THE FIRST LADY

WOJCIECH DUDKIEWICZ

A spontaneous, clever, strong, wise, beautiful and also womanly. There are no doubts that Agata Duda had an influence on her husband's victory. And that now she will be a strong support for the President of the Polish Republic.

Joining the campaign of Andrzej Duda by his wife and daughter was a bull's eye. The electoral campaign spot in which Agata Duda assures that her husband is a reliable man, made an impression. - I trusted him 20 years ago and I do not regret it – she said.

People saw the relationship, loyalty, mutual support in Duda family. And today this is the way in which one gains electors' support who place family values over politics.

Agata Duda does not like camera flashes and keeps away from mass media but made an exception for her husband. - Dear Sir or Madam, I will make something private; I must thank two ladies who put up with this campaign, despite so many difficulties – the new President of the Polish Republic said after the victory. He had a lot to thank for.

Duda family in a whole

Looking at Duda family in a whole, Poles had a positive feeling to them. - Andrzej's wife is a classy woman, who is elegant, educated and clever. I never discussed political issues with her but I know that she has her own way of looking at the world – says Zbigniew Ziobro, a politician and a former close cooperator of the President. I am sure that it will also make Agata Duda become an excellent first lady.

Like her husband, she comes from an intelligent family in Cracow. She was brought up by her own home, she was an eye in her mother's head – who was a teacher of Polish, and, much more, an eye in her dad's head – a prominent poet, a story writer, a translator and a professor.

Today this is her who is the support for her severely-ill father.

Julian Kornhauser is a legend for many people, and a creator – besides Adam Zagajewski and Stanisław Barańczak - A New Wave, that is, engaged poetry of the 70s of the last century; an oppositionist to the Polish People's Republic. A cooperator of KOR, a signatory of 'Letter 59' against changes in the constitution of the Polish People's Republic, including an article added to it, referring to the leading role of the Polish United Labour Party and an alliance with USSR, an author of texts in the second circulation. He had to be aware that it had been made hard for him to publish his works and his academic development was blocked. And that he was going to be interned after the martial law had been introduced.

An older sister

Interning her father for his 9-year-old daughter at that time was a traumatic experience.

It was her who on 13 December 1981 opened a door for Security Officers, and later was waiting for her dad. She remembers a Christmas Eve table, on which there was his photo, crying mum and grandma. This is her worst memory from childhood. And as her acquaintances say – one of the reasons that she is not fond of politics, even with participation of her husband. She was not glad when he got engaged in it seriously.

When her husband gained PhD degree, she could think that she would have an academic professor in the person of her husband.

Her younger brother, Jakub Kornhauser followed her father in education. Similarly as her father – he is a poet, a literature expert, a worker at the Jagiellonian University. He loves his sister, saying that she is a friendly and warm-hearted woman, doing a lot of good to others. There is difference of 12 years between them. - Agata moved out from the family house when I was a child.

Today we see each other occasionally at family ceremonies or at parents' house – he told one of newspapers.

The husband's wife

They met each other in the 3rd year of the secondary school, at a birthday party of their friend. They both studied in secondary schools in Cracow. Agata – in 'Nowodworek' I Seondary School. Andrzej – in 'Sobieski' II Secondary School. It was not love from in the beginning.

Our relationship was developing slowly – Andrzej Duda told journalists. They differed from each other in characters. He loved space, the mountains, his girlfriend rather loved being at home. In 1990 they got engaged and their relationship developed a lot during their studies, although they did not have enough time – Agata decided to study German language, and I decided to study law, and we had to learn a lot. - It has always been a special couple – said Agata and Andrzej's schoolmate said to one of newspapers.

It seemed that they did not match each other. She – was serious, sentimental and introvert; he – was energetic and talkative. When in 1994 there was their wedding, they were still at university. When a year later their daughter, Kinga was born, her 22-year-old mother had not had MA degree in German studies yet.

Dreams: his were about the mountains, hers were about warm countries and further journeys – and they had to be postponed.

Being asked about their successful marriage, Agata Duda said that their secret is based on mutual friendliness and respect. Although both of them have strong character, they always reach a quick agreement.

- I can say that my husband is my best friend- she said in one of interviews, pointing to character features of Andrzej Duda, which every family father should have.

He is the man on whom I can always rely, who provides his wife and daughter with sense of safety.

A bull's eye

In the beginning, she did not want to appear at her husband's conventions, but let herself got convinced.

The wife and the daughter of the candidate for the office of president, made an impression. Media wrote that it was an important weapon in his hands. Because the fight for presidency is also a rivalry for families. Not only the beautiful ones but also the intelligent ones' – wrote tabloids.

According to specialists, the family can provide some essential support to the candidate.

The wife and the daughter brought freshness into the electoral campaign. A natural smile, friendliness, reflecting on her face, cleverness, openness, as well as a strong personality, helped her husband a lot.

The candidate, in the company of his wife and daughter, seemed to be a different man. He was self-confident, energetic, and with a strong character.

Similar hair, nose, mouth – Kinga Duda is a chip off a block – mother – according to gossip portals. Both of them are ambitious, conscientious and extremely hard-working. Kinga looked attractive, not only with her appearance. During the electoral meeting of her father just before the 1st election, she announced that the Third Polish Republic was not Poland of her dreams. Most of my acquaintances are not electors of the Law and Justice party. But I know that some of them would vote for my dad in these elections – she said.

Soon after the bell ring

On Sunday evening Agata Duda was celebrating the electoral success of her husband in Warsaw. Her students in the secondary school named Jan III Sobieski in Cracow thought that they would not have a lesson on Monday.

But she came to a classroom soon after the bell-ring. She told her cooperators that she would teach till the end of the school year and would not leave her students without lessons a month before summer holiday. She taught German for 17 years there, although she was thought to be very demanding, with the sense of mission, was liked by her students. This year the ceremony of the end of the school year had an unusual character: the elect President was present, there was also a farewell ceremony to his wife, who became the first lady.

She had always tried to keep contact with German language through reading literature in this language. However, regardless of a kind of books she read, reading is the best form of relaxing for her and a form of separating herself from everyday life. A day without reading at least one chapter of a book is a wasted day for her. Book have always been particularly present in her life. As a daughter of a teacher of Polish and a writer, she has been surrounded by books since her early childhood.

More than weekends

So far – according to many statements of my husband – she has never wanted to give up her professional duties and move to Warsaw. However, she had to decide to do it. Because, although she liked her work a lot, which gave her much satisfaction, she decided that serious issues needed serious treating. As the first lady, she will try to do her best not to disappoint – as well as her husband – Poles’ hopes.

In the last years she could feel lonely. Since Andrzej Duda got engaged in politics and started spending most of his time outside Cracow – in Warsaw, later also in Brussels and Strasburg – they had their own time at weekends and on holidays. At that time her husband was trying to make up for his absence. At weekends they tried to go to the cinema in the evenings or meet -with their friends. But they also visited her parents and went for dinner at her parents-in-law’s, where the whole family meet together.

From time to time they could plan a trip, outside Cracow, to their friends or family in Stary Sącz. Their daughter sometimes accompanied them then, who – as a student – lives her own way.

Agata Duda could feel loneliness particularly during the electoral campaign, when her husband did not have any free time. He would come home when he only could, at least for a short time. They could talk and talk, but it was not enough. Now, paradoxically speaking, when the President moves to the Presidential Palace, and his wife is the first lady, they will have more time for each other now.

AA

„Niedziela” 32/2015

Editor: Tygodnik Katolicki "Niedziela", ul. 3 Maja 12, 42-200 Czestochowa, Polska
Editor-in-chief: Fr Jaroslaw Grabowski • E-mail: redakcja@niedziela.pl