The temporary exhibition prepared by the Sybir Memorial Museum – “The Past Through the Eyes of the Present. Białystok ’39” – has appeared in the center of Białystok. Unlike standard exhibitions in urban spaces, it does not have a single location:

“The exhibition consists of seven plates located in well-known places in Białystok, places that could be called the pearls of Białystok, such as the courtyard of the Branicki Palace. The plates are located in both courtyards of the palace, two of them are at Kościuszko Market Square, two on Lipowa Street, and one in front of the Aleksander Węgierko Drama Theatre. An important aspect of this exhibition is that you can start seeing it from any point – regardless of the starting point, the snippets of history presented on the panels form a coherent whole,” said Piotr Bosko, an employee of the Educational and Cultural Projects Department of the Sybir Memorial Museum, during a press conference.

The choice of locations for the exhibition panels is not accidental and is related to the title of the exhibition. The year 1939 marked the beginning of the most tragic period in the history of Białystok, as well as of whole Poland – World War II. The German and Soviet aggression of September meant the division of Poland and its disappearance from maps. For Białystok, the first weeks of the war brought two occupations: first, one week-long German, followed by the Soviet one that lasted until June 1941.

“On the last Sunday of August, with Memorial Peloton, we began, not only in Białystok but also in other cities in this part of Europe, the commemoration of the first criminal act, which was the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact that united the forces of the Soviet and German occupiers. This pact in fact started World War II. Right here, near the Branicki Palace, the German and Soviet command met to agree on the withdrawal of German troops and the entry of Soviet troops into Białystok,” said Professor Wojciech Śleszyński, Director of the Sybir Memorial Museum.

Thanks to the exhibition, anyone interested can see what Białystok looked like 85 years ago under the rule of both occupiers and learn about the fate of the city and the individual buildings where events of not only local but also international significance took place.

“Preserving the memory of Białystok’s complex history is extremely important to us, which is why we organize various initiatives, including this exhibition, to tell inhabitants of Białystok, and not only them, about the city’s past. I heartily welcome this initiative and encourage everyone to visit the exhibition,” said Rafał Rudnicki, Deputy Mayor of Białystok, during the meeting.

The authors of the exhibition are Magdalena Zięckowska-Tuchlińska (concept), Dorota Klimowicz-Bałtromiuk (graphics), and Piotr Bosko (texts).

The project’s partner is the Medical University of Białystok.

The exhibition entitled “The Past Through the Eyes of the Present. Białystok ’39” can be seen until September 20, 2024.