Augustyniak Family Archive

collection Augustyniak Family Archive
authors Stanisław Augustyniak
length 34'33
country Egypt; Portugal; Sweden
locations Cairo, Egypt  Lisbon, Portugal  Malmö, Sweden 
format 8 mm
color color
signature PAFD 0051 002
description

The author of the film is Stanisław Augustyniak (born in 1920 in Warta, died in 1997 in Gdynia). He completed seven grades of primary school and mastered several trades – he was a shoemaker, tailor, furrier, plumber, carpenter, locksmith, and knew his way around electrical installations. In 1938, he went to Warsaw hoping to continue his education, but to no avail. Eventually, he enlisted in the navy in Gdynia and in 1939 ended up on ORP “Gryf”. He participated in the September Campaign as an artillery operator and member of the crew defending the peninsula. After the capitulation, he was taken into German captivity and imprisoned in the Woldenberg camp, and then assigned to work at Paul Schwartz’s inn in Wollin. There he met his future wife, Anna Witkowska, who worked at Lehmann’s, Schwartz’s neighbor. After returning to Poland, the couple had a modest wedding, and in 1946 their only son Bolesław was born. The family moved to Gdynia, where Stanisław began working as a sailor, sailing for the next 30 years in PLO under the Polish merchant flag. His amateur 8-millimeter films come from this period, which also feature his wife Anna, who accompanied him on several sailings. After finishing his work at sea, Stanisław focused on family life, dedicating much time to his cherished allotment garden in Gdynia.
Part 1
The camera follows two women strolling through the streets of Malmö and looking at shop windows. One of the shots shows the equestrian statue of Gustav II Adolf at Stortorget, the main square.
Part 2
A sequence of short shots taken during a stay in Lisbon. The camera observes a group of tourists exploring the city – mainly the Chiado and Belém districts. One can see many monuments and characteristic landmarks of the Portuguese capital, including the Monument of the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos), The Column of Pedro IV (Coluna de D. Pedro IV), the equestrian statue of King José I at Praça do Comércio, Liberty Avenue (Avenida da Liberdade), The Navy Museum (Museu de Marinha), Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos), 25th of April Bridge (Ponte 25 de Abril, until 1974 Salazar Bridge, Ponte Salazar). The tourists also visited the Sanctuary of Christ the King (Santuário de Cristo Rei) in Almada, known for its monumental statue of Christ overlooking Lisbon. During a Tagus River cruise, they jump off the ferry to swim.
Part 3
A film shot during a stay in Egypt. The first sequence of shots shows a ferry cruise. The following shots document walks through Cairo, camel riding, views of the pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza, the Egyptian Museum, and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali.

(WO)

keywords travel  tourism  ship  cruise  sea  pyramids  city  monument  river  ferry  camel  museum  mosque 
source of funding Polish Film Institute