Emanuel Schlechter


Emanuel Schlechter was born and died in Lwów. He was a Polish-Jewish artist, lyricist, screenwriter, librettist, writer, satirist, translator, composer and director.
His father was a house painter in Lwów. The family name of his mother was Begeleiter. Emanuel's brother was Emil Henryk Szlechter, an expert in the laws of Sumeria, Babylonia and Assyria. When Szlechter was 14 years old, he joined the Małopolskie Oddziały Armii Ochotniczej and during summer 1920 he participated in the defense of Lwów.
After passing his matura exam around 1923 he studied law at the Jan Kazimierz University in Lwów and worked briefly in a law firm. His earliest lyrics were written for Leon Borunski's songs, staged at the Morskie Oko theater's Parada gwiazd show in 1930, performed and recorded by Syrena Rekord star Kazimierz Krukowski.

Musical career

In 1931, Schlechter created the Lwów Academic Theatre Złoty pieprzyk . One of his first revues, Co słychać w wielkim świecie included his first hit song, Żołnierska brać. He performed as a singer in the Lwów cafes of Musa and Roma, accompanied by the pianist Julius Gabla. He also wrote columns for newspapers.
Around 1932, he moved permanently to Warsaw. In 1933, he wrote the screenplay and songs for the first Polish film operetta Każdemu wolno kochać, directed by Mieczysław Krawicz. He worked at the Rex theater writing songs, revues, sketches, scenarios, satirical songs and monologues. Between 1933 and 1935 he recorded as a singer and guitarist, as himself or using the nickname of Olgierd Lech. He made a series of "Jewish" records including like Awremałe, Śpiewak sobotni, Rabi Eli-Melech, Alef Bet, and Żydowskie wesele. One of the most popular songs by Schlechter was Srulek. He worked with the Columbia and Odeon orchestras. In 1934 he wrote for La Bohème theater, collaborating with Konrad Tom.
He wrote lyrics of many songs featured in Polish pre-war films including Parada rezerwistów, Kobiety na sprzedaż, Trójka hultajska, Kocha, lubi, szanuje, Czy Lucyna to dziewczyna?, Co mój mąż robi w nocy, Jaśnie pan szofer, Dodek na froncie, Jego wielka miłość, Skłamałam, Książątko, Wyrok życia, Robert i Bertranda, and Czarna perła. He wrote screenplays of Antek policmajster, Będzie lepiej, Jadzia, Ja tu rządzę, Królowa przedmieścia, Piętro wyżej, Szczęśliwa trzynastka, and Włóczęgi.
Starting in 1935 he worked with the Cyrulik Warszawski and Małe Qui pro Quo theaters.
Some of his hits included:Umówiłem się z nią na dziewiątą , music by Henryk Wars,Sex-appeal, music by Henryk Wars,Nie ja—nie ty! , music by Henryk Gold, sung by Schlechter himself,Nic o tobie nie wiem... , music by Henryk Gold, sung by Mieczysław Fogg,Co bez miłości wart jest świat with Konrad Tom, music by Henryk Wars,Ty i ja with Fred Scher,Ja mam czas, ja poczekam music by Mieczysław Mierzejewski,Odrobinę szczęścia w miłości , music by Jerzy Petersburski sung by Stefan Witas,Młodym być i więcej nic , music by Jerzy Petersburski, Ivo Wesby orchestra

Death

In September 1939, during the German and Soviet invasion of Poland Schlechter was working at the Lwów Teatr Miniatura as an actor, writer and director. He was known for his anti-Nazi satires.
However, after the Germans occupied Lwów in 1941 during Operation Barbarossa, Schlechter was sent to the Lviv ghetto. He was then transferred to the Janowska concentration camp where he was part of its artistic life, participating in literary evenings.
Schlechter most likely died in Janowska in 1942, along with his wife and young son, although it is possible that he managed to survive until 1943.

Filmography

Screenplays

Dialogues

Films with his song lyrics