Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński (1905–1953)

Pen name: Karakuliambro. The poet was portrayed by Miłosz in his Captive Mind (Zniewolony umysł) as Delta, and most famous for his absurd humoresques Teatrzyk Zielona Gęś – literarily, The Green Goose Theatre. Associated with the Kwadryga group of poets, he was the founder of the “Club of 13 Muses” in Szczecin. Collaborated with “Przekrój”, “Szpilki”, “Odrodzenie”, and the Catholic “Tygodnik Powszechny”. In Kraków, where he lived after the second world war, Gałczyński founded the satirical theatre Siedem Kotów (7 cats), the first Polish post-war cabaret, whose artists included Irena Kwiatkowska, Alicja Kamińska, Tadeusz Olsza and Ludwik Sempoliński, and whose compère was Jerzy Waldorff. It was also in Kraków that his first Green Geese and Listy z Fiołkiem (Letters with a Violet) were created, and here that he began his work with the “Przekrój” weekly. His poetry inspires many pop music and cabaret artists.



Konstanty Ildefonsy Gałczyński on a postcard, Warsaw, 1930s