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cultureinpoznan.pl News The city in The Chronicle. The Chronicle in the city
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The city in The Chronicle. The Chronicle in the city

Launched a century ago in 1923 at the initiative of Zygmunt Zaleski, Head of the Municipal Statistical Office, Kronika Poznania (The Poznań Chronicle) started out as a monthly. Very soon, in 1927, it turned into a quarterly, a format it has maintained to this day. The magazine boasts being one of Poland's oldest publications of its kind dedicated to chronicling the history of a city.

Black and white photo of the river, a few boats, the bridge and buildings along the river. - grafika artykułu
View of the former Chwaliszewski Bridge, late 19th century. Courtesy of the University Library of Poznań.
Black and white photo of the river, a few boats, the bridge and buildings along the river.
Black and white stereophotograph of the river, a few boats, the bridge and buildings along the river.
Black and white stereophotograph of an area covered with water. A man on a river. A few buildings in water as a background.
Black and white stereophotograph of a man and a woman rowing in a boat. The pond and trees as a background.
Black and white stereophotograph of the street and people walking along it. Buildings and a few trees as a background.
Black and white stereophotograph of a few peddler women standing together. One of them is holding a wicker basket. Two buildings as a background.
Black and white stereophotograph of the elephant standing on two legs on a small, round platform. A man standing next to the elephant. A wooden fence and a few trees as a background.
Black and white stereophotograph of an area with palm trees. In the middle, on a pathway, a child in a white coat.
Black and white photo of the river, a few boats, the bridge and buildings along the river. Below the photo, information about the exhibition.

The ​​periodical was inspired by the compelling realization that Poznań's history was not widely known and lacked the appreciation it deserved, even among the city's own residents. To cultivate a sense of civic pride within the local community, a connection was needed between its residents and the place they inhabited. The Chronicle aimed to achieve this goal by exploring the city's history and culture. Over the course of a century, with 385 issues and a staggering 5,275 articles (2,588 of which were published in the last 25 years), the publication succeeded in its mission. The entire collection fills over four meters of shelf space. The publishers resolved not only to chronicle the city through words but also to capture it in images. As early as 1925, they released their first two photographs. Since then, photos would appear in The Chronicle with varying frequency. They documented contemporary events and, particularly after 1990, highlighted Poznań's history.

The exhibition features stereophotographs reflecting the diverse approaches that the magazine adopted throughout its life. The majority of editions present Poznań during the Prussian and Interwar periods. They depict the city's bygone era, the attire of its inhabitants, immortalised through the lens of a camera, the appearance of individual sites, which are now barely recognisable by reference to surviving landmarks, and the daily lives of Poznań residents. Many of the more recent images feature the Poznań Fair grounds, Lech Poznań footballers, and various sporting events. They showcase both grand locations and decrepit alleys, historic street vendors and trade fair exhibitions, as well as devastating floods and urban attractions, including displays, parks, the Palm House, and the zoo.

We hope that the Fotoplastikon exhibition inspires you to read The Poznań Chronicle.

Przemysław Matusik

translation: Krzysztof Kotkowski

For a complete list of published editions of The Poznań Chronicle, visit the Posnania Municipal Publishing House (Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania) website at www.wm.poznan.pl. The available volumes can be purchased either at the Cultural Information Centre office or through their online store at www.sklep.wmposnania.pl.

The iconographs featured in the exhibition are provided courtesy of the Poznań University Library, the Town Hall Museum of Poznań, the family collection of Kinga Poradowska-Banaszek, the Poznań International Fair Group Archive, the Poznań Development Foundation and the Poznań branch of the State Archive.

  • The city in "The Chronicle". "The Chronicle" in the city - an exhibition in the Poznań Fotoplastykon,
  • Centrum Informacji Kulturalnej (Cultural Information Centre), ul. F. Ratajczaka 44
  • 10.07.2023 - 30.09.2023; opening hours: Monday - Friday 10 am - 6 pm, Saturday 10 am - 5 pm, Sunday closed, last admission 1 hour before closing time
  • tickets: regular admission - 6 pln, reduced admission - 3 pln, family tickets - 12 pln, group tickets (groups of 10 or more) - 25 pln

© Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania 2023