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1

Drodzy Czytelnicy,

100%

Rozbicka M.

Ochrona Zabytków

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2017

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issue Dodatek Specjalny. Dziedzictwo w Polsce.

5-6

EN

this year, for the first time in history, Poland will host the session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee which is scheduled to take place in Kraków between the 2nd and 12th of July. This prestigious event will, on one hand, undoubtedly constitute an immense organisational challenge for our country, on the other hand, it shall also give Poland a unique opportunity to present to this broad, international assembly not just the 14 properties which are already inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List, but also the remarkable richness and diversity of our cultural and natural heritage in general. The present supplement to the “Ochrona Zabytków” magazine was written with the general public in mind and is an extended version of the “World Heritage Review Special Issue” dedicated to World Heritage in Poland. WHR is a quarterly published by UNESCO available in English, French and Spanish. One’s a year it traditionally devotes a single issue to the cultural and natural heritage of the country which hosts the UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in the given year. To present the cultural and natural heritage of our country on a few dozen pages of WHR special issue was no easy task. We were forced to make a difficult selection of sites and topics. Finally, for obvious reasons, we focus on those sites which are most widely acknowledged by the international community and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. However, we have made efforts to present our heritage in the broader context of the entire range of historic monuments which exist in our country as well as to show how our monument protection system operates and how it evolved to become what it is today. The supplement to the “Ochrona Zabytków” which you hold in your hands today has been prepared in both Polish and English, allowing the greatest possible number of Readers to become acquainted with the contents that could not have been published on the pages of “World Heritage Review” in full due to limitations of the publisher. Two main parts of this supplement are: the articles which describe the system that was put in place in order to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage within the territory of Poland; and richly illustrated presentations dedicated to the 14 World Heritage properties, presenting the wide range of problems related to their protection, conservation and management. In order to emphasise the fact that heritage remains inextricably linked with human lives, the third section includes a series of essays containing the recollections, reflections and experiences of persons who have become associated with the selected World Heritage properties in Poland in a variety of ways. The final article is no less important than the rest, for it is devoted entirely to the UNESCO Memory of the World programme. It is intended to draw our attention to the associations between documentary heritage and the effective protection of our historic monuments as well as its significance in this regard. To conclude, I sincerely hope that the contents of the present volume, prepared in connection with the 41st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, will arouse kind interest not only among faithful Readers of our magazine. prof. dr MAŁGORZATA ROZBICKA Director of National Heritage Board Of Poland

2

Szanowni Państwo,

100%

Gliński P.

Ochrona Zabytków

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2017

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issue Dodatek Specjalny. Dziedzictwo w Polsce.

7-8

EN

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) was born out of the most tragic experience suffered by Europe and the world. The World War II cost millions of human lives and led to the loss of vast cultural resources and the annihilation of entire cities. It was at that time that the idea began to emerge that “since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed”, which was subsequently included in the Preamble to the UNESCO Constitution. Poland was among the founding states of the new organisation and soon joined in its activities. Looking from behind the Iron Curtain, Poles saw UNESCO as a window onto the world and a platform for the exchange of ideas as well as contacts with other countries. Today, after more than seven decades of extensive international cooperation, Poland has the great honour of organising the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee and of hosting representatives of 193 countries around the world, who are prominent experts involved in the preservation of humanity’s most valuable resources. It is also a unique opportunity to present our country’s cultural achievements and heritage. Art galleries, museums, jazz concerts, openair exhibitions, and film screenings are all part of the vibrant cultural landscape of contemporary Poland. Our experience in rescuing cultural heritage has become a well-established tradition. The expertise of Polish archaeologists and monument protection specialists has served not only in the grand project of rebuilding Polish cultural heritage destroyed during the World War II, but also in rescuing endangered sites around the globe, notably in the Middle and Far East. Poland’s active participation in UNESCO structures has also left a mark in the legal field. The Polish professor Jan Zachwatowicz co-authored the Hague Convention of 1954 and designed the ‘Blue Shield’ sign which has become recognisable around the world. The ratification of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1976 paved the way for Polish entries on the UNESCO World Heritage List. As many as 14 sites representing the diversity and richness of Polish culture and history have been identified as worthy of recognition for their Outstanding Universal Value. The sites on the World Heritage List in Poland include Kraków, a city with an unbroken continuity of material culture, and Warsaw’s reconstructed historic Old Town with the Royal Castle. The beauty of historic Kraków and the power of Warsaw reborn from the ashes are two important components of Polish identity. UNESCO’s Memory of the World International Register also comprises the archives of the Warsaw Reconstruction Office set up after the war. In today’s world, marked by the tragedy of Aleppo and the plight of Palmyra, the reconstruction of Warsaw and the painstaking efforts to restore its monuments offer a positive message to all those who have lost their cities in war. Indeed, instead of marking the end of its existence, the destruction of a city may become the beginning of its reconstruction. I hope you enjoy this special issue of the “Ochrona Zabytków”, devoted to various aspects of the preservation of Polish cultural heritage. Let me also take this opportunity to wish all the participants of the 41st Session of the World Heritage Committee fruitful discussions, a great time, and a memorable stay in Kraków. prof. dr. PIOTR GLIŃSKI Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Culture and National Heritage

3

Szanowni Państwo, Drodzy Czytelnicy,

100%

Majchrowski J.

Ochrona Zabytków

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2017

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issue Dodatek Specjalny. Dziedzictwo w Polsce.

9-10

EN

It was with pride that I learned about the selection of Kraków as the host city of the 41st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. I find the role of host of this exceptional event a truly great honour, especially that the mission and values of UNESCO are exceedingly important to Kraków. Kraków was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978 as one of the very first 12 sites in the world. It is not only an age-old centre of European culture with the priceless and completely preserved fabric of a mediaeval urban complex, a cradle of Polish statehood, and the most ancient university in this part of Europe. It is also one of the most eagerly visited tourist destinations in Poland. A city focused on the future, complementing its heritage with creativity and recognising culture as the foundation of its development. The title of European Capital of Culture 2000 and the important festival projects initiated at that time marked a symbolic return of the city to its due place in the family of cities – cradles of European culture and thought. Since that time Kraków, which boasts a very dense network of museums and is a living hub of music, film, theatre and literature, has developed new institutions of culture. Thanks to the significant concentration of the publishing sector, the spiritual patronage of Stanisław Lem and Kraków Nobel prize winners – Czesław Miłosz and Wisława Szymborska – Kraków has recently been recognised as UNESCO’s City of Literature. As a member of the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN), Kraków provides shelter to persecuted artists from all over the world, while the quality of its programmes and intersectoral cooperation, intended to develop a friendly location with thriving diversity, earned the city the IFEA World Festival & Event City title. Contemporary Kraków is a dynamic academic centre, home to 23 institutions of higher education attended by over 180,000 students. This huge accumulation of talent and knowledge attracts international business, think tanks and research projects, having become a significant centre of business and business support services. The city’s historic fabric reflects a tradition of multiculturalism and tolerance that has fuelled Kraków’s development over the centuries. Reminders of the time when it was the Royal Capital of Poland and the birthplace of Polish literary language, as well as tales of the treasures of Kraków’s libraries and monasteries, intertwine with mediaeval heritage brought by settlers from Germany and the entire continent of Europe, the creative contribution of the vibrant Jewish community, and the dynamic social transformations in post-war Poland which meld together into combinations and an urban narrative found nowhere else in the world. Kraków is a true gateway and a meeting place with the lavish cultures of Central and Eastern Europe, the locus of the flow and the creative clash of thoughts best embodied by the figure of Lajkonik – the hobbyhorse of Kraków: a local, folk figure impersonating a Tatar Rider cavorting every year in the city streets to commemorate an incursion that took place eight centuries ago, bringing luck to locals and tourists alike with a touch of his mace. The care for such a rich material and intangible heritage is a special obligation on us. Kraków has been Poland’s first city to have the cultural park regulations introduced to help safeguard authenticity and beauty of its historic centre. Thanks to the long-term involvement of national funds, but also of highly efficient local programmes, we have already revived and beautified the historic centre for years, combining diligent care for the past with a daring and courageous outlook to the future. I encourage all of you to become familiar with the texts collected in this issue, presenting Kraków against the broad background of the cultural heritage of Poland. Let them become the best encouragement and invitation to visiting our country, and an inspiration for a better insight into Kraków itself: the host city of the 41st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. JACEK MAJCHROWSKI Mayor of Kraków

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Polska wobec dziedzictwa wywiad z prof. dr hab. Jackiem Purchlą, przewodniczącym 41. sesji Komitetu Światowego Dziedzictwa UNESCO

59%

Purchla J.

Ochrona Zabytków

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2017

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issue Dodatek Specjalny. Dziedzictwo w Polsce.

11-15

EN

What do you see as the contribution of Poland to the World Heritage Convention? It is hard to be a judge in one’s own case. It seems to me that the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee in Kraków will, in fact, provide the best summary of Poland’s contribution that has been made while carrying out its mandate. First of all, Poland actively participated in the drafting of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and ratified it as early as 1976. This clearly shows how important the Poles find both cultural heritage and its protection. The country’s considerable intellectual and conservation potential in this area has been reflected in the activity of Polish experts in archaeological and conservation missions to various parts of the world, especially the Middle and Far East, as well as Latin America. We are also ready to share our unique experience in reconstruction and restoration with the whole world. At the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee, Poland declared its readiness to organise a conference on the very subject in the near future. We pay special attention to actions in support of improving the process of implementing the Convention, which is why we have been particularly active in the Committee’s budget and operational guidelines working groups. Currently, Poland is chairing an intersessional ad hoc working group that examine matters related to Tentative Lists and sustainability of the World Heritage Fund, thus reinforcing cooperation between States Parties, UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies with a view of a better implementation of the World Heritage Convention. In 2012, Poland hosted the International World Heritage Expert Meeting on criterion (vi) and associated values. With the rapidly increasing significance of intangible heritage, I have personally paid a lot of attention to synergies between the cultural conventions, as well as to the work on mixed nominations, both promoted by UNESCO. Your personal contribution, via the International Cultural Centre in Kraków, has focused on European heritage – why is transnational collaboration so important? The International Cultural Centre (ICC) emerged from the specific atmosphere of the political overhaul at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. The change of 1989 was more than just a historic watershed that brought the period of the Cold War and division of Europe to an end. It also created some new opportunities for international cultural cooperation. The Centre inaugurated its activity in May 1991 during the symposium of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) held in Kraków. That was the first great meeting of the countries of the East and West after the fall of the Iron Curtain to be dedicated to cultural heritage, in which the notion of “our common heritage” became a keyword. The specific nature of Central Europe also means that its political borders changed much faster than its cultural ones. This is the issue of place, of memory, of identity. Indeed, in 1990 Poland had three neighbouring countries and none of them has survived to this day. Today, there are seven! At that time, the getting to know each other, the meeting with “the other”, the phenomenon of mutually competing memories, the discovery of the richness and heterogeneity of Central Europe, and the synergy brought about by sharing the experiences and best practices in the protection of our common heritage accompanied a retreat from our own “splendid isolation” after the difficult lesson of Communism. Today, the ICC is primarily a hub for interdisciplinary studies and international dialogue on the phenomenon of cultural heritage in Europe and the world. “Herito” quarterly published by the Centre (also in English) is the voice of Central Europe in matters of what is broadly construed as heritology, as well as a space for reflection on the place of cultural heritage in the contemporary world. Today, it would be difficult to imagine our international cooperation in the regional dimension alone. The best testimony to that are our publications, and our education and fellowship programmes. Over the period of twenty-five years, our 70 international education programmes have welcomed students from over 70 countries from all continents. The bibliography of our publications has exceeded 5,000 items and contains the names of 1,200 authors from all over the world. We find pleasure in sharing our experience and we continually learn from the best practices that others kindly share with us. Poland has a long history of heritage protection, and the 14 World Heritage sites in your country provide very varied insights into the heritage of humanity. Which best practice cases of heritage would you like to share? The Salt Mine in Wieliczka, near Kraków, which has been operating since the 13th century, was inscribed on the World Heritage List as far back as in 1978. The uniqueness of the subterranean labyrinth stretching over nine levels along 360 km (225 miles) of passageways is also a fruit of pioneering activity in the protection of this exquisite site of technological heritage and in the provision of access to this place to millions of tourists. Another World Heritage site, also situated near Kraków, is a group of wooden churches in the southern Małopolska Region. They are not only an example of the vernacular tradition of mediaeval church building in our region, but also a symbol of continuity and endurance. They are crucial for raising awareness among local communities about the need to protect cultural heritage. The pride that the parishioners in places such as the villages of Lipnica Murowana, Dębno Podhalańskie, and Sękowa take in having their small wooden churches on the UNESCO World Heritage List is a peculiar phenomenon, and so is some extraordinary dedication of these local communities to preserve their unique heritage that the world has now come to appreciate. For it is a fact that the use of social capital in creating, identifying and protecting cultural heritage is a process that is based on social links and collective memory, as well as on the reinforcement of the sense of community. A beautiful symbol of the protection of our cultural and religious diversity is found in the Churches of Peace of the Lutheran communities in Świdnica and Jawor that have been meticulously conserved. Two forums will take place before the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee in Kraków: the annual Forum of NGOs, as well the World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum. The latter is a new initiative launched by Poland. Beyond providing valuable networking opportunities, what are your expectations from these two forums? The meetings of NGOs accompanying the sessions of the World Heritage Committee are already becoming an established practice. The Forum of NGOs in Kraków should only reinforce this tradition. Heritage is people – heritage is us: its creators, interpreters, and users. Therefore, the Convention’s efficacy goes beyond the diligence of the governments and administrations implementing the Convention. The efficiency of our Convention in matters of protecting World Heritage sites is, to a great extent, a function of the social capital accumulated by none other than the non-governmental organisations. What is needed today is a good rapport between the Committee, as the guardian of the spirit and letter of the Convention, and the NGOs involved in the protection of the most precious treasures of our common heritage. I do hope that the Kraków meeting will bear fruit in the search for a better platform for this dialogue. I am also delighted that the first World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum will also be held in Kraków, my hometown. It will be hosted by the Mayor of Kraków. Kraków was the first historic urban complex inscribed on the World Heritage List as long ago as 1978. At least onethird of the sites on the List are historic centres of cities. Today, they are witnesses to a drastically intensifying clash between heritage and development, between the appetites of real estate developers and preservation of heritage. It is by no means a coincidence that the 2011 UNESCO General Conference adopted The Recommendation on Historic Urban Landscapes. These days, far more difficult than the inscription of new sites is the enforcement of Convention standards in matters related to the management of the inscribed sites, as well as the preservation of their integrity. Educating young people about heritage and how they can contribute to its conservation is increasingly important. Regional activities are held around the world, and a Youth Forum is organized before each World Heritage Committee session. How do you see this developing in the future? The essence and value of UNESCO, and, to me, the unique challenge facing the 41st session of the Committee in Kraków, lie in the fact that we go beyond the European framework and take a broader look at heritage issues, while searching for a denominator common to all continents for its interpretation, valuation, and protection. Therefore, I perceive the Youth Forum as an important element in the construction of a shared platform for a universal reading of the values ensconced in heritage. I would like to make the Kraków meeting more than just a discussion of procedures, today strongly submerged in red tape; it is a return to the roots since heritage belongs to us all. Education about heritage is the very foundation of its preservation for future generations. The Youth Forum should enable the youngest generation of heritage professionals to identify the most burning issues facing the States-Parties to the 1972 UNESCO Convention. Poland is the location of sites of memory, including the very first such site, the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945). How can such sites make a unique contribution to World Heritage? The site of the Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as early as 1979. The camp was set up by the Nazi Third Reich on occupied Polish territories, similarly to other locations throughout Europe. The Committee, however, decided that it would be the only site of this type to be listed. The symbolic dimension of this decision was emphasized; one that to a certain extent was made on behalf of all other sites of genocide. Thus, the Polish state assumed a particular responsibility and has fulfilled its duty in an exemplary manner. The Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp is the place where nearly 1.5 million people, the great majority of whom were Jews, were exterminated. It is not only a symbol of the Holocaust, the horror of the World War II, and the brutal German occupation of Poland. It is a warning for all of humanity and a duty of shared remembrance. For heritage is, in fact, tantamount to our memory and our choice. The Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp is also a proof that the paradigms have shifted, and so has the manner of defining and using the records of the past for contemporary use. Heritage does not need to be beautiful! The role of memory becomes crucial today, and not only such criteria as truth, goodness, and beauty. Therefore, the following question should be posed: Is an encounter between the 1972 Convention and the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage really imminent?

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4 Ochrona Zabytków

4 2017

1 Gliński P.

1 Majchrowski J.

1 Purchla J.

1 Rozbicka M.

Drodzy Czytelnicy,

Szanowni Państwo,

Szanowni Państwo, Drodzy Czytelnicy,

Polska wobec dziedzictwa wywiad z prof. dr hab. Jackiem Purchlą, przewodniczącym 41. sesji Komitetu Światowego Dziedzictwa UNESCO