Prof. Wiktor Wawrzyczek was born in 1911 in the Cieszyn region. He graduated from the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Faculty of Chemistry, where he also successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in chemistry. In 1950 he was employed at the Higher School of Agriculture in Olsztyn. Apart from being head of the Department of Chemistry, he also actively participated in the establishing of the Faculty of Agriculture.
?I think that the role of universities is not only to prepare students for their future professional careers, but also to promote culture, including music...?
That is why in 1952 an Academic Choir was founded by the Master, as students used to
call Prof. Wawrzyczek. He was their tutor and advisor for many years. In 1967 he said in
one of the interviews given to a journalist of the ?Olsztyn Voice?: ?Why me? Certainly,
the Department of Chemistry and Anonim?s or Mozart?s songs make a rather untypical
combination?During my studies I was a choir singer myself. I was also, for five years,
member of the Singers? Association ?Harmony? in Cieszyn. When I started my work at the
Higher School of Agriculture in Olsztyn, I noted that the students showed quite similar
and narrow interests, so it seemed necessary to organize some artistic groups for
talented individuals. During one of my lectures I proposed that those students who
would like to sing in a choir should meet to discuss this idea...?
He took this responsibility voluntarily and performed his duties with a deep involvement and great dedication. He was always present among the signers: during rehearsals, concerts, excursions, and parties, which was described in two volumes of the Choir?s Chronicles. Professor?s name appears there is every line, he can be seen in every photo, surrounded by the signers. Each summer he would go with his students for a camp to a vacation center, where the main wooden building was soon called ?Wiktorowo House?, in honor of Prof. Wawrzyczek.
During these camps he was not only manager and organizer of cultural life; he also
shared the duty hours in the kitchen and canteen with other campers. He spent every
moment with the singers, he was their true friend.
He died unexpectedly on December 17, 1969. Many people were afraid that his death
would put an end to the Choir?s history. However, his friends decided to continue his
work and disseminate his ideas at the University of Warmia and Mazury.
The Choir founded by Prof. Wawrzyczek, which some time ago adopted the name
of the Choir of University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, has been praising its founder
for more than fifty five years, making the University, the city of Olsztyn, and Poland
known all over the world.
