Dear Readers! For over a year the National Heritage Board o f Boland has been conducting work associated with a verif ication o f the register o f historical monuments. In this way, we wish to assist voivodeship conservators o f monuments in bringing up to date data contained in the register o f historical monuments and preparing a resource o f information accessible on digital carriers, which is then introduced into an electronic database. An important element oj this process is devising a standard o f a contemporary description o f historical values. We would like to carry out this process upon the basis of a wide spectre o f such values as well as to benefit from experiences connected with the protection o f sites included onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. The most recent issue o f "Ochrona Zabytków" presents a fragment o f this complex problem, exemplified by an important domain o f the historical heritage, i.e. the monuments o f technology. I am firmly convinced that the rules presented in the copious article on the topic can be applied also to other domains o f the historical resource. In addition, I draw attention to the extensive gamut of assessments and the necessity o f devising such a method o f conduct that in praxis will make it possible to reach an objective assessment o f the value of historical resources and its precise description, and thus will allow a significant improvement o f the practical standards o f the protection o f historical monuments. A prominent supplementation o f the mentioned undertakings can include a f requently unnoticed area o f civic activity, which should eff ectively support the protection o f historical monuments. We discuss this question upon the basis o f experiences connected with the Foundation for the Development o f Local Democracy. The titles o f the awarded projects: Neighbours for neighbours and "Open gardens demonstrate the status and values o f local cultural space. Traditionally, we have tried to portray secrets concealed behind the walls o f numerous Polish highest rank monuments. This time, I would like to invite you to the Bernardine monastery in Leżajsk. The discovery o f murals embellishing the walls o f the novitiate celts comprises a fundamental principle o f the necessity to carry out professional research preceding all planned conservation initiatives. Under more than ten layers o f paint, for centuries patiently placed by the inhabitants o f the monastery, researchers perceived and unearthed excellent murals. Today, we may admire the beauty and expression o f the depicted figures, the emblems o f death, Satan and the angels as well as many other images carrying a stirring spiritual message. The walls o f the cells depict sprawling landscapes as well as floral and geometrical ornaments. Since interiors continue to serve the residents o f the monastery, it seems even more worthwhile to profit from our publication and to take a look into the formerly closed cells, even i f for only a moment. It gives me pleasure to invite you to become acquainted with the presented issue. I wish you very pleasant reading. R espectfu lly you rs Marcin Gawlicki Director o f the National Heritage Board o f Poland
The Catholic Church in Poland and the Polish state should undertake joint initiatives for the purpose of proper and effective care of cultural property. An adequate tool for these activities is the register of monuments, which constitutes a primary source of information about the diverse cultural material of past centuries. It is simply an indispensable working tool for diocesan conservators of historic monuments and conservation services. The register is valuable in terms of education, particularly for frequently changing administrators of historic monuments, and helps to control both the state of preservation of these monuments and the proper exhibition of movable works of art, their storage and preservation. It is also useful for preparation of the list of successive activities concerning a given historic monument, determination of the schedule of works, control and acceptance of conservation works. Undertaking these types of activities jointly on the basis of the register of monuments guarantees and ensures the proper care of preservation of cultural heritage. We should also comply more strictly with the obligation to record the history of activities carried out for a given monument in register cards, both those kept in offices of conservation services and near monuments. Cultural value is often more precious than material value. It is, therefore, worth paying close attention to relatively new monuments that bear distinct traits of a work of art. Entering such monuments into the register of monuments can help to preserve them.
The author o f the article dealing with central files and register o f monuments o f architecture and construction in Poland, published in “Ochrona Zabytkow” no. 3 /1 9 9 8 maintains that a characteristic feature o f the register is its “fluidity”. A confirmation o f this finding is the tabular list of monuments included into the register o f historical monuments, brought up to date after a period o f six months.
The organiser of the seminar on ”Historical Parks – Protection and Conservation,” held in Warsaw on 16-17 June 2009, was the National Heritage Board of Poland. The seminar was attended by the staff of the voivodeship offices for the protection of historical monuments and their delegatures dealing with historical vegetation, representatives of science, and employees of the National Heritage Board of Poland. The purpose of the seminar was to discuss numerous essential questions pertaining to the protection and conservation of historical parks and gardens, the state of their preservation, and the ways of their administration and use. The participants also considered problems associated with the creation by the National Board of a new reference list of historical parks and gardens for the National Fund for the Protection of the Natural Environment and Water Management, while a representative of the Fund defined the tasks that this institution can finance. One of the seminar blocks dealt with tree cultivation, and the debates ended with a presentation of examples of historical parks and gardens, which in recent years were subjected to conservation. The next meeting will be held in 2010.
The complex of the former Cistercian Abbey at Krzeszów has a long history that dates back to the 13th century. Its heyday were the second half of the 17th and the 18th centuries, when refurbishments and expansions made it an important centre of Baroque, that attracted the then leading Silesian and Czech artists. On 31 May 1946, Benedictine sisters deported from the All Saints’ monastery in Lwów (Lviv) arrived at the abbey with their belongings. They noticed the need to record the works of art collected in the Krzeszów monastery. The inventory has been carried out by the Local Division of the National Heritage Board of Poland (NHBP) in Wrocław, since 2008. In December 2012, the first phase of the operation was concluded. Until then, 1006 items were registered, for which 710 records of movable historical items were established. The records, developed by the Local Division of the NHBP in Wrocław in the years 2008-2012, set the basis for three decisions to include in the register of historical monuments 416 works of art from both the Krzeszów and Lwów collections. Another such decision is currently being prepared. Previous decisions enabled the sisters to gain funds necessary to renovate the Baroque painting of St. Fortunate from the Lwów monastery church, as well as 12 portraits of Lwów prioresses. The developed records were disseminated in the scientific and museum communities, i.a. as an auxiliary material attached to a publication on Roman-Catholic churches and monasteries of the former Ruthenian Voivodeship. Works of art from the abbey were first displayed at the exhibitions “Glory of Krzeszów” („Blask Krzeszowa”) and „Ora et labora” at Kamienna Góra in 2010-2012. The inventory completed until now, covers works of art from the Cistercian and Benedictine collections. The planned second phase of operation will mainly address the items the Benedictine sisters managed to salvage, by bringing them to Krzeszów.
A central record and register of historical monuments in Poland is conducted by the Centre for the Documentation of Historical Monuments in Warsaw upon the basis of a decree issued by the Minister of Culture and Art on 30 December 1987. This article examines only monuments of architecture, construction and town planning (and does not consider archaeological objects and so-called mobile monuments). Record documentation is composed of two ensembles containing (according to the state on 31 December 1997): — 615 017 address register cards (“fiches”) — 118 821 record cards (two types: old “green” and new — from 1977 — “white”). — The Centre also stores 40 110 copies of decisions about the inclusion into the register of historical monuments, which provide protection for 55 655 individual objects.
Pozostaje bezspornym, że Kazimierz Dolny ma szczególne wartości dla kultury, a tym samym spełnia wymagania stawiane obiektowi, który chce się uznać za pomnik historii. Niestety, regulacje dotyczące ochrony zabytków: decyzje z 1966 r. i z 1983 r. o wpisie do rejestru zabytków oraz zarządzenie Prezydenta RP z 1994 r. w sprawie uznania za pomnik historii Kazimierza Dolnego budzą szereg wątpliwości natury merytorycznej i prawnej – nie wiadomo czy obowiązują. Taka sytuacja wywołuje konflikty pomiędzy mieszkańcem Kazimierza Dolnego a władzami, w szczególności wojewódzkim konserwatorem zabytków. Dla zapewnienia Kazimierzowi Dolnemu odpowiedniej ochrony konserwatorskiej należy doprowadzić do wyeliminowania z obrotu prawnego ww. decyzji z 1966 r. i z 1983 r. oraz zarządzenia z 1994 r. Następnie powinno zostać wydane rozporządzenie Prezydenta RP w sprawie uznania za pomnik historii, które w sposób jednoznaczny określi przedmiot i zasady ochrony. Wydanie rozporządzenia trzeba poprzedzić badaniami, które w sposób jednoznaczny wskażą obszar podlegający ochronie oraz co i dlaczego na tym obszarze należy chronić. Artykuł należy traktować jako apel o likwidację chaosu prawnego dotyczącego zabytków. W podobnej sytuacji jak Kazimierz Dolny jest kilkanaście obiektów, które uznano za pomniki historii zarządzeniami Prezydenta RP wydanymi w 1994 r. Ochrona zabytków jest obowiązkiem zarówno władz, jak i społeczeństwa. Żeby była skuteczna, nie może być nacechowana uznaniowością. Tylko jednoznacznie, precyzyjnie ustalone obowiązki znajdą akceptacje społeczną, a bez niej trudno coś chronić. Ponadto potrzebna jest szeroko rozumiana edukacja. Karami nie wymusi się wrażliwości na piękno i szacunku dla historii. Uznanie za pomnik historii powinno być traktowane jako zaszczyt przez mieszkańców terenu, który ten status uzyskał, a nie jako „dopust boży”.
EN
Undisputedly, Kazimierz Dolny is of special cultural significance for culture and thus meets the requirements to be considered as a monument of history. Unfortunately, the relevant regulations concerning the protection of historical monuments: the decisions of 1966 and 1983 on the inclusion of the town into the register of historical monuments and the ordinance of the President of the Republic of Poland of 1994 on recognizing Kazimierz Dolny as a monument of history raise a number of questions of a substantive and legal nature – it is uncertain whether they are valid. Such a situation causes conflicts between the inhabitants of Kazimierz Dolny and the authorities, especially the Regional Heritage Protection Authority. In order to provide Kazimierz Dolny with appropriate legal protection, the above-mentioned decisions of 1966 and 1983, as well as the 1994 ordinance, should be removed from legal circulation. Next, an ordinance of the President of the Republic of Poland should be issued to recognise the city as a monument of history, clearly defining the object and principles of the protection. The regulation should be preceded by research that would clearly indicate the area to be protected and specify what should be protected there and why. This paper should be treated as an appeal to eliminate the legal chaos concerning the monuments of history. There are several monuments in a similar situation as Kazimierz Dolny, which were recognised as monuments of history by the ordinances of President of Poland issued in 1994. The protection of monuments is the duty of both the authorities and the society. Only clearly and precisely defined obligations will be accepted by the society, without the cooperation of which it is difficult to protect anything. Moreover, education in various forms is needed. Penalties cannot enforce appreciation of beauty and respect for history. The recognition of an area as a monument of history should be treated as an honour by the inhabitants of a particular area, and not as “divine retribution”.
The Conservation Analyses Department was established by the order of the Director of the National Centre for Research and Documentation of Monuments dated 6 June 2010. The Department comprised the Team of Experts and the Conservation Policy Formation Workshop. The Department co-ordinates and supervises work connected with the preparation of opinions and expertises regarding the protection of non-movable and movable monuments for public administration authorities – the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Voivodeship Offices for Monument Protection and their branches and local government conservators. It carries out its tasks with the help of local divisions representing the National Heritage Board of Poland. The definite majority of issued opinions concerns the evaluation of the level of preservation of the value of historic objects or areas during administrative procedures being conducted by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage with regard to deletions from the register of monuments. The Conservation Analyses Department co-ordinates the implementation of the procedure for acknowledgement of a historic object as a history monument and participates in work regarding the creation and dissemination of standards of documentation, research and conservation of historic objects. The activity of the Department in the field of protection of historic parks and gardens is particularly worth mentioning. It includes, among others, study and design works carried out in Branicki’s Garden in Białystok from 2006 till 2009 and the preparation of conservation requests and the resulting projects of regeneration of the palace park in Białowieża and the park in Trzebiny. The palace & park layout in Trzebiny is currently administered by the National Heritage Board of Poland – the Local Workshop in Trzebiny. An important task ordered by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage is the management of the regeneration of Muskau Park. Over 20 years’ period of regeneration works is a significant yet still fragmentary process of restoration of the full historical value of the park. The Institute is also responsible for the creation and putting into common use of standards of documentation, elaborations and manuals regarding the protection of cultural heritage that are addressed to a wide group of recipients, an example of which is the Methodological guide to the elaboration of communal monument care programmes. The international co-operation with Eastern states has been carried out by NHBP and its predecessors for many years, including the „Nieśwież Academy” Postgraduate Summer School and cooperation with the Trakai Historical National Park in Lithuania. All activities being handled by the Conservation Analyses Department of the National Heritage Board of Poland are subject and may become subject to modifications, depending on the orders of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the needs of voivodeship monument conservators and other institutions and the emerging topics that must be solved urgently. Currently the Conservation Analyses Department employs 14 persons. They build an interdisciplinary team consisting of a group of historians of art, monument experts – conservators, landscape architects, an architect and a lawyer – persons with a large professional experience and significant achievements.
W niniejszym artykule autor charakteryzuje instytucję stwierdzenia nieważności decyzji administracyjnej, analizując następnie wybrane wady nieważności w kontekście decyzji o wpisie do rejestru zabytków, w oparciu o wydane już w tym zakresie rozstrzygnięcia ministra kultury i dziedzictwa narodowego oraz z uwzględnieniem stanowisk wyrażanych w orzeczeniach sądów administracyjnych. Przeprowadzona analiza umożliwia przyjęcie, iż decyzje o wpisie do rejestru zabytków w największym stopniu obarczone są wadami nieważności polegającymi na wydaniu decyzji w sprawie poprzednio rozstrzygniętej inną decyzją ostateczną (art. 156 par. 1 pkt 3 k.p.a.) oraz wydaniu decyzji trwale niewykonalnej (art. 156 par. 1 pkt 5 k.p.a.). W kontekście drugiej z wyżej wymienionych wad pojawia się przy tym istotne pytanie o to, czy warunkiem wykonalności decyzji o wpisie do rejestru zabytków jest określenie granic obszaru objętego wpisem. W dwóch sprawach dotyczących stwierdzenia nieważności decyzji o wpisie do rejestru zabytków parku krajobrazowego w Faszczycach oraz decyzji o wpisie do rejestru zabytków założenia urbanistycznego Wilanowa sądy administracyjne stanęły na stanowisku, że decyzja o wpisie do rejestru zabytków, która nie precyzuje w swej treści granic terenu poddanego ochronie prawnej ani nie posiada załącznika graficznego, który precyzowałby granice tego obszaru jest decyzją niewykonalną w rozumieniu art. 156 par. 1 pkt 5 k.p.a., co stanowi podstawę do stwierdzenia jej nieważności. W ocenie autora zaprezentowane w orzecznictwie stanowisko powoduje, że byt prawny wielu decyzji o wpisie do rejestru jest zagrożony, jako że obarczone są one wadą trwałej niewykonalności. Z tego względu zasadne wydaje się wyjście naprzeciw istniejącemu już od lat problemowi wadliwości decyzji o wpisie do rejestru zabytków poprzez dokonanie ogólnej oceny skali i charakteru tego problemu, a następnie podjęcie działań prawnych służących kompleksowej sanacji zbioru decyzji dotkniętych wadami nieważności, w tym w szczególności wadą trwałej niewykonalności decyzji.
EN
In this article, the author characterises the remedy of the declaration of the invalidity of an administrative decision and subsequently gives an analysis of selected defects resulting in invalidity in respect of decisions on entry into the register of monuments, based on rulings of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage that have been issued so far and taking into account positions expressed in decisions of administrative courts. The analysis enables the assumption that defects resulting in invalidity affect decisions on entry into the register of monuments to the highest degree are defects consisting in issuing a decision in a case that has previously been settled by another final decision (art. 156 § 1 (3) of the Administrative Procedure Code) and issuing a decision that is permanently unenforceable (art. 156 § 1 (5) of the APC). As for the latter of these defects, the question that arises is whether the condition for the enforceability of a decision on making an entry into the register of monuments is the definition of the boundaries of the site covered by that entry. In two cases regarding the declaration of the invalidity of a decision on entering into the register of monuments the landscape park in � � Faszczyce and the urban layout of Wilanów, administrative courts took the position that a decision whose contents do not specify the boundaries of the site covered by legal protection and which does not include a graphical appendix specifying the boundaries of that site is an unenforceable decision within the meaning of art. 156 § 1 (5) of the APC, which provides a basis for declaring such a decision invalid. In the author’s opinion, the position adopted in judicial decisions threatens the legal existence of many decisions on entry into the register of monuments, as they are burdened with the defect of permanent unenforceability. For this reason, it seems justified to address the long-existing problem of defectiveness of decisions on entry into the register of monuments by making a general evaluation of the scale and character of that issue and subsequently taking legal steps aimed at curing comprehensively the body of decisions containing defects resulting in invalidity, including, in particular, the defect of the permanent unenforceability of a decision.
In 2007, the urban layout of the city centre of Gdynia, shaped and built in the 1920s and 1930s, was entered into the register of monuments of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The area concerned covers about 91 hectares, i.e. more than 0.9 square km. The entire area is very densely built-up. There are about 450 different buildings, most of which are five- to six-storey tenement houses. The area includes 24 complexes and buildings entered into the register of monuments, on the basis of separate decisions. It is therefore an area of the greatest concentration of significant architectural works in Gdynia. Including the city centre layout in the register has inspired numerous activities related to this unique – still rather young and very extensive – historic area. The Gdynia Commune has taken up works on creating and implementing local development plans for the entire area. Conservation decisions and arrangements in development plans are prepared in cooperation with planners, monument conservators, residents and users, among others. Such plans include detailed and precise regulations concerning spatial issues, such as the height and type of new developments, as well as the protection of and possible changes to the existing buildings. The plans also contain a division of the preserved houses into groups of different historic value and the scope of protection is dependent on this value. In accordance with international trends, the protection also covers some valuable buildings from the 1960s and 1970s. The regulations of the development plans constitute the local law – they are enacted by the City Council and are accessible to all interested parties. By the end of 2011, around 95% of the historical area will be included in the local development plans. After including the layout of the city centre in the register of monuments, a funding system for conservation works has also been introduced for all the buildings in the area that were built before 1989. Every year, more than 1 million PLN is allocated for this purpose from the City of Gdynia’s budget. The funding may cover 30% to 75% of renovation costs, depending on the building’s historical value. In the last 3 years, owners of about 30 buildings, mainly private tenement houses, have taken advantage of the funding scheme. Public financial support for the works enables better control and provides a broader scope of possibilities of restoring historic solutions or using more complicated technologies. It also creates a good basis for communication and long-term cooperation with monument owners. The inclusion of the city centre of Gdynia in the register of historical monuments has also been a symbolic recognition and an official acknowledgement of the cultural value of this part of the city. Many people have found a new interest in modernism and the history of Gdynia, and the unique architecture of the 1930s has gained more enthusiasts. The City of Gdynia widely implements research and popularising works related to modernist architecture. In the scientific and conservation circles, academic conferences under the theme of “Modernism in Europe – Modernism in Gdynia” have become well-known. They were held in 2007 and 2009, and the next one will take place in September of 2012. Apart from events for specialists, open mass events dedicated to getting to know and visiting the city’s monuments have been taking place since 2010. Each of them has attracted hundreds of people. The tourist Trail of Modernism of Gdynia, where people can buy folders and souvenirs related to modernism, has been functioning for almost a year. Activities related to the protection and conservation of modernist Gdynia have aroused interest throughout the country and have provoked positive comments also among international specialists. In the German newspaper, Der Tagesspiegel, Berlin columnist Thomas Flierl published an article on the history of Gdynia and discovering the city’s value in contemporary times, as well as the protection of the city centre. German monuments conservator, Professor Jörg Haspel, has suggested that Gdynia should apply for inclusion in the Heritage Label list that is being created by the Council of Europe.
In the wake of a lengthy discussion, on 23 July 2003 the Polish Sejm (Parliament) passed a statute based on a government project. Dealing with the protection and custody of monuments, it replaced the statute of 15 February 1962 on the protection of cultural property, becoming the first legal act to interpret the protection of historical monuments in Poland in a complex manner, and to comprise a foundation for pertinent legal regulations. The statute of 1962 was not adapted to the contemporary legal turnover, and contained numerous indefinite concepts; it also lacked certain fundamental definitions, such as that of historical real estate. The legislator distinguished duties encumbering public administration organs and the owners of historical monuments by employing two distinct concepts : “protection” and “custody”, which have been accurately defined. In comparison with the previous statute, the new legal act identified the object of protection and custody by dividing all historical monuments into immobile, portable, and archaeological. Furthermore, the legislator had expanded the object of protection by including non-material property, thus deciding that protection may encompass also the geographic, historical or traditional names of a building, a square, a street, or a settlement unit. The statute of 2003 rendered more precise principles concerning the inclusion and elimination of real estate in a register of historical monuments; it also contains a legal definition of the historical monument, including the immobile monument, the first such distinctness to appear in Polish legislation. In contrast to the previous statute, the new act has expanded the range of subjects which could be obligated to conduct conservation and are conceived as an objective element, essential in a sales contract, exchange, or lease of real estate listed in the register and constituting property of the State Treasury or a territorial self-government unit.The owners of historical real estate or real estate possessing the features of a historical monument have received new privileges, including the right to compensation for eventual losses incurred as a result of research involving the objects, based on principles defined in the civil code. The duties of the possessors of historical real estate, which stem from the contents of statute regulations about the protection and custody of monuments, basically do not differ from those which had been formulated upon the basis of the regulations of the previous statute. Greater sanctions have been imposed as regards neglect of the majority of those obligations. The most severe penalty is foreseen in article 108, excerpt 1, according to which all those who have destroyed or damaged a historical monument face imprisonment from three months to five years. On the other hand, article 100 introduces penal liability for the owners of those historical monument which have not been suitably protected against damage, destruction, loss or theft.
Dobra współpraca administracji ochrony zabytków i Kościoła katolickiego w zachowaniu dla przyszłych pokoleń zabytkowych obiektów sakralnych jest szczególnym wyrazem wskazanej w Preambule Konstytucji RP wdzięczności przodkom, za kulturę zakorzenioną w chrześcijańskim dziedzictwie Narodu i ogólnoludzkich wartościach. Najważniejszymi wadami prawa dotyczącego ochrony zabytków, które utrudniają realizację tego celu, jest niedookreślony zasięg luzu decyzyjnego wynikający m. in. z w zasadzie otwartego katalogu pozwoleń, co skutkuje pozornością dookreślenia obowiązku. Znaczna ilość klauzul generalnych powoduje umocnienie pozycji administracji ochrony zabytków względem podmiotu podporządkowanego w stosunku administracyjnoprawnym, co może prowadzić do zjawiska nadużycia władzy. Brakuje wyrażonych wprost konkretnych kryteriów oceny stanu faktycznego związanego z wydawaniem lub odmową wydania pozwolenia, co dla podmiotu zobowiązanego w stosunku administracyjnoprawnym może grozić utratą bezpieczeństwa prawnego w wykonywaniu swych praw.
EN
A good cooperation between the historical monuments protection authority and the Catholic Church, aimed at preserving historical religious monuments for future generations, is a token of gratitude to our ancestors for our culture rooted in the Christian heritage of the Nation and in universal human values, as referred to in the Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. The most significant defects of law on historical monuments protection, which make it difficult to achieve this goal, is the underdetermined margin of decision which is a result, inter alia, of an open list of permits, which in turn results in apparent determination of an obligation. A large number of general clauses strengthens the position of the historical monuments protection authority with regard to the entity subordinate in the administrative and legal relations, which may lead to the abuse of power. There are no directly determined specific criteria of assessment of the actual status related to the issue of or refusal to issue a permit, which for the obliged entity in the administrative and legal relations may result in the loss of legal certainty in exercising its rights.
The National Heritage Board of Poland continues directly the activity of the first institution dealing with the collection, elaboration and popularisation of knowledge on historical monuments in Poland – the Centre for Documentation of Monuments, which was established in 1962. The organisational structure of the institution evolved, but among its priority tasks there were still documentation-related works: collection, elaboration and making available of the record of monuments in the form of record documentation and legal documentation of all registered monuments. The department which has carried out these tasks in a virtually unaltered manner is the current Monument Record and Register Department. The current tasks of the Department include also the elaboration of documentation standards, preparation of the record, keeping of the register of monuments and training of conservation services in this respect. Currently we are also supervising the performance of the monument register verification project – the description of the resource of monuments in Poland. These activities make it possible to provide successive generations with knowledge on the material culture of our ancestors, on authentic, transformed or defunct objects, complexes of objects and the cultural landscape. Our documentations are used in scientific studies and research works and constitute a basis for conservation projects. They are used for restoring the destroyed and defunct objects that constitute a significant element of national heritage. The Monument Record and Register Department collects, elaborates and provides access to knowledge on monuments in Poland in a continuous manner (under various names). MRRD collects duplicates of the documentation of monuments forming a part of the collection of the national record of monuments, which is elaborated for the needs of voivodeship conservators and by voivodeship conservators of monuments, that are sent to NHBP. The record as a form of documentation dates back to the middle of the 18th century and its legal grounds were established in 1928. The following record documentations are kept in the Monument Record and Register Department (amount as at 31.12.2011): • record cards of monuments of architecture and historic buildings (138,304 items, including 104,420 white cards and 33,884 green cards), • address cards of monuments (650,000), • records of historic greens (9,249), • record cards of cemeteries (25,367), • town planning files (1,274), • cards of movable monuments (371,876), • record cards of movable monuments of technology (9,710). Other forms of record documentation being used currently are the communal record of monuments and record lists of monuments. The regular updating of the list of shortages is one of the elements of the keeping of the central record of monuments in the activity of MRRD. Many activities concerning the documentation of monuments are performed in accordance with the well-established tradition. The challenging process that is necessary to carry out is the digitalisation of collections of the record. The central register of monuments has been kept as a primary form of monument protection since 1962. The Department maintains a uniform database system, which is understood as a specially developed kind of software (Multiarch). The database of objects entered into the register of monuments that is kept in NHBP is the only database in Poland that encompasses all legally protected non-movable and movable monuments. The verification of the register of nonmovable movements is an important task co-ordinated by the Monument Record and Register Department, which has been carried out by Local Divisions of NHBP since the end of 2008. Long-term plans of verification of the register of monuments apply to movable monuments, too. In practice, the performance of the main aforementioned tasks is often connected with additional activities, part of which is a consequence of the employees’ own initiative, knowledge and commitment as well as identification with the 50-year tradition and achievements of NHBP’s predecessors.
The subject of the article is the history of some of the interesting interwar period constructions, namely the modernist railway platform umbrella roofs and the train station waiting halls of the Warsaw Railway Junction electrified railway lines. In 1933, an agreement was concluded between the Polish State Railways (PKP) and a consortium of British entrepreneurs on the electrification of the suburban railway lines of the Warsaw Railway Junction (to Otwock, Żyrardów and Mińsk Mazowiecki). The completion of this railway investment, one of the most significant in the interwar period, required the redevelopment of the track systems of the electrified lines and the construction of new platforms, umbrella roofs and stations. The design works related to the electrification and redevelopment of the Warsaw Railway Junction lines were conducted by the Polish State Railways Design and Study Bureau in cooperation with the Polish State Railways Warsaw Railway Junction Electrification Bureau and the Regional Directorate of the State Railways in Warsaw, under the supervision of the Ministry of Communication. At the stage of drawing up the concept of the communication system for the electrified lines, experiences of European railway management boards using electrified lines to handle suburban traffic were used to a large extent. In creating the communication system of the electric urban railway, the Polish State Railways Design and Study Bureau based their work largely on the Berlin Stadtschnellbahn (S-Bahn). The author of the concept of track systems and stations, as well as traffic organisation for the electrified railway lines of the Warsaw Railway Junction was Kazimierz Centnerszwer, Eng., a 1927 graduate of the Faculty of Railway Transport Engineering of the Warsaw University of Technology, an employee of the Polish State Railways Design and Study Bureau. Platforms adapted to the new electric rolling stock were designed at the suburban stations of the electrified lines. They were island, bay and side platforms. At the time, the Polish State Railways Design and Study Bureau created a repeatable design of a station/ platform umbrella roof connected to the waiting hall and the ticket office building or office building. Depending on the local conditions, single-pitched umbrella roofs were also built on island platforms and double-pitched ones in the case of cross-platform interchanges. Unfortunately, in spite of the preliminary research having been conducted, the name of the architect who was the author of the project remains unknown. However, the authorship of Arseniusz Romanowicz, Eng., architect, was ruled out beyond doubt. The modernist platform umbrella roofs and waiting halls constitute an extremely interesting example of Polish modernist railway architecture of the 1930s. At the same time, they are a relic of one of the most prominent investments of the interwar period, namely the construction of the cross-city railway line and the electrification of the Warsaw Railway Junction. Their value is especially high in the context of the destruction of all the railway stations in Warsaw (including the modernist Warszawa Główna main railway station) and a considerable part of Warsaw’s railway architecture and infrastructure during the war.
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