Hertz and Mycielski became close in the early 1950s. The two men had a similar view on the world around them as well as the role of culture and art. They saw a path for their development in simplicity. In 1952 Hertz published a poem, Nowy lirnik mazowiecki [New Mazovian Lyrist], which Mycielski set to music a few years later. The poet, in turn, dedicated to his friend a cycle of poems entitled Pieśni jesienne i zimowe [Songs of Autumn and Winter]. When in 1982 Hertz was baptised, Mycielski gave him the Roman Missal with the following dedication:

Dear Paweł, you wanted to have the Roman Missal. On the day you decided to receive the Holy Baptism, I’m giving you the missal, which my mother was able to send to me to the POW camp. I have another identical copy, which she owned. I’m giving the missal to you, thinking about our friendship, about our life, about our country, about our art and our prayers, which are the best each of us can come up with.