On May 23, 2018, at 5 PM, the Municipal Public Library named after J.A. and A.S. Załuski in Radom (12 Piłsudskiego Street) opened an exhibition titled "To Our Dearest Dad, Beloved Mom..." ("Najukochańszemu Tatusiowi, Drogiej Mamie…"). The exhibit showcased greeting cards from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, sent to parents by the children of Marceli Szafrański, and sourced from the collection of Tomasz Staniszewski. Significantly complementing the exhibit are photographs from the Szafrański family album, including portraits of Marceli's friends, made available by Wojciech Szepetowski for the exhibition.
The passage of time has led to the dispersal of the Szafrański family's memorabilia. During World War I, a large portion of Marceli Szafrański's extensive library and numerous valuable historical, numismatic, and military artifacts, meticulously collected with the aim of establishing a museum in Radom, were stolen. The family's subsequent impoverishment in the tumultuous 20th century resulted in the sale of the remaining collections in "Desa" stores after World War II. Thanks to the current exhibition, a portion of Marceli Szafrański's memorabilia has been reunited in a single room, allowing visitors to appreciate its beauty and the collector's ambitions.
During the opening ceremony, Marta Trojanowska discussed the exhibition and provided attendees with insights into Szafrański's collection. Tomasz Staniszewski and Wojciech Szepetowski shared their experiences as collectors. Among the guests were Jan and Marcin Bartel, descendants of Marceli Szafrański, who expressed their joy and surprise at the significance of their great-grandfather's collection to Radom's collectors. Jan Bartel expressed hope that the exhibition would increase interest in the local history of Radom and the people who shaped it, while preserving the memory of past generations of Radom residents.
The opening of the exhibition attracted numerous lovers of antiquities and collectors, who had the opportunity to exchange their observations and experiences. The presence of Marceli Szafrański's relatives provided additional information about the postwar fate of the collection and the family circle of their ancestor.
The exhibition will be open to the public until June 13, 2018.
Marceli Szafrański was born in Radom in 1861. After completing high school in his hometown and law studies in Warsaw, he returned to Radom and dedicated himself to the profession of a legal representative. He worked in Radom and Iłża, distinguishing himself with diligence and conscientiousness. He also devoted much of his time to the Voluntary Fire Brigade in Radom, serving as its secretary and co-founder of a mutual aid and loan fund. With great piety, he collected material culture artifacts, possessing one of the finest numismatic and medallic collections. His collection also included autographs of Polish kings, weapons such as sabers, broadswords, pistols, and halberds, as well as knightly armor. In 1921, while conducting research at an excavation site in Skarżysko (now part of Skarżysko-Kamienna), he caught a cold and died of pneumonia. He was buried at the Roman Catholic Cemetery on Limanowskiego Street in Radom.
Tomasz Staniszewski is a native of Radom and a passionate enthusiast of economic history, particularly the industrial history of Radom and its surroundings. He has been involved in the stone industry for over 25 years. He is a member of the Board of the Association of Collectors of Historical Securities in Warsaw, a member of the Historical Commission of the Radom Branch of the Association of Polish Electricians, and a representative in Poland of the London-based International Bond & Share Society (IBSS). He has curated several exhibitions dedicated to Polish and foreign historical securities. He is the founder of the economic history portal www.StarePapiery.pl. Last year, the exhibition "The Beginnings of Electrification of Polish Cities - The Municipal Power Plant in Radom 1901-1956" was on display. The exhibition was combined with the promotion of the monograph "The Municipal Power Plant in Radom 1901-1956."
Have a look at the exhibition pictures:
Reference: Municipal Public Library in Radom, official website.
http://www.mbpradom.pl/index.php/2-nieskategoryzowane/1210-najukochanszemu-tatusiowi-kochanej-mamie-2 (strona niedostępna)
Copy of the page:
https://web.archive.org/web/20180604153452/http://www.mbpradom.pl/index.php/2-nieskategoryzowane/1210-najukochanszemu-tatusiowi-kochanej-mamie-2