Rola pomników w mieście na przykładzie Krakowa – przyczynek do rozważań na temat dziejów krakowskich pomników

Abstract

THE ROLE OF MONUMENTS IN A CITY: THE CASE OF KRAKÓW. A CONTRIBUTION TO THE DISCUSSION ON THE HISTORY OF KRAKÓW’S MONUMENTS

Monuments – sculptural or sculptural-architectural creations – are permanently inscribed in the landscape of many cities. In the literature on the subject, they are often referred to as ‘carriers’ or ‘institutions’ of social memory, as their role is to commemorate, create and consolidate our collective memory about eminent personages and socially significant events, thus shaping community spirit, identity, and local or national pride in a shared past. They also reflect ideas and values (social, political, artistic and universal) that are significant for a given generation, becoming an important source of knowledge about society. As long as a monument is being noticed and present among the people who encounter it, sometimes stirring extreme emotions and provoking public debate about its content, form and location, it fulfils its symbolic function of the ‘carrier of memory’ and resists being reduced to a purely decorative element of the cityscape. Just how consequential the role of monuments is for the history of society can clearly be seen in the case of Kraków which has been labelled ‘the city of monuments’ since the beginning of the 19th century. In the era of the partitions, when Poland lost its independence as a state, it was the city of Kraków (under Austrian rule) which saw an outpouring of monuments in its public space. Kraków’s statues mostly explored patriotic and national themes, reflecting Polish national values and ideas. The 20th century (after 1989), and especially the 21st century also proved conducive to the art of monument-making. Similar to many other Polish cities at the time, Kraków became obsessed with a sort of ‘monument mania’ – a phenomenon which would sometimes reveal its wild, chaotic side. It was at that time that the city experienced democratization of public space, as monuments became an easily accessible medium both for the authorities, and for the various social groups which used it to promote a diversity of significant values and historical narratives, occasionally sparking conflicts between different variants of social memory and provoking heated discussions the role of monuments in a city.