Not modern, but exactly like it used to be
Door Catrien Spijkerman and Jakub Bukowski
Despite pushback, architect Jan Zachwatowicz is determined to rebuild the destroyed historical centre of Warsaw in its original state. To do so, he must act shrewdly.
What remained of Warsaw after the war, you cannot call a city anymore. All that is left is a vast open space filled with silence and rubble. Miles and miles of charred debris, streets leading nowhere, and here and there an isolated piece of wall with no indication of its original purpose. Jan Zachwatowicz stands in the middle of it. Except for his architect friend Piotr Bieganski, there is not a living soul around. It is a sight that can only drive one to despair. ‘And yet, we will rebuild it’, says Zachwatowicz. It would prove an almost impossible promise to keep, and not only because of the massive destruction.
No one has ever tried to rebuild a city on such a large scale before. The mayor of Warsaw, himself once an architect, founds the ‘Bureau for Reconstruction of the Capital’, abbreviated in Polish as ‘BOS’. Sceptics mockingly say that the abbreviation stands for ‘God Rebuild the Capital’ in Polish. The situation is so dramatic that some people are even considering moving the capital to another location altogether.
Inconveniently narrow streets
Already before the war, Professor Zachwatowicz is known for his knowledge of historical buildings. That is why he is appointed chief conservator of monument protection at the BOS. It is his task to ensure that historical buildings are preserved. Ironically, there is barely anything left to preserve as virtually all historical buildings had been destroyed.
Zachwatowicz is faced with a dilemma: Rebuild Warsaw exactly the way it was, or build a new modern city?
Among conservators, the prevailing idea is that historical buildings must be preserved in their original state. To rebuild a destroyed monument, would be a betrayal of its history and authenticity; it would be as if the terrible destruction and bombardments never occurred. Moreover, the communist leaders see the reconstruction of Warsaw as an opportunity to modernise the city. Why would you want to rebuild the city with the same quaint and inconveniently narrow streets, instead of wide thoroughfares? Warsaw should become a city like Moscow, based on the modern principles of efficiency and equality.
Always calm
Zachwatowicz couldn’t disagree more. ‘A nation and its cultural monuments are one’, he argues. ‘Because we cannot allow our cultural monuments to be taken from us, we shall reconstruct them, rebuild them from the ground up and pass them on to future generations; if not in their authentic form, then at least in their exact form, living in our memories and accessible in the materials.’
The new political regime, controlled by the Soviet Union, is trying to gain support among the population. Reconstructing the old city centre would help them win the hearts and minds of the Varsovians, as it much better matched their need to celebrate Polish culture and history than their own modernist plans.
And that is how Zachwatowicz finally gets his way, not only for his fame and academic accomplishments, but also for political reasons. At least for the historical centre that is; beyond the city centre the modernist construction plans proceed as planned.
In his dark suit – on cold days completed with a long dark overcoat, white scarf and black hat – Zachwatowicz carefully keeps in the background. He hates interviews. Colleagues and friends describe him as someone who radiates complete self-control, both in his words and in his movements and facial expressions. He is always calm yet speaks with determination and conciseness. And meanwhile, he works on his mission tirelessly.
Great compliment
The post-war reconstruction of Warsaw remains controversial to this day. The criticism however is mainly about the way the rest of the city has been ‘modernised’ at the time. Zachwatowicz is either forgotten in the discussion or praised. The greatest compliment he receives in 1980 – he is 80 years old by then – when the old city is declared UNESCO World Heritage. It is the first time an entire historical reconstruction makes it on the list.
