The latest book by Dr Dariusz Wędzina, entitled “Like a Phoenix from the Ashes? Directions for the Reconstruction and Development of Lower Silesian Towns,” has been published. As the author himself says:
This study, published thanks to the Publishing House of the “Academic Community” Association, summarises my doctoral research devoted to analysing various concepts for the reconstruction and restoration of towns with medieval, chartered origins in Lower Silesia, set against a broadly outlined background of examples from European cities.
The publication reveals another, hitherto largely unspoken aspect of post-war reconstruction, involving, among other things, the devastation and irreversible destruction of historic urban layouts after World War II. According to Prof. Tyszkiewicz, the study “is probably the first in Poland to present on such a scale the discussion and processes of rebuilding cities in devastated Europe on both sides of the Iron Curtain.” The section devoted to Lower Silesian examples “should be regarded as pioneering work, presenting for the first time in such detail the actions leading to the destruction and architectural degradation of Lower Silesian towns, especially their most valuable medieval buildings, while also showing the obliteration of the traditional, historic layout of the towns through the implementation of later building projects based on the fashionable architecture of the 1960s and 1970s—chaotic and, ultimately, uninteresting modernist architecture—and the deepening of the disastrous decisions made in previous decades after 1989.”
And he continues: – The study introduces previously unknown findings concerning the processes taking place in the structures of historic towns in Lower Silesia after World War II into Polish historiography. Its section devoted particularly to the history of conservation doctrines also constitutes an excellent compendium of knowledge for people interested in heritage protection and its legal framework. An important and significant part of the study—also according to the dissertation’s reviewers—analyses the processes of retroversion in Europe, mainly in Dresden and Frankfurt am Main. In it, I ask about the future of the aesthetics of historic towns in Lower Silesia and the prospects of restoring their historic identity.
He also adds:
The publication is intended for the broadly understood scientific and academic community—researchers and students—working on the history of architecture and urban planning, as well as on the protection of historic monuments, cultural heritage and the cultural landscape. However, the book is also addressed to people interested in heritage protection, lovers of Lower Silesia, institutions involved in protecting local cultural heritage, and residents of Lower Silesia. The publication also aims to disseminate and promote Lower Silesia’s cultural assets, which undoubtedly include its historic monuments. In particular, it is addressed to young people, who are increasingly less interested in culture, leading to the forgotten rich history of our region and declining participation in cultural life. This project will combine education with fostering sensitivity among people of different generations to the beauty of their immediate surroundings.
Dr Dariusz Wędzina. Art historian, regionalist, Silesia enthusiast, Doctor of Humanities in art studies, and long-time academic lecturer at PWSZ im. Witelona w Lenicy. Member of the Association of Art Historians, the “Academic Community” Association, and the Piast Castle Association in Legnica. Populariser of knowledge about the culture and art of Lower Silesia, actively involved in saving the Lower Silesian cultural landscape. (From the publisher’s note.)