Ireneusz Radkiewicz, famed for photographing Lech Wałęsa, died at 75 on Thursday, Dec. 25, Polish Press Agency reports.
Early Life and Career
Ireneusz Radkiewicz was born in 1950. From childhood he showed a keen interest in photography and sport, joining the Stodoła Artistic Photography Group under the mentorship of Zbigniew Wojewódzki. His early work earned him a place in the Warsaw University student photography agency, and in 1971 he joined the Central Photography Agency (CAF). He later worked as a photo‑journalist for the Polish Press Agency through the 1990s.
Work with Lech Wałęsa
Radkiewicz documented the political, cultural, and social life of the Polish People’s Republic and became the principal photographer of the Solidarity movement. He shot several iconic images of Wałęsa, including the moment the former leader left the Arłamów jail in 1982 and chronicled his presidency from 1990 until 1995.
Notable Photographs
Among his most celebrated works are photos of a motorcyclist leaping over grounded policemen at Marymont Stadium during the “Lata z Radiem” festival, Jana Karski receiving a university badge from the rector of Warsaw University, astronaut Andrzej Kajetan Wróblewski, and the 1980 aircraft crash near Okęcie Airport. In 1991 he captured Wałęsa’s visit to Israel, Pope John Paul II’s pilgrimage to Poland, and a meeting of Wałęsa with Ronald Reagan at Rancho del Cielo.
Legacy and Influence
Radkiewicz’s images, including those of the Breakout band, remain integral to Poland’s visual history of the late twentieth century. His photographic documentation provides a compelling visual record of the country’s transition from socialism to democracy.
