Bell belonging to Helena Kurcyusz

One of the most distinguished individuals in the post-war history of Szczecin was Helena Kurcyusz (1914-1999), an architect and town planner whose work, as co-organiser of the Baudienst (building service), contributed to the creation of local development plans for a number of cities in the former Szczecin Province. An initiator of many activities and artistic events integrating the not many people active in cultural spheres in the post-war years, she was particularly active in the organisation and work of the "13 Muz” Club, bringing together the literary and artistic circles of post-war Szczecin. Her house at ul. Stanisława Wyspiańskiego 7 soon became an unofficial cultural centre frequented by the city's elite of the day. A variety of social gatherings, readings, poetry evenings and even small-scale vernissages were held here. Given the large size of the villa, the rooms were rented out - mostly to architecture students - and the young tenants were often summoned by Kurcyuszowa to the telephone on the ground floor of the house by means of a small clay bell. This object, together with other memorabilia, was donated to the collection of the National Museum in Szczecin after her death in 1999. Anna Lew-Machniak