Żarki, the synagogue, 2015

The photograph from Wojciech Wilczyk’s project “The Innocent Eye Does Not Exist” presents the façade of the Municipal Community Centre in Żarki, formerly a synagogue.The synagogue was built in 1870. It served as a house of prayer until World War II. In the 1950s, the building was renovated and modified so as to serve the needs of the Municipal Community Centre for the decades to follow.

In 2009–2013, the authorities of Żarki carried out a thorough renovation and modernisation of the building. It was necessary to re-cover the roof and rebuild the internal walls as well as the ceiling. A modern-styled annex was erected on the southern side. The front façade was also rebuilt to partially regain its pre-war appearance. Inside, a memorial room with memories of former residents – Jews and Poles – was arranged, and a plaque with information about the history of the building was placed on the front wall. The project was financed by the European Union and the Municipality of Żarki. In 2013, the city authorities signed a settlement with the Jewish Community in Katowice which – after receiving compensation for the plot on which the synagogue stands – withdrew from reclaiming the building.

The presented photograph comes from 2015. It is a proof of positive changes in the condition of Jewish heritage sites in Poland after 1989. Recent decades have seen an increase of awareness of the need to take care of monuments; also, local authorities and community activists ever more frequently memorialise places related to the history of Jews in the public space.

Krzysztof Bielawski