A letter of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland to architects

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Museum of the Second World War, which is being created in Gdańsk, will commemorate the biggest and most tragic conflict in the history of humanity. It will present the war as the shared experience of many nations, one that may never be forgotten. We would like this place to serve as a space for reflection about the fragility of peace, the cruelty of war and the horrifying criminality of totalitarian regimes. I believe that the stature of the Museum, as well as the message it carries, will depend considerably on the architectural form of the building housing it. If our plans are to succeed, this building must become a widely recognized symbol of the history of the 20th century, a visiting card for the city of Gdańsk and a reminder that it was here that the Second World War broke out.

Understandably, the preparation of a design for the building of the Museum of the Second World War is an exceptional creative challenge. But aren’t such challenges the only truly interesting ones? This is why, full of hope, I invite you to take part in this competition!

Yours respectfully, 

Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland