A child is not a soldier, he does not defend the homeland,
though he suffers with it
Janusz Korczak

We present to you incredibly moving testimonies of war - from historical drawings of Polish children from 1946, which are a record of their experiences during World War II and the German occupation of 1939-1945, preserved in the Central Archives of Modern Records (AAN) in Warsaw, in the Ministry of Education complex from 1945-1966, and contemporary drawings of Ukrainian children, related to the war currently taking place in Ukraine, collected on the Mom, I See War portal. We aim to show that war always looks the same through the eyes of a child. Irrespective of place and time, it is a huge evil, and the child is always the victim of it. The similarity between historical and present-day drawings is striking. Children draw tanks, planes dropping bombs, fires, and explosions. They draw the injured and the dead, the ruined houses, the graves. They draw themselves and their family, they draw evacuation and escape. But they also draw hope and their dreams for the future. By putting images and words together in thematic groups: fighting, occupation, family, repression, resistance, destruction, victory-hope, we want to emphasise the fact of how similar the scenarios of the invading wars are. The time changes, the place changes, the child witnesses change, but the war is always the same:

It cannot hear nor see, still less feel.
J.J. Letria
dr Dorota Sadowska (University of Warsaw)
prof. Olha Kulinich (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv)
WAR IN A CHILD’S EYES
DRAWINGS BY POLISH CHILDREN IN 1946
Ministry of Education Corps 1945-1966
Central Archives Of Modern Records In Warsaw

“A collection of such drawings is an admonition and a warning to mankind, which must know that war, with its cruelty, also hurts small children physically and psychologically in an inhuman way, and that the indignation of man, inconceivable to anyone, which cruelly destroys its fellows, is reflected in the bewildered children’s psyche and leaves there deep and dangerous traces and heavy moral blemishes for life. I think that those who still do not know about what happened in our country during the occupation or do not want to believe it, perhaps the drawings of our children will convince them of the truth”. - These words were expressed by Stefan Szuman - Polish psychologist, philosopher, and physician - at the International Congress for War Affected Children (SEPEG), in Warsaw in August 1948, thus attracting the attention of the whole world to the nature and scale of war crimes committed on Polish territories by the German and Russian occupants. War-themed drawings were created by children spontaneously, on the orders of parents or teachers and in response to a competition announced with the approval of the then Ministry of Education in 1946 and held in primary schools under the supervision of the school superintendents and inspectorates. Younger drawers were offered the opportunity to present their war memories (or another topic of their choice) in the form of artworks. And information about the competition was published in the magazine “Przekrój.” The editors of the weekly magazine provided 10 prizes: 1 packet containing 1 kg of sweets from the Piasecki Company - a prize from the Przekrój weekly magazine - and 4 kg of sugar funded by the Społem Association of Co-operatives. The names of the children who sent in their works and the names of the winners were printed in subsequent issues of “Przekrój.” Over 7,300 children up to 13 years old took part and, as “Przekrój” reported, the youngest participant was 2 years and 3 months old. At present, more than 7,000 drawings on the subject of war and occupation, made by children in 1946, are in the collection of the Ministry of Education 1945-1966 in the Central Archives of New Records in Warsaw.

MOM, I SEE WAR!

War always means pain, suffering and losses. But the most vulnerable during war are children. They sometimes do not fully understand everything, but they feel very acutely! War deprives them of a happy childhood and sometimes of life! Children see the war “without decorations”: enemy missiles destroy schools, kindergartens, hospitals, houses in front of their eyes, their family and friends die in front of their eyes. They often convey their feelings, emotions, and experiences through drawings. Hearing children, understanding their experiences in this difficult time is one of the tasks of adults. The project “Mom, I See War” was created to show the war through the eyes of the children of Ukraine and once again to draw the attention of the world community to the brutal invasion of the Russian occupant. The project “Mom, I See War” brought together over 10,000 children’s drawings about the war and peace in Ukraine. It is designed to capture how children feel during the war in their country and to show the world the strength of spirit of young Ukrainians. The variety of children’s emotions reflected in the pictures – from fear and despair to hope and faith in victory – show one thing: children must not suffer from war, they deserve happiness and love. All of the drawings will be combined into the world’s largest manifesto collage on the war in Ukraine, which will remain forever on the Internet with the help of NFT technology. The photo collage will be put up for an international charity digital NFT auction. Funds from it will be transferred to the fund for humanitarian aid to children affected by the war.


Mom, I See War Museum (MISW Museum)

Beyond aesthetics and materials – art transmits a moment in time from the artist's perspective. It teaches us about who we were and who we could become.


MISW Museum is the world’s first digital art archive dedicated to how children experience war, built on the blockchain. The project was initiated by the first collection of 14,000 Ukrainian children's drawings and expanded to include art made by children from across the globe. The museum allows viewers to bear witness to what unites humankind as well as participate in philanthropic efforts to try to heal our future.


misw.org

Design and concept: dr Dorota Sadowska (University of Warsaw), Mariusz Olczak (Central Archives of Modern Records)
Preparation and realisation: prof. Olha Kulinich (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv),
Daria Koval (Mom, I See War project), Mariusz Olczak (Central Archives of Modern Records), dr Dorota Sadowska (University of Warsaw)
Graphic design: Beata Świerczyńska (Central Archives of Modern Records)


Sources of drawings and texts:
- Central Archives of Modern Records (AAN) in Warsaw
- Project „Mom, I See War/Мамо, я бачу війну”, Ukraine, Kiev

Quotation Sources:
Janusz Korczak, Prawo dziecka do szacunku. Warszawa 2012
José Jorge Letria, Wojna. Warszawa 2021
Stefan Szuman, Wojna i okupacja w rysunkach dzieci polskich.
Referat wygłoszony podczas konferencji SEPEG, zesp. Ministerstwa Oświaty, Archiwum Akt Nowych w Warszawie

© Copyright by Archiwum Akt Nowych
Warsaw 2022
×
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
FIGHTING ×
Eugeniusz Śrama, 11 years old, class II, Poznań
Author unknown
Alicja Przytulska, class IV, Kalisz
Mikołajczyk, class III, Kalisz
Ludwik Burewicz, class II, Sulęcin
Author unknown
Zenon Rosochacki, class IV, Sulęcin
Andrzej Dziedziczko, class V
L. Boletus
Józef Radkiewicz, class 5, Cybinka
Tadeusz Słowacki, class III, Sompólno
Leopold Justyński, class III, Sompólno
Author unknown
Jerzy Ziółkowski, class I, Sompólno
Author unknown, class I, Sompólno
Mieczysław Joksz, class III, Ujazdek
Jerzy Mielcarek, class III
Stefan Jaroszyk, class II
Stefan Jaroszyk, class II
Stefan Jaroszyk, class II
Stefan Jaroszyk, class II
Jan Wojciechowski, class III
Słowik, VI class
Alojzy Kłodawski, class III
M. Mazela, class IV, Ostrów
Jan Zacz, 3rd class, Lublin
Regina, 9 years old, class II, Lublin
Ryszard Skalski, class IV
Alojzy Jabłoński, class II, Warsaw
Urszula Smolińska, Wrocław
Mieczysław Mazur, class I
Author unknown
Author unknown
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
FIGHTING ×
Ilja, 8 years old, Kyiv
Anastasia, 12 years old, Brody
Arsenij, 9 years old, Yurivka
Bogdan, 7 years old, Podhajce
Vlad, 9 years old, Bobrovich
Daria, 9 years old, Kharkiv
Denis, 18 years old, Lubotyń
Denis, 7 years old, Lviv
Edam, 5 years old, Kyiv
Maxim, 7 years old, Kamjańskie
Marko, 14 years old, Zimna Woda
Marichka, 8 years old, Lviv
Maria, 9 years old, Jemilczyn
Sofia, 8 years old, Kherson
Tatiana, 13 years old, Kryvyi Rih
Jakub, 8 years old, Nikopol
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
OCCUPATION ×
Kamiński, class VI
Bożena Sochówna, 3rd class, Lublin
Ludwik Burewicz, class II, Sulęcin
Czesława Szkuciak, 1st class
Barbara Rudnicka, class 5, Kalisz
Danuta Gulgowska
Stanisław Korczak, class III
Karol Żurawowicz, VI class, Cybinka
Zyta Korczówna, class 5, Wednesday
Alina Buczma, class 5
Kazimiera Sołtysiakówna, Kotowo
M. Demanded, class II
Maria Rachel, class IV, Słupia
Stefan Grzesiak, class III
Julian Goll , class 5, Czarnków
Janusz Wiatr, class V
Jerzy Sip, class II, Jarocin
Zdzisław Kiereta, class VII, Września
Felicja Przewoźna, class VI, September
Author unknown
Kazimierz Kośla, class II, Lisków
Iwona Fiuczyńska, class IV, Lasek
Angel, 3rd class, Poznań
Stefania Woźna, 4th class, Poznań
Aleksandra Świtalska, class III
Maria Strabel, class IV, Poznań
A. Chojanówna, class III
Aleksandra Filipiakówna, VI class, Ostrów
Helena Redmann, 11 years old, class II, Poznań
Alina Kurkówna, class VI, Kościan
Ewa Lewandowska
Władysława Morawska, class IV
Barbara Sołtysiak, class IV, Poznań
Jadwiga Szwaj, class 5
Stefania Rogalanka, class VI
Janusz Tomaszczak, class III
Kazimierz Pogoda, 3rd class, Luboń
D. Czaprańska, class IV, Wronki
Mrozów, 1st class, Biłgoraj
M. Maciołka, class IV, Lasek
Antoni Marzec, class IV, Chosen
B. Maniewski, class VI
Krystyna Salomon, class IV
Konrad Dolatowski, class II
T. Wojtkowiak, class VI, Gniezno
Alicja Szymańska, 10 years old, class II, Poznań
Eugenia Adamska, class IV, Gniezno
Halina Gabrysiówna, class IV, Ostrów
Aleksandra Świtalska, class III
Author unknown
Krystyna Kazimierczak, class III
Jan Redzik, class 5, Litikierz area Łuków
Author unknown
Józef Maciejewski, class III, Lisków
A. Stankowski, class IV, Poznań
Barbara Wawrzyniakówna , class IV, Poznań
Krystyna Paluchówna, class IV
N. Borszewska, class VI
Jerzy Stolzmann, class III, Kościan
Author unknown
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
OCCUPATION ×
Kateryna, 13 years old, Lviv
Nika, 13 years old, Słowiańsk
Igor, 8 years old, Kyiv
Eugenia, 11 years old, Mykolaiv
Elżbieta, 15 years old, Kherson
Izabel, 10 years old, Kyiv
Irina, 10 years old, Korosten
Irina, 13 years old, Ternopil
Amina, 17 years old, Geniejewka
Anastasia, 10 years old, Odessa
Anastazja, 8 years old, Kryvyi Rih
Angelina, 9 years old, Sambor
Amina, 17 years old, Geniejewka
Ania, 11 years old, Biała Cerkiew
Wlada, 13 years old, Severodonetsk
Dana, 13 years old, Kyiv
Xenia, 12 years
Lisa, 10 years old, Mykolayiv
Margarita, 11 years old, Yuzhnoukrainsk
Marysia, 8 years old, Kyiv
Maria, 9 years old, Kyiv
Elena and Anastazja, 11 years old, Uncle
Polina, 11 years old, Żowte
Polina, 12 years old, Kryvyi Rih
Sofia, 15 years old, Korosten
Sofia, 9 years old, Dnieper
Stella, 9 years old, Kyiv
Tymoteusz, y 10 years old, Yellow Water
Chrystynka, 12 years old, Lutsk
Maria, 9 years old, Kyiv
Anita, 12 years old, Already
Anastasia, 10 years old, Odessa
Alona, ​​ 12 years old, Kamjańskie
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
FAMILY ×
Milada Graczykana, 10 years old, class I
Author unknown
Zbigniew Baranowski, class I, Kalisz
Maria Hejno, class II, Sompólno
Zenobia Bąk, V class, Kościelec
Edward Królikowski, class II, Wednesday
Jan Kaczmarek, class III, Dakowy Suche
Maria Sasinkówna, 15 years old, class IV
Albert Narwojsz, class III, Lisków
Joanna Wczesna, class IV, Przygodzice
Barbara Wrotkowska, class IV, Gniezno
J. Frydryk, VI class
Henryk Dąbkowski, class I, Sompólno
St. Napadłek, class III, Lisków
Teresa Szymkiewicz , Witnica
Z. Kuligowska, class III, Parkkowo
Stawicka, class VI
Aleksander Leszcz, VI class
Alekasnder class III
Danuta Trąpczyńska, class 5, Września
J. Domański, class II
Kazimiera Stefaniakówna, class 5, Wednesday
Stefania Dobrowolska, 14 years old, class V
Joanna Łuczak, class. VI, Ostrów Wielkopolski
Krowiński, class IV
W. See, class V
B. Stupiński, class V
Anna Żdanowiczówna, class IV
H. Rihak, V class
J. Tabisz, class V
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
FAMILY ×
Irina, 13 years old, Nowotroickie
Anastasia, 13 years old, Kovel
Anastazja, 16 years old, Lviv
Anna-Maria, 11 years old, Lviv
Antonina, 15 years old, Perwomajsk
Artem, 11 years old, Yuzhnoukrainsk
Victoria, 9 years old, Kyiv
Victoria, 16 years old, Ivano-Frankivsk
Marina, 13 years old, Odessa
Maryjka, 9 years old, Kharkiv
Sofia, 13 years old, Toboly
Kristina, 13 years old, Mikołajówka
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
REPRESSIONS ×
Author unknown
Henryk Spyz
E. Szyman, class III
Aleksander Mendyk, class III, Długoszyn
Genowefa Drozdówna, class IV, Długoszyn
Zbigniew Baranowski, class I, Kalisz
A. Kubale, class VII, Wednesday
Bronisław Pryjma, class IV
R. Banaszak, class III, Poznań
Marta Hekertówna, class IV
Tadeusz Wanatowicz, class IV
An. Ratajczak, class VII
Władysław Mieloch, class 5, Czarnków
Janusz Barański , VI class
D. Wykrotówna , class IV
S. Strzelczyk, class VII, Września
Halina Jarząbkowska, 11 years old, 5th class, Lublin
Zdzisław Cnotliwy , class II, Miłosław
Aleksandra Komorska, class 5, Gniezno
M. Witaszek, VI class, Ostrów Wielkopolski
Vol. Stefaniak
Zygmunt Weidner , class II
Marian Ferster, class I
Władysław Bojko, class VII, Cross
Karolina Uchmanowicz, class IV, Lubiszyn
M. Rak, class IV, Kraśnik
Author unknown
Marianna Jaszczuk , Pachole
Miśkowiak
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
REPRESSIONS ×
Ilja, 8 years old, Vinnytsia Oblast
Julia, 18 years old, Lubotyń
Paweł, 10 years old, Zaporizhia
Elżbieta, 13 years old, Odessa
Sofia, 14 years old, Kramatorsk
Margo, 14 years old, Kyiv
Alina, 13 years old, Odessa
Konstantyn, 13 years old, Lviv
Sasha, 15 years old, Kherson
Sergey, 8 years old, Karpyliwka
Uliana, 13 years old, Krasnopawliwka
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
RESISTANCE ×
Bolesław Kazimierczak, class IV, Kalisz
Felicja Nitarska, class. V, Nowa Wieś
Jerzy Machowczyk
Julia Kędra, 5th class, Rypin Lubuski
Machowczyk, Kalisz
W. Ciszewski, class IV, Kalisz
Andrzej May, Kalisz
Author unknown
M. Cancer class IV
Eugeniusz Raczak, 5th class, Kalisz
H. Jakuszak, class 5, Kalisz
H. Jakuszak, class 5, Kalisz
Jurek Ładorzyński , class IV, Kalisz
Krystyna Młocek, class 5, Kalisz
Krystyna Woźniak, class 5, Kalisz
Lucyna Baranówna, Kalisz
Jadwiga Idzikowska, IV class
R. Kunicki
L. Filipek, class IV, Kalisz
Ryszard Karczmitowicz, class 5, Kalisz
Ryszard Chechłacz, of class IV, Kalis
Bolesław Kazimierczak, class IV, Kalisz
W. Kujawiński, class IV, Kalisz
Andrzej May, Kalisz
Zbigniew Korycki, 4th class, Kalisz
Basia , aged 8, class I Lublin
Marianna Jaszczuk, Pachole
Edward Wesołowski, class IV
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
RESISTANCE ×
Elżbieta, 15 years old, Terniwka
Angelina-Sofia, 13 years old, Kamin-Kaszyrski
Bogdan, 9 years old, Korosten
Bogdan, 9 years old, Kyiv
Wiktoria, 11 years old, Lviv
Daria, 8 years old, Doroszówka
Dasha, 10 years old, Yuzne
Tatiana, 17 years old, Lviv
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
DESTRUCTION ×
Mieczysław Lesiński, class IV
Zenon Kościelniak, Jarocin, VI class
Andrzej Kołocz, class I
Józef Banaszek, Kraśnik
Bogdan Janowiak , class II, Wonki
Author unknown
Jan Woźniak , class II
Chałrzyński, class II
St. class III
Józef Cyprowski, class III, Grońsko
Zdzisław Filipiak, V class, Sompólno
Teresa Szymkiewicz, Witnica
A. Dolakówna, class VI, Lublin
J. Nowakówna, class IV, Radolin
Jerzy Zawiślak, class IV, Wednesday
Józef Stelmaszyk , class I
Zygmunt Niewiada , class IV
Aleksandra Karolewska , IV class
Michał Jagniątkowski, VI class, Poznań
Róża Wojciechowska, class 5, Żabików
Wiktoria Janicka, age 13, class V
Julia Kędra, class 5, Rypin Lubelski
Januszek Mikołajewski , class II
St. Cholewa, V class, Żabików
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
DESTRUCTION ×
Alina, 12 years old, Mykolayiv
Anastazja, 11 years old, Nowogród
Waleria, 14 years old, Glewacha
Volodymyr, 12 years old, Kyiv
Wiktoria, 13 years old, Lviv
Wita, 11 years old, Ivano-Frankivsk
Danilo, 12 years old, Kherson
Danilo, 13 years old, Kropywnycki
Darina, 10 years old, Romny
Darinka, 9 years old, Ivano-Frankivsk
Diana, 15 years old, Rudnytsia
Maria, 10 years old, Wasylków
Alexander, 13 years old, Uzhhorod
Aleksandra, 7 years old, Szargorod
Olga, 13 years old, Kyiv
Polina, 14 years old, Zhytomyr
Julia, 16 years old, Kyiv
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
VICTORY ×
Stanisława Szyman, class I
Gn. Jańczyna
Alina Ławniczak, Wilczna
Kazimierz Orpel, class III, Nowa Wieś
Bolesław Grabowski, class II, Pakosław
Jan Olesik, V class, Pakosław
Zenon Borkowski, class II, Sompólno
Janina Roszakówna, class III
Longina Żygulska, 13 years old, Góra pow. Znin
T. Kozalówna, class V
Author unknown
Jaś Milski, class II
Zygmunt Niewiada, class IV
Andrzej Kita, class III
Teresa Grzegorczyk, 13 years old, V class, Borek
Ula, cl. II
Halina Dmowska, class II
Zygmunt Kowalczykiewicz, class III
Z. Mucha
Bogdan Marek
K. Orgamiściak, class IV
Z. Mucha
Z. Mucha
T. Remlein
B. Śmiałkowska
Logotyp projektu 'Mum I see war' Logotyp Archiwów Państwowych
VICTORY ×
Alina, 11 years old, Rivne
Anastasia, 13 years old, Nadezhdivka
Artiom, 7 years old, Nowa Kachowka
Artur, 7 years old, Piatychatky
Arina, 10 years old, Sumy
Weronika, 7 years old, Kyiv
Dmytro, 6 years old, Kryvyi Rih
Diana, 7 years old, Szyliwka
Wiktoria, 15 years old, Sambor
Karina, 6 years old, Kyiv
Karina, 7 years old, Broszniw
Taisija, 12 years old, Kyiv; Ewangelina, 13, Kyiv
Sofia, 9 years old, Cherkasy