The Museum, which lodges in the 13th century knights castle, is situated on a peninsula in the Lake of Zurich; it has a history of more than 130 years. It has its seat outside the territory of the country whose culture and history it represents, which is a historical peculiarity. Such a situation was dictated by the political situation in Poland in the 19th and 20th centuries. The history of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil encompasses three periods: 1870-1927, 1936-1952, and from 1975 until now. The harmonious co-operation between Poles and Swiss has been the museum's main characteristic. It has been based on the ideals shared by both nations. The Swiss supported the Polish nation's yearning for independence and were the spokesmen for the Polish ideological and cultural belonging to Western Europe.

In 1954, the Association of Friends of the Polish Museum Rapperswil was set up and the work to establish a new Polish Museum in Rapperswil begun. The present museum was founded in 1975. It pretended to be "the window of free Poland in free Helvetia" in times of severe restrictions under the Communist regime in Poland. The founders of the present museum were well known Swiss and Polish emigrants. In the first 25 years of its activity more than 300.000 guests visited the Museum. Many of the exhibits in the present collection are the visitors' contribution.

The Polish Museum and its library function thanks to the effort of volunteers from Switzerland working there. They are aided by short-time volunteers coming from Poland. The Museum is supervised by the Association of the Friends of the Polish Museum in Rapperswil, and since 1978, is supported financially by the Polish Cultural Foundation "Libertas" Rapperswil.

The basic idea is common to Poles and Swiss alike; it is expressed on the Polish Column of Freedom in front of Rapperswil Castle: "MAGNA RES LIBERTAS" - Freedom Above All.

 

© Copyright by Polish Museum Rapperswil 2005