Augustyniak Family Archive

collection Augustyniak Family Archive
authors Stanisław Augustyniak
length 18'51
country Vietnam
locations Zatoka Ha Long, Wietnam  Ha Long Bay, Vietnam 
format 8 mm
color color
signature PAFD 0051 010
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
Shots filmed during the sea journey. The camera captures a ship and a helicopter with the word “NAVY” written on its side. A series of frames from the deck follows. Short shots show a table ceremoniously set under a canopy where a Polish flag with the national emblem hangs. Next, three black boards with white handwritten signs come into view: „Spółdzielnia lekarzy «Łapiduch». Specjalność – leczenie zajobus tropicalis, mendus, tudzież inne”. “Spółdzielnia pracy «Balwierz». Klient nasz pan-g-wno. Ceny do uzgodnienia. Delikatna operacja flacha «EDKA»” „Cyrulik – goli strzyże i rwie zęby. Za poderżnięcie gardła nie odpowiadam”. Then, a white banner made from a bedsheet is shown, reading: „Tu się leczy zajobus tropicalis i ochładza zapał do monopolki”. A barrel follows, labeled „Borowinki dobrze robią”. Subsequent shots present a long piece of fabric with a handwritten „Komora ciśnień” sign, followed by a chalkboard listing the services of a beauty salon, including haircuts, styling, and dyeing. Another shot shows a plate with a sign: „Tylko globulki «ZET» nie zapobiegają?”.

Part 2
A ‘sailor initiation’ ceremony on a PLO ship. The camera captures people walking across the deck dressed in various costumes—Roman soldiers, devils, Neptune, a pirate, and a wizard. They are likely preparing for the initiation of new sailors. Later, the cameraman documents various trials the participants undergo, including being doused in dark grease, enduring treatments in the barber’s chair and on the ‘operating table’, and kissing Neptune’s feet.

Part 3
Shots of a coastal landscape—rugged, rocky cliffs plunging steeply into the sea—and a few men on deck. The footage was likely filmed in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.

(WO)

keywords ship, sea, sailor, initiation, costumes, fun, flag, emblem 
source of funding Polish Film Institute