“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.”: The Colours of Ruin. Warsaw and Poland in the photographs of Henry N. Cobb

It is last time to see very interesting exhibition in Warsaw - The Colours of Ruin. Warsaw and Poland in the photographs of Henry N. Cobb. Venue: The Father Jan Twardowski Square.

The city must completely disappear from the surface of the earth and serve only as a transport station for the Wehrmacht. No stone can remain standing. Every building must be razed to its foundation.

—SS chief Heinrich Himmler

Warsaw has to be pacified, that is, razed to the ground.

— Adolf Hitler

I know that sometimes for foreigners it is very tough to understand history of Poland. Very often they are surprised when they discover Warsaw in 1945 was razed to the ground.
In 1947 a group of American architects came to Europe in order to view the rebuilding progress in the countries which had suffered considerable war damage. Their visit included England, Czechoslovakia and Poland. One of them was Henry N. Cobb. His photographs presented in the exhibition – displayed publicly for the first time in Poland – show, among others, Warsaw, Szczecin and Wrocław. It was during these months that Polish architects and town planners were still allowed a degree of freedom in their work.

More information you can find here:
The Colours of Ruin. Warsaw and Poland in the photographs of Henry N. Cobb

1947 BARWY RUIN. Warszawa i Polska w odbudowie na zdjęciach Henry'ego N. Cobba

Below there are some of Henry N. Cobb's photos.

Aleje Jerozolimskie, róg Brackiej, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Plac Powstańców Warszawy, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Aleje Jerozolimskie, róg Nowego Światu, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Ruiny getta, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Ulica Piwna na Starym Mieście, 1947 r. Po lewej - kościół św. Marcina. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Poczta Główna na Placu Napoleona, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Ulica Boduena w kierunku Szpitalnej, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Plac Krasińskich, 1947 r. W centrum pomnik Jana Kilińskiego, przeniesiony później na Starówkę. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Rynek Starego Miasta, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Plac Zamkowy, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Zachęta, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Ulica Świętokrzyska, róg placu Powstańców Warszawy, 1947r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

Ulica Świętokrzyska w stronę Nowego Światu, 1947 r. Fot. Henry N. Cobb

The ‘Prudential’ Insurance Socety skyscraper In Napoleon Square (currently plac Powstańców Warszawy (Warsaw Insurgents’ Square]). Photo: Henry N. Cobb