Poles in the Free City of Gdańsk

Location: square in front of the Museum

Till the end of 2022

FREE ENTRY

The exhibition ‘Poles in the Free City of Gdańsk’ illustrates the fate of the Polish minority, who from the beginning of the existence of the Free City served Poland through their actions designed to preserve their national identity in the face of the German majority in the city. The exhibition presents various manifestations of the everyday life of the Polish inhabitants of the Free City of Gdansk, up until the outbreak of World War II.

Poles in the Free City of Gdańsk

The main needs of the Polish population were expressed through both by their involvement in the political life of the city by participating in the elections to the Gdańsk parliament, as well as by looking after their Polish economic and trade interests. Poles organized their own network of schools and scout groups, as well as Polish sports teams and cultural societies. The mainstay for Poles in the city was the Catholic Church, Polish priests and various Polish associations and organizations. All of these activities were carried out despite the unfavorable or openly hostile attitude of the German inhabitants of Gdańsk. After the outbreak of war, Polish life in Gdańsk was obliterated and even its traces were systematically destroyed by the Germans. Many Poles from the Free City of Gdańsk paid with their lives for their attachment to their national identity.

 

Authors | Wojciech Grott, Dr. Marcin Kłodziński, Wojciech Samól, Marek Zambrzycki

Scientific consultation | dr hab. Grzegorz Berendt,  dr hab. Karol Polejowski, Dr. Marek Szymaniak

Graphic design | dr hab. Konstancja Pleskaczyńska

Production | AAA EXPO

Honorary patronage | prof. dr hab. Piotr Gliński, vice-president of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Culture and National Heritage