At the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk, thanks to cooperation with
both institutions and private individuals from all over the country, as well as
the involvement of authors and curators, we have prepared an exhibition
devoted to the Gedania Sports Club on the hundredth anniversary of its
creation.
On an area of over 500 m2, we present unique, previously unseen exhibits
and photos, taken from the collections of a dozen private individuals whose
families were associated with pre-war Gedania, as well as institutions such
as the Sports and Tourism Museum in Warsaw, the Leon Wyczółkowski District
Museum in Bydgoszcz and Gedania SA. The diversity and uniqueness of the
collections allow the stories of the interwar Gedania Club to be heard in a complete way and on the centenary of its establishment to commemorate the lives of the people who founded the club.
Gedania was for the Poles of Gdańsk something more than just a sports club where physical prowess was practiced. It gave an opportunity to meet other compatriots and to develop a spirit of patriotism. These ideas are also close to us, the museum staff and the creators of the temporary exhibition ‘Strength in sport. The history of the Gedania Sports Club’.
The boxing department of the Gedania club is considered to be the section with the most talent. One of its members, Jan Bianga, was successful on a national level, winning many titles, including country champion. Gedania's members have also successfully competed in sports competitions representing Poland abroad. The Poles of Gdańsk brought pride to their homeland, both nationally and internationally. Their merits and the need to remember them are emphasized by Ph.D hab. Grzegorz Berendt, director of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk:
Gedania was a club established by Poles from Gdańsk, which had to operate in very difficult conditions. The exhibition ‘Strength in sport. The History of the Gedania Sports Club’ aims to honor hundreds of these brave people, while at the same time the entire Polish minority in the Free City of Gdańsk, attached to their national Polish identity and to the Republic of Poland.
The Gedanists created an extremely unique club, as recalled by dr hab. Janusz Trupinda, author of the exhibition narrative and also a flagship monograph book devoted to the Gedania Sports Club:
The Gedania Sports Club from the very beginning was always more than just an ordinary sports organization. It was a platform on which Poles living in Gdańsk before the war could express their patriotism, national pride, and attachment to the white and red flag.
One of the patriotic activities in which the club members were involved was the creation of journalism. Among the exhibits obtained for the exhibition is an original, pre-war newspaper ‘Sport’, which published news about the club's activities.
The Gedanists paid the highest of prices for their activities. During World War II, many of them experienced a great deal of suffering at the hands of the Germans. After the conflict ended, the survivors managed to reactivate the club. This version of the club, however, had to operate in a completely new reality. Gedania's players, despite numerous adversities, continued to be successful - such as with the boxer Zygmunt Chychła, who was associated with the club before the war. In 1952, at the Helsinki Olympics, he won a gold medal for Poland. This clearly illustrates the strength of sport.
Honorary patronage of this exhibition has been assumed by the President of the Republic of Poland.
Gallery
