Museum of X Pavilion in the W. C.

MUSEUM OF PAVILION X PAWILONU IN THE WARSAW CITADEL
ul. Skazańców 25, tel. +48 22 839-12-68 (head office),+48 22 839-23-83.
e-mail: xpawilon@muzeumniepodleglosci.art.pl
opened: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m., .
Ticket price:

6 PLN - normal
4 PLN - half-price ticket.



THE HISTORY OF THE WARSAW CITADEL AND PAVILION X






Museum of Pavilion X in the Warsaw Citadel is one of most important martyrdom museum in Poland.
It is located in the fortress built y Tsar Nicholas I in 1832-1834 after suppressing the November Uprising. The Citadel is surrounded by a powerful garrison and is equipped with hundreds of cannons. Later on it has been fortified by a system of five forts and bridges in Praga. This was supposed to strengthen the power of Russian authorities against the defiant Warsaw. At the same it became next link i the chain of fortresses protecting the Western Romanov Empire. The chain consisted among other things of old casern (built 1725) of the crow guardians of the three last rulers of the independent Poland. After 1915 the casern was transformed in Alexander casern.





In one of the building, the so called Pavilion X, built 1826 - 1828, when extending the mentioned casern, a prison for political prisoners was located. According to estimated data presented by the Citadel, were the Commission of Investigation and court martial were situated, there were about 40,000 prisoners locked in that jail. All fighting for the Independence of Poland. Among the prisoners there were members of secret independence organizations, uprising participants (mostly from the January Uprising), activists in Polish worker movement, participants of the revolution 195-1907, participants of patriotic demonstrations, strikes, and many more. Hundreds of them were executed on the slopes of the fortress, thousands of prisoners were tortured or exiled to Siberia. Among the prisoners there such prominent persons like Romuald Traugutt, Jóżef Piłsudski, Roman Dmowski, Gustaw Ehrenberg, father Piotr Ściegienny, Stefan Okrzeja and more.





The Citadel was also used by the German occupier in 1915-1918 for military purposes, X Pavilion was also a prison then, and on the slopes executions were carried out.





After regaining independence in 1918 and the Citadel was repossessed by Polish Army, Pavilion X was used as military array. Later on it was adjusted for military flats for the local garrison. In the Eastern wing prisoner's relics were stored.





During the German occupation 1939-1945 the Citadel was taken over by Wehrmacht and SS, and was a powerful support for German authorities.





After World War II the Citadel was owned by the Military. Pavilion X was separated and facilitated for visitors in 1963 on the 100 anniversary of the January Uprising break out as the Museum of Pavilion X in Warsaw Citadel (being since 1990 a part of the Museum of Independence in Warsaw).







PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS IN THE MUSEUM OF PAVILION X


"The Prisoners of the Pavilion X in Warsaw Citadel"

The exhibition reconstructed in the interior of the prison shows the history of the battle for independence and the social changes during annexation. It presents the history by demonstrating prisoners, their lives, their organizations, starting with independence conspiracy in 1830ies ending with times when independence was regained in 1918. The exhibition consists of repressing acts from Tsar authorities, investigation and legal documents, press, photographs of main prisoners, their relics. The museum shows also the martyrdom of people exiled to Siberia. It presents a painting collection by Alexander Sochaczewski, a person exiled to Siberia.
The surroundings are also connected with Pavilion X - former yard where prisoners could go for a walk, the execution path and the place of execution on the slopes, just by the river Vistula and symbolic cemetery, the place where insurgents form the January Uprising were executed, including the members of the National Government e.g. R. Traugutt.

"Józef Piłsudski in Pavilion X"

(It is a separate part of the exhibition)

It shows a part of biography of j. Piłsudski, the one connected with his stay in Pavilion X: at this time Piłsudski was the leader of the Party PPS and editor of the magazine "Robotnik". He was caught together with his wife on 18.04.1900 after the print show was found in his own flat in Łódź. The documents and photographs illustrate his arrest, stay in Pavilion X, investigation, situations where he was simulating mental illness, in order to get out of the prison, and finally his way to the hospital and his escape.


Sybiraks 1940-1956

The exhibition "Sybiraks 1940-1956" shows the lots of many Poles being repressed in the East. It concentrates on two main problems - the everyday life and the evidence how Poles lived in the Soviet camps. The exhibition shows chosen aspects of Poles being in USSR during the Second World War and today's actions documenting Stalin repressions.

All presented come from the Siberian Collection of the Museum of Independence. These are about 1400 elements. The most interesting are the objects used in everyday life in the camps and souvenirs connected with patriotism and religion. Worth seeing are also photographs presenting the lots of Poles in the East. Beside these elements there are also paintings and drawings developed by Sybiraks after their return from USSR. These paintings illustrate authentic actions but also artistic visions of inner feelings of people being tortured.

The exhibition is addressed to young people, for whom deportation od inhabitants of the Second Republic of Poland to USSR is a far history, known just from books. The contact with documents and photographs may help them to understand what really happened.

Illustrated book "Kolekcja Sybiraka - katalog zbiorów" (Sybirak's Collection - a collection catalogue), (2002) available in the exhibition.



Museum classes - Citadel

(THE MUSEUM OF PAVILION X IN WARSAW CITADEL, BRANCH OF THE MUSEUM OF INDEPENDENCE IN WARSAW)
1. January Uprising
2. The Battle of Polish people on base of the prisoners from Pavilion X
The classes are held in the exhibition in Pavilion X, located on the grounds of Warsaw Citadel.
Price: up to 25 pax - 40 PLN, over 25 pax - 60 PLN.
If you would like to place an order for museum classes in the Museum of Pavilion in the Warsaw Citadel please contact: +48 22 839 12 68. 3. Józef Piłsudski in Pavilion X including: introduction, recitation of fragments of the Book "Psychologia więzienia" by Józef Piłsudski performed by actor Jerzy Molga and showing around the exhibition. Price 150 PLN.