About the museum

The Museum of Polish Children – Victims of Totalitarianism. The German Nazi camp for Polish children in Łódź (1942-1945)(in organization) was established on June 1, 2021, by order of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sports Prof. Piotr Gliński. For the first time, the idea of creating the Museum appeared during the work of the Program Council for the Commemoration of Polish Children from the Camp in Łódź, established on December 22, 2020 by Children's Ombudsman Mikołaj Pawlak. In connection with the initiative to establish the Museum, a letter of intent was sent to the Children's Ombudsman by Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland.

A letter of intent to cooperate on the establishment of the Museum was signed on May 21, 2021 by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sports Prof. Dr. Piotr Gliński, Children's Rights Ombudsman Mikołaj Pawlak, and Director of the IPN Branch in Łódź Dr. Dariusz Rogut. Ireneusz Piotr Maj, a historian and doctor of humanities, was appointed Director of the Museum.

The Museum's activities include:

• collecting, processing, preserving, storing, and providing access to collections relating to the history of the camp for Polish children on Przemysłowa Street in Łódź and its branch in Dzierżązna near Zgierz;
• exhibition, educational and scientific activities concerning the dissemination of knowledge about the functioning of the children's camp on Przemysłowa Street in Łódź in 1942-1945 and its branch in Dzierżązna near Zgierz in 1943-1945;
• exhibition, educational and scientific activities concerning the commemoration of the youngest victims of World War II, the ordeal of Polish children in the areas of Poland occupied by the Third Reich and the USSR;
• exhibition, educational and scientific activities concerning the fate of war orphans in Poland and children of Żołnierze Wyklęci [“Cursed Soldiers”], heroes of the Polish independence underground;
• cooperation with non-profit organizations, unincorporated organizations and community educators in such areas as commemorating the history of the children's camp on Przemysłowa Street in Łódź;
• cooperation with museums, individuals, legal entities (in particular with the Children's Ombudsman) on issues relating to children's rights and violations of these rights.

Location

The temporary location of the Museum of Polish Children – Victims of Totalitarianism is at 90 Piotrkowska Street in Łódź. Talks are currently underway with Łódź authorities regarding the acquisition by the Museum of plots of land on the site of the former camp for the construction of a permanent facility and parking lot.

On 28 December 2022, the Museum of Polish Children – Victims of Totalitarianism purchased two buildings located on the site of the former German concentration camp for Polish children on Przemysłowa Street in Łódź. One of the properties is the so-called Verwaltung at 34 Przemysłowa Street. The former camp commandant's office building will be the site for a permanent exhibition. The other property is located at 29 Przemysłowa Street. In its vicinity was the camp punishment cell.

The Dzierżązna branch

Thanks to a donation from the Zgierz Municipality, the Museum became the owner of a property in the manor park in Dzierżązna (Zgierz municipality), where the former coach house was located. During the German occupation, the building was located near the residence of Heinrich Hans Fuge, deputy of commandant Camillo Ehrlich in the camp on Przemysłowa Street, and later head of the Dzierżązna branch. Once the building has been renovated, it will house a branch of the institution with permanent and outdoor exhibitions.