Warsaw holds countless stories but Projekt 1920/2020. Archiwum Ożywione offers a special glimpse into the past. This project commemorated the centennial of the Battle of Warsaw. It was a key moment in world history exactly one hundred years ago.
Archiwa Państwowe prepared many initiatives for this event. The Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe brought the past to life in Warsaw. They did it with the help of three visual artists.
From August 13th you could admire murals by Bartek Buczek and Mariusz Libel on the Vistula Boulevards. These murals used archival materials from the Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe. On August 15th a special object by Karolina Breguła was revealed on Kamionkowskie Błonia Elekcyjne.
The Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe invited three modern artists to create art using its archives. These archives held photos recordings and films. The artists worked with materials about the Polish-Bolshevik War and the Battle of Warsaw. The results were murals on the Vistula Boulevards and an object at Kamionkowskie Błonia Elekcyjne.
Karolina Breguła Bartek Buczek and Mariusz Libel explored how a historical event and its records could resonate today. They engaged with images of battlefields fighters and their memories. Each artist brought different archival material to life turning it into art.
These artistic displays sparked conversations about lesser-known aspects of the Polish-Bolshevik War and the Battle of Warsaw in 1920. Educational events also highlighted women’s roles in these events. A walk with Dr Anna Nowakowska-Wierzchoś on August 15th explored the path of the Women’s Voluntary Legion. A film screening of “Polonia Restituta 1918-1920” with a lecture by Dr Anna Nowakowska Wierzchoś took place at the Museum of Warsaw Praga on September 3rd.
The project partners included the City of Warsaw – Vistula District the Praga Południe District Office the Museum of Warsaw and the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute. The project received support from the Head Director of State Archives. It was also part of the celebrations for the centennial of Poland’s regained independence and statehood.
Projekt 1920/2020. Archiwum Ożywione was one of many initiatives by the State Archives to mark the Battle of Warsaw’s 100th anniversary. It offered a unique way to connect with history. The project encouraged reflection on the past’s impact on our present.