Born into a family of Wielkopolska emigrants in Germany, he was persecuted because of his origin. During World War II, Arczyński was sent to Stalingrad, then taken into Soviet captivity, and finally, after 1945, he settled in Kamienna Góra, and five years later in Wroclaw. On the occasion of his 100. birthday, the City Museum has prepared an exhibition "100 na 100" (100 for 100th), presenting the most important work of Mr. Arczyński, and the Herder Institute in Marburg, Germany shares on-line Arczyński's photographs, which had once been purchased for their collection.
Few artists can live to see such a joyful jubilee. Wroclaw photographer Stefan Arczyński turns 100 on July 31, exactly. It was decided to celebrate the great event not only in Wroclaw, where the artist lives and works since 1950, but also in Marburg, because the local Herder Institute owns a number of photographs by Stefan Arczyński.
Exhibition of photographs by Stefan Arczyński on his 100th birthday
Opening/Exhibition
from 30 July 2016 to 18 September 2016 
City Museum of Wroclaw Old Town Hall
Over the years of his career, Stefan Arczyński has become both an invaluable chronicler of the post-war reconstruction of Wroclaw, the emerging cultural life (especially the Pantomima Wroclawska, Henryk Tomaszewski's opus magnum), but also the impressive natural beauty (including trees photographed in many parts of the world as the true masterpieces of nature). But it was a close call for these wonderful black-and-white works not to come to existence, as the author could have died at the Battle of Stalingrad. Mr. Arczyński was sent there as a German citizen (born in the Polish community in the city of Essen); his father, who had been involved in Polish affairs, was tortured to death in Gestapo headquarters in Berlin. Wounded at Stalingrad, the future photographer underwent convalescence in Latvia, and later fell into Soviet captivity. Finally, in 1946 he came back to Poland, first to Kamienna Gora and then, four years later, to Wroclaw. His atelier was located in ul. Łokietka). Over the past 60 years, Stefan Arczyński became one of the most prominent citizens of Wroclaw (Jolanta Krysowata and Mariusz Marx devoted shot a brilliant documentary, "Szczęściarz" ("The Lucky Guy"), about him and his life), and his work was appreciated in Poland and abroad.
Photos by Stefan Arczyński from the Marburg collection
The Herder Institute in Marburg owns a huge collection of Arczyński's photographs and now, from 31 July to the end of October, they will be gradually made available to viewers at the Institute's website, up to 100 photographs.
A special jubilee present was prepared by the City Museum in the Town Hall, the exhibition "100 for 100th." Celebrating the subsequent birthday of Stefan Arczyński in the form of an exhibition has become tradition in Wroclaw. We have been seeing them mostly in the Romanesque House, or the City Museum. This time, the exhibition is a retrospection of the photographer's oeuvre, works documenting Wroclaw and Lower Silesia, but also Poland, or foreign (and often exotic) travels.
The exhibition in the Town Hall is supplemented with a specially published catalogue, and will be available until September 18.
