We Begin the Renovation of the Gate-Monument

Following the last year’s comprehensive renovation of the Mausoleum, now we launch the next stage of conservation works on the Monument to Struggle and Martyrdom. Thanks to the subsidy from the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage they will now include the Gate-Monument – one of the most remarkable commemorative monuments dedicated to the victims of World War II.

Comprehensive Conservation Works

For nearly sixty years the Gate-Monument has been an inherent element of the landscape at Majdanek. However, its long-lasting exposure to changing weather conditions and the natural deterioration of the building materials have caused the Monument to require substantial restoration and conservation works.

The entire structure of the Monument is going to be subjected to those measures, which are also going to cover all the surrounding stairs, pavements, paving slabs, and electrical installations. The concrete benches are also going to be restored, and thanks to the new lighting system the Gate-Monument will also be visible after dusk.

The total project value amounts to 11,795,700 PLN and its completion is scheduled for June 2028. The visiting route will be altered for the duration of the restoration works.

In Honour of the Victims of Majdanek

The Monument to Struggle and Martyrdom was erected on the grounds of the State Museum at Majdanek within the course of a nationwide architectural competition held by the Council for Protection of Martyrdom Sites and the Society for the Protection of Majdanek. From among the 140 submitted projects the one proposed by Wiktor Tołkin and Janusz Dembek.

The Competition Jury recognised especially the innovative spatial solutions and the monumental character of the project. The reasoning behind the verdict emphasised the particular merits of combining the monumental Gate with the Mausoleum and thus creating a coherent composition commemorating the victims of the German Nazi concentration camp in Lublin.

The Work of an Artist Marked by War

The Monument’s author, Wiktor Tołkin, was not only a remarkable sculptor and architect, but also the former prisoner of the Gestapo Pawiak prison in Warsaw and an Auschwitz survivor. During World War II he also fought in the Warsaw Uprising.

While designing the Gate-Monument, he drew from his own wartime experiences and created a symbolic work that alludes to visions of the gates of hell described by Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy.

Construction on an Unprecedented Scale

The construction works began in 1968 and were among the largest urban development projects held in Lublin at that time. Three 200-men teams were working on three shifts in their peak including a group of over 50 woodworkers.

The construction of the entire complex required, among other materials, over 800 m³ of concrete, 1,500 tonnes of granite, 400 tonnes of reinforcing steel and 2,600 tonnes of basalt and granite aggregate. Due to the high project costs, it was eventually completed in a form that was 10% smaller than initially assumed.

The Monument to Struggle and Martyrdom was officially unveiled on 21 September 1969 to mark the 25^th anniversary of Majdanek’s liberation. The event attracted over 100,000 participants.

Unveiling of the Monument of Struggle and Martyrdom, 21 September 1969