The Minister of Culture, Bogdan Zdrojewski, announced on January 17th that Prof. Stola will be taking over this position in March 2014.
Dariusz Stola is a historian, and a professor at the Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, and fellow at the Centre for Migration Research, Warsaw University. He was a recipient of the Fulbright (New School for Social Research, New York) and of the Stefan Batory Foundation scholarships. His main areas of focus are: history of the People’s Republic of Poland, international migrations in the 20th c., social memory, and Polish-Jewish relations. He is author and editor of more than 100 articles and 9 books, including Patterns of Migration in Central Europe (co-edited with Claire Wallace), published in 2001 by Palgrave Macmillan. In 2011, he received Best Historical Book of 2010 Award of Polityka weekly for Kraj bez wyjścia? Migracje z Polski 1949-1989 (A Country with No Exit? Migrations from Poland, 1949-1989). In 2013, he was awarded the Polonia Restituta Order of Military Cross for his input into the research, documentation and commemoration of the legacy of the March 1968 political crisis.
The Museum of the History of Polish Jews is currently without a director. Since August 2012, Andrzej Cudak has temporarily taken over the responsibilities of the head of the institution, his goal being clearly defined by the President of the city of Warsaw: to bring the construction of the site to an end. The building, designed by the Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamaki was opened in April 2013, however the launch of its main section – the permanent exhibition – has already been postponed several times. It is currently planned for autumn 2014.
The venue is intended to function as a ground-breaking multimedia centre for culture and education. The main exposition, spread over 5 000 sq. metres, will outline the 1000-years long mutual Polish-Jewish history in eight different galleries.
The Museum will also be the first Polish institution to be founded collaboratively by public and private bodies. Its formation is due to the mutual efforts of the Polish Government (represented by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage), local government (The City of Warsaw), and a Non-Governmental Organization (The Association of the Jewish Historical Institute). The public bodies are responsible for financing the erection of the Museum’s building, while the private partner for fundraising for the main exhibition and completing its set-up.
Sources: PAP, Collegium Civitas, http://www.jewishmuseum.org.pl, prezydent.pl, ed. AM, 17.01.2013