Buda Family Archive

Zygmunt Buda was born in Poznań in 1924 and was interested in photography since his childhood. From 1941, he worked in the Poznań photographic company Foto-Stewner, founded by Ernest Stewner. After the end of the war, he worked as a photographer in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, from which, in the 50s, he was dismissed for political incorrectness. From the 60s, he worked in the Film Services Department at the corner of Marszałkowska and Krucza streets in Warsaw. Zygmunt recorded films with a business camera with a 16-millimeter tape and a private SANYO camera with an 8-millimeter tape, which he received as a gift from a family living in the USA. His sons, Jacek and Marek, as well as the next generations of the Buda family, also became enthusiasts of filming family life.

Part 1
A family party celebrating the sixth birthday of Piotr, a son of Irmina and Jacek Buda. The boy blows out the candles on the cake. Guests sing “Happy Birthday” to the birthday boy and toast with champagne. Shots of the guests. Among them, there is Anna Trześniowska (Irmina’s sister) with her husband, Krzysztof, and a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Magda, Elżbieta and Franciszek Staszewscy (Irmina’s parents), Katarzyna and Zygmunt (Jacek’s parents) and Bogdan Sobol (the husband of Janina, Katarzyna’s sister).

Part 2
A family walk through the Royal Łazienki Park in Warsaw. Piotr watches a small waterfall with his grandfather, Zygmunt. He approaches ducks on the grass and walks between flowerbeds.

Part 3
Family holidays in Krynica Morska. Piotruś and Ania (a daughter of Marek, Jacek’s brother) play in the sea in inflatable wheels. Jacek wipes his son of the water and puts on his bathrobe (Marek films). Piotrek and Paweł (Marek’s son) dive into the sea belayed by the grandfather, Zygmunt. Jacek’s cousin, Jolanta Jarocińska, jumps through the waves with her son, Daniel. Shots of the passing cruise ship “Elżbieta” with tourists on board. Piotrek and Paweł are on the board of the ship. There is the Polish flag. Jacek and the boys visit Frombork, walk along the Cathedral Hill and at the monument to Nicolaus Copernicus (filmed by Zygmunt). Return trip by ship. On the way to Warsaw, the family visits the Malbork Castle and the Grunwald Victory Monument.

Part 4
A board with the inscription “autumn 1989”. Piotrek, Paweł and Ania play in the Royal Łazienki, collect colorful leaves, run between trees and watch a swan on the shore of a small pond.

Part 5
Winter. Piotrek, Paweł and Ania play in the snow in the park near Królikarnia. The children are accompanied by their grandfather, Zygmunt.

Part 6
A board with the inscription “winter 1989/1990”. Christmas Eve. Santa Claus sits near a festively dressed Christmas tree. Next to him, on the couch, there are Piotrek, Paweł, Ania and the youngest Ania. Santa Claus gives gifts to the children.

(AT)