Information about the object:
The Les Champeaux cemetery in Montmorency is the largest Polish necropolis in France. It was founded in the early 17th century. One of the first Poles buried here was Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz (1841). Since then, 276 Polish gravestones have been preserved in the cemetery (including those of Norwid, Zygmunt Kaczkowski, Delfina Potocka and Karol Kniaziewicz). It is sometimes referred to as the Polish Necropolis or the Pantheon of Polish Emigration.

Completed works:

2020

As part of the project, preventive and conservation work was carried out on seven objects.

T. Makowski - protection of a metal element

C. Godebski - washing, surface protection

A. Stryjeński - painting of letters

W. A. Górecki - construction work: dismantling the left and right corners of the tomb field, repairing the foundations, clamping the corners, painting the letters - corrections, impregnation

D. Potocka - laying of mineral putty on limestone and concrete elements, impregnation of marble and waxing

T.z Pajor - cross cracked, replacement of corroding steel bolt is necessary to reduce possible damage as a result of the fall of the cross

Fr Kiedrowski - replacement of rusted brackets with brass ones

2022
The task, which involved 8 volunteers from Poland under the supervision of Professor Janusz Smaza and with the support of Jakub Kurkiewicz, M.A., took place between 24 June and 11 July 2022.

The volunteers worked at Les Champeaux cemetery in Montmorency, France. Their tasks included: completing the conservation of five gravestones (Tadeusz Pajor [H1565], Jan Matyjasik [A1196], Tadeusz Twardowski [A1197], Karol Sienkiewicz [B812] and the urn of the Katyn Land), preparing work programmes for the following years and preliminary work on 4 gravestones (Seweryna Duchińska [G3-927], Leon Wrześniewski [C7-559], Alojzy Władysław Strzembosz [E4-142] and Jerome Hieronimko [E6-90]) and minor repair work on the tombstone of Tadeusz Makowski (F-646).

Funding: Polonica Institute programme "Polish cultural heritage abroad - volunteering".

More about the project: https://polonika.pl/programy/programy-grantowe/programy-grantowe-instytutu/praktyki-terenowe-przy-polskich-nagrobkach-na

https://polonika.pl/programy/programy-grantowe/programy-grantowe-instytutu/308614917

• Fundacja „Pomoc Polakom na Wschodzie”, realizacja w roku 2020 i 2022.