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MACIEJEWSKI B.M. B M Maciejewski(O.M.Polish)(1926-2006), better known to his friends as 'Bob Mac,' was an author, musicologist and music critic.

Born in Bydgoszcz, Poland (23rd May 1926) Bob was one of identical twin boys. The son of a successful and wealthy industrialist he enjoyed an affluent childhood.

During the 1939 occupation of Warsaw the Nazis tried to close down places of education. Education went ‘underground’. In addition to being able to continue with his education Bob was also able to keep up his piano lessons. His new teacher was 'Professor Jastrzebska' and this lady had connections with an elite artistic world and amongst her friends were many eminent musicians and composers. Bob acquired a first class education and an exceptional musical training as a result of this clandestine system.

Bob and his twin brother Wladek were to become members of the Polish underground resistance and to fight in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising where Wladek was brutally murdered by the German soldiers.

Bob was to become one of only a few members of the 'Odwet Battalion' to survive. He was later captured and imprisoned by the Nazis, his destination: the prisoner-of-war camp on the outskirts of Bremen called Sandbostel where he was to suffer for seven months. Surviving the prisioner-of-war camp Bob later travelled through post war Europe before settling in the UK where he was to read chemistry at University College, Nottingham for 3 years (1947-1950). During the years at Nottingham Bob continued his musical studies under the local organist and pianist 'John Williams'.

Opposite the college was the local YMCA and Bob became a member. Bob would often give recitals in aid of the Polish Airman’s Benevolent Fund. He also became a member of the Anglo-Polish Society where he organised piano recitals and concerts.

In 1953 Bob decided to pursue a professional career in music. He applied for a place at Trinity College of Music, London and was accepted and so returned to full time music studies where he teachers were 'Henry Geehl' – piano, 'Richard Arnell' - composition and 'Denys Darlow' – conducting. He started contributing to the student journal and so started his career as a musicologist.

Bob did much for the promotion of Polish music and culture. Through the Anglo-Polish Music Circle he continued to organise concerts, recitals and theatre performances to help promote the careers of young Polish and British artists, many of whom gave debut performances in London’s Wigmore Hall and were to go on to international fame.

Bob’s devotion, dedication and achievements in his field were recognised and rewarded. In 1972 he received a letter from Buckingham Palace confirming that Her Majesty the Queen had been graciously pleased to grant him unrestricted permission to wear the insignia of Golden Cross of Merit which had been conferred upon him by the Council of State of the Polish People’s Republic in recognition of his services. Nine years later a similar letter arrived from Buckingham Palace this time to confirm his entitlement to wear the Silver Medal of the Polish Order of Merit.

As well as promoting Polish culture in the UK Bob was also an author. His literary achievements include five books on Polish composers and music and an autobiography.

In 2002 Bob was diagnosed with cancer and told by his consultant that without an immediate operation he would be dead within six months. Two years later and still alive he saw the publication of his autobiography ‘A Polish Symphony’.

Published in 2004 it coincided with the 60th anniversary of the Warsaw uprising. Two years on and Bob was gathering material for four more books he was nurturing in his mind. Sadly he passed away in June 2006 without completing those four works in progress.

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