Collection of photographs and postcards of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil - part 7

History of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil 1868-1948

By The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Removal of the Bar Column from the Rapperswil castle courtyard (1950)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Termination of the contract of lease

The seizure of government in Poland by the Soviets and the anxiety connected with it resulting from communist propaganda spreading in Switzerland prompted the authorities of the town of Rapperswil to terminate the contract of lease in 1945, 22 years before its expiration date. Following the decision of Swiss Supreme Court as of July 6th 1951, the termination was considered legally binding.

Postcard with the Bar Column (1872-1948), 1948, From the collection of: The Polish Museum in Rapperswil
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Postcard with the Bar Column (1872-1948), 1948, From the collection of: The Polish Museum in Rapperswil
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Entrance to T. Kościuszko’s Mausoleum, 1948, From the collection of: The Polish Museum in Rapperswil
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Removal of the Bar Column from the Rapperswil castle courtyard (1950)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

The museum was liquidated and the collections which were included within it from 1936 were transported to Poland. The deserted castle was leased to Schweizerischer Burgenverein which, within the framework of its restoration, removed almost all Polish traces from this area.

Removal of the Bar Column from the Rapperswil castle courtyard (1950)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Removal of the Bar Column from the Rapperswil castle courtyard (1950)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

The Society of Friends of Polish Museum in Rapperswil (1954)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

The Museum´s Friends Society

The Museum´s Friends Society, created in January 1954, was an answer of the Polish emigrants to the suspension of the lease contract by the authorities of Rapperswil. The annulment was a result of actions of the authorities of the communist Polish People’s Republic, who settled a propaganda center in the castle. However, in 1952 the collections were sent back to Poland and the Museum was taken over by the Swiss Society of Castles (Der Schweizerische Burgenverein), which during the following years got rid of all the remaining Polish traces in the castle. The Museum’s Friends Society was founded not only by the Polish, but also by the Swiss. Thanks to its existence, the Polish culture was still present among the emigrants who couldn´t return to their homeland. The society organized several exhibitions such as ´The 100th anniversary of the 1863 Uprising´, ´The Swiss – Polish friendship throughout centuries´, ´The Polish cartography´ or the international symposium ´Nikolas Copernicus´ in 1973.

General meeting of the Society of Friends of Polish Museum in Rapperswil (1968-11-30)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

The involvement of the Museum´s Friends Society resulted in bringing back the Bar Column to its place in front of the castle in 1968. Zdzisław Pręgowski – the curator and Alfons Bronarski were the most merited members of the society. Julian Godlewski – doctor of Juridical Science and art connoisseur provided financial aid and Hans Rathgeb – the cantonal legal advisor and the future chairman of the society provided his support throughout years. The unveiling of the Column was held on the 4th of May 1969.

The Bar Column blessing, 1969-05-04, From the collection of: The Polish Museum in Rapperswil
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Visit of Bishop Władysław Rubin in Rapperswil (1970-04-23)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

On the 21st of June 1975, the exhibition "Eternal Poland" was opened; it was composed of objects received from Polish emigrants. That collection became a basis of the currently operating Polish Museum in Rapperswil.

Credits: Story

Curator of the exhibition:

Radosław Pawłowski

Text correction:

Anna Buchmann
Anna Tomczak

Digitalization of postcards and photographs:

Radosław Pawłowski
Ewa Wąsik

Digitalization of postcards and old photographs, together with the current online exhibition, were financed from the funds of the Senate of the Republic of Poland within the framework of the programme strengthening the position of Polish and Polonia communities in the countries of their residence.

Developments of texts:

A. Badach, A. Piotrowska, "Muzeum Polskie w Rapperswilu", Warszawa-Rapperswil 2008,
H. Zielińska, "Die Polnische Freiheitssäule in Rapperswil, Rapperswil 1979,

Copyright: Archiwum Muzeum Polskiego w Rapperswilu.

www.polenmuseum.ch

Translation: Translation agency JUNIQUE

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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