Passendorfer, Jerzy

(1923-2003)

   After graduating from the film school in Prague (FAMU), Passendorfer worked as assistant director and later, since his 1957 debut, The Case of Captain Martens (Sprawa kapitana Martensa), as director of films set mostly during World War II. His Answer to Violence (Zamach, 1958) belongs among the better-known films of the Polish School period. The film deals with the assassination of the commander of the SS and police forces in occupied Warsaw, Franz Kutchera, by a Home Army (AK) unit. Passendorfer's noteworthy accomplishments include films starring Wojciech Siemion about simple Polish soldiers and their passage to Berlin alongside the Red Army: Bathed in Fire (Skąpani w ogniu, 1964), Direction Berlin (Kierunek Berlin, 1969), and its sequel, The Last Days (Ostatnie dni, 1969). Passendorfer also made films about the partisan struggle during World War II. These include Scenes of Battle (Barwy walki, 1965), based on the book written by the minister of interior Mieczysław Moczar, and Day of Exculpation (Dzień oczyszczenia, 1969). Passendorfer also dealt with the violent postwar situation in Poland in films such as The Last Bridge (Zerwany most, 1962) and Operation "Brutus" (Akcja "Brutus," 1970). His ventures into other genres were not as successful, with the exception of the realistic Kill the Black Sheep (Zabijcie czarną owcę, 1972) and the popular historical adventure television series Janosik (1973, big-screen version in 1974).

   Other films: The Signals (Sygnały, 1959), Shadows of the Past (Powrót, 1960), Sunday of Justice (Niedziela sprawiedliwości, 1965), Big Beat (Mocne uderzenie, 1966), Victory (Zwycięstwo, 1974), Seagulls (Mewy, 1986).

   Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema by Marek Haltof