From occupation to pandemic: On the variants of song "Siekiera, motyka" and their role in traumatic situations

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the life (cycle) of the song entitled Siekiera, motyka… and the role it plays in Polish culture in traumatic situations. During World War II, numerous variants of this song were sung by street performers. After the end of the war the song became popular thanks to the 1946 film Zakazane piosenki (Forbidden Songs), and its wartime versions were later used by many artists. Subsequent contrafacta of Siekiera appeared in the Polish People’s Republic, especially during martial law, as a manifestation of the resistance against communist government, hence the strong associations of the song with the resistance movement. The Siekiera, motyka incipit is still used to create rhymes commenting on contemporary events, published on the Internet. New versions of Siekiera, motyka have been created in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In this case, the enemy, instead of the German occupier and the communist regime, has been the virus. The versions from different times share many features in common – e.g. they are strongly rooted in contemporary reality, evoking the names of well-known figures and humorous wording. They appear in situations of social tension, disorganisation, and they serve to help people come to terms with new reality and traumatic experiences.