In 1901-02 he performed on the stage in Lodz .

In 1906 he traveled a lot, primarily in Ukraine and Russia (Podillia), where he looked closely at people, their habits and behavior. He began to use these observations in his acting.

From 1907 to 1909 he performed at the Polish Theater in Poznan, then in Berlin. Here he meets actor Albert Basserman , who had a significant influence on the young Kazimierz: now he begins to more carefully select roles and prepare for them.

From 1909 to 1911 he played with Alexander Zelverovich in Lodz, soon becoming one of the leading actors of the Polish theater.

In 1912 he played at the Slovak Theater in Krakow. In the same year he moved to Warsaw, where he played on various theatrical stages (including the Polish Theater, Variety Theater, and National Theater).

He was an actor for whom the game was the most important value. Having excellent external data, a characteristic voice, he played mainly strong people - leaders, senior and senior officers, rulers or tyrants. I felt good in the light genre. He was a master of individualization. He tried to do theater work as well.

Cinema

He connected his life with cinema in 1902, appearing on the screen in several short films, pioneer of Polish cinema Kazimir Pruszinski . Thus, he himself was at the origins of the emergence of a new art form, becoming one of the first film actors in Poland. He was a sought-after actor, he starred a lot, a few movie roles a year.

Despite the high position that he achieved in Polish cinematography, it was not very convenient for Polish filmmakers, as he allowed himself to criticize the Polish film industry: it went to everyone - producers, screenwriters and directors: for the lack of professionalism in work and the reckless copying of foreign films. In 1921, he wanted to give up everything and leave for Germany under a contract, but due to the crisis that prevailed at that time in the film industry, negotiations with the German film company did not succeed.

The young man-Stempovsky was the highest paid actor in pre-war Polish cinema, and as he himself admitted, he played in films solely for financial reasons.

Years of occupation

His behavior during the Nazi occupation is still not fully disclosed and still causes a lot of controversy. After the outbreak of the war, which caught him on a tour in Vilnius, he returned to Warsaw. He was critical of the September campaign, in particular, accused the Poles of bringing the country to the occupation that had taken place.

At first he worked as a bartender in the cafe "Frigate" and "Golden Duck". For some time he was the owner of his own cooperative restaurant “Sorcerer” (named after his most popular movie hero from the film of the same name), where he served as waiters for his colleagues in the theater, among others Maria Gella , Anna Yarachuvna (Anna Jaraczówna) and Mieczysław Milecki. Since August 1940, he played in Polish theaters (for example, the Comedy Theater), but under German leadership. He rented a room to a German officer with the rank of colonel, the head of the Main Warsaw Station, and was a frequent guest at his desk.

Meanwhile, despite possible reprisals, categorically refused to participate in the anti-Polish film with the Nazi ideology “ Return ” (Heimkehr, 1941, dir. Gustav Uczycki ).

Death and years after death

Tragically died as a result of shooting in his own Warsaw apartment on the street. Poznan, 38, while trying to eliminate the Polish underground of the Home Army, his second wife Jadwiga Galewska, who suffered from drug addiction and was a former Gestapo informant. She extorted money from the families of those arrested, promising in return for release from prison or a concentration camp (she needed money for another dose of morphine). Covering her with his body, the actor received a bullet wound and died a few hours later in the Omega clinic. He was buried in the Old Powzki cemetery in Warsaw.

In November 1946, as a result of a letter (published in the newspaper ичеiče Warszawa / Życie Warszawy dated 11/16/1946), signed by an anonymous woman “on behalf of many female workers at the Kalisz factory” boycotting a screening of films with the participation of Kazimierz Youth-Stempowski, The jury began a posthumous audit of the actor's activities during the occupation. The case was re-examined in 1954. In both cases, the jury did not take an unequivocal position and no verdict was issued.

Facts

• In private life, he was known as the owner of excellent taste and an expert on art (in particular, he was engaged in collecting works of painting). However, according to some sources, he avoided contact with the environment, was a closed and secretive person.
• The actor’s tragedy served as material for the book of K. Brandys “Rondo”, and the director E. Shtvertnya made the film “ Amazement ” (Oszołomienie, 1988).
• His nephew - theater and film actor Yarema Stempovsky (born 15.01.1925).

Filmography

• Kazimierz Youth-Stempovsky on the Internet Movie Database