Polish treasure returned home. Sensational discovery by scientists

When it seemed that it had been lost forever in the depths of history, the baroque statue of Mary from Nankier Square was found in the least expected place – Warsaw. This extraordinary story is proof that Wrocław's war losses can still be reduced – all it takes is patience, passion and a bit of luck.

Wrocław – pre-war Breslau – lost over 100,000 works of art as a result of war operations. The list of losses is so impressive that it could easily fill several legendary "gold trains". Although some artifacts seem irretrievably lost, history shows that patient searches can bring spectacular results.

One of these lost treasures was the figure of Mary from a baroque column standing on Nankier Square . Before the siege of Festung Breslau, in 1945, the sculpture disappeared in mysterious circumstances. For years, the only evidence of its existence remained photographs from 1912 and 1931 , showing the Madonna as Immaculata – in a crown of stars, trampling Satan in the form of a dragon.

Sculpture of the Madonna of Breslau / National Museum in Wrocław, photo by M. Lorek

After the war, the empty column in front of St. Vincent's Church was a reminder of the war tragedy. The dirty stone stump, standing mournfully among the ruins, became a symbol of the lost heritage. For decades, no one knew what had happened to the figure.

It was not until 2010, during the restoration of Abbot Hochberg's chapel , that it was decided to restore the column to its former glory. Conservators recreated the Immaculata, although due to the lack of sufficient iconographic materials, the new sculpture was not a faithful replica. It seemed that the original would have to be said goodbye forever. And yet...

Sculpture of the Madonna of Breslau / National Museum in Wrocław, photo by M. Lorek

In 2018, Prof. Piotr Oszczanowski , director of the National Museum in Wrocław, made a discovery that shocked the world of art lovers. The original figure of Mary was found... in Warsaw, in the collection of the Xawery Dunikowski Sculpture Museum in Królikarnia!

It turned out that after the war the sculpture was wrongly identified as a representation of St. Margaret and attributed to the Czech sculptor Matthias Bernhard Braun . Stored quietly for decades, it was finally properly identified. The monument was conserved under the supervision of prof. Jacek Martusiewicz and dr hab. Wiesław Procyk at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. Since April 15, 2025, the sculpture has been exhibited at the National Museum in Wrocław.

- This is a historic moment when a work of art considered irretrievably lost returns to the city of which it was the pride - emphasized Prof. Oszczanowski. He added: - There are still such works of art from Wrocław to be found that will not only surprise us, but will also bring great satisfaction.

Sculpture of the Madonna of Breslau / National Museum in Wrocław, photo by M. Lorek

The discovery of the Madonna from Nankiera Square is not the only triumph of Wrocław museum workers and history enthusiasts. In 2007, after more than 60 years, the figure of Christ crowning the monument to the fallen teachers and students of St. Matthias Gymnasium returned to its place. It was recovered almost miraculously, being found in the storeroom of St. Matthias Church, where it had been hidden under a layer of junk.

Similarly , in 2016, the 15th-century Madonna and Child from the façade of the Church of Mary Magdalene returned to Wrocław . For years, it was believed that the sculpture had been destroyed during the siege of Festung Breslau. In reality, the head of the Madonna, considered a "French sculpture", was kept in the Archdiocesan Museum in Poznań. It was finally identified by art historian Prof. Romuald Kaczmarek.

Some finds have an even more romantic dimension. An example are three figurines by Czech blacksmith Jaroslav Vonka, which once decorated the chandelier in the New Town Hall . Rescued from the rubble by one of the workers rebuilding the city, they lay for decades in a village attic near Oleśnica, only to finally return to their place.

Each such return is not only a triumph for museum workers, but also a symbolic act of rebuilding memory. Because in the labyrinth of history, in dusty attics and forgotten warehouses, hidden treasures still await – evidence of bygone times and the undying will to save them.