On Sunday, September 27, from 12:00 to 15:00, a concert of classical and folk music will be held in the palace park in Gierałtów. The organizers also invite attendees to refreshments and art workshops for children.
Henselt, called the “Chopin of the North” by Schumann, was regarded as one of the finest interpreters of Fryderyk Chopin’s works. He performed the Polish composer’s works even at the tsar’s court, despite the fact that they were prohibited in the Russian partition.
Gmina Nowogrodziec possesses a unique cultural heritage associated with the musician and piano virtuoso Adolf von Henselt (1814–1889) and the former palace in Gierałtów, which was owned by the composer from 1852 to 1866 and served as a meeting place for distinguished artists.
Among those who visited the palace in Gierałtów were Hans Christian Andersen (1857), Ferenc Liszt (1861) and Richard Wagner. Social gatherings attended by prominent figures—whose presence would have been worthy of the most magnificent royal palaces—were held within the walls of the Gierałtów residence, located in a small village.
The Picnic’s Musical Stars
Dorota Straburzyńska, from Bolesławiec, holds a Master of Arts degree and is a cello virtuoso, versatile musician and educator. She teaches at PSM I degree in Bolesławiec and at PSM I and II degree in Zgorzelec. She combines her professional passion with teaching; for years, she has successfully educated successive generations of young musicians. She began her career performing with chamber ensembles, with which she also worked in Germany. She was then associated for 20 years with the “Opera Polska” orchestra conducted by maestro Marek Tracz, where she served as leader of the cello section from 2008 to 2020. She also performed with the “Silesian Singers and Players” ensemble and the “Roncole Verdi Orchestra”. From 2017 to 2025, she worked with Percival, a folk-metal band. With the band, she toured Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Belgium and China. Since 2014, she has led the University of the Third Age choir in Bolesławiec, which under her direction has won prestigious awards, including the Grand Prix at a competition in Lubań. For her artistic, educational and promotional activities, she has received two President’s Awards for the Promotion of the City, two awards from the Artistic Education Centre and the Silver Medal for Long Service to the Polish State.
Mieczysław Karczmarz A resident of Gierałtów, he took his first musical steps in Zgorzelec, where he attended a music center and became fascinated with Greek music. At the beginning of his journey, he played Beatles- and Rolling Stones-style music at dances. By profession, he is an electronics technician and is now retired. After getting married, he settled in Gierałtów, where he still lives. For nearly 30 years, he performed live with successive bands, playing at discos, weddings and festivals. After retiring, he began working with the folk ensemble “Milikowianki” from Milików, where for around 15 years he has performed Bosnian party music. He also works with the Herbut family band from Tomisław, with which he travels to nationwide performances and competitions. In addition, he plays guitar in the blues band Grodzka Band. The group creates its own arrangements and music, but mainly plays for itself.
The Milikowianki folk ensemble celebrated 40 years of stage activity in 2023. It was established by the Milików Rural Housewives’ Circle; its founder was Anna Rosa, and it is currently led by Janina Ładocha. The ensemble’s repertoire includes love songs, courtship songs, Christmas carols, harvest festival songs, wedding songs, Midsummer songs and patriotic songs. The ensemble has won numerous prizes and distinctions at local and regional reviews and festivals. It also co-organizes the Bread Festival in Milików. The preservation of folk traditions by Milikowianki was noticed and appreciated by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, who awarded the ensemble the title “Meritorious for Polish Culture”.
The project was carried out by an informal group consisting of:
Leszek Socha initiator of the Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Gierałtowa, local activist and history enthusiast. A long-time activist with experience as a local government official.
Katarzyna Grzelak an expert on the labor market, education and lifelong learning, actively involved in the life of the local community. She works for the integration of residents and the development of the region.
Grażyna Hanaf art historian, journalist for istotne.pl and organizer of outdoor events and workshops for young people, as well as an LGBTQ+ ally. Member of the boleslawianie.eu association. For years, she has worked to promote the region, culture and education.
Preserve the history of Gierałtów and join the Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Gierałtowa: e-mail: leszek.socha1@o2.pl
The project entitled “Henselt’s Composer Heritage in Gierałtów – an Integration Picnic, Classical Music Concert and Launch of the Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Gierałtowa” was financed from the budget of the Self-Government of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship as part of the “Lower Silesian Small Grants 2026 – Local Impulse from FRW” program.
