Warsaw. Tombstones from the cemeteries of German settlers from the Olęder region have been renovated

Conservation work on the lapidarium consisting of plaques and obelisks from the Olęder cemetery in Kępa Tarchomińska has been completed. Their results can be seen at Ruskowy Bród Street. The gravestones were placed in the form of a memorial wall.

The renovation of tombstones from the former cemeteries of German settlers, the so-called Olęders, began two months ago. The work was commissioned by the Office of the Capital Conservator of Monuments, due to the poor condition of the tombstones and their importance for the history of Białołęka. It was carried out by Portofino Magdalena Olszowska.

“As part of the work, surface dirt was removed. Biological layers were removed using mechanical and chemical methods, comprehensive disinfection was carried out. The stone surface was also cleaned using mechanical and chemical methods. Defects and cracks were filled with fine-grained mineral mortar and covered with a water-repellent layer,” BSZK informs in a press release.

Memorial wall with 17 tombstones

The lapidarium includes 17 tombstones or their fragments, made of sandstone, granite and limestone. Their origin dates back to the period from the end of the 19th century to the 1930s.

Currently, the objects are arranged in a row, compositionally creating a wall of memory. They can be found along the walking alley in the recreational area intended for a skate park and playground at Ruskowy Bród Street.

The Office of the Warsaw Conservator of Monuments explains that soil and leaves falling from neighboring trees and bushes accumulate over time in narrow spaces between objects. Their accumulation has a negative impact on the condition of stone objects and their moisture content.

Officials announce cooperation with the district to develop a new arrangement of the lapidarium in which the arrangement of the slabs does not cause conservation problems. “So that the dignified commemoration of the former inhabitants is also more clear to every recipient,” they point out.

Evidence of former German settlement in Białołęka before renovation

The Olęders drained the areas of Białołęka

The lapidarium borders the former Evangelical cemetery at Ruskowy Bród Street. It was the burial place of “olęder” settlers. It existed until 1941, when the German occupiers resettled the settlers from Białołęka, most likely to Pomerania. “In 1944, the Białołęka area was an arena of frontline fighting, as evidenced by the numerous traces of gunshots preserved on the surface of stone tombstones. Since 2012, the cemetery has been included in the municipal register of monuments” – reminds BSKZ.

The lapidarium and the cemetery are an important element of the cultural and historical heritage of Białołęka. They are a testimony of the former German settlers. The Olęders mastered the technique of draining swampy areas very well, so they easily settled where the Vistula River overflowed. Through their activities, they contributed to the drainage of large areas of what is now Białołęka.

We also informed about the illegal demolition of the oldest tenement house in Wola at Łucka Street: