This project presents profiles of the following architects: Stanisław Niemczyk, Marek and Ewa Dziekoński, Jerzy Witeczek, Janusz and Bożena Włodarczyk, all representatives of post-war architecture in Upper Silesia, and also architect Tadeusz Barucki – art historian and documentarian – who sets out the achievements of world architecture of that period.
It is important in this project to not merely present the post-1945 architectural heritage and its associated surviving design documentation, but also, and perhaps first and foremost, to display profiles of their creators and their complex biographies and personalities. Our collection of film portraits constitutes a part of the documenting, archiving, research and popularisation activities of the Institute of Architecture Documentation at the Silesian Library.
The acquired and compiled documentary material is presented in the form of filmed interviews, allowing for the safeguarding of full objectivity of the personalities recorded and their statements, but which also gives the interviews the value of source material. It incorporates the speakers’ reminiscences from their childhoods, youth, Second World War and German occupation, post-war times, and presents private archive materials recorded on tape which include photographs, documents and mementoes, etc.
The professionally recorded films therefore constitute appealing documentary, research and educational materials for academics, students and enthusiasts of post-war architecture.
The project is co-financed by the Polish History Museum in Warsaw as part of the ‘Patriotism of Tomorrow’ programme.
