NewsletterPublishedbythe AssociationoftheTarnowskiFamily #10

LELIWICI
Newsletter Published by the
Association of the Tarnowski Family
#10 – November, 2006
The newsletter is available on the Internet
www.rodtarnowski.com
OUR ROOTS:
In early XIVth, Spicymir z Tarnowa (Ab.1275-1356) was our 1st known ancestor. He
was Lord of Tarnów, where his clan slowly brought in civilization. In the XVIth, after the extinction of the main
Tarnów line, Wielowieś became the senior branch. Due to its destruction by war in late XVIIth, the main
residence was moved to Dzików. Jan Jacek of the 14th generation became Lord of Dzików about 1760. He is
the direct ancestor of the 6 Tarnowski branches alive today. The 20th generation representatives are on the
bottom line, and the photos of their ancestors’ main residences are right under each of them.
[14th
Jan Jacek (1729-1821)-Rozalia (1753-1821)
Tarnowski (Dzików)
th
[15th
Michał (1782-1831)-Elżbieta (1801-1869)
Tarnowski (Chorzelów)
[15
(Jan Feliks (1777-1842)-Waleria (1782-1849)
Tarnowski (Dzików)
[17
th
th
[17
Szczepan (1862-1940)-Jadwiga (1865-1934)
Tarnowski (Zaklików)
Stanisław (1837-1917)-Róża Maria (1854-1942)
Tarnowski (Rudnik)
[18th
Juljusz (1864-1917)-Anna (1876-1953)
Tarnowski (Końskie)
th
[19
J uljusz (1901-1989)-Róża (1907-1998)
Tarnowski (Sucha)
[20th
Jan Artur-Marychna
Tarnowski
Dzików
20th]
Adam-Dorota
Tarnowski
Rudnik
Juljusz-Maria
Tarnowski
Końskie
Władysław-Jacqueline
Karol-Maria
Paweł
Tarnowski
Tarnowski
Tarnowski
Sucha
Chorzelów
Wolsztyn
Table of Contents
Word from the President ..............................................................................................................3
Financial Statement – Tarnowski Family Association.................................................................5
Family News in 2006 ...................................................................................................................6
Accomplishments .....................................................................................................................6
Weddings..................................................................................................................................7
Births ........................................................................................................................................7
In Memoriam............................................................................................................................7
News from Tarnobrzeg and Area ...............................................................................................10
Polish-Italian Influences forever Overlapping ...........................................................................14
Wilhelm Siemieński and his “Albatros ” ...................................................................................17
Part I: Memories of Wilek Siemienski, Senior.......................................................................17
Part II: Wilczek and Maka Siemieński souvenirs ..................................................................19
Outstanding Poles Connected to our Family..............................................................................21
Rear-Admiral Józef Michał Hubert Unrug.............................................................................21
Wacław Taranczewski............................................................................................................22
Roman Gumiński, Publisher DIG, Warsaw 2005 ..................................................................25
Fate of the Dzików Art Collection .............................................................................................26
Part I - (1939-1958)................................................................................................................27
Part II - (1990-2004)...............................................................................................................33
Part III -(2004 – 2005)............................................................................................................37
Add some humour in your life! ..................................................................................................38
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
News, articles, photos and personal data are really appreciated.
Please send those for
1. The Newsletter:
to Paul Tarnowski: [email protected]
2. The Genealogy:
to Marcin Tarnowski: [email protected]
1
Current Board: August 16, 2003 to August 31, 2008
Auditing
Committee:
President: Paul Tarnowski
1stVicePresident: Aleksander Tarnowski
Władysław Tarnowski
Anna Marie Unrug
Rose Marie Punch
2nd VicePresident: Karol Tarnowski
Treasurer: Piotr Mycielski
Members
at Large:
Web Master: Michael Tarnowski
[email protected]
Jan Spytek Tarnowski
Elżbieta Łastowiecka
Marcin Tarnowski
Tomek Tarnowski
Stefan Tarnowski
Jan Artur Tarnowski
Representatives at Large
Polska:
France /
Switzerland: Zdzisław (Jean) Potocki
Piotr Mycielski
[email protected]
[email protected]
Britain:
Monika Wray
[email protected]
America:
Paul Tarnowski
[email protected]
2
Word from the President
Dear Family,
It is time to evaluate year 2006 and look forward towards the future. I am happy to report about
the following activities and events with which our Association was involved this year:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
In spite of limited means, the Association continued to support cultural and social
development in Tarnobrzeg by rewarding excellence at Prof. Stanisław Tarnowski
Vocational College, and by contributing towards a new flag to honour the new patron at Ct.
Stanisław Tarnowski Elementary School in Tarnowska Wola (For details see pages 11-13).
Martin Tarnowski (Montreal, Canada) diligently keeps our Family Genealogy current. Please
help by advising him quickly and accurately of any changes in your immediate family:
[email protected] , Tel.: (450) 682-3557. A sample of our ancestry available on
the website is displayed on the back of the title page in this newsletter.
Martin also answered my plea in the last newsletter and translated from Polish the article
Fate of the Dzików Collection. It is featured in this edition.
Membership in the Association increased by 11 during 2006 and our brotherhood now totals
114 members. The breakdown by country follows: Brazil 1, Britain 30, Canada 23, France
23, Poland 29, South Africa 1, Switzerland 4 and USA 2. This number includes 94 Regular
members, 15 Associate members, and 5 Honorary members. These statistics indicate that a
number of direct and indirect descendants have yet to join the Family Association, leaving
room for the Association to grow. You will find an abbreviated financial statement at the
conclusion of my report which shows the Association to be in a comfortable and stable
financial position.
The family exchange program for children is an extraordinary opportunity for the younger
generation to meet relatives of the same age, while expanding their horizons and possibly
improving or learning another language. Jacek and Monika Tarnowski of Sopot have been
great supporters of the program from the beginning. This summer they hosted several young
enthusiasts during a windsurfing camp in July. Also as part of the program, Eric
Escaravage, a 14-year-old from Ottawa, completed an exchange with Constantin Unrug,
from Laval, France. This exchange took place during the month of August in Montresor and
in the area of Mt St-Michel. Jacek and Monika are also great hosts. Many relatives have
experienced their gracious hospitality this year, including the undersigned. Their great
family spirit is contagious. Yolande and I are deeply grateful to Monika for arranging a most
interesting visit of Gdańsk during our Baltic cruise in May with four friends from Canada.
They still rave about the stop on the Polish coast as being the highlight of the cruise and
compliment us on our charming family.
Michael Tarnowski, our Webmaster, has embarked on an MBA program making it difficult
for him (at least still 2 more years) to devote much time to the Association website. I am very
grateful to my brother Martin for helping with the newsletter publication.
The family address booklet has been recently updated and copies are currently being mailed
to the membership.
3
For the first time since the inception of the Tarnowski Association in 1998, the Executive Board
needed to review an individual membership and take action. The resolution by the Board
Members resulted regretfully in the termination of Andrew Tarnowski’s membership. This
decision is based on the fact that his book The Last Mazurka contravenes objectives of the
Constitution of the Family Association. It has also brought pain and humiliation to specific
family members. However, Andrew Tarnowski may appeal this decision through a member in
good standing at the 2008 General Assembly.
Plans and initiatives projected for 2007:
•
•
•
•
•
The Family Association recognizes the importance for continued support of social and
cultural projects as well as events in Tarnobrzeg. A bursary of 3,000zł will be offered again
in 2007 at Prof. Stanisław Tarnowski Vocational College to honour its patron.
Anyone who may be interested in participating in the exchange program for children during
the 2007 summer should contact Paul Tarnowski at [email protected] or by tel:
(613) 746-1346.
The newsletter #11, is planned for July 2007. Articles concerning achievements, events,
activities, or situations relating to the Family, are always appreciated. The deadline is 15
May, 2007.
A Roving Reporter will be a new feature of our newsletter. It will involve surveying the
opinions of the younger generation in different parts of the world on important global issues.
The next Family Reunion and General Assembly is set for August, 2008. Suggestions can be
forwarded to [email protected]
May I extend my best wishes for good health, peace, and happiness, to each of you during the
coming festive season.
Paul Tarnowski
4
Financial Statement – Tarnowski Family Association
October 2004 – December 2006 and Budget for 2007
Funds available (1/11/2004)
Revenue from fees (31 additional members)
Total Funds available during that period
28,500 zł
8,940 zł
37,440 zł
Disbursements during that period:
Cost of Administration
6,850 zł
Two bursaries of 3,000 zł each presented to
Prof. Stanisław Tarnowski Vocational College
on 4/10/2005 and 10/10/2006
6,000 zł
Donation towards the cost of making the Flag for
Ct. Stanisław Tarnowski Elementary School
in Tarnowska Wola
2,000 zł
Total Disbursements during that period
Funds available on 1/01/2007 (Bank balance in Poland
21,800 zł and 800 zł in Banks abroad)
Planned disbursements during 2007
Bursary for prof. Stanisław Tarnowski to be
offered in October 2007
Administration cost
14,850 zł
22,590 zł
3,000 zł
4,000 zł
Total disbursements planned for 2007
7,000 zł
15,590 zł
Funds available on 1/01/2008
________
__________________
5
Family News in 2006
Accomplishments
Bravo,
Elizabeth
Rodziewicz
Tarnowski from Montreal, and
Monika Siemieński Jancewicz from
Rawdon, who this fall have
successfully completed an 800 km.
pilgrimage from Saint Jean-Pied-dePort in the Pyrenées to Santiago de
Compostela. Each of them, for their
own personal reasons, decided to
undertake this five weeks long and
difficult trip, walking across northern
Spain with a backpack and often
under primitive conditions. Elizabeth,
a grand-mother and Monika, a mother
deserve our heartfelt congratulations
for this unusual and splendid
accomplishment.
Elizabeth Tarnowski
Paweł Tarnowski, 12-year-old son of
Jacek and Monika Tarnowski
distinguished himself during the
French
Open
Windsurfing
Championships held in Bondole,
France at the beginning of November
2006. In the Bic Techno category he
placed first amongst the competitors
of his age group. Overall, without
distinction for age groups, he ranked
third, which is a tremendous
achievement.
Congratulations Paweł! We wish you
continued success and even greater
achievements in the future.
6
Monika Jancewicz
Weddings
May we congratulate the parents of, and extend our best wishes
To the newly-weds for a long life filled with love and happiness.
Nicholas Rey, son of Constantin Rey and
Klara Bnińska, married Patricia Sobańska,
daughter of Henry and Anna Sobański. The
wedding took place at St Mary’s Basilica in
Kraków on July 1, 2006.
The couple has settled in Kraków.
.
Jan Michał Tarnowski, son of Karol Benito
and Maria Kazimiera Tarnowski, married
Anna Janota Bzowska, daughter of Jacek
Janota and Dorota Bzowska. The wedding
took place at St.Krzysztof church in Podkowa
Leśna near Warsaw on August 19, 2006.
The couple has settled in Warsaw.
Births
Heartfelt congratulations to the parents and best wishes to Karolina.
Karolina Maria Golik, daughter of Paweł Golik and Aneta Kaniak,was born in Warsaw on
June 16, 2006.
In Memoriam
May the souls of our departed rest in peace, and may their families
Find comfort and courage following their great loss.
Stanisław Kostka Tarnowski-Męciński, son of the late Hieronim and the late Wanda
Zamoyska Tarnowski passed away on April 4, 2006 in Warsaw, and was buried a week
later at the Rudnik cemetery, next to his grand-mother Róża Maria Branicka Tarnowski.
John Francis Punch, son of the late Francis and Veronica Punch and beloved husband of
Rose Marie Tarnowski Punch, passed away on May 17, 2006 in Glanmire, Ireland.
7
Farewell in Rudnik to the late Stanisław Kostka Tarnowski-Męciński
Farewell in front of the Family Residence
Family with the Casket in Church
On April 11, 2006, during the funeral mass, at which were present relatives and the local population,
his son, Jan Spytek, bid him farewell, thanking their closest family for assisting Stanisław to die
with dignity. Hereunder are his words (Translation: Sandra Tarnowski):
…
Mama! Thank you, that during those last years you gave Papa all of your heart, every moment of
your life;
Sandra! Thank you for being at Papa’s bedside for the last months, and with him when he died,
Iza! Thank you, that you had come from far away to be with Papa, and were with him with all your
heart;
Marek! Thank you;
Thank you aunt Zosia, uncle Artur and all those who had been with Papa;
Thank you all those present here today;
Papa!
When Papa was born, the bloody Great War was ending, and the Polish Republic, after generations
of wishing and hoping, was being reborn. It is here that Papa spent his childhood and grew up. When
Papa was about to turn 21 years old, World War II broke out. Writing for the last time in the Guest
Book, before leaving Rudnik in September 1939, Papa said: “Today across the river San, and with
God’s help, tomorrow with the victorious army” … And it wasn’t possible for Him to return with a
victorious army.
When he bid good-bye to his Father, he heard him say: “Only don’t dishonour me” … And he
didn’t! According to the tradition of the Great Emigration, he made his way to the West, where he
fought for five years as a front line soldier in the Polish Army. Second lieutenant and paratrooper,
He was decorated four times for valour with a Military Cross! … And he didn’t dishonour.
After the war, he settled in London.
He came to Poland for the first time in 1957. It was probably then, that he first conceived the idea of
returning permanently to his native land. … And thank you Papa, for bringing me up in Poland.
8
After his return to the homeland, Papa lived as he best knew how, making mistakes sometimes. …
But, don’t we all! – Now, let us leave the last reckoning to God!
And indeed, Papa was a lord, true to the spirit of our old tradition!
On November 25th, when Papa was taken to hospital, I was alone at home, in Rudnik. We all thought
that Papa might die that same night. Many different thoughts were rattling in my head then. … I
wrote something then, which I will now read to you:
God!
It is here, that Papa began his life,
In this House that he grew up,
Got to know the taste of life,
Its joys and thorns,
Sweetness and bitterness.
Here, he learned the meaning of honour,
Now, he is no longer here.
I am alone in this empty House,
Outside it is winter, such silence, such peace.
My Papa, Our Papa is dying!
Holy Virgin Mary,
Please, intercede for Him!
God Almighty!
Receive his soul,
Like a Father welcoming his child
With arms opened wide.
… Amen.
Family Farewell at the Cemetery
Ada Lubomirska Tarnowska last Goodbye
______________________
9
News from Tarnobrzeg and Area
The Tarnowski Family makes every effort to take part and to support the cultural and social
development of Tarnobrzeg. Our ancestors founded this town and its future is dear to our hearts.
We welcome invitations to local events and Members of the Family are delighted to participate,
whenever possible.
Exhibit of Old Prints from the Dzików Collection
At the Municipal Library in Tarnobrzeg
Summary of article and photos from “Tygodnik Nadwislański”, October 5, 2006
Comments by Paweł Tarnowski
Jan Feliks Tarnowski initiated the library in Dzików around 1777, while still a student. During his
lifetime, he collected close to fifteen thousand volumes. He even prepared operational rules for the
library and procedures for preserving the collection. Later residents of Dzików continued the task
that he started. In the period between the great wars the library had in excess of thirty thousand
volumes. After WWII the collection was dispersed and some items ended up at the Jagellon Library
in Kraków and others at the National Library in Warsaw.
Today, they remain under the care of those Institutions but as certified deposits of the Tarnowski
Family. Should a Tarnowski Museum be established at the Dzików castle, then the Family plans to
reunite the library with the rest of the collection.
Archives room in Dzików
Dr. Tomasz Makowski and Jan Artur Tarnowski
Thanks to Jan Artur Tarnowski (Głowa) support and the amiability of Dr. Tomasz Makowski,
Deputy-Director of the National Library, the Municipal Library in Tarnobrzeg was able to display
September 15-29, 2006 several old prints (starodruki) from the Dzików collection.
The following guests were present at the official opening of the exhibit: Jan Artur Tarnowski, dr.
Tomasz Makowski, Andrzej Wójtowicz, Deputy-Mayor, dr. Tadeusz Zych, Head of City Council,
local school principals and many residents of Tarnobrzeg. When introducing the items displayed,
Mrs. Maria Brynda, Head of the Old Prints Division at the National Library, mentioned that around
three and a half thousand volumes from the Dzików collection are under her care. She added that
unfortunately at such short notice, it was only possible to display seventeen in Tarnobrzeg.
10
Included among those displayed were leather-bound volumes with illuminations and armorial
bindings of the Tarnowski crest, like those shown hereunder:
„The Bible, New and Old Testament” (1) from 1599 r., translated by Jakub Wujek (1541-1597, jezuite,
religious writer, translator), „Chronicle from the Whole World” (2) from 1564, old print written in
ancient polish by Marcin Bielski in1551 (1495-1575, historian, writer), „Polish Book of Heraldry” (3)
from 1599 by Marcin z Urzędowa (1500-1573, canon of Sandomierz, writer, historian, doctor at the
hospital of the Holy Ghost church, court doctor of The Great Hetman Jan Tarnowski and other powerful
aristocrats of the times), „Zwierzyniec” a compilation of satirical poems, by Mikołaj Rey in 1574,
„Satires” by Ignacy Krasicki, „Dismissal of the Greek Envoys” by Jan Kochanowski and „Statutes” by
Jan Łaski in 1506.
The exhibit was an important literary event and generated considerable interest among the residents
of Tarnobrzeg. The Tarnowski Family hopes that Municipal Administrators observed the success of
this event and that it will encourage them to begin without any further delays the restoration and
renovation of Dzików as a museum.
”Tempus fugit”!!! It will be a great loss for Tarnobrzeg if the Tarnowski Family has to find
an alternate location for the Dzików collection!
__________________________
Inauguration of Academic Year 2006-2007
At Prof. Stanisław Tarnowski Vocational College
Paweł Tarnowski
Dr. Hab. Karol Tarnowski, Vice-president, and Piotr Mycielski, Treasurer, represented the
Tarnowski Family Association at the Inauguration of Academic Year 2006-2007. The official
ceremony also included the opening of the newly completed building that contains classes, meeting
rooms, library facilities and an assembly hall for up to 1500 people. During the event, Dr. Hab.
Karol Tarnowski presented three bursaries of 1,000 zł each offered by the Tarnowski Family
Association to commemorate Professor Stanisław Tarnowski, patron of the School. The following
students were awarded this distinction for outstanding results in their studies:
Miss. Anna Dąbal - Department of Sociology
Miss. Izabela Jurek - Department of Administration and Marketing
Miss. Joanna Rakowska - Department of Pedagogy
11
Opening of Academic year 2006-2007
By Rector Dr. Hab. Kazimierz Jaremczuk
Dr. Hab. Karol Tarnowski addresses the
Assembly before presenting the bursaries
Dr. Hab. Karol Tarnowski and Piotr Mycielski are standing
Among other guests in front of the newly completed building
The Tarnowski Family applauds the great success of the Vocational College and extends the most
sincere congratulations to Rector Jaremczuk and the entire teaching body. We are delighted that
students from Tarnobrzeg and surrounding areas can benefit from such favourable conditions in
furthering their education and wish them every success in Academic Year 2006-2007. The
Tarnowski Family Association assures the administration that support for the Vocational College in
the form of bursaries totalling 3,000 zł, will continue in Academic Year 2007-2008.
________________________
Blessing of the Flag for Count Stanisław Tarnowski
Elementary School in Tarnowska Wola
Jan Spytek Tarnowski
The ceremonial blessing of the colours for Count Stanisław Tarnowski Elementary School took
place on October 12, 2006. The school is located at Tarnowska Wola on the grounds of the former
Dzików estate and was established in the second half of the XVIII century by Jan Jacek Tarnowski.
The Tarnowski Family Association supported the choice of the new flag by donating 2,000 zł to
cover its cost.In 2005, resulting from submissions by the parents to a written contest, the school took
the name of “Count Stanisław Tarnowski”. The school is relatively small, as only 45 students attend,
12
but they are outstanding. The commitment of the Director, Małgorzata Kamińska, the teachers and
the parents has created an extraordinary atmosphere of caring for the highest academic level, while
emphasizing traditional values and showing equal respect both for local and national history. While
conversing with me, Mrs. Kaminska explained that “We try to teach without exaggeration and
without affectation, so that students remember it for the rest of their lives”.
Ada Tarnowska and her son Adam
Examining the Flag before its blessing
Director, Mrs Małgorzata Kamińska
Before accepting the flag from the parents
The event began with a mass in the local church during which the parish priest, Father Antoni
Sanecki, blessed the school flag. Then everyone crossed over to the school where festivities
continued. There were speeches by invited guests, and also mine on behalf of the Association and
the Rudnik Family. Afterwards, we witnessed a ceremonial hand over of the flag from the parent
delegation to the school Director. At the conclusion of this ceremony, we watched a charming
historical and artistic show prepared by the students. At the end of it, we all sang our Ode to
Happiness composed by the teachers. A verse of it follows:
“Follow the teacher’s example
He (she) has the strength and the power
Live beautifully like our Patron
Be a model day and night.”
Refreshments concluded the proceedings. During a conversation, Father Sanecki mentioned that in
two years the local church, founded by Hr. Zdzisław Tarnowski, will be celebrating its 80th
anniversary. Festivities are being planned for this occasion and the Tarnowski family will most
certainly be invited.
I attended the ceremony with my mother, Ada Tarnowska, my brother, Adam, and Mark Fedorczuk,
a family friend,. It was truly a pleasure for us to take part in all these festivities. We could sense
real feelings and respect for history. We observed the teachers great effort to educate and bring up
the children according to traditional values.
__________________
13
Polish and Italian Influences forever Overlapping
Iolanda Tarnowski
As commented in another article in this newsletter, these two nationalities have been intertwined for
many years. It has been a lingering observation that the Latins and the Slavs were worlds apart - in
their geographic location, in their culture and language, and in their intellectual and emotional
disposition. True they did share the same religion but only as of approximately the tenth century.
As corroborated by Adam Zamoyski in the Polish Way, p.7, “(Poland) was the only major medieval
political unit not to have been built on the spiritual foundations laid by the Roman
Empire”…“Their zeal … is the zeal of the convert, for they were not conceived by Rome or born in
Christianity.”
As my baptismal name is Maria Giulia Iolanda Lucciola, it became rather gratifying for me to
discover the intermingling collaboration over the centuries between these two groups:
• Many Polish scholars studied in Italy;
• Poland imported a multitude of Italian artists, artisans, architects, landscapers, sculptors,
etc., and the Italian model was aspired to as a creative influence;
• Closer to home specific examples come to mind on both sides of my husband’s family:
(i). On his mother’s side, early in the 16th century, Jan Zamoyski, the founder of Zamość,
studied, among other locations, at the University of Padua of which he became Rector, and
where he also converted from Calvinism to Catholicism. Zamość, which was his concept of
the ideal city, was meticulously planned by himself and his Italian architect, Bernardo
Morando. It remains a jewel of a medieval city even today, and is a World Heritage site
protected by UNESCO.
(ii). On Paul’s father’s side, early in the 19th century Jan Feliks Tarnowski and his wife
Waleria Stroynowska Tarnowska travelled extensively throughout Italy, gaining knowledge
of, and collecting art. Upon their return, in preparation for displaying their art collection, they
entrusted the restoration and remodelling of Dzików to the Italian architect, Francis Maria
Lanci.
Jumping forward to the present day, it was at the
400th anniversary celebration in Zamość,
September, 2005, that a fortuitous connection
allowed me to revisit my Italian roots. Marcin
Zamoyski introduced Paul to Oreste DiZazzo, a
City Councillor representing Cassino, a city
twinned with Zamość. Oreste immediately
extended an open invitation that, should we visit
Italy, he would be happy to host us! At that time
there were no concrete plans for Italy, but
serendipidity struck again.
List of Cities twinned with Cassino
We had been scheduled to take a transatlantic cruise to Copenhagen where we were joining friends on
a Baltic cruise. But alas! A fire broke out aboard the destined ship, causing us to reroute our schedule
with an earlier departure headed to Roma. Oreste, true to his word, became the impeccable host.
14
After spending a day in glorious Rome, we immediately proceeded to Cassino where we visited the
abbey and the Polish cemetery, the largest one of them. Way up on top of the mountain, it is all so
impressive, and so moving. The monastery can be observed from different vantage points in
Cassino.
Abbey of Montecassino
Paul and Oreste in front
of the PolishCemetery
As a child, I remember our forebears discussing the bombing of Montecassino. The shocking
recollection remains with me that the mother of my uncle was sadly a victim of this conflict,
prematurely passing on. However, more than a thousand Polish soldiers also lost their lives in the
battle that ended May 18, 1944. Their remains are buried in the War Cemetery located across from
the abbey. The Polish eagle and a white marble obelisk erected in their memory reads: We, Polish
soldiers, have given our bodies to Italy, our hearts to Poland, and our souls to God for our own
freedom and for the freedom of others. Sombre and moving reflections on war creep into one’s
subconscious while on sacred ground where so many innocent lives were sacrificed. However there
is some comfort in noting that among Poles who took part in the battle, some survived, two of
which were family members, Andrew (Bubiś) Tarnowski (from Dzików) and Stanisław Tarnowski
(from Rudnik).
Oreste, the consummate host, was always on
hand. In addition to meeting everyone in his
family, he also presented us to Mayor
Scittarelli of Cassino, who honoured Paul
with a medallion commemorating the 60th
anniversary of the battle of Montecassino,
and I with a souvenir book of the City. It was
a privilege. One of the streets in Cassino is
named Zamość!
Mayor of Cassino offers Iolanda
A Souvenir Book
In an effort to entice you into immersing yourself in this part of the world, a few comments follow.
We learned to use il treno from Cassino for a day trip to Caserta. There the Reggio di Caserta (Royal
palace), with its magnificent adjoining grounds and fountains, is well worth visiting. It can possibly
overshadow Versailles.
15
Another day trip took us to Napoli. It was deemed founded by the Greeks around the 8thcentury,
BC. Its invaders and settlers ranged from the Byzantines to the Normans. In 1284, the Kingdom
of the Two Sicilies was split and remained so until 1816. In between, Naples had been under the
rule of Spain, Austria, and the Bourbons, and was briefly a Jacobin Republic. As such, Neapolis
absorbed many influences which properly accounts for its seductive charm.
Naples is superbly positioned, with Sorrento,
Amalfi, Vesuvius, Pompeii and Herculaneum
easily accessible inland. From the Bay of
Naples, there are easy ferry routes to Ischia,
Capri, as well as Sicily. We found Naples
easy to navigate, whether on foot, with buses
or taxis, or on the funicular. It was
enchanting: great food, great wines, great
shopping and music was everywhere,
especially those familiar Neapolitan songs.
Romance was in the air; it was contagious –
yes, we were in love with Naples and I
suddenly felt very close to my Neapolitan
roots.
Romance in Naples
To our great delight, the sea is only a 40minute drive from Cassino. Via Appia which
starts from Rome, runs along the seashore.
Here along the Gulf of Gaeta, we spent five
lovely days close to Sperlonga, a very chic
and sophisticated beach resort area where,
way back when, the mythological Ulysses
was reputed to have navigated these waters.
Overlooking the Beach in Sperlonga
It was interesting to see Paul and me use every technique possible to try to express ourselves in
Italian, a language which we are presently making efforts to learn. Italians are charming and
hospitable people (But one must watch out for the gypsies in train stations!).
This point of view and short commentary has been shared in the hope that Polish-Italian
influences will forever continue to overlap, especially in the beautiful region of Campania!
All are extended a
Buona Fortuna e Mille Grazie
___________________________
16
Wilhelm Siemieński and his “Albatros ”
Wilek and Wilczek Siemieński
Translation: Marcin Tarnowski
Part I: Memories of Wilek Siemienski, Senior
We rarely see during war two enemies become great friends. It happened to my uncle,
Wilhelm Siemieński during World War I. He was the youngest son of Stanisław SiemieńskiLewicki, Ordynat Lord of Chorostków, and his wife, Sophie Tarnowska, from Dzików. We
both had the same nickname Wilek (Little Wolf). The Siemieński lived in the family estate
of Chorostków, located in the Podole region, which was then part of the Austrian Empire.
Just like all men living in that region, he and his brothers had to serve in the Austrian army.
Wilek chose the air-force, and thus begins the extraordinary story of his last flight, during
which fate put in his path Lieutenant Ruffo di Calabria, who ended his military career and
later caused his premature death.
On February 11 1917, Lieutenant Siemieński was ordered to make a reconnaissance flight
over Udine, a locality in Northern Italy. The story of this flight and its tragic end, were well
reported by a correspondent of the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, who had followed it
closely from the ground. Wilek himself related the air battle.
My uncle flying in formation with another Austrian airplane arrived over the town of Udine
to observe and photograph railway yards and other military targets. The anti aircraft artillery
started firing immediately and four fighter planes took off shortly after and attacked the
Austrian planes. Wilek and his pilot fought back while continuing their photographic
mission. However, the second Austrian plane soared higher and flew away. The uneven air
battle began in earnest. The Italian planes encircled the Albatross, machine gunning it from
all sides, while the anti-aircraft batteries ceased to fire. The whole battle lasted only about 20
minutes, when finally the Albatross, badly damaged, crashed in a meadow near Udine. The
local population, which was observing with apprehension and keen interest the uneven air
battle, rushed to the crash sight to save the two flyers from a plane in flames and to observe
the wreck of an enemy aircraft. Both occupants, Lieutenant Siemieński and the pilot Flech,
survived the crash, but were badly wounded. Two Italian planes, also damaged in the air
battle, landed in the meadow close by, and the wounded flyers were quickly transported to a
nearby hospital. At that time, anti aircraft defences, both artillery and fighter planes were
increased and kept on high alert in the area, because the Italian King was visiting in Udine.
Here is the English translation of the event as reported by Corriere della Sera: „Honour is
due to both, Lieutenant Siemieński and his pilot, for the courage and bravery with which they
carried out their duty fighting till the very end. They fought heroically. Their plane wasn’t
loaded with bombs and thus it didn’t bring death to our women and children”.
My uncle Wilek related the air battle as follows in his journal (Eng. translation): “The
weather was beautiful and the view fantastic with the Alps to the north and the Adriatic to
the south. We were flying at 3500 m. I could see perfectly the town of Udine, streets, houses,
rail lines and even stopped trains with their steaming locomotives. I began taking
17
photographs, wondering why nobody was trying to prevent us. Suddenly, I noticed below us
another Newport type small plane climbing rapidly and told my pilot then to fly in a northwesterly direction. The Italian plane quickly caught up with us and I realized then, that we
had to deal not with one, but with four enemy planes. The fighters attacked us immediately,
shooting from all sides. I quickly ran short of ammunition, but the raging battle rendered
rearming the machineguns very difficult. Finally, our guns were empty and fell silent. At the
same time I sensed a strong smell of gasoline caused by a bullet piercing our gas tank.
Shortly after, the pilot sustained wounds in rapid succession to his cheek and to his right
side, thus immobilizing his right arm completely. He could only control the plane with his
left hand and had great difficulty steering because the rudder was no longer functioning.
The air battle continued nevertheless. The machinegun fire from the Italian fighters went on
unabated. I was myself hit then in my left ankle and shortly after in my right shoulder. We
began falling down rapidly and I was wounded then a third time in my right side. Before I
passed out, I had just enough time to get rid of the camera and its film magazines so as to
prevent them falling into enemy hands. Before crashing, the Albatross hit a tree with its
wing. The shock woke me up and then I heard the most terrible noise, as my plane was
breaking up into pieces.”
Shortly after the crash, Wilek and his pilot were transported to the hospital, where they
received excellent care. Both survived the war. Unfortunately Wilek’s wounds were the
cause of many complications to his health and resulted in his premature death on May 7,
1922. We must add here an important and interesting part to this story. Wilek’s Albatros was
shot down by an ace of the Italian Air-Force, Lieutenant Ruffo di Calabria. In recognition of
the bravery and courage shown by his adversary he brought to my uncle at the hospital a
bloodied piece of the broken up propeller. A silver plate with the following inscription was
fixed on it:
„Il capitano Barraca, e il tenente Ruffo di Calabria,
Al valoroso tenente Siemieński, 11 febbraio 1917.“
It was the beginning of a great friendship that continued after the war. Wilek and Ruffo saw
each other often in Paris, where my uncle was studying law until his death. It must be noted,
that Ruffo di Calabria was the father of Paola, the present Queen of Belgium. This wonderful
friendship has jumped to the next generation, where Paula has befriended my youngest son,
Wilczek and his wife Maka.
18
The continuation of this extraordinary life experience is related by my youngest son,
Wilczek and his wife Maka Siemienski, as it happened to them.
Part II: Wilczek and Maka Siemieński souvenirs
In the first part of the 1970s, while I was still living at my parent’s home in Montreal, I often
contemplated my great-uncle Wilek Siemienski’s propeller that my father had inherited. I
thought then, how interesting it would be to communicate with the Italian pilot’s family and
find continuity to this unusual story. I discovered then, that Lieutenant Ruffo di Calabria had
died, but that his widow was still living in Rome.
With the help of my cousin photographer, I made a photo-display of my great-uncle on that
fateful day in front of his Albatross and I included a photo of the piece from the broken
propeller and of all his decorations. I planned to send it all, together with an explanatory
letter to Ruffo’s widow and thus renew contact with his descendants. The photos turned out
very well, but unfortunately ended at the bottom of my desk drawer! For some now long
forgotten reason, I just couldn’t bring myself to complete the project then. I am not sure
why, maybe I was simply afraid that my attempt might be misunderstood …
Twenty three years went by. In 1995, I was posted by the Canadian Government to the
OBWE at the Hague (OBWE, OSCE, Organization for the Security and Cooperation in
Europe). While cleaning and packing for my departure, I found among some papers the old
photo-display. It didn’t feel right to throw it away, so I packed it with everything else and it
flew over to Holland with us. While living in the Hague, I learned that the pilot’s widow had
died, but that his youngest daughter, Paola, married Prince Albert of Belgium, who became
King of Belgium, when King Baudoin passed away childless.
So, even if the pilot’s descendant was close by, I felt ill-at-ease to contact the royal court of
Belgium with such personal matters. However, after a long reflection period, I came to the
conclusion, that they were humans just like us and accordingly, I decided to reopen my old
project. After sweating for two weeks, I finally succeeded in composing my first special
letter to “Her Majesty”. I included the old photo-display and also copies of some documents
about my granduncle flyer. I never expected what followed.
I thought that in the best case scenario, I would receive a formal thank-you note from the
Queen’s secretary, informing me that “Her Highness” is thanking me for my letter and for
the attached photo-display. As it turned out, the Queen herself called to thank me personally
a few weeks later. Our conversation was straightforward and very pleasant. The Queen was
very touched by such unexpected contact with the descendant of her long deceased father’s
friend. During the conversation, it came out that her whole family was well aware of this
chivalrous story, which was for me a pleasant and unexpected surprise. In terminating her
call, the Queen mentioned, that she would contact me again in the fall, at which time she
would invite us both.
As promised, at the end of summer we received an invitation to Ciergnon, the royal residence
in the Ardennes mountains. A reunion of the Italian side of her family combined with a royal
hunt was planned and the Queen decided to include us in that special event. It was really a
dinner for close family members, attended only by many of the Queen’s relatives. We came
19
back to the Hague absolutely thrilled and delighted, that we, unknown strangers, had been
invited and accepted into such a private circle of the Royal Family. That was the end of the
1996 summer. The story of our friendship with the Belgian Royal Court begins here. From
that moment on, there was regular contact between myself and the Queen through holiday
correspondence. For every Christmas, I would send the Royal couple a long letter with our
best wishes and in accordance with Polish tradition a holy wafer. In return from the Queen,
we received a family photo with her personal best wishes.
In mid December 2002, we were expelled from Russia. This was in retaliation for Canada’s
expulsion of two Russian diplomats, who had been accused of industrial espionage by the
Canadian Authorities. I was in shock and just couldn’t send our usual Christmas wishes that
year. I only wrote to the Queen in the spring from my new posting in Bratislava and shared
with her all my pain and bitterness. I believe that this letter had a major impact on our further
relationship. From that moment on, we began to communicate more directly, by telephone.
After Bratislava, came my new posting to Ankara, and our direct contacts continued. After a
six month stay in Turkey, we moved from Tbilisi, where the Queen continued faithfully to
watch over the fortunes of our lives.
In a telephone call towards the end of winter 2006, she proposed that we spend a week at
Easter with their family in her country residence in the South of France. It seemed like an
ideal occasion to renew and strengthen our bonds. It was difficult to reject such a proposal,
first, because you can’t refuse a Queen’s invitation, and then, because this became a special
event, on which both Maka and I, we thrive. We thus accepted the invitation with some
apprehension, since we didn’t know what to expect during this visit. A dinner with the whole
family is one thing, but a week in the country with the closest family members, is a different
situation. As we found out later, the Queen also wondered how it would all play out. You
needed imagination to make such an invitation, and also courage to accept it.
Our holiday was excellent, and our relationship with the royal family reached now a new and
more personal level. Most importantly, Maka thrived in this new situation. On Easter
Sunday, we created some confusion by introducing the Polish custom of making wishes
through the sharing of hard boiled egg pieces and also by singing a loud duet of the polish
Easter carol “A happy day finally happened to us today”. We left Nice with a nice feeling of
a pleasant, easy and restful stay, but mainly how easygoing, simple, pious and with a good
20
sense of humour these people were. The correspondence goes on, and I feel that Easter with
those “Belgians” was most certainly not our last meeting.
________________________
Outstanding Poles Connected to our Family
Rear-Admiral Józef Michał Hubert Unrug
Paweł Tarnowski
Józef Unrug was the father in law of Anna Maria Potocka Unrug, whose parents were
Władysław Kalikst and Gabryela Tarnowska (Końskie) Potocki
He was born on October 7, 1884, in Brandenburg, to a germanised family of Tadeusz Unrug,
a Major General in the Prussian army. At that time, Poland was not free and that region was
under German domination. After graduating from a gymnasium in Dresden, Unrug finished
the Navy School in 1907 and started his service in the German navy. During WWI he first
commanded a U-Boot and was later promoted and assigned to command a submarine flotilla.
Unrug had never forgotten his Polish
roots.
After Poland regained her
independence, he left Germany in 1919
and joined the Polish Army. Soon
afterwards he was transferred to the
newly-born Polish Navy with the rank
of Captain. One of its most skilled
officers, Unrug was quickly promoted
to Rear Admiral. Despite his problems
with the Polish language, in 1925 he
became commander in chief of the
Polish Navy.
During the Polish Defensive War of 1939, Unrug executed his plan for strategically
withdrawawing the major vessels of the Polish Navy to Great Britain, where they continued
to fight alongside the British Forces. He remained at his post as commander of the land
forces and continued defending the coast against German aggression. The units under his
command were the last to lay down their arms. On October 1, 1939 after both Warsaw and
Modlin capitulated, he decided that further defence of the Hel Peninsula was pointless, and
only then surrendered to the Germans.
Rear Admiral Unrug spent the rest of World War II in various German POW camps. The
Germans tried to woo him by bringing old Kriegsmarine buddies and high Nazi officials to
visit him with the intention of making him switch sides. Unrug responded by refusing to
speak German, saying that he had forgotten that language in September 1939. Unrug's
spirit and inflexible attitude proved to be an inspiration to his fellow prisoners.
Following liberation in 1945, Unrug went to the United Kingdom, where he served in the
Polish Armed Forces in the West and took part in their demobilisation. After the Allies
withdrew support for the communist government in Poland, Unrug remained in exile in Great
21
Britain, and later emigrated to France. He died February 28, 1973, in a Polish Veterans
Hospital in Lailly-en-Val near Beaugency, at the age of 88. On March 5 of the same year he
was buried in a chapel near the Branicki family palace in Montresor. In 1976 a stone tablet
commemorating Admiral Unrug was erected in Oksywie. However the Unrug Family has
not agreed to repatriate his remains in protest against the Polish Government, that didn’t
correct the wrong done by the Communist regime in sanctioning those officers, who had
served under him during WWII and then returned to Poland after the hostilities.
The Rear-Admirals’ son, Horacy Unrug
(Rak) with his wife Anna Maria (Szprota,
on his right), daughter Barbara (on his left),
son Marc (on Szprota’s right) and several
grand children recently participated in
Gdansk at the film release of Józef Unrug’s
biography. It’s also scheduled to be aired
on Polish Television in the near future. We
strongly encourage the family to view the
life story of this outstanding Pole, whom
history considers the Father of the Polish
Navy.
Wacław Taranczewski
Marta Taranczewska
Wacław Taranczewski was Marta
Taranczewska father-in-law, and she in
turn was the daughter of Stefan Tarnowski
from the Chorzelów line. He was born in
Czarnków, in the Wielkopolska. At an
early age he displayed artistic talent, and
initially showed preference for music with
the violin being his instrument of choice.
He played it beautifully. Even if later he
chose to study art and become a painter, he
cherished his violin for the rest of his life.
He completed his primary and secondary education in Poznań and his artistic training at the
Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków and Warsaw. After graduating, he taught at the Ornamental
Arts School in Poznań, greatly contributing to the city’s artistic evolution. He remained in
Poznań during World War II, performing varied tasks, including secretly giving free drawing
lessons. At the end of the hostilities, he returned to his alma mater as a professor, later
becoming its rector. Wacław seized this opportunity to reorganize and transform the
Ornamental Art School into the Academy of Plastic Fine Arts. In 1948 he was offered and
22
accepted a professorship at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, where he continued to teach
until 1970, becoming Dean of the Painting Department and holding that position for years.
In 1932, Wacław Taranczewski began exhibiting in Poland and abroad. During his artistic
life he performed easel and wall paintings, large drawings, wood carvings, sculptures, also
creating and installing stained glass windows. He is well known for his mural paintings in
churches throughout Wielkopolska and Małopolska, St John’s Cathedral in Warsaw being
probably the most famous one. His best works are: “A Little Female Painter”, “Concert in an
Artist’s Studio”, and “Trio”. Towards the end of his life, gravely ill, he only painted with
pastels. During his career, he received many Polish and international awards, including the
1958 Guggenheim International Award at the XXIV Biennial in Venice and the Polish
National Award for Creativity in 1972.
Wacław died on November 11, 1987 and was buried at the Rakowicki cemetery in Kraków.
His paintings can be found in the major Polish museums and in many private collections in
Poland and abroad.
The city of Poznań honoured him on March 3, 2006, by dedicating to his memory the house at
13 Rybaki Street, where he was born and lived for many years.
Marta Taranczeska
Two of the best known paintings by Wacław Taranczewski
“A Concert in an Artist’s Studio”
“A Little Female Painter”
_________________________
23
24
“W Nurcie Wydarzeń”, Memoirs 1939-1945
Roman Gumiński, Publisher DIG, Warsaw 2005
Summary of Polish article by Jan Spytek Tarnowski
The author, Roman Gumiński is related to the Tarnowskis through his wife, Natalia
Jędrzejowicz Gumińska. Her grandmother was Natalia Tarnowska from Łabunie and
Krasnobrod, part of the Lublin branch today already extinct.
To those, that understand polish, I highly recommend this book. The author has lived through
the end of an era and of a lifestyle in Poland, the history of which deserves to be passed on to
future generations. He presents totally from memory a very real and interesting account of the
War years 1939-1945. It is the story of a 19-year-old-boy, who was forced prematurely to
take over the administration of the family estate, Zalesie, instead of getting an education.
Roman Gumiński, London 2002
Zalesie, Gumiński Residence near Rzeszów
Roman accepts the responsibility and faces the challenge with great determination. Life
passes by, while he tends to all the various chores on the estate and fights the Germans with
the underground. The Author describes the daily life on a middle-size estate and takes us on a
visit to several properties in the area of Rudnik and Dzików: Jasionka and Staromiescie
Jędrzejowiczów; Sietesz, Łastawieckich; Słocina, Chłapowskich and others.
At the end of WWII, Roman considers the communist government oppressive and continues
to be active in the underground liberation movement. Eventually, totally frustrated with
communism, he decides to leave Poland with his wife Natalia and start a new life in Britain.
Today, after a successful professional career, he lives in London and enjoys a well earned
retirement.
In Poland, the book may be obtained on Internet: http//:www.dig.pl at a cost of 39zł
________________________
25
Fate of the Dzików Art Collection
Mag.“Wiadomości Ziemiańskie”, #17March, 2004
Translation Martin Tarnowski
Introduction from the Editor
Since no privatization laws have yet been passed in Poland, there is presently no legal
possibility to sue for the return of lost possessions or obtain any form of compensation. The
DKWN decree of 1944, under which the Communist regime nationalized everything, included
immovable properties with all the buildings located on its grounds. There was no mention in
this decree, however, of any movable personal property such as furniture, paintings, books,
decorations and other items of daily use except all objects of special historical value.
As we all know, things were quite different in reality. The landowners, as well as other social
classes whose properties were confiscated, lost everything including all personal belongings.
In view of the very restrictive behaviour by the Urzad Bezpieczenstwa (Polish Secret Police),
they had no possibility whatsoever to safeguard any of their assets. We would like to present
here the valiant efforts of the Tarnowski family, first to save the art collection and other
belongings from destruction and deportation during the German occupation, and then to bring
them all back together once again as a single collection in the Dzików castle so that the public
can enjoy them.
Part I consists of excerpts from a letter from Ct. Arthur Tarnowski published in the magazine
“Kultura” in 1959. Living then as a political émigré in Belgium, Ct. Tarnowski relates all the
efforts made during the war by his family and himself to preserve and save the various
Dzików art works. Virtually all the castle furnishings survived the war years without much
destruction. After 1944, however, with the owners having departed due to the war, there was
nobody present to take personal care of these items and some were partly destroyed by the
occupying soviet soldiers. Later the whole collection was split up and the most valuable items
moved to various museums. Until his death, Ct. Tarnowski spared no efforts in trying to
reunite under one roof in Dzików the scattered art collection that had survived the war.
However this was contrary to Communist ideology.
Part II shows all the efforts expended by his eldest son, Ct. Jan Artur Tarnowski in
continuing his father’s work. In spite of the end of Communist rule, the beginning of the Third
Republic and several legal positive rulings, there is still no sign of a possible favorable
outcome in this case. The opposition is still too strong from the Civil Service administration
and unwilling museum authorities. After all, this only means exposing illegally confiscated
works of art and reconfirming once again the family’s right to their ownership. After signing
a global deposition agreement of all the reunited objects, the castle would then become an art
museum under the name “The Tarnowski art collection in Dzików”.
Part III details the latest situation with regard to legal proceedings against the Minister of
Culture and National Heritage and decisions made by the Regional Court in Warsaw. It also
shows the timetable for setting up the Tarnowski Museum in Dzików.
26
Knowing the enormous value of this collection, the family, had already planned to make it
public by creating a museum in Krakow. However, World War II prevented these plans from
materializing. Why now, in a free Poland, is it so difficult to realize this project? Why can’t
this collection, protected for so many years at such sacrifice, serve the whole country? These
questions are fundamental, because the Tarnowski family needs to know whether the sacrifice
was justified.
Marcin Schirmer
Part I - (1939-1958)
“The Truth About The Dzików Art Collection”
Excerpts from Ct. Artur K. Tarnowski article
Mag. “Kultura” Paris, early 1959
During the spring of 1939, when the international situation became so unpredictable, the late
Dr. Michael Marczak (last librarian in Dzików) and I selected the art works and ordered their
initial preparation in the event of war. With this objective, Dr. Marczak reorganized the
archives and library so that the most valuable documents and books could easily be removed
from their shelves for hiding, packaging and possible transport. It was also decided then,
which paintings should be removed from the walls and put into safekeeping if and when such
need arose. In case of danger, my wish was to remove the most valuable items to Kraków and
brick them up within the walls of my house on Sławkowska Street. Those were the
preparations and plans, but I didn’t really believe to the end, that Hitler would dare start a war
faced with such a strong French and English opposition. I wasn’t the only one who made that
same error. After the signing of the Ribbentrop-Molotow treaty, international events moved
so quickly that I didn’t have the time to execute my plan.
There was full mobilization, so I put on my uniform and left to join my regiment. My new
military duties kept me away from Dzików until September 8, when I was ordered into the
area of Rzeszów, Stalowa Wola and Baranów. This gave me the opportunity to stop by
Dzików and initiate the loading and transporting by horse drawn carriages of the valuable
paintings, books and other archives selected with Dr. Marczak to a hunting cottage located
deep in the forest far away from major highways. All these items were moved and hidden
temporarily in the forest, since it was important to remove them quickly from sight of the
Germans who were on the verge of entering the estate. I remember only too well from other
similar events during our past history, such as the war with Sweden in the XVII century,
during which our old residence in Wielowieś was plundered and burned with the complete
loss of all archives and precious family mementos. Then, in 1809, the Austrian army robbed
Dzików of its most valuable treasures. However, during World War I, even though the front
passed four times through our estate, the art collection wasn’t damaged thanks to my late
parents, who stayed in the castle throughout the whole conflict, hiding and protecting all its
valuable objects.
Reflecting again about early September 1939, I must add that I didn’t leave in the hunting
cottage all the items removed from Dzików. Knowing that I would be travelling through
Lwów to join my army posting, I transported with me in the car several of the most valuable
paintings in our collection, namely: Rembrandt’s self portrait, the portrait of Isabel of Austria,
wife of the Danish King Christian, painted by Jan Gossart (also called Mabuse) and the entire
Dzików’s Miniature Collection. I also took some other items, dear historically to our nation,
27
like: Kadłubek’s Chronicle [1], the XV century copy of the “Wiślica Charter” known also
under the name The Dzików Code and the “Pan Tadeusz” manuscript by A. Mickiewicz. I
also brought some important family souvenirs, namely: the personal sabre and the baton of
the Great Hetman Jan Amor Tarnowski, his official appointment on parchment paper to the
noble title of Comes by Charles V; also included were the Marshal S. Małachowski snuff-box
with his miniature portrait received from King Frederick August and finally Prince Joseph
Poniatowski’s watch, which he wore when he drowned in the river Elster.
I transported all these items to Lwów, but was unable to deposit them personally in the
Ossolineum on the night of September 10-11, and left them in the care of the late Dr. Bilik.
This 3 generations friend of our family with her daughter as witness promised to deliver the
crate with the Dzików’s art works as soon as possible to the near by Ossolineum where he
was also the legal counsel.
By then the Polish situation had become absolutely tragic since our army was practically
beaten. Several districts in Lwów were burning after an air raid, and the whole city was
preparing for battle with the rapidly approaching German armoured regiments. Having
ensured the safety of the items moved to Lwów in the best way under the prevailing
circumstances, I reported to my army posting located in Bóbrki. I will omit any mention of
all the events in which I participated over the following weeks since they had no relevance as
far as our collection was concerned. I will only mention that I fought the enemy and became a
prisoner of the Germans on September 24 near Zamość. On the same day, I escaped,
traveling through forests to arrive back in Dzików on September 27. My military duty
fulfilled, I returned home since I wanted to be there and to endure with my loved ones the
hard times of the occupation like my late parents in World War I.
The castle was occupied by the Germans, who left only several rooms in the west wing to my
sick wife and children. I wasn’t arrested then, but was warned that if I should disappear, my
wife and children would be shot immediately. Unfortunately after several altercations with the
Germans, I was arrested and immediately deported on October 6. Thus my plans to stay in
Dzików during the occupation were quickly dismissed by the Germans.
During that short stay at home, I could do little to
safeguard the collection further. I was being
watched constantly because the castle and the
surroundings were full of German soldiers.
However, although I was unable to actually
inspect the hidden valuables, I was nonetheless
able to ascertain that they were still untouched.
The Germans, though, kept on asking me where
the various paintings were which had been
removed from their frames. I explained that they
had been moved to Lwów so as to protect them
from war operations that might have occurred
around Dzików. Both my wife and I gave similar
answers when we were questioned again later, she
at home and I in the prison prison camp.
28
Ct Artur K. Tarnowski
1stPol.Arm.Div., Meppen, Ger.
After my deportation everything remained in my wife’s hands. When the army no longer used
the castle as headquarters, there were fewer soldiers around and my wife brought back the
works of art hidden in the hunting cottage. The paintings were then repacked into crates and
transported to the National Art Gallery in Kraków. For all those art treasures moved there on
November 18, 1939, my wife received a signed deposit receipt from Prof. Dr. Feliks Kopera.
Moreover, even before those paintings were shipped to Kraków, the most valuable items from
the library and archives had already been bricked up in the dry cellars of the castle and the
church crypt. Thus my wife succeeded in safeguarding all the items that the Germans might
want to remove to Germany because of their particularly high value. The remainder of the
collection stayed in Dzików, in full view of the Germans, who were constantly watching and
carefully checking it during their whole occupation.
As a result of the above described actions, at the end of November 1939, the Dzików Art
Collection was subdivided as follows:
1). The crate that I left in Lwów with counsel Bilik, who later deposited it in the
Ossolineum as promised (I have previously listed its contents above);
2). The 92 paintings (stored in four large crates for which I have the full inventory)
removed by my wife to the National Art Gallery in Kraków;
3). The most valuable items among the ancient documents and books bricked up in Dzików
cellars and in the church crypt;
4). The paintings, books and archives which were never hidden and remained in the castle
in full view during the whole war;
5). There were other valuable art treasures not stored at Dzików which I haven’t mentioned
so far, namely:
• Seven family portraits, which were in the National Art Gallery of Warsaw, some of
these being works by XVII century painters and thus quite valuable;
• The library of the Jagellon University had on loan Dzików’s unique copy of the
Lithuanian Book of Songs, published in the XVII century by the Jesuit Fathers in Wilno. It
had been sent there so that it could be fully photographed, since I wanted to give an exact
copy of this book to Lithuania, who were very interested in it. The Lithuanian Minister
plenipotentiary, Mr. Szulis, visited Dzików to view this unique book, as well as a young
Lithuanian linguist, whose name I don’t recall now and who studied it there for six months.
This book, however, was returned to Dzików in the first few years of the war and brickedup together with all the other valuable items.
In my pocket calendar, used throughout my entire captivity, I noted on January 16 1940: “On
page2 of the Frankfurter Zeitung from Friday 12.01.1940, I read the following news item …
Ein Rembrandt in Lemberg aufgefunded (One Rembrandt found in Lwów)”.
This news was a big psychological boost. It provided me with positive confirmation that the
crate that I had left with counsel Bilik had indeed been deposited in the Ossolineum and found
by the Bolsheviks, who were then occupying Lwów. It was written that besides other
valuables found in the crate; there was a Rembrandt painting and a “Pan Tadeusz” manuscript.
I remember sending my wife a special camp card with the following note: “Pan Tadeusz is in
good health again and is now with Ossoliński … Nicolas took good care of him, may Pan
Tadeusz remain in good health for a long time”.
28
Since then I rarely wrote to my wife on this subject. Only after June 22, 1941, the beginning
of the German-Russian offensive, did I begin to send long letters about Tadeusz, Kadłubek,
Wiślicki and Isabel (I never used the name Rembrandt since the censor would have easily
decoded it) asking her to visit them or request their early return. After the occupation of Lwów
by the Germans, the collection of miniatures was returned to Dzików, thanks to my wife’s
persistent efforts. It was impossible to recuperate some other items from the Ossolineum since
they had already been moved to the Bolsheviks newly created Ukrainian Museum in Lwów.
Other works of art still in the Ossolineum could not be returned, since their removal would
have seriously compromised those responsible. Thus nothing more could really be done then
for their.
Years went by, and the paintings on deposit with the National Art Gallery in Kraków were
kept in good condition. My wife heard from Prof. Dr. Kopera that the Germans had, by
chance, found the deposited works of art from Dzików and were particularly interested in a
Van Dyck painting. Fortunately the museum succeeded in persuading them that it was really
just a copy after which the Germans lost all interest in it. There were, however, many problems
with all those items hidden behind brick walls in Dzików. It was necessary to take them out
into fresh air and dry them properly in order to prevent destructive mould from setting in.
Each of these drying operations was a dangerous exercise, but the Germans never caught on.
The airing was done under my wife’s watchful eye and always supervised by the capable Dr.
Marczak who had already similar experiences during World War I.
As already mentioned, the Dzików Collection was then under strict German control. On
several occasions, special art commissions were sent over by the General Government in
Kraków. They consisted mainly of Germans, but Prof. Dr. Semkowicz, the Polish expert, also
accompanied them on occasion. During one such visit, my wife confidentially informed him
about the hidden works of art. He was very helpful with advice and suggestions on how to
keep the bricked-up items as safe as possible. I mention this here since I have heard that this
expert was accused of collaborating with the Germans but this fact alone proved this was not
the case. Although Professor Semkowicz has been dead for several years now, I nevertheless
feel that it is important to mention his exemplary conduct, so as to clear his good name as a
Pole and as a scientist.
This is how things were when the Soviet army entered Dzików on August 3, 1944. My wife
and children left the castle, but could not take anything with them. Dr. Marczak remained and
continued to take good care of the entire collection. The late Dr. Marczak spent most of his
busy working life as the Dzików’s librarian. In that period he witnessed two world wars
during which he actively took part with the owners in hiding the precious books and archives
which he so dearly loved. Between the two wars he practically finished the professional
cataloguing of the archives and the library before the castle caught on fire in 1927. During that
fire, without concern for his own safety, he personally directed the saving of the collection,
miraculously escaping death. Afterwards he continued cataloguing the much smaller library
which he was unable to finish because of the outbreak of World War II in September 1939.
When my wife was forced to leave Dzików, Dr. Marczak moved into the old archive section of
the castle, since he wanted to watch from as close as possible all his beloved documents and
books, cherished for so many years. He didn’t have then much time left in his life, as God
called him already in the fall of 1945.
29
These last moments in Dzików must have been a very difficult period for Dr. Marczak. The
entering soviet forces destroyed several items from the collection, while he watched helplessly.
For example, the Great Hetman’s saddle and his horse harness were completely destroyed.
When the novelty of liberation was over, there was no more destruction. However, the new
authorities that now occupied Tarnobrzeg, took whatever furniture they needed from the castle
to furnish their offices and apartments. I have absolutely no idea who protected and took care
of the Dzików collection after Dr. Marczak passed away in late 1945.
In 1945, my wife made several requests to Prof. Dr.Kopera at the National Art Gallery of
Kraków and Prof. Dr.Kunze at the library of the Jagellon University, asking them to protect
and care for all the works of art left in Dzików. She informed them then where part of the
collection was still hidden. As a result, the collection, or whatever was left of it, was placed
under the care of the School’s Curator in Rzeszów who had by then already removed certain
items. Some had been sent to the National Museum and to the Library at the Jagellon
University in Kraków, while others were sent to Łańcut. I have read in Mrs. Grottowa’s book
that one of Dzików’s sculptures is now in the National Art Gallery of Warsaw, whereas
Dzików’s library and archives have been moved to Kraków’s Regional Archives at Wawel and
also to the Jagellon Library.
At the end of 1945, after visiting Dzików without permission and in danger of being arrested,
my wife confirmed that all the furnishings were still at the castle. They had not been destroyed
or stolen during the period of biggest confusion when the soviet army moved in right after Dr.
Marczak’s death and when there was really no true and responsible care. What exactly
happened to all our furniture, souvenirs and personal effects, nobody really seems to know!
After her last visit to Dzików, my wife left Poland to be reunited with me in Western Europe,
where fate had taken me after my release from captivity.
The Polish communist authorities bear the responsibility for what happened to the Dzików
collection, the family souvenirs and other personal items left there after my wife’s departure.
They should also officially request the proper authorities for the return of all valuable objects
which I have left on deposit in Lwów. Writing personal letters to either the Ukrainian
Republic or the Soviet Union would be a completely fruitless and pointless exercise.
As mentioned previously, thanks to my wife’s efforts the collection of beautiful miniature
paintings was returned to Dzików from the deposit in Lwów after the German invasion in
1941. Only part of this collection reached the National Art Gallery and Museum in Kraków,
probably left there by the late Jan Tarnowski, my cousin from Chorzelów, or by someone
whom he mandated prior to his death. However, in 1946, the biggest part of the collection,
consisting of some 100 miniatures, was brought to me in West-Germany by my niece. I must
admit candidly, that having them in my possession was a constant temptation, especially
during my difficult years as an emigrant. They were never used, however, to save the owner’s
financial situation. Today, deposited in a safe place, I always hope that some day they will be
returned to a free Poland.
Unable to return to his native country, Ct. Tarnowski gave the miniature collection still in his
possession in 1978 to the newly reopened Polish Museum of Rapperswil, Switzerland [Editor].
30
Everything that I have written so far covers only roughly the events that happened to the
Dzików Collection from 1939 through the war years. At the beginning of this sad period, I
was involved personally and then it was my wife’s turn to act on my behalf. I strongly believe
that we did everything within our power to protect and save this art collection from
destruction, plunder and removal.
This was only made possible, with the help from others who always cooperated kindly and
truthfully with my wife, keeping this secret to ensure, that the Germans would never find the
art works that were moved to Kraków. Certainly all these people are entitled to our
appreciation and gratitude. I have mentioned before that part of the collection has never been
hidden, and thus had to be constantly checked to ensure that nothing had been stolen. During
the German occupation, my wife recalls only one disappearance of a very small painting by
Breughel practically of miniature quality. It was a lovely painting of a large tree full of birds
of paradise; full of life and color but with a slightly dark background. This painting
disappeared immediately after my deportation and during my wife’s illness.
I would like to finish my comments about the history of the Dzików Collection by mentioning
here a family project which has never hitherto been realized but could be fulfilled now thanks
to changes that have occurred since the war. This project concerns mainly the future of the
Collection. I tried to show previously that the Collection in Dzików was available for viewing
and not stagnant. Certain family members such as the late Hieronim from Rudnik, Juliusz
from Sucha and I felt that all the art treasures of the whole Tarnowski family could better serve
the cultural community and the whole nation by bringing them all together in one museum at a
selected city, rather than by keeping them as before in our residences away from all the
cultural centres.
S
hortly before the war, those mentioned above were actively discussing the creation of the
Tarnowski Library and Museum, an institution similar to the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków
or the Ossolineum in Lwów. The ancient books and art works from Dzików, Sucha and
Rudnik would all have been brought together possibly with those from Dukla, Chorzelów and
Wróblewice, provided that there was consensus among their owners to this worthy endeavour.
Dzików and Sucha had magnificent collections of paintings, valuable library and archives.
Dzików had a large and beautiful collection of miniatures, whereas Sucha had very valuable
ink drawings. Rudnik, besides several good paintings, also had the complete set of all Prof.
Stanisław Tarnowski’s manuscripts. Rudnik also had some special historical souvenirs such as
King Gustav Adolf’s personal flag won by the Poles near Rudnik during the XVII century war
with Sweden. Stanisław, the Professor’s nephew, now an emigrant, offered this memento to
Poland in 1957. In Wróblewice, there was an important collection of paintings, several of
them from Dzików, while Chorzelów had beautiful old family portraits, historical mementos
and a small archive. All these works of art, brought together under one roof, would have
undoubtedly created one of the most valuable and beautiful museums in Poland.
The Tarnowski family has always been closer to Małopolska than to any other region of
Poland. Until the loss of Tarnów, which passed in the XVI century to Prince Ostrogski
through his marriage with the Grand Hetman’s daughter, the Tarnowski family was always
close to Kraków, where it had the beautiful “Gródek” residence which our ancestor Spytek
received from King Łokietek. However, from the second half of the XIX century, the
31
Tarnowskis again took up residence in Kraków: Prof. Stanisław in “Szlak”, and my father on
Sławkowska Street in a large building with ornamental chains in its main entrance. Thus our
ancient ties with this beloved city were again renewed and strengthened after a long absence.
No longer owners of the old “Gródek” which our ancestor Gabryel Tarnowski gave to the
Dominican Fathers early in the XVII century, we first selected the “Szlak” residence as the
ideal location for our planned museum but later, the Sławkowska #13 building was a more
suitable choice because of its greater size and central location.
Unfortunately, in 1939 the beginning of the war stopped all our projects. Today the beautiful
Sucha collection has been practically destroyed, even though its owner, Juljusz Tarnowski,
moved it from his castle into the forests near Lublin and later on to Warsaw. Some paintings
from this collection, which survived the war, are now hanging in the Wawel castle, while a few
others are in the National Art Gallery and Museum in Warsaw. In 1947, a portion of its 14000
collection of drawings were in the Warsaw’s “Pałac pod Blachą”, while a small part of its
library and archives were in the Kraków’s Jagellon Library. The rest just simply vanished
without a trace. Końskie, the estate belonging to Juljusz’s older brother Władysław, although
it didn’t contain many valuable souvenirs, was nevertheless completely plundered by the
Germans due to the absence of its owner who, early in the war, just simply disappeared
somewhere in the East.
I have no idea how successful the late Hieronim Tarnowski had been in saving his collection
from Rudnik and Szlak, as well as the art works from the Dukla castle, property of his son
Stanisław. I can only presume that he didn’t have much success. During that period,
Chorzelów was burned to the ground and very few items could have possibly been saved from
this traditional and beautiful country residence. As with Władysław in Końskie, the owners of
Wróblewice, Jan and his son Stanisław Tarnowski simply vanished in September 1939. The
collection from Wróblewice was then lost forever.
All the above residences of the Tarnowski branches who had initially come from Dzików were
completely emptied of their beautiful collections and historical souvenirs gathered throughout
the ages. However, as indicated, fate was more charitable towards the art works in Dzików.
The collection was separated and broken-up, but most of it survived and is now in various
libraries, archives and museums in Poland. Thus the only items from this collection outside
the Polish borders are the miniature paintings in my possession, and also those items left on
deposit in Lwów, which are still in the hands of Poland’s eastern neighbour.
Inheriting the ancient Wielowieś and the Dzików castle, so dear to our family for generations, I
also took over full responsibility for the valuable art collection. I tried to fulfil this obligation
as well as I could under very difficult circumstances. Together with my wife, we tried to
protect everything from destruction during the years of war and German occupation until 1944.
Afterwards, for obvious reasons, we could not assume any further responsibility. Whatever is
still in my possession, namely the miniature paintings, I would gladly offer to Poland if all the
remaining works of art and culture from Dzików and Sucha, now dispersed in various
museums, libraries and archives, were brought together under one roof. One such location
could be the National Gallery and Museum in Kraków and forever named the Tarnowski
Collection from Dzików and Sucha. I offer this suggestion for evaluation to the Polish people
at large since they, too, should have much to say if the saved portion of the Tarnowski
collection is assembled and made accessible to all under the new name that I have proposed.
To some people this may appear self-serving since, in exchange for the miniature paintings in
my possession, I requested the fulfilment of a specific condition. I agree that I would also
32
prefer an unconditional donation. Since neither Juljusz nor I are able to assemble these art
collections in a museum as was planned before the war, we now propose [2] to Poland the
partial realization of this project, offering in exchange those items from the art works still in
my possession.
I eagerly wish the acceptance of my proposal so that the Tarnowski collection, saved from the
war but presently dispersed among several libraries and museums, could be reunited at last
with those items left in Lwów since 1939 and never returned, including those Miniature
Paintings that I had since emigrating in 1946 [3] . I wish that this collection, reassembled
again, bears witness for future Polish generations about the great past of our family as well as
the strong attachment and love for their country of all the presently living Tarnowski.
Montreal, December 1958
Selection of Texts – Marcin Shirmer
Part II - (1990-2004)
Jan Artur and Marychna Tarnowska
Artur Kazimierz, Jan Artur Tarnowski’s father, didn’t succeed in reassembling the Dzików
collection under one roof in Poland. He tried for many years by writing to Prof. Stanisław
Lorentz, and others, who could have taken the proper decisions about it. Finally, fate itself
intervened when, in 1975, Artur Kazimierz’s eyesight deteriorated and he had to stop any
further reunification attempts. Advised by Jan Nowak Jeziorański of the future recreation once
again of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil, Switzerland, he decided then to deposit in this
museum the 108 miniature paintings, which was the only part of the Dzików Collection left in
his possession.
In the endowment document prepared for the Polish Cultural Foundation in Rapperswil dated
in Montreal on September 16, 1978, Ct. Artur Kazimierz Tarnowski wrote as follows:
“My inheritance, part of it in my family for about 19 generations, together with our ancient
Dzików castle and everything inside it, had been confiscated in 1944 by the Polish Democratic
Republic. The only valuable item from the library, archives, and art works accumulated in our
residence by previous generations, but mainly by my great-great-grandfather Jan Feliks and
his wife Waleria Stroynowska Tarnowski, and which is still in my possession now outside of
Poland, is a small Collection of Miniatures from Dzików. Wishing that these miniatures
remain together as a unique collection, I was anxiously looking for a solution that would fulfill
this objective as close as possible. I knew that I had found the best solution, when I heard
about the reopening of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil under the sponsorship of Dr. Julian
Godlewski, an old 1920 regimental friend. After communicating with him in 1977, I deposited
in the museum my collection of 108 miniature paintings … Knowing the Polish Museum in the
Rapperswil castle, which I had visited with my wife a year earlier, and having read the
Endowment Documents of the Polish Cultural Foundation LIBERTAS, I decided to give all the
above mentioned miniatures to the Foundation LIBERTAS, so they may serve fully its
objectives as specified in Article II of the Endowment Document”.
33
The Board of the Polish Cultural Foundation LIBERTAS in Rapperswil wrote to Ct. Artur
Kazimierz Tarnowski on October 21, 1978 as follows:
“The comments in your endowment document are an expression of what really is “the virtue
of patriotism”. This virtue, which for the Count is simply the continuation of a centuries-old
tradition in his Family, should now become the best example to follow in these particularly
difficult times for Poland. The endowment document was read in full at a public meeting of the
entire Board with great applause later from all those present [4].
Ct.
Arthur C. Tarnowski passed away in Montreal on December 19, 1984 and was buried in July
1985 in the family crypt at the OO..Dominikan church in Tarnobrzeg. His universal heir is his
wife, Róża Zamoyska Tarnowski, whose legal representative in Poland is Jan Arthur
Tarnowski, their eldest son. He continually tries to recover and reunite on her behalf the
Dzików Collection.
Jan Artur Tarnowski, Dzików Summer 2004
The castle of Dzików was acquired from the Ossolinski in 1522 and has been the principal
residence of the family main branch since the second half of the XVII century. The estate was
covered by the Agrarian Reform of August 27, 1944, and was thus taken over by the state.
The seizure included all the buildings with all the valuables such as furniture, sculptures,
paintings, silver, trophies, souvenirs, archives and the library. Also seized were an extensive
park, the whole estate with all the agricultural farms, animal herds, fish ponds, forests,
industrial plants, boarding houses and other buildings in Tarnobrzeg.
Since the fall of 1939, Artur K. Tarnowski was a prisoner of war. His wife, Rose Tarnowska
left Dzików in July 1944 with their four young children, Maria (12), Jan Artur (11), Marcin
(9), Paweł (7). Artur K.Tarnowski, upon his liberation from the prison camp, joined the Polish
1st Arm. Div. commanded by Gen. Stanisław Maczek, whose adjutant was then his older
brother Jan. In order to join her husband, Rose Tarnowska and her four children had to leave
Poland illegally with only one suitcase. They were reunited in Meppen, Germany, where Artur
Tarnowski’s military unit was stationed. After his final demobilization in 1947, the family
moved to Brussels, and in 1951 they all immigrated to Canada settling in Montreal.
Following the end of Communism in Poland in 1989, which unfortunately occurred after the
passing of Artur K. Tarnowski, it appeared that the time was right to attempt the recovery and
reunification of all personal property and assets that were illegally confiscated and dispersed
34
under the Agrarian Reform. This was possible in the case of Dzików, exclusively on the basis
of the September 6, 1944, Decree and only by challenging the procedures of the Agrarian
Reform, without any questions or discussions as to the constitutionality or not of said Decree.
The time had finally arrived to continue the attempts at recovery and reunification of the
Dzików Art Collection, which stopped when Artur K. Tarnowski became ill and died in 1984.
In the 1990's, discussions began between Jan Artur Tarnowski and various museums, archives
and libraries where all the Dzików furnishings and works of art were dispersed after their
removal on the basis of the Agrarian Reform Decree. These discussions were extremely
difficult but not impossible and consisted of dialogue such as “a castle is not a barn, nor
silverware a combine” [5] However some attitudes began to change slowly.
First, Dr. Adolf Juzwenko, the director of the Wrocław Ossolineum stated that this Museum
will not keep any stolen art objects. After thoroughly checking all the historical and legal
aspects of that statement, he signed a long term agreement with Rose Tarnowska for the
deposit of “Pan Tadeusz”. Afterwards, Mr. Michał Jagiełło, the Director of the National
Library in Warsaw, signed a similar deposit agreement with Rose Tarnowska for the
safekeeping of over 4000 ancient documents and prints (Starodruki and inkunabuły). A long
term agreement with the Jagellonski University is also ready and awaiting the signing
ceremony for the deposit of all the Dzików manuscripts. All these agreements were signed
after the museums received a detailed explanation of all the historical facts and legal aspects
concerning the property of each item with its legal consequences and regulations, but without
any court decisions as to their ownership. The situation was much different with the Łańcut
Castle and the Rzeszów Regional Museum. The courts have already established several years
ago, that many of the items in their possession are actually the property of Rose Tarnowska. To
date however, neither of these Museums has ever returned any of these items.
In 1996, Jan Artur Tarnowski, the legal representative of his mother, Rose Tarnowska, while
attempting to reassemble the Dzików Collection, contacted Mr. Zdzisław Podkański, the
Minister of Culture. He requested that the Minister authorize several museums to sign deposit
agreements for objects taken away from Dzików contrary to regulations contained in the
September 6/1944 Decree of the Agrarian Reform or in the executive order issued on March 1.
After a year long exchange of correspondence, Jan A. Tarnowski was invited in 1997 to the
Ministry of Art and Culture with the Representatives of the Rzeszów Regional Museum. Mr
Sylvester Czopek, the Museum’s Director, provided at the meeting a complete list of all
objects taken from Dzików and held in Rzeszów. That list was split into two parts. The first
part listed all the objects which, because of their special cultural value for the nation, should
remain in the Rzeszów Regional Museum. The second part included all items which could be
returned to their previous owners, provided they renounce first their ownership of objects
listed in the first part, representing a much higher value to the national culture and to the
Tarnowski family. It was impossible to agree to such a proposal since all the Dzików objects
that were taken illegally, regardless of value, should be evaluated in the same way. Jan A.
Tarnowski also received a similar proposal for all the Dzików objects held by the Łańcut
Castle Museum, and a satisfactory negotiated agreement could not be reached there either.
The Minister of Art and Culture suspended first in October 1997 and later reinstated in
December 1997 his initial decision on the Rose Tarnowska administrative procedures, that
ownership cases about private property must all be settled in civil court. Rose Tarnowska
appealed, and the High Administration Court (NSA) agreed with her interpretation in April 11
35
2000, thus overruling the two previous decisions made by the Minister (Later named Cultural
and National Heritage Minister). Regardless of the clear legal decision of the (NSA) High
Administration Court, nothing was done about this case even later by Mr. Michał Ujazdowski,
the new Cultural and National Heritage Minister.
Having no other practical recourse left for the return of her belongings, Rose Tarnowska could
now only sue in a civil court for the proper legal ownership of all her property. She won the
civil court cases about her legal ownership against both museums the Rzeszów Regional and
the Łańcut Castle. The Rzeszów Regional Museum appealed to the Higher Court of Appeal
and lost again. So as not to subject either party to unnecessary costs, these cases concerned
only a few items of lesser value from long lists of Dzików objects held in these museums.
Despite a binding court order on ownership as ordered by the Minister of Cultural and National
Heritage, the Rzeszów Regional Museum has not replied to Rose Tarnowska for four months
regarding her request for the return of these objects. Moreover in November 2003, it organized
a special exhibition of all the items from Dzików held in the museum, using this special
promotional slogan “Come and see all those art treasures, which won’t be exposed in Rzeszów
again”. Furthermore, at a press conference organized for the exhibition, the Museum Director
stated that probably he will soon have to return all the exposed objects to their legal owner [6].
Last year, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage finally agreed to establish a museum
in the Dzików castle named “The Dzików Tarnowski Art Collection” and the Tarnobrzeg
municipal council passed a similar resolution. Repairs to the castle, already planned
previously, appear to be starting, and all the confiscated objects, which Rose Tarnowska is
slowly recuperating, will then be deposited gradually in the newly-established Tarnowski
Dzików Museum.
In the 1990's, the Tarnowski plans were somewhat different. The family had then hoped to
recover all the illegally confiscated property, namely the Dzików castle with its park and
gardens excluded under the Agrarian Reform, the rental houses and other buildings it owned in
Tarnobrzeg, the industrial plants, fish ponds, forests, and put it all to work supporting the
museum. It was proposed to set up a museum foundation administered together by the
Tarnowski family, the city of Tarnobrzeg and the State Treasury. This foundation would
include the Dzików castle as the family’s initial investment with all its furnishings, confiscated
illegally, and deposited by the family as they were being gradually recovered from other
museums. Dzików was to become a centre of study, science and culture, providing new
employment to people affected by the closing of industrial plants in the region. Unfortunately,
over the last fourteen years, the family has been unable to recover any of its confiscated
properties and, also in the early 1990's, the setting-up of the proposed foundation was rejected
by the government. The civil courts have now clearly established the ownership of all the
furnishings, but none of these have been returned so far and remain in the various museums.
The road of the previous owner was neither straight, nor easy. Artur K. Tarnowski tried to
reunite the Dzików Collection in a unique museum during the dark years of the communist
rule. It can now be said, in retrospect, that his chances of success were nil, since his ideas
were contrary to the ideology prevailing in those difficult times. Today we live in a different
period, apparently much safer from the legal standpoint and also under a completely new
constitution. But really, is it any easier to recover now illegally-confiscated property, than in
those hard times of the past?
36
[1] “The Kadłubek chronicle” was maybe an original or just a copy. Another copy was then in Canada,
brought with the “Wawel National Treasures”.
[2] I used the word - proposed-, since I have discussed its use in the 3rd part of the article with Juljusz
Tarnowski from Sucha who agreed to it.
[3] The Miniatures were brought to Canada by Zofia Potocka, sister of Artur K. Tarnowski.
[4] Royal Palace in Warsaw - Polish Museum in Rapperswil: Miniatures by Vincent Lesseur and
Waleria Tarnowska from the Dzików Collection and now in the Polish Museum of Rapperswil;
exhibition catalogue prepared by Ms Halina Kamińska-Krassowska, Royal Castle, Warsaw, 1994, p.12.
[5] Józef Matusz: A castle is neither a barn, nor silverware a combine, from the newspaper
Rzeczpospolita of November 29, 1999.
[6] Piotr Gądek: Return November 6, 2003.*. Pub. in Mag. Wiadomości Ziemiańskie, Silva Rerum,
Warsaw, #17, March 12, 2004.
Part III -(2004 – 2005)
Jan Artur Tarnowski
Today May 12, 2005 a year has passed since the publication of the above magazine Agrarian
Reform #17. Since then:
• I have signed a deposit agreement in the name of my Mother, Rose Tarnowska, with
the Library of the Jagellon University in Kraków, concerning the manuscripts and other
ancient documents removed from Dzików under the cover of the Agrarian Reform and
transferred there without an official deposit slip;
• The decision of the Regional Court in Warsaw became legal concerning my Mother’s
(Rose Tarnowska) ownership of nine paintings now in the Łańcut Castle; however this
museum wishes to continue exhibiting these paintings;
• The Minister of Culture and National Heritage has yet to agree in changing the
ownership inscriptions in the inventory of the Rzeszów Regional and the Łańcut Castle
museums concerning all the remaining objects and furnishings taken from Dzików and
moved there after the Agrarian Reform. Although both museums consider Rose
Tarnowska as the legal owner of these items, she still must recover them through the
courts.
• The legal case about my Mother’s ownership of the Dzików archives, currently in the
Wawel State Archives continues in Warsaw Regional Court.
• In Tarnobrzeg, the town council adopted the following timetable for setting up the
Tarnowski Museum in Dzików:
1). In June 2005:
• Full architectural description and inventory of the castle;
• Mycological and construction expertise of the castle;
• Full write-up of the castle electrical, antitheft and firefighting installation;
2). In July 2005, refit of the main ballroom, chapel and ancient archive;
3). Further refitting of the castle ground floor will continue at the same time as the
organization of exhibitions in the museum and other archeological studies;
4). All the proposed work on the museum will be finished in 2007-2012;
The Tarnowski family is anxiously awaiting a progress report on the planned restorations but
to date none have yet begun.
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37
Add some humour in your life! It improves your disposition,
It is better for your health and you will live longer
The Archbishop, God and I
Juliusz Łukasiewicz
Introduction: The author of this anecdote is
almost like a member of our family and a
perfect demonstration of the veracity of the
above statement.
Yolande and I are
convinced that Julek’s great sense of humour
and his constant positive disposition have
added years to his life. At 86 his mind is
more alert and he is more fit than most men
of 50.
This authentic story quickly became a family anecdote, often told to our friends and guests. I
do not recall the actual incident but I remember well the description.
In the years 1926-29 my father was Poland’s envoy in Riga, Latvia. One day my parents were
expecting an official visit by the Archbishop. For some reason they had to be a few minutes
late and they asked me - age 8 or 9 - to entertain his Eminence until they retuned.
The Archbishop was shown in at the appointed time. After we exchanged greetings, I asked the
Archbishop if it were true that God is present everywhere. His Eminence assured me that this
was so. I then asked “Even now in this room?”-“Certainly”, the Archbishop reassured me.“In
that case”, I replied,“could the Archbishop amuse himself with God, while I go play with my
toys?” I then left the Archbishop to the company of God and went to my room to play. It must
have been the Archbishop who told my parents about their son’s great hospitality!
It is well known that small children are capable of strictly logical thinking, but it is
nevertheless uncanny that in 1995, I discovered an identical anecdote mentioned in a book of
memoirs by Monika Żeromska (Wspomnień ciąg dalszy, pp. 288-9, Czytelnik, Warsaw, 1994).
Marynia Osterwianka – wrote Żeromska – was four years old, when Cardinal Sapieha, a
relative, came to visit her parents. Her mother asked Marynia to keep the Cardinal company
while she went to prepare tea.
Marynia sat quietly with the Cardinal but after a while asked, “Is God present everywhere?”“Yes, my child, everywhere and always” said the Cardinal. “And even now in this room,
also?”-“Yes, of course, God is present here.”-“Well then”, said Marynia, “please talk to him
for a while as I go to my room.”
There is no question that these two anecdotes are unrelated, or that one is a “creative
adaptation” of the other. Marynia and Cardinal Sapieha lived in Cracow; my parents never
lived there and did not know the Cardinal and Marynia’s parents, nor did they know Monika
Żeromska.
38
A very similar case of children’s logic was recorded in A Treasury of Humor (Eric W.
Johnson, ed., Ivy Books, New York, 1994, p. 50).
1.-Young Oscar was a lively and curious
kid. He was looking at the full Moon and
asked:
“Dad, is God in the Moon?”
“God is everywhere”, Dad explained.
Is he in my tummy?”
“Well,” Dad replied, “I suppose he is.”
“O.K.” declared Oscar. “God wants a
banana.”
2.- Young Oscar could have had the
following conversation with his father:
“Dad, are you my father?”
“Yes, Oscar, I am your father.”
“Dad, am I your son?”
“Yes, Oscar, you are my son.”
“Now I know, Dad. My mother must be the
Holy Ghost! ”
Humour from Poland
Drawings by Andrzej Mleczko
I reported it to the Guiness book of Records
Evolution hasn’t changed anything
To the Parliament-Turn right, and then you’ll know! To hell with the West! To hell with the E.U.!
(Find 10 different items in each vignette)
Interesting and funny anecdotes are greatly appreciated
Please forward them to:
[email protected]
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39
Shield with the Leliwa
On the Forged Metal Door to
The Old Archives Room in Dzików
40