Anticipating the coming of the First World War and the end of the conflict with the new balance of power in Europe, between 1908 and 1914, Józef Piłsudski (1867-1935) sought to establish Polish riflemen's associations in various European countries, so as to strengthen Poland's position in the quest for independence. In February and July 1914, under the pretext of giving lectures on military matters, Piłsudski was in Zurich to personally recruit members to the Foreign Branch of the PPS Active Struggle Association - 'Strzelec'. What role did the building at 13 Auf der Mauer Street, which today is adorned with two plaques commemorating the politician's stay in the city, play in this history?

History of the building

Before the start of the First World War, Zurich was a centre of activity for many Polish organisations. Aware of this situation, Piłsudski chose the building at 13 Auf der Mauer, built at the beginning of the 20th century, as his residence.

Built in the Neo-Secession and Baroque style - as a multi-family house to a design by the Stock & Held architectural firm for the tenement dweller E. Karl - the building was quickly adopted by Polish political organisations operating in exile, due to its large space. From 1865 onwards, the building housed, among others, the Polish Reading Room, the headquarters of the "Zgoda" Society (formerly operating under the name of the Association of Polish Workers in Zurich) and, more importantly, a secret branch of the "Strzelce". Within the building's walls, Piłsudski was personally recruiting soldiers.

On 5 August 1914, on Piłsudski's orders, a general roll call was held in front of the building, followed by the marching out of the Polish Legionnaires from Western Europe.

Plaques commemorating Józef Piłsudski's stay in Zurich in 1914.

On the facade of the building is a plaque with an image of Piłsudski, commemorating his stay there. The authorship of the plaque is attributed to the Polish sculptor and educator active in Poland and France, Franciszek Xawery Dunikowski (1875-1964). Dunikowski gained a reputation for, among other things, his design of the Marshal's monument made for the 1937 competition for a statue on Plac Na Rozdrożu in Warsaw. The juxtaposition of the two works dedicated to Piłsudski reveals a clear dependence of the sculptor and his work on the interwar politics of the Republic of Poland, which tried to create the myth of the Marshal as a brilliant commander and outstanding politician, and is also a testimony to the artist's personal political sympathies.

The plaque in Zurich was unveiled in August 1938 (despite the fact that its location on this site had already been planned since at least 1936). The event was attended, among others, by Tytus Komarnicki (1896-1969), then MP for the Republic of Poland in Bern, and his long-time predecessor Jan Modzelewski (1875-1945). The speeches emphasised the role played in Piłsudski's upbringing by his Swiss governess, who familiarised him with the history of the Swiss people's freedom aspirations.

Description of the object: the plaque is rectangular, made of bronze, of varying depth, giving the impression of being concave. It contains a realistic image of the Marshal's head in profile, in mature age, made in convex relief. The depiction of Piłsudski emphasises his characteristic moustache. The plaque bears the inscription in relief: "IN THIS HOUSE LIVED AND WORKED IN 1914. MARSZAŁEK JÓZEF PIŁSUDSKI CREATOR OF INDEPENDENT POLAND".

Below this is a second rectangular marble plaque with an analogous inscription in German, engraved in gilded letters: "IN DIESEM HAUSE WOHNTE UND WIRKTE IM JAHRE 1914 MARSCHALL JÓZEF PIŁSUDSKI GRÜNDER DER UNABHÄNGIGKEIT DES WIEDERSTANDENEN POLEN".