The Copernicus Center for Polish Studies (CCPS) at the University of Michigan is pleased to present an exhibition and related lectures on Zakopane, Poland. Situated in the scenic Tatra Mountains, in the 19th century Zakopane attracted artists, writers, and intellectuals from Poland’s four corners. Together with the local inhabitants, they created a diverse and distinctive community that flourishes today.

“100 Years of Polish Independence: Zakopane 1918” is an exhibition of photographs from the archives of the Tatra Museum in Zakopane. It tells the unique story of the short-lived Republic of Zakopane, which was established in the concluding weeks of the First World War. The exhibit will open on Monday, February 4, with a lecture at 5:30 PM by Maciej Krupa. Krupa is a journalist and mountain guide who lives and works in Zakopane. An anthropologist and historian by training, he is the co-founder of a local weekly newspaper and a former BBC World Service producer.

“We are thrilled to introduce Zakopane to the U-M and greater Detroit community. Zakopane is a wonderful place to visit, but it also has a fascinating—and surprising—history,” says Professor Geneviève Zubrzycki, director of CCPS. “Thanks to a collaboration with Polish institutions, we’re bringing that history to Ann Arbor. Stunning archival photographs reveal the beauty, originality, and diversity of the mountain resort town and its inhabitants.”

CCPS has curated the exhibit and organized public lectures in collaboration with the Tatra Museum, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Warsaw, and Culture.pl as part of POLSKA 100, an international cultural program commemorating the centenary of Poland regaining Independence. It is financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland as part of the multi-year program NIEPODLEGŁA 2017-22. The lectures and exhibit are free and open to the public.

Mon, Feb 4, 5:30-7 PM
Lecture and Exhibition Opening. 100 Years of Polish Independence: Zakopane 1918
555 & 547 Weiser Hall, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor

February 4 – May 3, 8 AM-5 PM
Exhibition. 100 Years of Polish Independence: Zakopane 1918
International Institute Gallery, 547 Weiser Hall

Wed, Feb 6, 12-1:20 PM
CREES Noon Lecture. The Polish Athens: Zakopane as a Center of Polish Culture
555 Weiser Hall

May 6 - Dec 24
Exhibition. 100 Years of Polish Independence: Zakopane 1918
Tenth floor gallery, Weiser Hall
Tenth floor gallery hours may vary - we advise contacting copernicus@umich.edu before visiting to ensure access.

Contact: Marysia Ostafin / T: 734.764.0351 / E: copernicus@umich.edu / ii.umich.edu/polish

The Copernicus Center for Polish Studies (CCPS) at the University of Michigan was established in 2014 after 40 years of activity and programs offered by the Nicolaus Copernicus Endowment. CCPS supports faculty, programs, and student fellowships in Polish studies. It also organizes the Annual Copernicus Lecture, which brings prominent academic, cultural, and political figures to campus to advance a deeper understanding of Poland’s people, culture, and history. For more information, visit ii.umich.edu/polish.  

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