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Stefan Arczyński: A master of photography spanning two cultures

Wrocław, 1983

Mediathek Sorted

Media library
  • Świdnicka Street in Wrocław, 1953 - Świdnicka Street in Wrocław, 1953.
  • The Great Armory and Straw Tower at the Coal Market in Gdańsk, 1953 - The Great Armory and Straw Tower at the Coal Market in Gdańsk, 1953.
  • Fragments of rubble in front of the west tower of Wroclaw Cathedral, 1953 - Fragments of rubble in front of the west tower of Wroclaw Cathedral, 1953.
  • Market Square in Wrocław, 1954 - Market Square in Wrocław, 1954.
  • Choir concert in Annaberg, 1954 - Choir concert in Annaberg, 1954.
  • St. Matthew's Church in Wrocław, 1954 - St. Matthew's Church in Wrocław, 1954.
  • Wrocław Cathedral, 1955 - Wrocław Cathedral, 1955.
  • Excavator in a construction site in front of the city hall of Wrocław, 1955 - Excavator in a construction site in front of the city hall of Wrocław, 1955.
  • Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, 1955. - Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, 1955.
  • Destroyed area in the old city centre of Wrocław, undated (after 1945) - Destroyed area in the old city centre of Wrocław, undated (after 1945).
  • City hall at the Market Square in Wrocław with war ruins, 1955 - City hall at the Market Square in Wrocław with war ruins, 1955.
  • War ruins on the Oławska-Street in Wrocław, 1955 - War ruins on the Oławska-Street in Wrocław, 1955.
  • The area of Świdnicka-Street and Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego-Street in Wrocław, 1955 - The area of Świdnicka-Street and Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego-Street in Wrocław, 1955.
  • Girl with geese in Zduny with a windmill in the background, 1956 - Girl with geese in Zduny with a windmill in the background, 1956.
  • The Marketplace Nowy Targ in Wrocław, 1957 - The Marketplace Nowy Targ in Wrocław, 1957.
  • Street view of Wroclaw with town houses in the former Krullstraße, 1958 - Street view of Wroclaw with town houses in the former Krullstraße, 1958.
  • Former St. Anna Hospital in Wrocław, 1958 - Former St. Anna Hospital in Wrocław, 1958.
  • Ruins of the Church of St. Catherine in Wrocław, 1958 - Ruins of the Church of St. Catherine in Wrocław, 1958.
  • Row of houses with war damage on Białoskórnicza Street in Wrocław, 1958 - Row of houses with war damage on Białoskórnicza Street in Wrocław, 1958.
  • Square Tadeusz Kościuszko in Wrocław, 1953 - Square Tadeusz Kościuszko in Wrocław, 1953.
  • Wrocław Cathedral Bridge, 1961 - Wrocław Cathedral Bridge, 1961.
  • Tenement house "Jaś" on the Wrocław Market Square, 1961 - Tenement house "Jaś" on the Wrocław Market Square, 1961.
  • Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" at the Wrocław Market Square, 1961 - Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" at the Wrocław Market Square, 1961.
  • Square Nowy Targ in Wrocław with war ruins, 1961 - Square Nowy Targ in Wrocław with war ruins, 1961.
  • Scaffolder at the Turów lignite-fired power station in Turoszów, 1962 - Scaffolder at the Turów lignite-fired power station in Turoszów, 1962.
  • Scaffolder at the Turów lignite-fired power station in Turoszów, 1962 - Scaffolder at the Turów lignite-fired power station in Turoszów, 1962.
  • Wawel Kraków, 1963 - Wawel Kraków, 1963.
  • View of Kraków, 1963 - View of Kraków, 1963
  • Field workers during the potato harvest at Piwniczna, 1963 - Field workers during the potato harvest at Piwniczna, 1963.
  • Women working in the field during potato harvesting near Piwniczna, 1963 - Women working in the field during potato harvesting near Piwniczna, 1963.
  • St. Mary's Basilica at Main Market Square in Kraków, 1963 - St. Mary's Basilica at Main Market Square in Kraków, 1963.
  • Residential and commercial building on Piłsudski Street in Wrocław, 1965 - Residential and commercial building on Piłsudski Street in Wrocław, 1965.
  • The Barasch Brothers' Department Store at the market square in Wrocław, 1966.  - The Barasch Brothers' Department Store at the market square in Wrocław, 1966.
  • Wrocław Exhibition Grounds, 1966 - Wrocław Exhibition Grounds, 1966.
  • Wrocław Gate in Oleśnice, 1966 - Wrocław Gate in Oleśnice, 1966.
  • Highway near Wrocław, 1967 - Highway near Wrocław, 1967.
  • High-rise buildings of a housing estate in Gajowice (Wrocław), 1967 - High-rise buildings of a housing estate in Gajowice (Wrocław), 1967.
  • Wroclaw City Hall, undated (after 1953) - Wroclaw City Hall, undated (after 1953)
  • The Oder at the Grunwald Bridge in Wrocław, undated (after 1945) - The Oder at the Grunwald Bridge in Wrocław, undated (after 1945).
  • Plac Solny in Wrocław, right - high-rise building of the Sparkasse, undated (after 1945) - Plac Solny in Wrocław, right - high-rise building of the Sparkasse, undated (after 1945).
  • Inner courtyard of the old city prison in Wrocław, 1981 - Inner courtyard of the old city prison in Wrocław, 1981.
  • Wrocław Market Square with the City Hall, undated (after 1945) - Wrocław Market Square with the City Hall, undated (after 1945).
  • North side of the Wrocław Market Square, undated (after 1945) - North side of the Wrocław Market Square, undated (after 1945).
  • University of Wrocław, undated (after 1945) - University of Wrocław, undated (after 1945).
  • Świdnicka-Street in Wrocław, undated (after 1945) - Świdnicka-Street in Wrocław, undated (after 1945).
  • Housing estate in Wrocław, 1969 - Housing estate in Wrocław, 1969.
  • Ossolineum Breslau, 1969 - Ossolineum Breslau, 1969.
  • Exhibition room in the Museum of Architecture in Wrocław, 1969 - Exhibition room in the Museum of Architecture in Wrocław, 1969.
  • The Oder at the seat building of the Lower-Silesia Voivodship authorities in Wrocław, 1970 - The Oder at the seat building of the Lower-Silesia Voivodship authorities in Wrocław, 1970.
  • The Pagoda of the Japanese Garden in the Szczytnicki Park in Wroclaw, 1971 - The Pagoda of the Japanese Garden in the Szczytnicki Park in Wroclaw, 1971.
  • Fencer Fountain of Wrocław, 1972 - Fencer Fountain of Wrocław, 1972.
  • Square Nowy Targ in Wrocław, 1972 - Square Nowy Targ in Wrocław, 1972.
  • The Wrocław Market Hall at the Plac Nankiera, 1972 - The Wrocław Market Hall at the Plac Nankiera, 1972.
  • The Philharmonie in Wrocław, 1972 - The Philharmonie in Wrocław, 1972.
  • City view Wrocław, 1972. - City view Wrocław, 1972.
  • Wrocław University, 1972 - Wrocław University, 1972.
  • Kameleon Department Store in Wrocław, 1972 - Kameleon Department Store in Wrocław, 1972.
  • Cathedral Island Wrocław, 1972 - Cathedral Island Wrocław, 1972.
  • City view Wrocław, 1973 - City view Wrocław, 1973.
  • Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" on the Wrocław Market Square, 1973 - Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" on the Wrocław Market Square, 1973.
  • St. Adalbert Church, 1973 - St. Adalbert Church, 1973.
  • Facade of the Dolnośląskie Centrum Medyczne DOLMED (Medical Center), 1977 - Facade of the Dolnośląskie Centrum Medyczne DOLMED (Medical Center), 1977.
  • Inner courtyard of the old city prison in Wrocław, 1981 - Inner courtyard of the old city prison in Wrocław, 1981.
  • High-rise building in Wroclaw, 1983. - High-rise building in Wroclaw, 1983.
  • Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" at the Wrocław Market Square, 1983 - Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" at the Wrocław Market Square, 1983.
  • The Ursuline convent in Wrocław, 1985 - The Ursuline convent in Wrocław, 1985.
  • High-rise building at Plac Grunwaldzki in Wrocław, 1986 - High-rise building at Plac Grunwaldzki in Wrocław, 1986.
  • Workers in front of a coke oven battery of the Victoria coal mine in Hermsdorf, 1986 - Workers in front of a coke oven battery of the Victoria coal mine in Hermsdorf, 1986.
  • A worker in front of a coke oven battery of the Victoria coal mine in Hermsdorf, 1986 - A worker in front of a coke oven battery of the Victoria coal mine in Hermsdorf, 1986.
  • Archbishop's Palace in Wrocław, 1986. - Archbishop's Palace in Wrocław, 1986.
  • St. Martin's Church and Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross and St. Bartholomew in Wrocław, 1986 - St. Martin's Church and Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross and St. Bartholomew in Wrocław, 1986.
  • Gravestones in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Wrocław, 1986 - Gravestones in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Wrocław, 1986.
  • Skyscrapers at Plac Grunwaldzki in Wrocław, 1987. - Skyscrapers at Plac Grunwaldzki in Wrocław, 1987.
  • Street view Katowice with old and new buildings, 1987 - Street view Katowice with old and new buildings, 1987.
  • Oriel window at Wroclaw City Hall, 1987 - Oriel window at Wroclaw City Hall, 1987.
  • High-rise building of the Sparkasse on the Market Square in Wrocław, 1988 - High-rise building of the Sparkasse on the Market Square in Wrocław, 1988.
  • Scaffolded tower of the St. Elizabeth's Church in Wrocław, 1988 - Scaffolded tower of the St. Elizabeth's Church in Wrocław, 1988.
  • Hotel "Panorama" in Grabiszyn (Wrocław), 1989 - Hotel "Panorama" in Grabiszyn (Wrocław), 1989.
  • Hotel "Orbis" in Wrocław, 1989 - Hotel "Orbis" in Wrocław, 1989.
  • City view Wrocław, 1987 - City view Wrocław, 1987.
  • Snowy road near Wrocław, undated (after 1945) - Snowy road near Wrocław, undated (after 1945).
  • Stefan Arczyński (right) with a friend in Moscow, 1956 - Stefan Arczyński (right) with a friend in Moscow. Photographer unknown, 1956.
Wrocław, 1983
Wrocław, 1983

The challenges of war
 

In 1938, Arczyński as a citizen of the German Reich, is called up for compulsory labour service and then, when the Second World War breaks out, he is conscripted to the German military where he first serves in the air force and later in the infantry. His profession as a photographer saved him from being assigned to the units that invaded Poland. His brother Tadeusz, on the other hand, was involved in the invasion of Poland and fought as an officer in the Polish Army. 

During all this, the Arczyński siblings were beset by great tragedy. Following the outbreak of war, mass arrests of members of Polish organisations in Germany were made. Most of the prisoners were deported to camps where some of them lost their lives. This was also the fate of their father, Wiktor Arczyński, who was arrested and sentenced to death for “friendliness to Poles” along with other Krupp employees who, like him, were members of the Union of Poles in Germany. He was executed in Berlin in 1940. Stefan Arczyński was also held for a few weeks in the Berlin-Moabit and Berlin-Plötzensee prisons and confronted with his father until he was eventually released and seconded to his unit in the air force.

This regiment, in which Arczyński developed and saved aerial photographs, was involved in the French campaign. Later, he was sent to the Eastern front where he was took part in the assault on the Soviet Union and was involved in the battles for Stalingrad. He always had his camera with him at the front. In January 1942, he was wounded and given medical treatment in Artjomowsk which saved him from death in the Stalingrad Cauldron. After his discharge from hospital, he was sent back to the front. In the military convalescence hospitals in Kłodzko Land, Kłodzko and Międzygórze, he gradually regained his strength. Once he was back on his feet, he was again sent back to his air force unit at the eastern front which, at this time, was stationed in the Baltic Region. He passed the end of the war in Latvia, where he ended up a prisoner of the Russians. In Latvia he had a number of jobs, including working in a matchstick factory, a brewery and a sawmill. He was very fortunate that he was not deported to deepest Russia. 

After several months in captivity, the Russians handed him over to the Polish authorities. The reasons given for his release were his Polish heritage and the tragic fate of his father, an official in the Union of Poles in Germany. He was placed in the transit camp in Sieraków near Poznań. 

The fate of his brother Tadeusz after the war was quite different. After the Soviet invasion of Poland, he ended up in Latvia where he was settled after the Russian annexation of the Republic and taken to a labour camp in Siberia. He finally left the USSR with the  Anders-Armee, named after the Polish general Władysław Anders, and was then involved in battles in Italy, including near Monte Cassino. After the war, he did not return to Poland but remained abroad, finally settling in California in the United States.