Tadeusz Walec, wywiad 27.12.2011 (English)

Z Historia Wisły

Interview with Mr. Tadeusz Walec conducted for the historiawisły.pl portal

December 27, 2011, Krakow

Renata Borkowska: When and where were you born exactly?

Tadeusz Walec: I was born on June 18th, 1936, in Krakow. I live in Krakow, and apart from a few extended trips - eight months in Brussels, a year in Canada, and three months in Dresden - you could say I've been connected to Krakow my whole life.

RB: Who were your parents?

TW: My father was a well-known car sheet metal worker in Krakow. He was so popular that cars of celebrities like Maryla Rodowicz, Marek Grechuta, or even Cardinal Karol Wojtyła (the "democratka") would appear in his workshop. My mother was a seamstress, but she was also a very enterprising person. Essentially, she managed the household her whole life, raising me (I'm an only child) and helping my father run the workshop.

RB: Do you remember how and where you spent the years of the occupation?

TW: Yes, I remember some of it, and I was told more. My father worked in German heavy truck repair shops and had a work pass. My mother, on the other hand, was involved in trade, and I started attending school towards the end of the war.

RB: In which primary school did you start, and where did you continue your education?

TW: I completed primary school in Krakow, on Józefa Szujskiego Street, but I spent a year studying in Krzywaczka, a town near Krakow. I have a certificate of completion for that year in both Polish and German. I graduated from V Liceum im. Augusta Witkowskiego in Krakow.

RB: What led you to pursue studies at AGH?

TW: I was genuinely interested in chemistry during high school, and I thought it was the only field I wanted to study. I completed my master's studies at the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry at Jagiellonian University, and later, I earned my doctorate at AGH, where I was subsequently employed as an assistant. I really enjoyed this work because I was involved in scientific research, teaching students, and I also had time for sports.

RB: Where did your interest in sports come from?

TW: My parents, out of concern for my safety, made sure I didn't wander far from home. So, I came up with the idea that sport would be my "escape."

RB: Was gymnastics the initial sport for you?

TW: Initially, like any boy, I played football when I was in primary school. But that was in the early years. Later, I got into gymnastics, although I also practiced fencing at the same time. After the first national fencing competition, where I "got thrashed," I realized I wouldn't achieve anything in that sport, so I started to focus on gymnastics.

RB: At what age did you join Wisła (TS Wisła Kraków)?

TW: If I remember correctly, I was already a Wisła athlete when I was in middle school.

RB: Do you remember your first memorable competitions?

TW: It was when a gymnastics team from Ostrava came to Krakow.

RB: Your first notable success?

TW: First place in the regional acrobatics competition in 1957.

RB: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

TW: The Polish Acrobatics Championships in 1961, where I finished third in acrobatic jumps.

RB: Where, how often, and for how long did you train?

TW: We trained gymnastics four times a week, for about two hours each session. Before competitions, we practiced even more. Acrobatics required less time (we trained in acrobatics about three times a week for about two hours each session).

RB: What do you think was your strongest suit?

TW: I believe it was my solid general preparation, which I had gained from my gymnastics background. However, I had to master the skill of performing several connected jumps. Our routines were not as complex as they are now, but we tried to perform double somersaults, and my specialty was incorporating somersaults with a half-twist and a one-legged landing into our routines.

RB: Who was your coach?

TW: Regarding gymnastics, I remember Mr. Małecki as my coach. In acrobatics, we had two coaches: Mr. Adam Chmielowski and Mr. Eugeniusz Paul. Both of them trained both men and women.

RB: Can you tell us something about your coach?

TW: Mr. Eugeniusz Paul was one of the founding members of the sports acrobatics section established in 1954. He was not only an athlete but also worked as a coach. Interestingly, one of his acrobatic students (Irena Bieniak) later became his wife, and together, after their sports careers, they travelled the world with acrobatic performances. Our coaches were also our colleagues. The club had a particularly pleasant atmosphere at that time. To this day, I maintain friendly contacts with many former athletes.

RB: In those days, section managers were people associated with the government. How did athletes perceive this?

TW: As far as I remember, some of the athletes came from the military. They were part of the Internal Corps, but nobody delved into anyone's background. I underwent military training during my studies, but it was infantry training. After completing my studies, I received orders to undergo further training in Rzeszów, and I ended up in a unit with "blue ears," changing my branch of service. I spent a month there, and then I trained soldiers in Krakow as a chemical specialist, where I was the leader of the radiation detection platoon. This was essentially the extent of the government's interest in me.

RB: Were athletes encouraged to engage in political activities, and were they asked to sign declarations of loyalty?

TW: To the best of my knowledge, athletes were not encouraged to engage in non-sport activities. I had one interesting experience: in 1955, I participated in the World Festival of Youth and Students in Warsaw as a gymnast, and later we performed as dancers. During the preparatory camp for the festival at the Decennial Stadium, two sad-looking gentlemen approached me and invited me to their tent. There, they questioned me about the atmosphere at the camp, whether anyone was planning to disrupt the festival, etc. I answered that, in my opinion, the atmosphere was very good and praised the excellent food.

RB: Thank you for the interview.

Interview conducted by Renata Borkowska.