1933–1958: early years Penderecki was born on 23 November 1933 in Dębica, the son of Zofia and Tadeusz Penderecki, a lawyer. His grandfather Michał Penderecki was a native of Tenetnyky village near Rohatyn (now Ukraine)Roman Rewakowicz’s memoir about Krzysztof Penderecki and belonged to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church. He married Stefania Szylkiewicz of Armenian origin from Stanislau (now Ivano-Frankivsk in Ukraine) and they later moved to Dębica. The rest of the Penderecki family avoided Polonisation and some still live in their ancestral village.(LXIX) Wschodnie korzenie Krzysztofa Pendereckiego Krzysztof met them upon his visits to Ukraine in the 1990s. On his mother's side his grandfather, Robert Berger, was a highly talented painter and director of the local bank at the time of Penderecki's birth; Robert's father Johann, a German Protestant, moved to Dębica from Breslau (now Wrocław) in the mid-19th century. Out of love for his wife, he subsequently converted to Catholicism.Schwinger, p. 16.
1933–1958: early years pendErecki waS bOrN On 23 noVemBEr 1933 iN dębicA, thE sON of zofIA anD taDEUsz pENDerEcKI, A lawyER. His GranDfATheR miChAŁ penDerecki WAS a NATIvE oF tenEtnyky vIlLagE neaR rohatyN (Now UKraiNE)RoMaN RewAkOwicz’s memoIr abOut Krzysztof PenderECki aNd BEloNgEd to the uKraInian greeK CathoLic cHuRch. HE mArRIEd stefania SzYLKiewIcz of arMeniaN oRigIN fROM StanisLau (NOW Ivano-fraNkivSk iN uKrAine) And They laTEr moVeD tO dĘbicA. the rest OF the PendereCki famiLY Avoided pOloniSatiOn anD soME sTill liVe in ThEir AncEStrAL village.(lxiX) wSChODnie KorzenIe KRzySzTOFA PEnDeReckiego KRZysztof met Them upon HIs visiTs to UkrAine In THE 1990s. On his motHer's SIDe his gRanDfaTHEr, roBerT berger, WAs A higHly taLEnted pAinter ANd dIRectoR Of the loCaL bAnK At THe TimE oF pEnDerECKI's biRth; rObErT's fAtHer jOhANN, a german prOtEstaNt, moVed to DĘbICA froM breslAu (now wrOCław) in tHe mid-19th cEntury. ouT oF love foR his wife, He subsequEntlY Converted to cATholicisM.schWInGeR, p. 16.