back to 1969 but make it polish

My design project aims to connect the iconic images of the Woodstock Festival from the 1960s with those from the first five Polish Woodstock Festivals of the 1990s, creating a visual dialogue between two distinct historical moments. This results in an exciting visual exploration that links two different points in history—not only aesthetically but also culturally and politically. Woodstock 1969 was more than just a music festival. It was a symbol of freedom, resistance to societal norms, and the entire hippie movement. It embodied a generation fighting for peace, equality, and a better future. Twenty-six years later, in 1995, the Woodstock Festival in Poland experienced a revival, but in a completely different context. After the fall of communism, thousands of young people gathered, grappling with themes such as freedom and identity—yet under the new conditions of a post-communist society. By comparing the imagery of both festivals, a collage emerges that not only creates an aesthetic bridge between the decades but also reflects the different societal and political realities. The images from 1969, often characterized by idealism, unity, and a strong sense of hope for a better world, contrast with the Polish Woodstock images of the 1990s, shaped by a generation that had just discovered freedom. The collages become more than just a visual experiment showing how ideals of freedom, protest, and community have evolved over time; they also serve as a platform to explore the development of the Polish music scene. In doing so, they bring together not only the past and present of the Woodstock movement but also the ongoing struggle for freedom and change in different times. Beyond the aesthetic dimension, there is also a musical approach. Analyzing the line-ups from 1995-1999 provides insight into the development of the music scene. Through the musicians who shaped the Polish Woodstock, the festival's history comes alive through music and is felt on various levels.

Lidia Margiciok
Created in the course: From Groove to Grid
Wintersemester 2024/25 HAW Hamburg
Supervised by Prof. Heike Grebin und Amyra Radwan

Przystanek Woodstock is a huge summer music festival held in the beginning of August in Kostrzyn on the Oder, Poland. The Festival is organized by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation in order to thank all its volunteers and supporters who take part in the annual Grand Finale fundraising event in January. The first Woodstock Festival was held in 1995 in Czymanów at the Zarnowieckie Lake. Every year, Przystanek Woodstock features a few dozen bands from Poland and abroad. The guests are invited to perform on one of our two stages: the Big Stage or the Small Stage, also known as the Folk Stage. For 15 years the Orchestra has been organizing auditions for bands willing to perform for the Woodstock audience.

Since its first edition in 1995 the festival has undergone a lot of changes. It moved from Czymanowo (through a few other localizations) to Kostrzyn on Odra and grew from an event for 30 thousand people to one of the largest music festivals in the world with an audience reaching up to 750 thousand - this attendance record was set last year. The 1995 edition was organized in makeshift conditions one of which was that the organizers didn’t even have a fax machine, whereas the latest editions were fully professional endeavours. Jurek Owsiak, who was the festival’s organizer since the beginning, says that the numerous changes can be exemplified by a comparison between a Syrena (a Polish two-door car for the masses from the 50s) and a luxury racing car. Nevertheless two key things about the festival haven’t changed since its beginning: it’s free of charge and has an especially welcoming atmosphere.

Dąbie 1996

QUO VADIS – Dream
FREE BLUES BAND – Lubię ciebie w maju
GUSH – Let´s burn again
Open Folk – Siesta
JAK WOLNOŚĆ TO WOLNOŚĆ – Łańcuszek
AHIMSA – Dziewiąty
SKANKAN – Tańcz, Grają Twój Kawałek
Swawolny Dyzio – Hey Joe
Ankh – Chleb i Krew
FARBEN LEHRE – Anioły i Demony
FUNNY HIPPOS – Buty
MYSLOVITZ – Dlugość dzwięku samotności
GANG OLSENA – Ja jestem wolny
HOUK - żyję w tym mieście
SEXBOMBA – Najebani, piękni, młodzi
Urszula – Na Sen
HUNTER – NieWolność
SAGE OF UNITY – Sometimes
CLOSTERKELLER – Kolorowa Magdalena
TREBUNIE TUTKI – Zakopane Odkopane?

The idea for Przystanek Woodstock (the name translates into Woodstock Station) came from Jurek Owsiak, who is a living institution in Poland. Since 1993 he has been running Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy / The Grand Orchestra of Christmas Charity, a charity foundation which is best known for annually raising money for medical causes during a one-day event in January called the Finale of the Grand Orchestra of Christmas Charity. This massive event takes place all over Poland and also in a number of foreign countries. It includes, amongst others, concerts, money collections and auctions. Each year tens of thousands of people engage in the Finale as voluntaries, musicians, collectors, etc. The foundation is very popular and in total it has raised the equivalent of approximately 160 million U.S. dollars. Przystanek Woodstock was thought up as an event that would be a way to thank the volunteers and supporters of the Finale – that’s why it’s free of charge. The festival is funded by sponsors and money raised by the organizers. It isn’t financed with funds from the Finale.

Żary 1997

PIVO – Samo Za Taj Osjećaj
Open Folk – Siesta
JESZCZE RAZ – Belgrado
SWAWOLNY DYZIO – Hey Joe
OBSTAWA PREZYDENTA – Gdy sie kocha
CLOSTERKELLER – Kolorowa Magdalena
EASY RIDERS – Don't Hurry Worry Me
TREBUNIE TUTKI – Zakopane Odkopane?
QUO VADIS – Dream
RÓZE EUROPY – Marihuana
Urszula – Na Sen
GANG OLSENA – Ja jestem wolny
MONKEY BUSINESS - Slave to the Grind
MOONLIGHT – List z raju
NOCNA ZMIANA BLUESA - Chory na bluesa
JAFIA NAMUEL – Mysli Swoje
DŻEM – Wehikuł Czasu, to byłby cud

Owsiak is a great admirer of the original Woodstock Festival, a hippie milestone that took place in 1969 in America. In 1994 he travelled to the U.S. to make a film about Woodstock ’94, a festival that was organized on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the legendary flower power event. He was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere of the anniversary festival and on his way back to Poland he decided to organize an event with a similar vibe in Poland, which would be a way to thank those supporting the Finale. At that time the series Northern Exposure was being aired on Polish television under the Polish title Przystanek Alaska which translates into Alaska Station. The show, which focuses on a peaceful Alaskan community, was very popular in Poland and Owsiak decided to refer to its Polish title in the name of his festival to signalize that his event will be as much about music as harmonious co-existence. The word Woodstock in the Polish festival’s name constitutes of course a reference to the aforementioned American festivals. Owsiak succeeded at realizing his vision - Przystanek Woodstock is renowned for its friendly atmosphere. Last year, when attendance hit the aforementioned record high of 750 thousand, the police securing the event didn’t have to resolve any serious criminal issues at the festival. Everybody was simply having fun and enjoying the music.

Żary 1998

BANDOG – Slavic Spirit
AKURAT – Lubię mówić z tobą
HARLEM – Someday soon
BŁĘKITNY NOSOROŻEC – Twoja droga
CLOSTERKELLER – Kolorowa Magdalena
HOUK - żyję w tym mieście
ODDZIAL ZAMKNIETY – Ludzie ulicy
TESTORS – Time Is Mine
Swawolny Dyzio – Hey Joe
GANG OLSENA – Ja jestem wolny
OBSTAWA PREZYDENTA – Gdy sie kocha
DŻEM – Wehikuł Czasu, to byłby cud
ŻUKI – Oh! Darling
Urszula – Na Sen
ZDROWA WODA – Piwo
LOTYŃ – Nowy deszcz
PROLETARIAT – Soma holiday
KOBRANOCKA – List z pola boju
ACID DRINKERS – Another Brick in the Wall