Laundry room

One of the most representative streets of Szczecin is Aleja Piastów (formerly known as Barnimstrasse), which first appeared on city plans in 1874-1876. Its German name alluded to the House of Griffin, a dynasty that once ruled Pomerania, and in particular to Barnim I the Good, during whose reign Szczecin received city rights. The course of the avenue together with the adjacent gardens was laid out on the basis of a plan from 1882, the construction was completed in 1905. In the same year, the townhouse at Barnimstrasse 66 was built – in 1945, it would be taken over by Janina Szczerska (born on 22 October 1897 in Stryj, died on 10 July 1981 in Szczecin) – a Polish language teacher who came to Szczecin on foot from the Ravensbrück concentration camp for women. Like many other settlers, she took over one of the dwellings abandoned by the German residents, along with furnishings – kitchen appliances, dishes, and furniture, including a wardrobe. This piece of furniture, together with Szczerska's other personal effects, was donated to the collection of the National Museum in Szczecin on the basis of a bequest made on 1 September 1976.

Anna Lew-Machniak