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DOI Artikel:Załęski, Krzysztof: Stanisław Lorentz as the creator of the "Modern" National Museum
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18948#0037
Lorentz directed a wide-scale effort of a large team of workers, the “Pruszków
Campaign”, to rescue of works of art, archives, and libraries from both public
and private collections, that were left behind in city condemned to
annihilation. Information was also gathered about collections and valuable
works removed from the country by the Nazis, which facilitated their discovery
after the war in the course of recovery efforts, in which numerous members of
the Museum Staff participated, with the Director at the hełm.
When despite hopes and expectations Poland’s liberation came from the
East, it was decided at a session in which Wycech and Korboński participated,
to fili in these circumstances all of the major positions with the exception of
the political posts. Lorentz returned to the Museum on January 18, 1945, the
day after the liberation of Warsaw. Confirmed in the position of Director of
the Museum by the new authorities, he presented a plan for organising
a Directorate-General for Museums and the Preservation of Historical
Monuments, which was organised on February 7, and was nominated as its
Director. Carrymg out effective activity intencied to revive and develop Polish
museums, while connected with the underground conspiracy and supported by
the London Government-in-Exile, freąuently reąuired diplomatic skills. In
certain fundamental issues Lorentz was uncompromismg, as exemplified by his
unceasing struggle to rebuild the Royal Castle. His professional and morał
authority, together with his well-developed connections in the world of culture
and politics, both at home and abroad, enabled Lorentz - unlike few other
professionally active individuals who had retained their pre-war positions after
the war - to operate with relatively greater autonomy and mdependence,
despite various limitations, pressure, and even attacks, particularly in the
Stalinist period. This is obvious in the themes of the exhibitions mounted at
the National Museum. While in the early post-war period co-operation with
9. Crates with works
of art recovered
in Pomerania,
Spring 1945
35
Campaign”, to rescue of works of art, archives, and libraries from both public
and private collections, that were left behind in city condemned to
annihilation. Information was also gathered about collections and valuable
works removed from the country by the Nazis, which facilitated their discovery
after the war in the course of recovery efforts, in which numerous members of
the Museum Staff participated, with the Director at the hełm.
When despite hopes and expectations Poland’s liberation came from the
East, it was decided at a session in which Wycech and Korboński participated,
to fili in these circumstances all of the major positions with the exception of
the political posts. Lorentz returned to the Museum on January 18, 1945, the
day after the liberation of Warsaw. Confirmed in the position of Director of
the Museum by the new authorities, he presented a plan for organising
a Directorate-General for Museums and the Preservation of Historical
Monuments, which was organised on February 7, and was nominated as its
Director. Carrymg out effective activity intencied to revive and develop Polish
museums, while connected with the underground conspiracy and supported by
the London Government-in-Exile, freąuently reąuired diplomatic skills. In
certain fundamental issues Lorentz was uncompromismg, as exemplified by his
unceasing struggle to rebuild the Royal Castle. His professional and morał
authority, together with his well-developed connections in the world of culture
and politics, both at home and abroad, enabled Lorentz - unlike few other
professionally active individuals who had retained their pre-war positions after
the war - to operate with relatively greater autonomy and mdependence,
despite various limitations, pressure, and even attacks, particularly in the
Stalinist period. This is obvious in the themes of the exhibitions mounted at
the National Museum. While in the early post-war period co-operation with
9. Crates with works
of art recovered
in Pomerania,
Spring 1945
35