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De l’Empire allemand à l’Europe : Strasbourg, Poznań et leur héritage allemand

The Imperial Castle in Poznań: Histories of its Polonization

Piotr Korduba
p. 101-119

Abstracts

The Imperial Castle in Poznań, conceived as a residence for Wilhelm II, reflects a complex history of Polonization. The original project aimed to culturally and politically “elevate” (heben) the eastern German provinces. The castle was at the centre of a symbolical space, surrounded by institutions (Academy Building, Prussian Settlement Commission, etc.) showcasing national identity. After First World War, the building was “polonized”, which included removing German symbols and its establishment as a residence of the President of the Republic, while many of the surrounding buildings housed key Faculties of the newly created University of Poznań. The castle’s role during Second World War as Hitler’s residence and subsequent adaptation in the post-war era further shaped its identity narrative. The decision to preserve it after the war faced opposition, but since its transformation into the “Palace of Culture” in 1962 (renamed “Zamek [Castle] Culture Centre” in 1993), it rapidly become part of public memory. Post-1989, discussions on the castle’s function and identity led to renovations, the establishment of the “Royal-Imperial Route” destined at tourists, a revived interest in its history, and even local pride. The castle, once a symbol of German rule, now stands as a dynamic part of the city’s history, integrating past narratives with contemporary cultural functions. However, the reconstruction of the “Polish” Royal Castle of Przemysł II, which started in 2010, a controversial project aiming to overshadow the “German” Imperial Castle, reflects tensions between historical narratives in Poznań. Recent developments, such as events organized by the LGBT+ community, showcase the castle’s evolving meaning.

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Excerpt

Full text document will be published online on June 2025.

Outline

The interwar period
The Second World War and after
The Regional Committee of the Polish United Workers’ Party
Transformation times
Conservation policy
The response
Conclusions

First lines

When Lviv-born architect Władysław Czarnecki, who later won much recognition in Poznań, saw its city centre for the first time, he noted:

“The view from the Kaponiera makes an awful first impression. The overwhelming, heavy silhouette of the pseudo-Romanesque stone castle and the tall tower as a dominant feature in the foreground lent the city a typically German character”.

Let us add that this was not an isolated opinion.

The view which unfolded before Czarnecki’s eyes is still there today in its essential outlines and components (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Imperial Castle (Franz Schwechten, 1905-1910), photograph, before 1940.

Fig. 1. Imperial Castle (Franz Schwechten, 1905-1910), photograph, before 1940.

Audiovisual Archives, Faculty of Art Studies, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań.

The eponymous Imperial Castle/University Quarter is broadly conceived as the city centre area of Poznań, located around the former Imperial Castle of Wilhelm II, currently the city’s main cultural institution: “Zamek [Castle] Culture Centre”, neighbouring to the west w...

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References

Bibliographical reference

Piotr Korduba, “The Imperial Castle in Poznań: Histories of its Polonization”Revue d’Allemagne et des pays de langue allemande, 56-1 | 2024, 101-119.

Electronic reference

Piotr Korduba, “The Imperial Castle in Poznań: Histories of its Polonization”Revue d’Allemagne et des pays de langue allemande [Online], 56-1 | 2024, Online since 19 June 2025, connection on 07 February 2025. URL: http://0-journals-openedition-org.catalogue.libraries.london.ac.uk/allemagne/3997; DOI: https://0-doi-org.catalogue.libraries.london.ac.uk/10.4000/11uxh

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About the author

Piotr Korduba

Director of the Institute of Art History, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

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Copyright

The text and other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.

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