They are hiding in plain sight and are usually
found first by children since
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| Welcome to Wroclaw |
the kids are much closer to the ground. You’d
think that it would be easy to find many of these 400 statues, but that’s not
the case! They eluded us at every turn. We finally bought a map only to learn
that the little beasties had changed locations, or simply vanished; and there
were many more that weren’t on the map at all! The Gnomes of Wroclaw (or Dwarfs
as they are called locally) are two-foot tall statues that lend great whimsy to
the city and captivate visitors into seeing the sights by going on a Gnome
hunt. Their history, however, is much more political.
Poland, once freed from the Nazis, was taken
over by the Soviets. The citizens put up with this for a while, but life under
the Red Star wasn’t
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| Sunflower Gnome |
pleasant. The Polish anti-communist underground movement,
the Orange
Alternative, began in Wroclaw and took a dwarf for their symbol. Led by Waldemar Fydrych in the
1980s, its main purpose was to conduct peaceful protests that had absurd and
nonsensical elements. This allowed a broader population to oppose the
authoritarian regime in ways that were unlikely to get them arrested. Because
of the silly nature of their protests, if the Orange Alternative participants were
detained, the police became the butt of the joke. For instance, on one occasion
the Communist militia apprehended 77 Santa Clauses; on another they seized
anyone wearing anything orange. The police looked pretty silly in the
international press.
Placement of the Gnomes began in 2001 when the first
statue was
 |
| Papa Gnome |
erected to commemorate the Orange Alternative. The next five were designed
a graduate of The
Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław, Tomasz Moczek. These were the Fencer
near the University of Wrocław, the Butcher in Stare Jatki arcade, two
Sisyphuses on Świdnicka Street, and the Odra-Washer-Dwarf, near Piaskowy
Bridge. As part of the Wrocław without
Barriers campaign, the next gnomes placed represented a person in a
Wheelchair, a Deaf-mute and a Blind person. According to one of our guides, a
competition is held every month to determine what topic the next dwarf will
represent. Whoever wins has their gnome sculptured, cast in bronze, and placed
in an appropriate site.
 |
Top L to R: First five gnomes
Bottom: Disables gnomes |
Known as the "Revolution of Dwarves", more than 10
thousand people marched through the center of Wrocław wearing orange dwarf
hats.
 |
Top L to R: Printer, fountain, Singer and listener, Professor
Bottom L to R: Painter, Hammer, Farmer, Photographer |
One of the Orange Alternative's actions was known as
"Distribution of Toilet Paper" – a happening that satirized the
annoying lack of that consumer product at the time.
 |
Top L to R: Harley, House, Firemen
Bottom L to R: Veteran, Present, Guitarist, Guru |
In Poland there are only three places when you can feel
free: In churches, but only for prayers; in prisons, but not everyone can go to
prison; and on the streets: they are the freest places.
--Waldemar Fydrych
 |
| L to R: Trombonist, Librarian, Bottle men (top), Sleepy (bottom), Statue of Liberty |
The Western World will find out much more about the
situation in Poland from hearing that I was sent to jail for handing out
sanitary pads to women, than from reading books and articles written by other
members of the opposition.
--Waldemar Fydrych
 |
| L to R: On horseback, Pharmacy, TV watcher (top), Bench sitter (bottom), Newsboy |
Can you treat a police officer seriously, when he is asking
you: "Why did you participate in an illegal meeting of dwarfs?"
--Waldemar Fydrych
 |
Top L to R: Inside ATM 1, Inside ATM 2, Banker, Bell ringer
Bottom L to R: Tourist, Dove sitter, Gourmand, Bass player |
…Pure Rationalism failed to dominate toilets. Surrealism was
kept alive in toilets thanks to the politicians…The politicians have always
been great surrealists.
--Waldemar Fydrych
 |
Top L to R: Flying on film, Treasure, The Kiss, With Scales
Bottom L to R: Water bearer, Lion's Club, Night depository, Postman |
The Orange Alternative printed leaflets and
posters, featuring slogans such as "Every militiaman is a piece of
Art" or "Citizen, help the militia, beat yourself up".
 |
Top L to R: Lamp post, Plates, Theater, Raking leaves
Bottom L to R: Sleepwalker, Croissant maker, Pierogie, Magician |
"There is no freedom without dwarves".
--Anonymous
 |
Top L to R: Plasterer, Ice Cream, Knight's page, Earphones
Bottom L to R: Advertising, Skateboard, Baking, In jail |
The Dwarfs Festival takes place in Wrocław every year in
September. This is one festival I would really like to attend!
 |
Left T to B: Using laptop, Orchestra
Right: Recycling |
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