Today the organisers of the Polish IA Summit took us to the Warsaw Rising museum. It’s not often that a museum moves you to tears, but this did and it reminded me of something important that I want to make happen.
The Warsaw Uprising
The museum is about the Warsaw Uprising which was an operation by the Polish Resistance Home Army to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The Polish government was against it because they knew the Resistance wouldn’t win and it would only result in deaths and injuries. But it went ahead anyway. On the 31st of July the Polish commanders General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski and Colonel Antoni Chruściel order the Home Army to mobilise their forces by 17:00 the next day and so, on the 1st of August 1944 it began. It lasted for 63 days, a lot longer than expected and anticipated by the Germans and the museum tells the story of those days. 63 days where around 16,000 from the Polish Resistance died. Between 150,000-200,000 Polish civilians, most from mass murders. And over 8,000 German soliders. During the street combats around 25% of the city was destroyed and when the Polish surrendered Germans troops levelled a further 35% of the city with the ground. By January 1945 85% of Warsaw was destroyed.
Built and opened on the 60th anniversary of the Uprisings in 2004, the Warsaw Rising museum is one of the best museums I’ve been too. In terms of designing an experience and telling the story it’s incredibly impactfull. Symbolising the heart of Warsaw there is a monument cutting through the three floors of the museum with the sound of a heartbeat coming out of it. It’s loud enough so you can hear it if you stand close by and if you put your hand against the wall you can feel each beat. But there are other sounds coming out of it as well. From holes the size of a two pound coin sounds from the war are channeled. It’s powerful and moving in all its simpleness and raw execution. If you go to Warsaw visit this museum. I really recommend it.
A reminder
The reason I’m writing about this here, other than recommending you to go, is that a couple of years back D and I watched the documentary The Cove. It’s with mixed emotions that I recommend that you see it as the images they show are horrendous, but it tells an important story of the dolphins slaughter happening over in Japan. I didn’t know about the extent of the dolphin slaughter before we saw the movie and as I was sat watching it in tears I decided that one day I’m going to create something to help people and organisations get their important messages across, to create awareness and make it easier for people to help. Being at the Rising museum in Warsaw reminded me of this.
Knowledge is power and in our industry we have the ability to help get messages out there and to connect people. Be it a small charity, a family, neighbourhood or group of friends wanting to make an impact, or larger organisations, schools or companies working on a cause, or as in the case of today making sure that what’s happened is not forgotten. I want to make something that helps communicate these messages and which helps connect people to make a difference.
I have a few ideas of the focus and angle and after yesterday’s visit I want to make it happen sooner rather than later. If you know of or have a cause or message that you think the world should know about, let me know and I’ll get in contact with you.
The world can definitely be a better place and we can help make it happen.
Tomorrow – Day 113 | Week 16 summary
Image from the visit at the museum
