Over 100 memorial plaques damaged in Warsaw. City estimates costs

The newspaper reported that, according to Warsaw's preservation chief officer Michał Krasucki, the average cost of repairing one plaque was estimated at 5,100 zlotys. The estimation was done by a specialised company hired by the city's central district of Śródmieście, in which seven plaques had been damaged.

"The scale of damage done is much bigger, which has been confirmed by authorities in other district. If we assume information provided by the head of Warsaw's "Gazeta Polska" Club is true, the number of plaques smeared with glue exceeds 140. Bringing them all back to their original state may consume over 700,000 zlotys" - "Gazeta Stołeczna" wrote.

"This cannot be done in fragments. A very powerful glue was used, the kind which leaves permanent marks on the historic sandstone. A detailed conservation of whole plaques is necessary. Hence, the cost," city historic preservation officer said.

The paper pointed out it was a result of an organised action by "right-wing fanatics", carried out under the guise of "fight against a historical lie", two weeks ago on October 2-3. The said plaques were made in late 1940s by scultptor Karol Tchorek. They can be seen in many locations in Warsaw, in places where fighting broke out and city residents were murdered during WWII.

In line with the official narrative of post-war Poland, the Germans are referred to on the plaques as the Nazis. Initially, there were approx. 200 such memorials, but 165 have survived until today. Recently, all of Karol Tchorek's historic plaques have been supplemented with plexiglass plaques, donated by the PGE Foundation, with more detailed information about the events that had taken place at each site. In the text, the perpetrators are referred to as the Germans.

The participants of the action carried out by "Gazeta Polska" Club, led by the Warsaw branch chief Adam Borowski, covered the word "Hitlerowcy" (the Nazis) on each sculpture with small pieces of foam-plaques saying "the Germans".

"Karol Tchorek's plaques are placed on buildings of various ownership status. More than half of them belong to the city which will initially pay for their renovation. We will demand that the "Gazeta Polska" Club reimburse the money" Michał Krasucki said.

After stating the plaques had been damaged, Krasucki notified the police. He reported not only the damage itself, but also desecration of memorial sites.

The police informed Warsaw historic preservation office about the case being referred to a prosecutor's office. Krasucki informed he would ask the voivodeship historic preservation office to place the plaques under strict protection by adding them to the register, "Gazeta Stołeczna" informed.