Small Things – Great Stories. Kalisz in Objects
Kalisz is a city that has inscribed its history over the centuries in metal, paper, and seals. This exhibition is a journey through the material traces of its memory.
Seal Matrix of the Mayor of Kalisz (1725) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Seal Matrix of the Mayor of Kalisz
Seal of the Mayor of Kalisz, 1725. A puppet-like trumpeter in a cap and doublet stands atop a city gate with open doors, flanked by towers. Stars and rosettes accent his form. The inscription encircles the scene: Sigillum Proconsuli Civitas Calissiensis 1725.
Guild Charter of the Pleszew Multi-Craft Guild (1561) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Guild Charter of the Pleszew Multi-Craft Guild
A handwritten document written in ink on parchment – the guild charter of the Pleszew multi-craft guild, comprising blacksmiths, locksmiths, swordsmiths, coopers, and cartwrights. The text is in Latin. Attached to the document are six wax seals.
Battle Plan of Kalisz (1744) by draftsman: Zacharias Wolff, engraver: Gottfried Christian PingelingDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Battle Plan of Kalisz
Topographic sketch of the 1706 Battle of Kalisz, fought near Dobrzec, Kościelna Wieś, and Warszówka during the Great Northern War. Swedish and Leszczyński’s forces clashed with troops loyal to Augustus II the Strong, supported by the Russian army.
Miniature Portrait Silhouette of Feliks Chodyński
Portrait of Feliks Karol Chodyński (1802–1861), volunteer in the 1st Regiment of the Kalisz Voivodeship (later the 13th Line Infantry). He fought in the November Uprising, rising to cadet officer and then second lieutenant. Son of Józef and Franciszka Rdesińska.
Goblet of the Blacksmith's Guild (1843) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Goblet of the Blacksmith's Guild
A goblet from the blacksmith's guild, featuring a handle that supports a figurative lid depicting two blacksmiths with hammers at an anvil.
Medal Commemorating the Congress of Monarchs
This medal commemorates the 1835 Congress of Monarchs in Kalisz, where Tsar Nicholas I met King Frederick William III. The event featured military drills, concerts, and a torchlight parade. One of three such summits in the 1830s, it symbolized imperial unity and power.
Commemorative Plaque Marking the Departure to Israel (1928) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Commemorative Plaque Marking the Departure to Israel
Plaque with an arched top and a soldered leg at the back. A Hebrew inscription framed by ornament reads: “In eternal remembrance for the Szymkiewicz family on the day of departure to Palestine, from the Sztift family. Kalisz 5688 [1928]
Commemorative Medal of the 100th Anniversary of Expedition
The artifact commemorates the 100th anniversary of the expedition of the Kalisz-born explorer Stefan Szolc-Rogoziński to West Africa between 1882 and 1885.
Commemorative Plaque Marking the Construction of the Bridge over the Bernardine Canal in Kalisz (1865) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Commemorative Plaque Marking the Construction of the Bridge
Rectangular plaque with identical inscriptions in Latin and Cyrillic scripts. It marks the laying of the foundation stone for the Żelazny (Iron) Bridge over the Bernardynka Canal in Kalisz—the city’s first iron truss bridge, built using the American truss system.
Tableau of the Public Order Committee in Kalisz (1862-1863) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Tableau of the Public Order Committee in Kalisz
The oldest photograph from the collection of the History Department of the Kalisz Regional Museum, depicting members of the Public Order Committee in Kalisz, established as early as April 1861.
Breastplate (Ryngraf) for the Banner of General Taczanowski
Replica ryngraf from General Taczanowski’s banner (January Uprising), with original finial. Obverse: Our Lady of Częstochowa, crowned eagle, battle symbols. Reverse: dedication from Polish Israelite women, who aided the uprising and supported Jewish volunteers.
Firefighter's Helmet with the Coat of Arms of Kalisz
A firefighter's helmet from the Volunteer Fire Brigade of Kalisz, founded in 1864. It belonged to Eugeniusz Hilchen, a long-serving fire chief of the Kalisz Fire Department.
Purse – Coin Pouch (1820/1850) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Purse – Coin Pouch
Coin purse from ca. 1820–1850, handmade with crochet. Shaped like a rolled tube, stretched in the middle to form pockets for coins. Typical accessory of women’s attire around the time of the November Uprising.
The Standard of the Coachmen’s Union in Kalisz
Red damask banner (1919–1934) of the Coachmen's Union in Kalisz: crowned white eagle, Kalisz coat of arms (1264), lilies, and inscriptions. Reverse: white damask with St. Elijah on a fiery chariot, angels, and embroidered text: “St. Elijah, bless our work” and a line from Rota.
Kalisz, Park, Ruins, Figures (first decade of the 20th century) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Kalisz, Park, Ruins, Figures
Stereoscopic photo for viewing with a stereoscope, showing a park scene in Kalisz. Captioned in Polish and Russian: "5. Kalisz. Park, ruins, figures" (Tsardom of Poland, city of Kalisz). The number likely marks its place in an unknown photo series on Kalisz.
Regulatory Plan for the City of Kalisz
This is the only surviving drawing from the 1915 competition for Kalisz’s regulatory plan, held by the Warsaw Architects’ Circle after the 1914 wartime destruction. Created by Tadeusz Tołwiński, the concept received second prize.
Sheet Music for the March of the Mayków Commune Peasants Entering the City of Kalisz (1830) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Sheet Music for the March of the Mayków Commune Peasants
This sheet music is a rare piece of Polish musical heritage. The patriotic illustration, popular during the November Uprising, was made at Dieter Dietlaba’s Warsaw lithography. The march was composed in response to the November Night of 1830.
Tile from a Gothic Stove (15th century) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Tile from a Gothic Stove
An openwork form, decorative part of a tile from a Gothic stove.
The exhibition presents the rich historical heritage of Kalisz through unique objects linked to key events and figures. The artifacts – ranging from uprising memorabilia to urban planning documents – narrate the story of the city’s identity and its inhabitants. The narrative intertwines the local perspective with the broader context of Polish history.
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