sala 3 – Memory of Radogoszcz (en) – Radogoszcz 1945

In the common perception of both Łódź citizens contemporary to the events and the following generations, the tragedy of Radogoszcz soon stopped being only a historical fact or an element of wartime statistics. The enormity of the suffering inflicted there has been reflected in all kinds of commemoration forms. The present map of Łódź still includes plaques, monuments, graves, and even works of art commemorating the victims of the Radogoszcz prison. Each year, we honour the memory of the murdered by organising cyclic events. The history of Radogoszcz is one of the stories about Łódź that we cannot and will never forget.

Burial places

1. Łódź, 141 Zgierska Street – St. Roch’s Cemetery, 141 Zgierska Street. Two mass graves of men murdered during the Radogoszcz massacre.

: Graves of Radogoszcz prisoners in St. Roch’s Cemetery. Photograph by Museum of Independence Traditions.

2. Łódź, 81 Kurczaki Street – St. Adalbert’s Cemetery, 81 Kurczaki Street. The only cemetery in Łódź where Poles could be buried during the occupation. The burial place of those who died in the Radogoszcz prison.

: A fragment of The Book of the Dead and Buried in St. Adalbert’s Cemetery in Kurczaki in the Years 1942-1945. Records concerning Radogoszcz prisoners. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. A- 2359

: A fragment of The Book of the Dead and Buried in St. Adalbert’s Cemetery in Kurczaki in the Years 1942-1945. Records concerning Radogoszcz prisoners. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. A- 2359

Commemorative Exhibitions and Plaques

3. Łódź, 44 Sienkiewicza Street – City Art Gallery in Sienkiewicz Park, where the first exhibition of mementoes of the murdered Radogoszcz prisoners was held.

4. Łódź, 1 Wolności Square – A commemorative plaque unveiled on February 29, 1948, on the wall of Church of the Pentecost in Łódź, 1 Wolności Square.

: A plaque devoted to the memory of Radogoszcz victims on the wall of the Church of the Pentecost in Łódź, January 1967. Museum of Independence Traditions in Łódź, ref. no. I-7286

5. Łódź, 17 Liściasta Street – A commemorative plaque on the wall of the “Prima” Piston Ring Factory, 17 Liściasta Street, unveiled on September 1, 1969. It is devoted to representatives of the Łódź intelligentsia imprisoned in the transit camp in Michał Glazer’s factory. Some of them were transferred to the prison in Radogoszcz.

: Coverage of the unveiling of the plaque. “Tablice pamiątkowe w miejscach straceń” (“Commemorative Plaques at Execution Sites”), Dziennik Łódzki of September 2, 1969, no. 208a, p. 3

6. Łódź, 147 Zgierska Street –The first permanent exhibition in the building of the former Radogoszcz prison, 147 Zgierska Street, opened on January 19, 1976.

: An invitation to the opening of the exhibition. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. A-4381

: A photograph showing visitors during the opening of the exhibition in Radogoszcz on January 19, 1976. Museum of Independence Traditions in Łódź, ref. no. I-6893

Mausoleum Łódź, 147 Zgierska Street

7. The Mausoleum in the grounds of the former prison in Radogoszcz at 147 Zgierska Street. It was created in 1959-1961. The author of the concept was architect Tadeusz Herburt. Wacław Bald supported him in the creation of the urban concept.

Monument to the Victims of Fascism in Pamięci Narodowej Square. Designed by Tadeusz Łodzina and Wacław Filipowicz.
A sarcophagus of black granite, designed by Władysław Herburt, with an inscription: “Here we lie, murdered on the eve of freedom – our names and bodies were taken by fire – we only live in your memory – let no such inhumane death ever happen again”, written by Tadeusz Chróścielewski.
Bas-reliefs on the wall enclosing the mausoleum area from Zgierska Street. Created by Antoni Biłas.
A wrought iron fence, decorated with abstract geometric shapes of metal sheet, created by Roman Modzelewski.
The bas-relief on the front wall of the exhibition building, created by Kazimierz Karpiński.
A wooden cross erected in the mausoleum area on April 29, 1990.

: “Chwała poległym, pokój żywym. Wiec na Radogoszczu zgromadził 60 tysięcy łodzian” (“Glory to the Fallen, Peace to Those Alive. 60,000 Citizens of Łódź Attended the Rally in Radogoszcz”), Dziennik Łódzki of September 10/11, 1961, no. 214, pp. 1-2.

: Information about a public display of the plan to alter the mausoleum in the Art Gallery and an invitation to public consultations. “Łodzianie zdecydują jak będzie wyglądał pomnik – mauzoleum na Radogoszczu” (“Citizens of Łódź Will Decide What the Monument/Mausoleum in Radogoszcz Will Look Like”), Dziennik Łódzki of June 30, 1959, no. 153, p. 3

: Photographs taken at the rally on September 9, Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-790

: Photographs taken at the rally on September 9, 1961. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-780

: Photographs taken at the rally on September 9, Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-788

: A photograph showing the unveiling of the Monument to the Victims of Fascism. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-784

: A notice of the date of the unveiling of the Monument to the Victims of Fascism. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. A-8420

: A photograph showing the placing of an urn under the sarcophagus, September 8, 1961. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-12822

: A photograph showing the unveiling of the sarcophagus on the night of September 8, 1961. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-13082

: A photograph of the fence. Museum of Independence Traditions, photograph by B. Kowska

: A photograph of a bas-relief. Museum of Independence Traditions, photograph by B. Kowska

: A photograph of an iron cast. Museum of Independence Traditions, photograph by B. Kowska

: A photograph of the elevation of the exhibition building. Museum of Independence Traditions, photograph by B. Kowska.

: A photograph of the elevation of the exhibition building. Museum of Independence Traditions, photograph by B. Kowska.

: A photograph showing the erection of the cross. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-13324

Commemorative Events

8. Łódź, 1 Wolności Square – The blessing of a symbolic coffin displayed on January 18-19, 1948, in front of the Garrison Church at 1 Wolności Square.

: A description of the ceremony connected with an anniversary of the Radogoszcz massacre. “Łódź złożyła hołd poległym” (“Łódź Paid Homage to the Fallen”), Dziennik Łódzki of January 20, 1948, no. 19, p. 2.

9. Łódź, 18 Traugutta Street – A relay race and the First National Kayaking Trip of the Textile Trade Union to the Sea Festival in Szczecin, June 1947.

: Coverage of the kayaking trip – information about an urn with the ashes of those murdered in Radogoszcz, carried by the contestants. “Płyniemy do Szczecina!” (“We Are Going to Szczecin!”), Głos Robotniczy of June 5, 1947, no. 152a p. 8

10. Łódź, 147 Zgierska Street – A Holy Mass at the wall of the burnt prison celebrated on January 28, 1945.

: Photographs taken during the Mass. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-5608

: Photographs taken during the Mass. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-5606

: Photographs taken during the Mass. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-5602

: Photographs taken during the Mass. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-1550

11. Łódź, 147 Zgierska Street – Annual ceremonies in honour of the murdered in the Radogoszcz prison, held since 1946.

: Photographs showing anniversary ceremonies from 2020-2021. Museum of Independence Traditions, photograph by B. Kowska

12. Łódź, 147 Zgierska Street – A hike and a cycling excursion in memory of Radogoszcz, organised since 1964 by Jan Czeraszkiewicz Łódź Division of the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society.

: Photographs of badges connected with the event. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. M-5713

: Photographs of badges connected with the event. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. M-5711

: Photographs of badges connected with the event. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. M-5708

13. Łódź, 147 Zgierska Street – The Radogoszcz Memory Night – cyclical meetings organised since 2017 on the anniversary of the funeral of the Radogoszcz massacre victims.

: A photograph taken during the event. Museum of Independence Traditions, photograph by A. Kamiński

Commissions and Committees

14. Łódź,16 Pomorska Street – The building of Emilia Sczaniecka 4th Secondary School at 16 Pomorska Street (previously 16 Nowotki Street), which housed:

The Secretariat of the Social Committee for the Protection of the Radogoszcz Prison;
The office of the editorial team of Czarna Księga Zbrodni Hitlerowskich w Radogoszczu 1939-1945 (The Black Book of Nazi Crimes in Radogoszcz 1939-1945);
The Commission for the Rebuilding of Radogoszcz, a part of the City Committee for the Protection of the Graves of Fighters for Freedom.

: A photograph of the school building. Museum of Independence Traditions, ref. no. I-13653

15. Łódź, 307 Piotrkowska Street – The building of the Łódź Radio Family at 307 Piotrkowska Street, where the Social Committee for the Protection of the Radogoszcz Prison established in July 1946 met (in the autumn of 1946, it was moved to 16 Nowotki Street).

16. Łódź, 236 Piotrkowska Street – The building at 236 Piotrkowska Street, which housed the Secretariat of the City Committee for the Protection of the Graves of Fighters for Freedom and the Former Radogoszcz Prison.

17. Łódź, 5 Komuny Paryskiej Square – The seat of the Social Fund for the Rebuilding of the Capital (S.F.O.S.), the Committee of the City of Łódź, located at 5 Komuny Paryskiej Square. The Committee was responsible for the construction of the Radogoszcz mausoleum.

18. Former Radogoszcz Prisoners Disabled Co-Operative (the name adopted in 1950).

: A photograph showing employees of the Former Radogoszcz Prisoners Disabled Co-Operative laying wreaths on an anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, 1955. Museum of Independence Traditions in Łódź, ref. no. I-10762