The War that Never Ends : The Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk

The story of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk epitomizes one of the most important and dramatic clashes in the European culture of memory and public history in last decades. The museum became the arch-enemy for the nationalist right-wing as “cosmopolitan”, “pseudo-universalistic”, “pacifistic” and “not Polish enough”.

Pawel Machcewicz, historian and museum`s founding director, was removed from his position by the Law and Justice government immediately after opening the museum to the public. In his book he presents this story as a part of cultural wars that tear apart not only Poland but also many countries in Europe and on other continents.

"The collapse of democracy, the museum’s first theme, could hardly be more salient than it is right now. And the presentation of the conflict as a global tragedy could hardly be more instructive ...　 Unlike other museums devoted to history’s most devastating war, which tend to begin and end with national history, the Gdańsk museum has set out to show the perspectives of societies around the world, through a sprawling collection ... and through themes that bring seemingly disparate experiences together. It is hard to think of a more fitting place for such a museum than Poland, whose citizens experienced the worst of the war". Timothy Snyder

"The story of Machcewicz and the museum in Gdańsk is worth reading for anyone who is interested specifically in the current developments in Poland or in the prospects and difficulties of public history practice in general. It is a striking example of the impact historical museums may have upon society and of how politics might try to control and manipulate the narratives told in exhibitions – especially if it affects questions of national identity. […] The War that Never Ends is a manual of practice on how to build a museum and how to prepare a complex historical exhibition. Since there is little explicit academic training for curators or directors of newly founded museums, this report might be helpful for anyone
dealing with similar questions." Linda von Keyserlingk-Rehbein in: International Journal of Military History and Historiography 40/2020, 340-341.