Collection of photographs and postcards of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil - part 1

History of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil 1868-1948

By The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard "The castle's gate from the end o XIX c."The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Introduction

Polish Museum in Rapperswil is the second oldest, after the Polish Library in Paris, Polish emigration institution in Europe. Established in 1870 at the initiative of count Władysław Broel-Plater and the fighters of the January Uprising, who had the possibility to promote the Polish spirit on the Swiss land, experienced turbulent fate for 150 years of its functioning. The collections of the first Polish National Museum, transported to Poland in 1927, were burnt during the Second World War. In the years 1936-1948, the Museum of Modern Poland was in operation at the Rapperswil Castle, promoting Polish culture and economic development of the country. The attempts of communist authorities to transform the Museum into a propaganda centre led to its closing and termination of lease agreement by the Rapperswil commune (1948). From the foundation of the Association of Friends of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil (1954), thanks to the efforts and activities of the Poles living in Switzerland, the Museum is open again, conducting cultural and promotional activity. From the 1950s, a lot of precious monuments of Polish painting, sculpture, artistic craftsmanship, old prints and graphics were successfully collected. For this purpose, an appropriate step to show the value of the collection gathered consisted in creating the online exhibition, presenting photographs and postcards from the years 1868-1948 coming from the Archives of the Polish Museum. The exhibition, thanks to extensive illustrative material and substantial descriptions, presents in a synthetic way 150 years of history of the Polish Museum together with its contribution into promoting national heritage abroad and the role played by it on the map of Switzerland, Poland and the entire Europe. The oldest photograph presented at the exhibition dates back to the year 1868 and presents the oldest Polonia monument – the Bar Column. The column, similarly to the interiors of the Polish National Museum, has become the leitmotif for postcards, thus promoting Rapperswil as a town which is worth visiting. The prepared exhibition consists of 200 photographs and postcards presented in chronological order. It has been divided into several thematic sections, with each of them preceded by an introductory description. 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.

Bar Column / Polish Freedom Column in Rapperswil (1868) by Julius Stadler (sketch author); unknown engraverThe Polish Museum in Rapperswil

History of the Polish Column of Liberty

On August 16th 1868, on the 100th anniversary of forming the Bar Confederation by Polish magnates in Rapperswil by Lake Zurich, an impressive monument in the form of a column was unveiled, called the Bar Column, the Polish Column of Liberty or, in short, the Polish Column. It was founded by count Władysław Plater, Polish émigré, founder of the Polish National Museum opened two years later on the castle in Rapperswil

Bar Column / Polish Freedom Column in Rapperswil (1868) by Traugott Richard (photographer)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

The idea of erecting the monument in the year 1868 undertaken by count Władysław Plater constituted a perfect occasion to remind the world in a very suggestive way about the existence of Poland which, in spite of being erased from the map of Europe – was alive and fighting.

Postcard "The Bar Column"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Locating the column at the end of a linden alley turned out to be unfavourable. It survived there only two years. On June 24th 1870, violent storm damaged the monument. Searching for a safer place for the monument, the column was moved to the court of the castle – the seat of the Polish National Museum opened in 1870.

Postcard "The Bar Column"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard "The Bar Column", From the collection of: The Polish Museum in Rapperswil
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Postcard "The Bar Column", From the collection of: The Polish Museum in Rapperswil
Show lessRead more

Postcard "The Bar Column"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard "The Bar Column", From the collection of: The Polish Museum in Rapperswil
Show lessRead more
Postcard "The Bar Column", From the collection of: The Polish Museum in Rapperswil
Show lessRead more
Postcard "The Bar Column", From the collection of: The Polish Museum in Rapperswil
Show lessRead more

Postcard with the Bar Column (1872-1948)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard "The Bar Column"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard "The Bar Column"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard "The Bar Column"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

The history of the column, strictly connected with the history of the Polish Museum, marks 150 years of coexistence of two cultures and Rapperswil, the name of the town, has become the synonym of the Polish-Swiss friendship.

Postcard "The Bar Column"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard "The Bar Column"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

11 Oddźwięk w prasie scan 5 (1906)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard "Castle at the Lake"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

More information on the history of the Polish column in Rapperswil can be found in a separate Google Arts & Culture exhibit on this topic.

Postcard "The Polish Museum in Rapperswil" by F. MüllerThe Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Entrance to the Polish Museum opened in 1870 at the Rapperswil castle (około 1880)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

The Polish National Museum (1870-1927)

The Museum was founded in 1870 by a Polish emigrant Count Władysław Broël-Plater with a significant help of the Swiss supporters, gathered around the famous writer Gottfried Keller. Not only were they aiding the January insurgents, but they also supported the emigrants´ efforts to create a Polish center of culture and history. After the fall of the national uprisings the matter of preserving the Polish cultural identity became the absolute objective for the emigrants. The museum created in Rapperswil grew up to a rank of the Polish National Museum and its collection, established thanks to donations from all over the world, amplified as well. Rapperswil became a center for the Polish diaspora, bringing together the cultural testimonies and coordinating the political actions leading to regaining the independence.

Count Władysław Ewaryst Broel-Plater (1806-1889)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Władysław Ewaryst hr. Broel-Plater (1806-1889), founder of the Museum.

Portrait of Gottfried Keller (1927)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

5 Bukowski Henryk_best (II poł. XIX w.) by L. Szacinski (fotograf)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Henryk Bukowski (1839-1900), mentioned among the creators of the Rapperswil Museum and one of its most generous donors.

Portrait of Theodor Curti (około 1900)The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Dr. Theodor Curti (1848-1914) - mayor of Rapperswil and a member of the Swiss federal parliament, a great friend of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil and Count Władysław Plater.

Postcard "Musée Polonais"The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard "The castle's gate from the end o XIX c."The Polish Museum in Rapperswil

Postcard from the early 20th century depicting the main entrance to the castle courtyard, where the Polish National Museum was located in the years 1870-1927. Over the entrance, we can see the coat of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (the Polish Eagle and the Lithuanian Pahonia) as well as the busts of King Władysław Jagiełło and Queen Jadwiga Andegaweńska.

Postcard "Musée Polonais"The 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 Wąski

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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