In its latest report on Karol Nawrocki, the PiS candidate for the presidency of Poland, "Gazeta Wyborcza" revealed further irregularities during his tenure as director of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk.
Nawrocki, who presents himself as an independent candidate for the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, has been serving as president of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) since 2021. Prior to that, he was the director of the Museum from 2017.
Investigation into destruction of historical materials at the WWII Museum under Nawrocki's direction
Journalists from Gazeta Wyborcza uncovered that, during Nawrocki’s time as head of the Museum of WWII in Gdańsk, over 7,900 historical materials worth more than 200,000 PLN (47,410 EUR or 49,220 USD) were destroyed.
The investigation into this matter has been extended until April 23, 2025, after the current leadership of the museum filed a report to the prosecutor’s office accusing the destruction of significant property in commercial transactions.
An employee of the Museum of the Second World War, who followed Nawrocki’s orders to remove valuable historical albums, was also tasked with overseeing the museum’s famous apartments, which Nawrocki allegedly used for free for over six months.
As previously reported by Radio Poland, Nawrocki lived about 5 kilometers from the museum but used a luxurious apartment at the facility without paying.
According to documents obtained by "Gazeta Wyborcza," the employee responsible for the destruction of the valuable catalogs and the hotel management at the museum was Karolina Imianowska, who Nawrocki later offered a directorial position at the Institute of National Remembrance after he became its head.
Screenshot from the Friday publication of the Polish daily "Gazeta Wyborcza" about Karol Nawrocki.
Destruction of WWII Museum catalogs and Nawrocki's controversial ties to IPN appointments
Imianowska, who holds a degree in physical education, became the head of IPN's publishing department. During her time at the museum, she completed an MBA and a one-year business study program at the University of Gdańsk. In the fall, when it became clear that Nawrocki would be PiS’s presidential candidate, she left the IPN. The Institute told "Gazeta Wyborcza" that she is "currently using her outstanding vacation."
Nawrocki is also alleged to have recruited Sebastian Marciniak, responsible for the operation to remove "inconvenient" catalogs from the Gdańsk museum, and Magdalena Hajduk, the director of the digital projects department, to the IPN.
Additionally, one of the former deputy directors of the Museum of the Second World War, who now holds a high position in the IPN, is also accused of using the museum's hotel services for free.
The current authorities at the Museum of the Second World War suspect that the missing albums were destroyed, and the former director of the institution, Prof. Paweł Machcewicz, suggested that this may be linked to the fact that he wrote the introduction to those publications.
The new leadership of the WWII Museum in Gdańsk has not taken a stance on the matter and is awaiting the conclusion of the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, on social media, they have shared the details of the repairs and installation of new exhibition elements that were completed during the renovation work on the main exhibition from January 7-17, 2025.
?ﾸﾏ Zachęcamy do obejrzenia krótkiego wideo, przedstawiającego zakres napraw, a także montaż nowych elementów ekspozycji, jakie zostały zrealizowane w trakcie prac remontowych w dniach 7-17 stycznia 2025 roku na wystawie głównej Muzeum II Wojny Światowej w Gdańsku. ? Szczegółowe informacje dostępne są na stronie internetowej muzeum: https://tiny.pl/n9pj27kh
Opublikowany przez Muzeum II Wojny Światowej Piątek, 31 stycznia 2025
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Source: Gazeta Wyborcza/IAR/Facebook.com/Muzeum.II.Wojny.Swiatowej
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