PERMANENT EXHIBITION


The exhibition Pawiak 1835-1944 includes the whole period when the prison was active, but most of the collection is dedicate to the most cruel times - that is 1939 - 1944, when Pawiak became the symbol of martyrdom and at the same time a symbol of braveness and total devotion of thousands of patriotic Poles.






Pawiak Corridor of the 7th Division - reconstruction



The main part of the exhibition is the reconstructed corridor of the 7th Division. The corridor was rebuilt in 1965 according to plans by Henryk Marconi and recreated in accordance with each historical period. The cells from 1863-1918, 1918-1939, 1939-1944, quarantine cell and death cell. The exhibition presents a model 1:100 were the prison buildings are located. Next to the buildings there are photographs of streets situated near the prison from before the First World War, Interwar period and from the times of the German occupation 1939 - 1944.






A cell adjusted for 1 to 3 persons. During the German occupation 10 to 18 prisoners were kept in such a cell - reconstruction.



Opposite the entrance to the Museum there are pictures and documents located that present shortly the history of Pawiak as a political prison up to the year 1939. A long list of unsubmissive Poles from the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century is opened by the commanders of the January Uprising 1863 including Romuald Traugutt.

The major part of the exhibition is dedicated to the German occupation 1939-1944. In this section we present the German occupation system in Poland, the achievements of the Polish Underground State and various forms of battle, including executions which took place in Pawiak, the everyday life of the prisoners, the conspiracy and the communication between prison and the outside. Many presented documents, mainly voices from around the World connected to the polish situation and to Pawiak it self is shown for the first time.










A part of the exhibition dedicated to the German occupation 1939 - 1944



We used iconography, press, conspiracy publications, documents, posters, notices, maps and other relics to help you understand those times. We used huge pictures and copies so that small and often destroyed documents could be better seen, in order to have the right feedback on visitors.

In the hall dedicated to the occupation times we inserted huge copies of works by Bronisław Wojciech Linke - mainly from the collection called - screaming stones. Very expressive, full of pain and pathos is the drawing Comeback showing a kneeled person with a leaning head just in front of the Pawiak ruins. On the walls there are enlargements of poems written in Polish and English. On the left side there is a graphic map of located - Warsaw in the years 1939 - 1944. On vertical boards there are names of the execution places and concentration camps located. At the end of the hall, on a reconstructed red brick wall, there is a frieze o thousand photographs placed - 1% of prisoners being kept during the occupation.






Exhibition dedicated to the period 1863-1939



The stay in Pawiak prison was for many people a time before going to a concentration camp or before being executed, that is why a major part of the exhibition is dedicated to this subject. The last sequence of the exhibition is the liquidation transport to Ravenbrück and Gross-Rosen, Warsaw Uprising, demolition of Pawiak prison - 21 August 1944, processes of the criminals and finally the opening of the Museum of Pawiak prison - 28 November 1965.

A detailed day of a prisoner is presented in the room a Day in Pawiak 1939-1944. We reconstructed a day from the prison hour by hour according to some memoirs from a prisoner: Leon Wanat- an office writer in Pawiak and a doctor in the hospital in Serbia dr. Anna Czuperska and with accordance to drawings showing scenes for everyday life, poem, diaries, prayers and manufactured objects.






Exhibition Pawiak 1835-1944. General view of the hall dedicated to the German occupation 1939 - 1944.


A separate part of the exhibition shows the history of the Pawiak Tree - a criminal of the German felony. The tree and a piece of the entrance gate were the only things that survived the blast on 21 August 1944. After the War the tree became a monument reminding of all murdered prisoners.

Important for the emotional feedback are original objects found in the ruins, records presenting discussions concerning the felony. Here is also the photo gallery showing prisoners who died in Pawiak. By the model of the prison visitors are able to listen to a short history of Pawiak Polish, English and German language.






A showcase with prison relics In one part of the exhibition a Day In Pawiak 1939-1944



We offer exhibition guides in Polish-English and Polish-German version (the last one is also available with a CD presenting a multimedia presentation).