The community center in Strumiany is named after Joanna and Jan Kulma

From left: Alicja Węgorzewska, opera singer, Patrycja Gross, commune mayor, Krzysztof Jezierski, village head, and Aleksandra Zalewska-Stankiewicz, event host. Photo: Stargard Commune

Since July 5, the community center in Strumiany has been named after the famous poet and her husband.

The ceremony took place on July 5th in Strumiany, a village in the Stargard commune where the Kulmas lived from 1961 to 1996. After moving to the capital, they donated memorabilia to the Main Library of the University of Szczecin, including paintings, antique furniture, and books, which were used to create the so-called Strumian Room. It served as a venue for author meetings, book promotions, and cultural events.

Joanna Kulmowa was a poet, writer, and stage playwright. Her husband, Jan, was a philosopher, theatre and television director, and co-founder of the Warsaw Chamber Opera. He directed over 20 plays and operas, among other projects. Both were prominent figures in the world of culture, deeply involved in the life of their local community.

– They did everything for people, they helped anyone who needed help – recalled Ryszard Witusiewicz, a friend of the Kulmas and a resident of Strumiany, during Saturday’s ceremony.

On Saturday, a commemorative plaque and a mural depicting the Kulma family were unveiled in Strumiany. The mural was created by students of the Szczecin Academy of Art.

The Kulms created the so-called Strumia Family, a community that still cultivates the memory of its founders.

– They dreamed of establishing a community center in Strumiany and this dream came true – said Krzysztof Jezierski, the village head of Strumiany.

The ceremony in Strumiany was attended by, among others, singer Alicja Węgorzewska. There, she spoke about her first meeting with the Kulma family.

"I was very lucky to come here as a 15-year-old girl," the artist said. "When I come back here, I feel incredibly moved."

Attendees of the ceremony had the opportunity to hear her perform. Professor Urszula Chęcińska from the University of Szczecin also spoke about Kulma.

Joanna Kulmowa died on June 17, 2018. She was buried at the Wolski Cemetery in Warsaw. Her husband passed away in August of the following year.

The event in Strumiany was organised by: residents of the village and surrounding area, KGW Strumiany, KGW Małkocin, and the village head of Strumiany, Krzysztof Jezierski.

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