By Mila Edensor
Archives have traditionally been a dangerous place for queer people. Either ignored completely, or memorialised in their most humiliated moments – in police records and sensationalist headlines – objects used to build queer histories often reflect the prejudices of the time, failing to offer a full narrative of the lives they claim to represent.
Courtesy of QueerMuzeum Warszawa.
This is why the opening of QueerMuzeum, Poland’s first queer museum and the very first in Eastern Europe, represents such a landmark moment. Founded by Lambda Warszava, Poland’s oldest LGBT+ organisation, this museum cements a humanising monument to queer history in the middle of Warsaw, the Polish capital.
Lambda has long been at the forefront of preserving and facilitating access to historical LGBT+ resources, supporting various organisations in their endeavours. Their extensive collection encompasses a rich array of materials. Among these are publications from the Polish LGBT+ press dating back to the 1980s, press clippings covering non-heteronormative issues, and archives of former LGBT+ magazines. The organisation also houses a wealth of organisational materials, including posters, leaflets, brochures, postcards, pins, stickers, banners, and legal documents detailing the situation of LGBT+ people in Poland. Additionally, their archives feature cultural and personal records, such as materials related to LGBT+ culture, activities within clubs and pubs, private collections, and invaluable “oral history” recordings that capture the lived experiences of the community.
Choosing from a collection of over 100,000 artifacts, the organisation has curated an exhibition using around 150, tracing Polish queer history as far back as the 16th century.
Furthermore, this comes at a time of great struggle for the Polish queer community. Having endured eight years of hardline conservative governance, the newly elected centrists campaigned with a promise to legalise civil partnerships. However, much to the disappointment of the community, this legislation is still yet to materialize. Despite a draft having been published, threats from parties on the right, and resistance from a conservative president, means that the success of the bill remains in jeopardy.
In an interview with TVP – Lambda president, Miłosz Przepiórkowski pointed out: “We are on Marszalkowska Street, right in the heart of Warsaw—this should also be a message to the politicians: ‘look, we are opening the fifth queer museum in the world in a country where the legal situation for queer people is the worst in the whole of the EU’.”
Further, not only do the artifacts tell the story of Poland’s rich queer history, but the ceremony itself, attended by individuals connected to the nation’s history of queer activism, was a testament to a living movement, informed and strengthened by its past.
Activists present since the 80’s such as writer Andrzej Selerowicz and Ryszard Kisiel, founder of the queer publication ‘Filo’, were part of the founding act – – both attending the opening and contributing artifacts to the museum. Kisiel contributed a safe-sex leaflet from decades prior, while Selerowicz donated a 45 year-old photograph of himself and his partner.
Unlike traditional museums, with lofty exhibitions far removed from their attendees, the QueerMuzeum is a direct product of the community it seeks to represent and defend. In the words of Museum Director, Krzysztof Kliszczyński, “(…) since there have been people on Polish soil, there have been queer people on Polish soil – different terms were used, but they have always been there.”
A remedy to historical injustice and a symbol of resistance in turbulent times, the QueerMuzeum serves as a powerful testament to the enduring presence and resilience of Poland’s queer community.
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