Exhibitions: Daily life in a dreary time

The Museum of Independence in Warsaw is now holding an exhibition entitled "We are building a new house, yet another new house ... Warsaw's daily life in the Stalinist period, 1945-1956." The exhibition, prepared in cooperation with the Historical Museum of Warsaw, presents the daily reality of the capital in the first decade after the end of World War II, when Warsaw - just like Poland in general - saw the substitution of Nazi ocupation with communist rule.

The time was marked by severe persecution of political opponents by the newly established regime. At the same time, the decade witnessed the frenetic efforts of the communist authorities to unite Polish society in the act of rebuilding the war-devastated country.

The exhibition aptly captures these aspects of the post-war period. It presents photograms - photographic images taken without a camera - depicting Warsaw in the Stalinist era. There are also examples of the art of social realism, such as paintings, sculptures and pieces of artistic handicraft that were typical for the times.

Apart from objects of daily use, the exhibition features posters, newspapers, personal belongings of some of the prominent figures of the regime as well as a chilling reminder of the dark side of the era - the equipment from an interrogation room in the Office of Security (UB), the Polish secret police, intelligence and counter-espionage service of the time.

The exhibition is highly recommended for the younger generation that does not remember the communist era as well as for all those who wish to better their knowledge of Poland's post-war history.

The exhibition is on at the Museum of Independence, al. Solidarności 62, Warsaw until March 31. For more information log on to www.muzeumniepodleglosci.art.pl