He may not be remembered by the younger generation anymore, but his voice is in their heads, or even the next generation. I often come across opinions like: “Oh, an atmosphere like Ciszewski, no one has created yet.” And they remember: And this is Wembley, and this is the World Football Championship, and this is the Olympic Games. He was fortunate to have had such an amazing time in the history of our sport. And he can use it.
Dad knew many disciplines, especially football and speed. His colleagues called him “The Professor”. It is entirely possible that he will educate the next generation of journalists after his career as a commentator. Perhaps he had a student. In a sense, Mr. Szpakowski was his successor. There was such a match later, when he introduced himself as Dariush Sizhevsky.
Enjoy his granddaughters for a little while
What comes to my mind first about dad? He was a wonderful man with a good sense of humour. The joke was somewhat situational. Hence some of the phrases when commenting, such as “everything is in the hands of a horse.”
What did he teach me? Responsibility, cheerful approach to life, love of culture and art. We loved going to the movies together. I also inherited the way I drive. My husband Andrei always says that I have a heavy foot after my parents (laughs).
Mom Leonarda was my father’s first wife. They separated when I was 13 years old. Later, my mother married a sailor and left for Gdansk. At that time, my beloved grandfathers Sisevsky and my father’s sister – Aunt Zosia took care of me. When I was in high school, my father got engaged to Anya, who became his second wife, and we lived together in Katowice. Even today, I have good contact with her.
Because of his profession, my father often traveled to Warsaw at that time, and then completely moved there. Contrary to the various strange stories, we kept in touch with my father. We had a close relationship until the end of his life.
Dad enjoyed his two granddaughters Anya and Ola for a short time. After all, he was 52 years old when he died. In the meantime, he married Christina for the third time, and his daughter from this relationship is almost my daughter’s age. I haven’t seen my half-sister since my father’s funeral when she was six years old. This is pathetic.
Dad can move. He was very emotional. and gr. Three wives and some other acquaintances in the meantime. you understand …
on the tongues
Many things were written about my father…some of them were exaggerated. Who better to know his story only his eldest daughter?
He had a nod, that’s a fact. Was it wasteful? Maybe a little, because one is related to the other. I knew that when my dad came back from a trip abroad, he would always bring something nice. And it will always match your taste. He knew women’s fashion well, so his gifts from abroad always struck him. For example jeans, some nice shoes or a jacket. Also bring perfume. In general, things that we can only buy at Pewex. But did he borrow money from others? I don’t know that anymore, but I’m already aware that there have been various rumors.
It was often said in articles about my father that he was a gambler. Is that correct? It depends on who understands this word. The fact that he adored horses because he himself commented on their races in Służewiec was no secret. And that he himself wore it on them – too. But I don’t know to what extent I absorbed it. It did not harm the family. It is known that a gambler immediately associates with someone who bets on the last shirt or takes something out of the house. It was not with my father.
Other hobbies? The painting was his horse. He had many beautiful paintings, both in an apartment in Katowice and in Warsaw. Usually they were painters of the Dutch school, and there were also works by Józef Chełmoński, Fałat, Wyczółkowski, Cybis, Urbanowicz, and other famous Polish painters. We even got a beautiful painting from Wojciech Kossak as a wedding gift.
He also loved music, and had a large collection of records at home, mostly Frank Sinatra songs. He also attended the opera. Thanks to this, an acquaintance of singer Wiesław Ochman was born. When it comes to famous people, my father was mainly friends with Wojciech Gąsowski, Ryszard Dyja, Tadeusz Janik and Włodek Lubański. Then I continued this relationship and when my husband was in office in Brussels, the Lubański family invited us to visit them.
Dad was very fond of good food, was a connoisseur of different dishes. This may have come from the fact that my parents’ parents had an open house with good food. The goose was always his king. On our way to Warsaw, we sometimes stopped at Siewierz on the way, because there was a famous restaurant there, where goose dishes are served. At the Hotel Orbis Silesia, the chef was Mr. Stanisław, who always had something special for my father.
Alcohol? If something is, it is white or red, depending on what was eaten. He also loves whiskey. He would say then that “Wandering Gasio” was going to him (laughs).
I connected a certain anecdote to the Orbis Silesia. It was New Year’s Eve. I was 18 years old to be able to participate in such a game. Once I lost my father’s vision, and after a while someone started singing “Shadow of Your Smile” by Frank Sinatra through the microphone. I look at the scene and this is my father. Wonderful moment.
keep smiling
Dad also had a great sense of rhythm. Dance wonderfully. He didn’t even mind that his right leg was shorter. Besides, he did not have any complexes about it. Didn’t complain about it. Not even found in it. He had a distance to it, as well as many other things.
When he was still living here, he was a healthy young man, so he never complained about anything. I’ve never heard my dad say he feels bad or that something is wrong with him. However, when he was getting cold, he just said, “Remember, I have a game on the field in three hours and I have to be healthy.” The tea with lemon or honey was in motion. Plus, he took a half-hour nap and was ready to go.
My father was even afraid of doctors. He never allowed himself to think he was sick. He didn’t study much at all. After they found his blood sugar to be too high, it was clear that he needed to undergo extensive research. but earlier? Start.
The cause of death was cirrhosis of the liver. He was hospitalized at the beginning of November 1982, after suffering a gallbladder attack. A few days before his death, I visited him with his sister Zofia in the hospital. After the operation, he was in good shape. There was no indication that anything bad could happen. Talk to us normally. He then fell into a diabetic coma and died shortly thereafter.
He didn’t admit to himself that he might die so quickly. He was an optimist all his life, so he approached a hospital stay with the understanding that he would have surgery and return to a normal life. He kept saying that everything would be fine, and at best he would have to withdraw a little and save or retire early. Anyway, he had a lot of life ahead of him.
My father died unexpectedly. It was a heavy blow. Even now, 40 years later, when I hear his voice on TV, my stomach cramps. My daughters and even my grandchildren, Alan and Laura, react in a similar way.
Listen to Dariush Dubek
“Bacon scholar. Incurable social media ninja. Professional travel aficionado. Beer buff.”
