Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849), eminent Polish composer and pianist, stayed in Munich only once, from 30 July to 2 September 1831. It was a period full of intense experiences and the making of new acquaintances. His stay, part of a trip to Paris, was documented in police records and articles in local magazines.

Journey in the company of Norbert Alfons Kumelski

In the Bavarian capital, Chopin spent much time with the Polish naturalist Norbert Alfons Kumelski (1802-1853), whom he had met earlier in Vienna. Together they left Austria and travelled through Linz and Salzburg to Munich. They set off from Vienna in mid July, just after Chopin had received the long-awaited documents: a passport authorising travel to the Bavarian capital (although officially, he had applied for a visa to London, planning to settle in Paris) and the so-called Gesundheitspass, a health certificate attesting that he was free of cholera, without which he could not leave the country. During his journey, Chopin experienced strong emotions, connected both with the cholera epidemic prevailing in Austria and the losses suffered by Poles in the November Rising.

The flat at 1661 Briennerstrasse (now Odeonsplatz 2).

We learn about the details of Chopin's stay in Munich from police reports, which give the place of his temporary residence, the name of his host and the dates of his stay. In Munich, in order to save money, Chopin and Kumelski stayed with the court cellist Karl Schönche (1785-1861). They lived in a three-storey classical building at 1661 Briennerstrasse (now Odeonsplatz 2), built between 1828 and 1829 to a design by the German architect Leo von Klenze (1784-1864). Due to its location in the vicinity of the Odeon, the most important cultural institutions and the court garden, the place was conducive to social gatherings and provided an excellent base for exploring the city. The narrow streets of the Old Town and the Church of St Kajetan may have reminded Chopin of the surroundings of Warsaw's Krakowskie Przedmieście. However, no correspondence survives from the period of his visit to Munich which would record his impressions of the city.

The concert

Chopin had initially planned a short stay in Munich, but had to extend his visit due to awaiting a money order from his father. The composer's stay in the Bavarian capital was not limited to rest and socialising; it was also of considerable importance for his artistic career. On 28 August, at 12 noon, Chopin performed in the hall at Wittelsbacherplatz 617 at a concert organised by the Philharmonic Society (as belatedly reported by the 'Kurier Warszawski' in issue 256 of 22 September 1831). There he performed his Concerto in E minor. The local press had mixed opinions of the composition, describing it as "brilliant and well structured, but not surprising for its particular novelty or depth of character." However, the performance itself was awe-inspiring due to the "developed fluency and engaging delicacy of the playing." Towards the end of the concert, Chopin "won universal applause" from the audience as he played his "Fantasia on the Themes of Polish National Songs."

Chopin's legacy in Munich

Chopin's heritage in Munich remains alive through various initiatives. In 2010, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth, a monument to him by the Polish sculptor Jozef Nowak (b. 1962) was unveiled in Poets Park. The monument was created thanks to the commitment and funding of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Halina and Mirosław Pieńkowski.