On November 25, 2024, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York hosted a special monodrama performance celebrating 451 artistry as part of the Singer's Warsaw Festival of Jewish Culture. This festival, one of Poland's most distinguished cultural events, brought its vibrant programming to New York once again.
The evening began with an introduction by representatives of the Consulate, setting the stage for an emotional and immersive tribute to Gran's legacy. The monodrama, performed by Monika Chrząstowska from Warsaw's Jewish Theatre, brought Wiera Gran's complex life story vividly to life. Chrząstowska's soulful interpretations of Gran's songs were accompanied by accomplished musicians: Bartozzi Wojciechowski on double bass, Franciszek Wajdzik on piano, and Robert Seniuta on violin. The event, enriched by English translations from David Szmurmiej, was both a cultural and emotional journey into Gran's life and music.
Discovery of Talent
The discovery of Wiera Gran's talent was entirely serendipitous. While working as a dancer at the Paradiso café on Warsaw's Nowy Świąt, she suffered a broken leg. Confined to sitting in the wings with her leg in a cast, she sang to pass the time. Her colleagues, captivated by her voice, encouraged her to pursue singing. Initially, she sang from backstage at Paradiso, but once her cast was removed, she took the stage. On February 1, 1934, she performed Brazilian Tango before the Paradiso audience. By spring 1937, she was performing at the Wielka Rewia theatre in the Springtime Parade of Stars alongside notable artists such as Mira Zimińska, Loda Halama, Kazimierz Krukowski, and Ludwik Sempoliński. However, she lost this opportunity after missing a performance. Despite this setback, her fame grew as she performed on the radio and in Warsaw's most fashionable cafés, eventually touring cities such as Kraków, Łódź, Brześć, Bydgoszcz, and Gdynia. Her earnings rose dramatically from 25 złoty per day to as much as 300 złoty for radio performances.
In 1939, Gran's film career began when director Aleksander Marten cast her as the singer Bessy in the Yiddish film On a Hajm-bal shuwe, where she performed alongside Ida Kamińska. She signed a recording contract with Syrena Record Company in Poland and later recorded for France's Odeon label, further expanding her artistic reach.
Life in the Warsaw Ghetto
In the fall of 1939, Wiera Gran worked in Lwów (modern-day Lviv), but she returned to her apartment on Hoża Street in Warsaw. She lived there with her mother until they were both forced into the Warsaw Ghetto in 1940. Despite opportunities to remain outside the ghetto, Gran chose to join her mother and sisters. This period marked her most poignant artistic chapter, performing at the ghetto's Café Sztuka at 2 Leszno Street. According to Antoni Marianowicz's Life Gravely Forbidden (Życie surowo wzbronione, Warsaw, 1995), her performances were transformative, "the café became quite popular thanks to Wiera Gran's acts. The beautiful Wiera was accompanied by a fine piano duet: Władysław Szpilman and Adolf Goldfeder, while her greatest hit was her and Szpilman's 15-minute interpretation of Różycki's Casanova, called Her First Ball."
Her music brought brief moments of solace to ghetto residents. She also performed at benefit events, including those supporting Janusz Korczak's orphanage and struggling pianist Leon Boruński. On August 2, 1942, with the assistance of her lover, Kazimierz Jezierski, Gran escaped the ghetto. Disguised as Jezierski's wife, she hid in the countryside until the war's end. During this time, she gave birth to a son in 1944, who tragically lived only three months.
Post-War Tragedy
After World War II, Wiera Gran was the sole survivor of her family. She resumed her singing career but faced devastating accusations of collaborating with the Nazis. These unproven allegations haunted her throughout her life, tarnishing her reputation and disrupting her career. Despite the lack of evidence, the stigma followed her wherever she went, leaving a shadow over her personal and professional endeavors. Her life became emblematic of the moral complexities and injustices faced by wartime survivors.
Remembering a Complex Legacy
Gran's contributions to Polish and Jewish culture remain profound. Her pre-war romantic ballads and wartime performances in the Warsaw Ghetto showcase her resilience and artistic spirit. However, her life story also highlights the tragic aftermath of war, where survival itself could invite suspicion and ostracism.
The 2024 performance at the Polish Consulate in New York honored Wiera Gran not only as a legendary artist but also as a survivor whose life encapsulates both the triumphs and tragedies of her era. This celebration ensured that her contributions to global culture, as well as her complex legacy, would not be forgotten.
This New York tribute to Wiera Gran was made possible through the support of organizations such as Golden Land Concerts & Connections, the Polish & Slavic Center, the Consulate General of Poland in New York, and the Polish Cultural Institute in New York. The Jewish Theatre, named after Ester Rachel and Ida Kamińska – the Yiddish Culture Center—also played a key role. The project received co-financing from the Culture Promotion Fund of the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Born in Poland and based in New York, Agata Drogowska is a filmmaker, artist, journalist, writer, and curator specializing in the visual and performing arts. With a career spanning over two decades, Drogowska has become a significant figure in the cultural dialogue between Poland and the United States. She holds a degree in Painting and Arts Education from the University of the Arts in Poznań (formerly the Academy of Fine Arts) and a diploma in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy, which she completed in 2010. Her multidisciplinary background is reflected in her diverse accomplishments as a painter, set designer, and artistic director during her early career in Poland. Drogowska’s notable achievements include serving as Vice President of the Artistic Association “InterCity” (1999–2010), curating a critically acclaimed exhibition of works by renowned Polish-American photographer Ryszard Horowitz (2010), and leading the public art project “The Art Benches” (2003–2007), which transformed urban spaces in Poznań into interactive art installations. Since 2012, Drogowska has been based in New York, where she currently serves as the President of New York Artists and Filmmakers. Under her leadership, the organization is dedicated to showcasing contemporary Polish cinema and fostering artistic collaborations between Poland and the United States. Her work has been presented at renowned venues, including MoMA, the Tribeca Screening Room, and the Polish Consulate General in New York. Drogowska is also an accomplished filmmaker, having debuted with the short experimental film Sick Home, Home Sick in 2004. Beyond her artistic endeavors, she is an active journalist and writer, contributing insightful articles on art, film, and culture to international publications. Her projects often focus on preserving and celebrating the legacy of Polish cinema and art, emphasizing their relevance in contemporary global discourse. For more information, visit agatadrogowska.com.
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