Ruins next to new investments. Post-war Warsaw captured by Adolf Duszek

"This was his passion, which he was fully devoted to. In most cases he photographed architecture, as well as people. In fact, he was doing it without intent to have it published somewhere. He was simply taking photographs and capturing life in real time," his son Roman Duszek was quoted as saying in a district statement.

Priceless negatives have been found in the home of the Duszek family in Stare Bielany neighbourhood. "My sister found boxes filled with negatives while cleaning the house. There's really plenty of them, and I suspect my father had never printed out many of them. It was a huge surprise to us," Roman Duszek said.

Adolf Duszek's photos mainly show key areas of today's Bielany district but, thanks to the found negatives, viewers will also be able to see small Old Town streets badly damaged during the war.

"The photographer documented reconstruction of Warsaw, presenting it not as propaganda, but rather how it really was. Destroyed houses stand next to new investments. Ruins of narrow, historic streets of the Old Town terrify with desolation and destruction, while the next photo shows workers finishing reconstruction of tenement houses at the Old Town Market Place," Bielany District City Hall officials noticed.

The photos also show the ruins of tenement houses and streets, which later were replaced by Parade Square, standing right next to almost fully completed Palace of Culture and Science.

The photographs will be presented to wider public next year. The Duszek family have decided to join forces with Bielany District City Hall and local Fototeka.

"I'm delighted with the discovered collection. This remarkable photographic documentation shows how the Bielany district, as well as Warsaw, looked many decades ago. Mr Duszek's archive is a priceless treasure and a real treat not only for Varsavianists, but I guess for all residents of the capital city too," said Bielany Mayor Grzegorz Pietruczuk.

After preserving all photos digitally, the district authorites plan to publish an album, organise an exhibition and history walks through the locations captured by Adolf Duszek.