Fot. Stefan Arczyński. Źródło: Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft
The prominent Polish photographer Stefan Arczyński successfully combines Polish and German tradition in his work: He was born in Essen during the First World War and grew up in a family of Polish immigrants from Wielkopolska. His father was active in the Union of Poles in Germany. The young Stefan learnt the craft of photography in his home town so his first photos all originated in Germany. After the Second World War he lived in Poland where, for decades, he was a much sought-after photographer. In fact, there isn’t a single publication about Wroclaw or about Lower Silesia which didn’t contain some of his definitive images. Without doubt, Arczyński was a representative of two cultures and he created a bridge between those two cultures as hardly anyone else has done.
Mediathek Sorted
Świdnicka Street in Wrocław, 1953
The Great Armory and Straw Tower at the Coal Market in Gdańsk, 1953
Fragments of rubble in front of the west tower of Wroclaw Cathedral, 1953
Market Square in Wrocław, 1954
Świdnicka Street in Wrocław, 1953
The Great Armory and Straw Tower at the Coal Market in Gdańsk, 1953
Fragments of rubble in front of the west tower of Wroclaw Cathedral, 1953
Market Square in Wrocław, 1954
Choir concert in Annaberg, 1954
St. Matthew's Church in Wrocław, 1954
Wrocław Cathedral, 1955
Excavator in a construction site in front of the city hall of Wrocław, 1955
Choir concert in Annaberg, 1954
St. Matthew's Church in Wrocław, 1954
Wrocław Cathedral, 1955
Excavator in a construction site in front of the city hall of Wrocław, 1955
Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, 1955.
Destroyed area in the old city centre of Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
City hall at the Market Square in Wrocław with war ruins, 1955
War ruins on the Oławska-Street in Wrocław, 1955
Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, 1955.
Destroyed area in the old city centre of Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
City hall at the Market Square in Wrocław with war ruins, 1955
War ruins on the Oławska-Street in Wrocław, 1955
The area of Świdnicka-Street and Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego-Street in Wrocław, 1955
Girl with geese in Zduny with a windmill in the background, 1956
The Marketplace Nowy Targ in Wrocław, 1957
Street view of Wroclaw with town houses in the former Krullstraße, 1958
The area of Świdnicka-Street and Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego-Street in Wrocław, 1955
Girl with geese in Zduny with a windmill in the background, 1956
The Marketplace Nowy Targ in Wrocław, 1957
Street view of Wroclaw with town houses in the former Krullstraße, 1958
Former St. Anna Hospital in Wrocław, 1958
Ruins of the Church of St. Catherine in Wrocław, 1958
Row of houses with war damage on Białoskórnicza Street in Wrocław, 1958
Square Tadeusz Kościuszko in Wrocław, 1953
Former St. Anna Hospital in Wrocław, 1958
Ruins of the Church of St. Catherine in Wrocław, 1958
Row of houses with war damage on Białoskórnicza Street in Wrocław, 1958
Square Tadeusz Kościuszko in Wrocław, 1953
Wrocław Cathedral Bridge, 1961
Tenement house "Jaś" on the Wrocław Market Square, 1961
Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" at the Wrocław Market Square, 1961
Square Nowy Targ in Wrocław with war ruins, 1961
Wrocław Cathedral Bridge, 1961
Tenement house "Jaś" on the Wrocław Market Square, 1961
Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" at the Wrocław Market Square, 1961
Square Nowy Targ in Wrocław with war ruins, 1961
Scaffolder at the Turów lignite-fired power station in Turoszów, 1962
Scaffolder at the Turów lignite-fired power station in Turoszów, 1962
Wawel Kraków, 1963
View of Kraków, 1963
Scaffolder at the Turów lignite-fired power station in Turoszów, 1962
Scaffolder at the Turów lignite-fired power station in Turoszów, 1962
Wawel Kraków, 1963
View of Kraków, 1963
Field workers during the potato harvest at Piwniczna, 1963
Women working in the field during potato harvesting near Piwniczna, 1963
St. Mary's Basilica at Main Market Square in Kraków, 1963
Residential and commercial building on Piłsudski Street in Wrocław, 1965
Field workers during the potato harvest at Piwniczna, 1963
Women working in the field during potato harvesting near Piwniczna, 1963
St. Mary's Basilica at Main Market Square in Kraków, 1963
Residential and commercial building on Piłsudski Street in Wrocław, 1965
The Barasch Brothers' Department Store at the market square in Wrocław, 1966.
Wrocław Exhibition Grounds, 1966
Wrocław Gate in Oleśnice, 1966
Highway near Wrocław, 1967
The Barasch Brothers' Department Store at the market square in Wrocław, 1966.
Wrocław Exhibition Grounds, 1966
Wrocław Gate in Oleśnice, 1966
Highway near Wrocław, 1967
High-rise buildings of a housing estate in Gajowice (Wrocław), 1967
Wroclaw City Hall, undated (after 1953)
The Oder at the Grunwald Bridge in Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
Plac Solny in Wrocław, right - high-rise building of the Sparkasse, undated (after 1945)
High-rise buildings of a housing estate in Gajowice (Wrocław), 1967
Wroclaw City Hall, undated (after 1953)
The Oder at the Grunwald Bridge in Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
Plac Solny in Wrocław, right - high-rise building of the Sparkasse, undated (after 1945)
Inner courtyard of the old city prison in Wrocław, 1981
Wrocław Market Square with the City Hall, undated (after 1945)
North side of the Wrocław Market Square, undated (after 1945)
University of Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
Inner courtyard of the old city prison in Wrocław, 1981
Wrocław Market Square with the City Hall, undated (after 1945)
North side of the Wrocław Market Square, undated (after 1945)
University of Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
Świdnicka-Street in Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
Housing estate in Wrocław, 1969
Ossolineum Breslau, 1969
Exhibition room in the Museum of Architecture in Wrocław, 1969
Świdnicka-Street in Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
Housing estate in Wrocław, 1969
Ossolineum Breslau, 1969
Exhibition room in the Museum of Architecture in Wrocław, 1969
The Oder at the seat building of the Lower-Silesia Voivodship authorities in Wrocław, 1970
The Pagoda of the Japanese Garden in the Szczytnicki Park in Wroclaw, 1971
Fencer Fountain of Wrocław, 1972
Square Nowy Targ in Wrocław, 1972
The Oder at the seat building of the Lower-Silesia Voivodship authorities in Wrocław, 1970
The Pagoda of the Japanese Garden in the Szczytnicki Park in Wroclaw, 1971
Fencer Fountain of Wrocław, 1972
Square Nowy Targ in Wrocław, 1972
The Wrocław Market Hall at the Plac Nankiera, 1972
The Philharmonie in Wrocław, 1972
City view Wrocław, 1972.
Wrocław University, 1972
The Wrocław Market Hall at the Plac Nankiera, 1972
The Philharmonie in Wrocław, 1972
City view Wrocław, 1972.
Wrocław University, 1972
Kameleon Department Store in Wrocław, 1972
Cathedral Island Wrocław, 1972
City view Wrocław, 1973
Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" on the Wrocław Market Square, 1973
Kameleon Department Store in Wrocław, 1972
Cathedral Island Wrocław, 1972
City view Wrocław, 1973
Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" on the Wrocław Market Square, 1973
St. Adalbert Church, 1973
Facade of the Dolnośląskie Centrum Medyczne DOLMED (Medical Center), 1977
Inner courtyard of the old city prison in Wrocław, 1981
High-rise building in Wroclaw, 1983.
St. Adalbert Church, 1973
Facade of the Dolnośląskie Centrum Medyczne DOLMED (Medical Center), 1977
Inner courtyard of the old city prison in Wrocław, 1981
High-rise building in Wroclaw, 1983.
Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" at the Wrocław Market Square, 1983
The Ursuline convent in Wrocław, 1985
High-rise building at Plac Grunwaldzki in Wrocław, 1986
Workers in front of a coke oven battery of the Victoria coal mine in Hermsdorf, 1986
Tenement houses "Jaś i Małgosia" at the Wrocław Market Square, 1983
The Ursuline convent in Wrocław, 1985
High-rise building at Plac Grunwaldzki in Wrocław, 1986
Workers in front of a coke oven battery of the Victoria coal mine in Hermsdorf, 1986
A worker in front of a coke oven battery of the Victoria coal mine in Hermsdorf, 1986
Archbishop's Palace in Wrocław, 1986.
St. Martin's Church and Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross and St. Bartholomew in Wrocław, 1986
Gravestones in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Wrocław, 1986
A worker in front of a coke oven battery of the Victoria coal mine in Hermsdorf, 1986
Archbishop's Palace in Wrocław, 1986.
St. Martin's Church and Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross and St. Bartholomew in Wrocław, 1986
Gravestones in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Wrocław, 1986
Skyscrapers at Plac Grunwaldzki in Wrocław, 1987.
Street view Katowice with old and new buildings, 1987
Oriel window at Wroclaw City Hall, 1987
High-rise building of the Sparkasse on the Market Square in Wrocław, 1988
Skyscrapers at Plac Grunwaldzki in Wrocław, 1987.
Street view Katowice with old and new buildings, 1987
Oriel window at Wroclaw City Hall, 1987
High-rise building of the Sparkasse on the Market Square in Wrocław, 1988
Scaffolded tower of the St. Elizabeth's Church in Wrocław, 1988
Hotel "Panorama" in Grabiszyn (Wrocław), 1989
Hotel "Orbis" in Wrocław, 1989
City view Wrocław, 1987
Scaffolded tower of the St. Elizabeth's Church in Wrocław, 1988
Hotel "Panorama" in Grabiszyn (Wrocław), 1989
Hotel "Orbis" in Wrocław, 1989
City view Wrocław, 1987
Snowy road near Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
Stefan Arczyński (right) with a friend in Moscow, 1956
Snowy road near Wrocław, undated (after 1945)
Stefan Arczyński (right) with a friend in Moscow, 1956
Stefan Arczyński. A master of photography spanning two cultures
Fot. Stefan Arczyński. Źródło: Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft
Professional beginnings in liberated Poland
After his release from the transit camp and a short stay with his family in Solec Kujawski, Stefan travelled to Lower Silesia. Whilst there, he stayed in Lubawka, a town in the Sudetes, where his sister already lived with her family who had arrived there with other Poles from Berlin. (Little is known about this aspect of Stefan Arczyński’s biography and it requires research). Shortly afterwards, he was awarded Polish citizenship. He has the authorities in Kamienna Góra to thank for the fact that he was able to open a photography studio there.
Two years later, Stefan Arczyński moved to Wrocław where he ran his photography studio at 2 Łokietka Street for many years. He was also an active member of Wrocławskie Towarzystwo Fotograficzne (Wroclaw Photographic Society), where he gave lessons in photography. In 1951, he became a member of the Związek Polskich Artystów Fotografików (Association of Polish Art Photographers), whose art committee he was member of for 15 years.
In the years that followed, he documented the social life of Wrocław and of Lower Silesia, including monuments and landscapes amongst his motifs. Anything worth pointing out, he captured with a matter-of-factness and professional detachment. He did not follow the trend at the time of politicising the medium of photography, but instead remained faithful to the techniques that he had learnt in Germany in the 1930s. His pictures are prepared in detail and are technically perfect.
Stefan Szczygieł (1961-2011) studied photography and free art at the Düsseldorf Academy of Art. He was an innovative artist whose contemporary digital photography moved between the real, the digital a...
He was introduced to the secrets of portrait photography by the German masters of the subject. When the Nazis seized power, he was forced to leave Germany.