Camilla Jessen
Poland responds to mounting security threats.
Poland’s Ministry of Culture is developing a plan to evacuate and protect national artworks and heritage items in the event of a Russian invasion, Culture Minister Hanna Wroblewska confirmed on Monday during a press conference in Warsaw.
Describing the plan as “absolutely necessary,” Wroblewska said it was shaped by lessons learned from the war in Ukraine.
“The war in Ukraine taught us that (a Russian invasion) would trigger a war not just for territory, not just to destroy our national identity, but also our culture,” she stated, according to EFE, as reported by Agerpres.
Safeguarding Centuries of Heritage
The plan involves relocating paintings, sculptures, rare books, and musical instruments from approximately 160 public institutions to safe locations abroad.
The Culture Ministry is working in coordination with foreign governments to secure temporary storage for these items. Private museums and galleries are also expected to join the initiative.
Oversight of the project has been assigned to Maciej Matysiak, a former army colonel and former deputy director of Poland’s military counterintelligence agency.
He now leads the newly created Department of Security and Crisis Management within the Ministry of Culture.
Wroblewska explained that documentation processes are being updated to facilitate future repatriation of evacuated works, though she acknowledged that not everything can be saved.
“In no case would it be possible to evacuate the entire patrimony,” she said, adding that identifying which items deserve priority remains a major challenge.
A Response Informed by Ukraine
The plan builds on Poland’s experience assisting Ukraine in protecting its cultural assets following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Wroblewska recalled that Russian forces had used culture as a weapon in that conflict, further justifying the need for Poland’s preparedness.
The evacuation initiative is part of a broader national security approach.
Poland is also expanding its armed forces to 500,000 personnel and reinforcing its eastern border, according to government plans.
Similar emergency cultural protection measures are being developed by Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, EFE notes.