About Szafarnia

Among the picturesque fields of Dobrzyń Land, in the vicinity of the ice-marginal valley of the River Drwęca and Chełmińskie Lakeland Szafarnia is situated. The name of the village has probably existed since the end of XIII century. However in written records the name appeared no sooner than in the Prussian land register of 1772 – 1773, which was created after the first partition of Poland.

Szafarnia was made famous by the Dziewanowski family, using the Jastrzębiec coat-of-arms , which has owned acres in Rypin county since the second half of the XVII century. Members of this family were brought up in the spirit of tradition and patriotism and because of this they have always been remembered for their bravery in the fight for freedom. The most notable characters were those of Dominik Dziewanowski (1759-1827) and Jan Nepomucen Dziewanowski (1782-1808).

The most important event in the history of Szafarnia, which contributed to its popularity on the Europe’s cultural scene, was the time when Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849), the great Polish composer and pianist, stayed at the Dziewanowskis place. The beginnings of the lasting friendship between the Dziewanowski and Chopin families date back to the years when Mikołaj (Fryderyk’s father), then a bachelor, is said to have worked as a tutor and a teacher in Szafarnia.

This friendship grew deeper because Dominik Dziewanowski (Juliusz’s son) and Fryderyk Chopin became friends and also due to the fact that Jan Nepomucen Dziewanowski became Ludwika Chopin’s godfather. The bond between Domuś and Frycek became even stronger during the period when the two studied together in the High School in Warsaw. This led to the two visits the young composer paid at the Dziewanowskis estate in the summers of 1824 and 1825. However, his stay was not only limited to social meetings and events. It proved to have had a great influence on the formation of artistic sensitivity in the author of piano masterpieces. It was nowhere else but in Szafarnia, where Chopin came in contact with authentic folk music, the elements of which can be found in his numerous works. His unique national style can also be attributed to this experience. What is more, many scientists claim that the mazurkas which were inspired by folk music, and which were played during young Chopin’s stay at the Dziewanowskis manor, became the models for the composer’s later masterpieces. It is assumed that during that time the original version of Mazurka a minor op.17, No. 4 called The Jew was written.

Details of the young composer’s stay in Szafarnia can be easily reconstructed thanks to the letters he sent to his parents in Warsaw. The messages sent in the so called Szafarnia Courier, which bore a great resemblance to Warsaw Courier, present a substantial value. These used to describe national events (concerning Szafarnia itself) as well as the international ones (regarding neighbouring villages) in a very witty and amusing way. The aforementioned documents not only prove that the young composer actually stayed in the area, but also show us his character and temper. These documents portray him as a teenage boy whose interests focused not only on music and culture of the region, but also on the local society, its female part in particular.

The visits of the great composer made Szfarnia an important place on the music scene. His stay at Dobrzyń Land initiated a number of cultural activities the aim of which is to propagate and popularize the music of this excellent Polish composer.

Szafarnia has always encouraged numbers of people to come and visit this beautiful part of Dobrzyń Land. In the place of the former Dziewanowskis larch manor, there is an eclectic building, dating back to the end of the XIX century, which is the house of the Chopin Centre – a place of numerous cultural events. It is surrounded by a marvelous park in which one can wander among the trees which have been growing there since the times of young Chopin’s visits. ( Among park’s nature monuments there are some which are particularly interesting, namely Chopin’s lime tree and Dziewanowski Oaks.