Dzieci wojny – Children of war

To Kraków for the opening of Children of War, a temporary exhibition at the Schindler's Factory museum. It tells the stories, in words and photographs and artefacts, of 13 children, all under the age of 11 when war broke out, explaining how it affected them and how they survived, Jew and gentile alike. 

Since work began on curating this exhibition, six of the 13 have died, unable to finally witness their testimony on display at the museum. Three were present at the opening, the eldest being 96 years old. 

A small but particularly moving exhibition, looking at the horrors of war through the eyes of children. Interest in the opening was such that it was the museum cinema, venue for the official part, was crammed to overflowing, and seeing the exhibition was a tight squeeze.

A part of the exhibition – and the direct reason for my presence – was a part dedicated to the Szkoła Młodszych Ochotniczek (SMO - in English, the Polish Young Women's Auxiliary Service School), home to my mother for most of the war. Her army suitcase, filled with her exercise books were on display, which for me serve as a testament to the focus and hard work expected of the pupils.

Left: uniform jacket as worn by girls at SMO, and some of the diplomas awarded there.

The most moving part of the exhibition for me were the drawings made by Polish children who'd survived the war of what they'd witnessed. These were counterpointed by those made by Ukrainian children from Kharkiv illustrating what they saw in the early days of the full-scale Russian invasion.

Another poignant moment was the testimony of the daughter of two Jews who had been saved by Oskar Schindler by inclusion on his famous list. Mother and father fell in love in the camp, survived the war and settled in Israel. Their daughter, born there, was forthright in her condemnation of what her government was doing to Palestinian children in Gaza.

I would like to acknowledge the splendid work carried out by Alicja Szkuta in keeping alive the memory of the SMO, which educated over 1,000 Polish girls in Nazareth from 1942 to the end of the war. All three of my Saturday Polish school teachers who taught me Polish language, literature, history and geography in the 1960s and early '70s – Pani Skąpska, Pani Szkoda and Pani Wolańska – were all alumni of the SMO. The knowledge they passed on to the British-born generation of post-war Poles were invaluable in maintaining our Polish heritage in the UK.

I would also like to thank Beata Łabno, curator at the Schindler's Factory museum, not only for putting together such an emotionally compelling exhibition, but also for recommending and reserving for me one of the most memorable night's accommodation I've ever enjoyed – in the guest rooms inside Wawel castle itself. But more on that in the next post... 

There are many things that Poland is good at, and running world-class museums is among them, Children of War runs as a temporary exhibition at the Oscar Schindler Factory museum until 30 August 2026. I highly recommend it, a reminder that the youngest suffer the most when two sides go to war.

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Ten grand a year

This time two years ago:
The ephemeral pleasures of materialism

This time three years ago:
W-wa Zachodnia modernisation – a long way to go
(Three years on: still not finished)

This time four years ago:

The Wilderness and the Garden 

This time five years ago:
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My flight to Rzeszów – delayed

This time nine years ago:
English as she is used in Europe

This time ten years ago:
Where asphalt is needed – Nowy Podolszyn to Zgorzala

This time 15 years ago:
I cycle to work along the cyclepath along ul. Rosoła

This time 17 years ago:
First apple