Krzysztof Klenczon – English version

Pułtusk – a modern town with traditions

Krzysztof Klenczon

(born 1942 in Pułtusk, died 1981 in Chicago)

A composer, vocalist and guitarist, one of the most famous Polish popular music artists, called “Polish John Lennon”. During his artistic career, he composed a few hundred songs, many of which became hits. His greatest hits are popular songs of rock bands: Czerwone Gitary: “Taka jak ty”, “Matura”, “Historia jednej znajomości”, “Nikt na świecie nie wie”, “Biały krzyż”, “Wróćmy na jeziora”, “Gdy kiedyś znów zawołam cię”, “Kwiaty we włosach”, “Powiedz stary gdzieś ty był”, “Jesień idzie przez park”, and Trzy Korony: “10 w skali Beauforta”, “Port”, “Czyjaś dziewczyna”, “Natalie — piękniejszy świat”, “Retrospekcja”, “Nie przejdziemy do historii”. In the earlier period, he composed beautiful instrumental songs performed by Niebiesko-Czarni (e.g., “Gdy odlatują bociany”).

Family history

Krzysztof Klenczon was born to the family of Czesław and Helena (néeRatajczyk) Klenczon in Pułtusk on 14th January 1942. He was also baptised there. Before World War II, Krzysztof’s father was a non-commissioned officer of the 13th Infantry Regiment stationing in Pułtusk that distinguished itself in the Battle of Warsaw in 1920; during the war and the occupation, he was a Home Army soldier, for which he was persecuted by the communist authorities of Poland. The Klenczon family’s stay in Pułtusk ended in 1944, when the Soviets were advancing and the town was endangered by artillery fire. Like most inhabitants of Pułtusk, they were forced to leave the town. They went to Ostrołęka, from where they moved for good to Szczytno in the spring of 1945.

Artistic career

The development of Krzysztof Klenczon’s music career is associated mainly with Gdańsk, where he arrived to study in 1960. It was there that his versatile artistic talent became known and developed. His music career encompassed years of collaboration with Niebiesko-Czarni and Pięciolinie followed by great successes with Czerwone Gitary and Trzy Korony bands.

After the December 1970 strikes in Gdańsk, a plan of departure to the United States was taking shape in Krzysztof’s heart. Krzysztof eventually closed the chapter of his homeland successes in the spring of 1973, when he moved to the USA.

Farewell to Poland

One of the last concerts of Krzysztof Klenczon and Trzy Korony took place in the town of his birth in 1972, in the Narew cinema-theatre room. It was remembered as an incredible performance. As the story goes, the guitar strings burst. That was how the artist summarised the most important chapter of his life in Pułtusk.

Across the ocean

The United States were not very kind to the musician. From time to time, he gave concerts for Polonia circles. However, he could not develop his artistic wings as much as he wanted. On 27th February 1981, on his way back from a charity concert in the Milford club in Chicago, he had a serious car accident. He died on 7th April 1981, at the age of only 39. His guitar fell silent for ever. The urn with the master’s ashes were interred in the family grave at the cemetery in Szczytno on 25th July 1981.

Pułtusk for Krzysztof Klenczon

In order to pay tribute to the artist, the Town Council renamed one of the streets in the centre of Pułtusk as Krzysztof Klenczon Promenade [Pasaż Krzysztofa Klenczona] under a resolution passed in 2001. A characteristic part of the promenade is a plant support in the shape of a guitar fingerboard near the graduation tower. There are plans to enrich the promenade with a musical park for children and a musical graffiti.

On 16th September 2017, Krzysztof Klenczon became a Honorary Citizen of Pułtusk, in recognition of his contribution to the development of Polish popular music in the 1960s and 1970s and the promotion of the town. This decision was made under the resolution of the Town Council.

In the southern frontage of Europe’s longest medieval market square near the fountain stands Klenczon’s bench – the first musical bench bearing his name in Poland, designed by the architect Aleksander Mazij. On the bench, there is a sculpture of the musician with an inseparable guitar in his hands, made by the Wroclaw sculptor Grzegorz Łagowski. The bench is equipped with an audio system that plays three songs by Krzysztof Klenczon by means of a sensory button: “Natalie — piękniejszy świat”, “10 w skali Beauforta” and “Gdy kiedyś znów zawołam Cię”. You can take a seat beside the legend of Polish rock music and sing popular hits with him, looking at the charming surroundings.

A visit to Pułtusk is an opportunity to walk in the composer’s footsteps, passing by the house in which he was born. This event is commemorated by a plaque situated on the side wall of the building at ul. Rynek 19.

Since 2017, Pułtusk has been home to Polish Competitions of Songs of Polish Artists of the 1960s and 1970s “MUSIC ENCHANTED IN SIX STRINGS” held, among others, in memory of Krzysztof Klenczon. They are held regularly in the amphitheatre of the Krzysztof Klenczon Polonia House situated in the beautiful scenery of the park at the foot of the castle. The amphitheatre has borne the artist’s name since 2015.

When being in Pułtusk, you can also order Pułtuska Klenczonka – a cake in honour of the artist – in the Ptyś confectionery; this promotional product won the contest announced by the local government of the Pułtusk Commune in 2018.