As of Tuesday, 25th January 2005, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews is in partnership with the Polish Government, the City of Warsaw authorities and the Jewish Historical Institute Association in Poland.
If anyone had any doubts whether the Museum of the History of Polish Jews will really be built in Poland, then the agreement signed by the three parties dispels those doubts.
AN AGREEMENT TO BUILD THE MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF POLISH JEWS [25.01.2005]
On the 25th of January, at the Ministry of Culture, the Minister of Culture, Waldemar Dabrowski, the President of the City of Warsaw Lech Kaczynski and representing the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute prof. Jerzy Tomaszewski signed an Agreement to create a cultural institution called the Museum of the History of Polish Jews.
In keeping with the Agreement’s resolutions, the Museum’s activities will aim to show the history of the Jewish people on the historic lands of the Republic of Poland, and in Warsaw.
The aims of the Museum will be realised in cooperation with Polish and international cultural, educational and academic institutions (especially with the Jewish Historical Institute), government and local government authorities, non-government organisations, and the media.
“We cannot allow for even the most dramatic moment in history, such as the Holocaust, to invalidate the sense of the important and truly creative presence of the Jewish community in the Polish economic, cultural, political life. This task proved to be difficult, in fact very difficult”, Minister Waldemar Dabrowski said after signing the Agreement. “However, today, jointly with President Lech Kaczynski we decided to bring the Museum of the History of Polish Jews into being – a cultural institution which from tomorrow will start to realise the concept and shape of the future Museum”.
“Yes, we are taking on the difficult task of building the Museum of the History of Polish Jews”, President Lech Kaczynski said, while expressing his satisfaction that the City of Warsaw authorities can contribute to the creation of this institution. “I hope that even though under different conditions, we will be able to achieve this as efficiently as in the case of the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising. I am confident that the Museum of the History of Polish Jews will be built quickly. I truly believe that our country and our city – Warsaw – will be a richer place when the Museum is finally opened”.
The history of Polish Jews is an inseparable part of Polish history”, reminded prof. Jerzy Tomaszewski. At the same time the history of Polish Jews is still little known. Hence, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews becomes an extremely important element in the general teaching of history in Poland. I believe that the Minister of Culture and the current President of Warsaw deserve credit for the fact that finally after many, many years we have reached the moment when the Museum is becoming a reality”, added prof.Tomaszewski.
The Minister of Culture will provide PLN 40 million to build the Museum. Funds for this investment program, which will take several years to realise, will be funded from the Government’s budget after approval by the Council of Ministers. The President of the City of Warsaw will also provide PLN 40 million after receiving approval from his City Council. The Association of the Jewish Historic Institute, as the investor, will transfer its legal rights to the property bordered by Lewartowski, Anielewicz, and Zamenhofa Streets to the City of Warsaw. The Association of the Jewish Historic Institute, which will be the co-founder of the Museum, is committed to raise at least PLN 20 million from donations for this project. The total cost of the investment is PLN 100 million.
The Act outlining the organisational and cultural aspects of the project, deeds The Minister of Culture and the President of the City of Warsaw to be the Museum organisers of the building construction and financial support for the operational management of the Museum after it has been opened.
In the first instance, until the Museum building is constructed, the Museum will be registered with the Presidency of the City of Warsaw. After the Museum building is commissioned by the investor it will be registered at the Ministry of Culture. The exact cost and form of the investment will be known after the outcome of the architectural Competition is known. Responsibility for conducting the Competition lies with the Association of the Jewish Historic Institute.
The Agreement stipulated 31 December 2008 as the expected completion date of the investment, though all three signatories expressed their desire to complete it as quickly as possible.
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