The Remembrance Museum of the Land of Oświęcim Residents invites you to another event in this year’s “Meeting with History” series. This time, it will be dedicated to the extraordinary story of a wooden figurine of the Virgin Mary, made by Bolesław Kupiec, a prisoner of the German concentration camp Auschwitz, registered under number 792.
The Fate of the Kupiec Family from Poronin
Bolesław Kupiec was one of six brothers arrested in 1940 for their involvement in the underground resistance and imprisoned in KL Auschwitz. The Kupiec family came from Poronin near Zakopane. The brothers were raised in a spirit of patriotism and Christian values. While in the camp, they became involved in the emerging resistance movement. They participated, among other activities, in preparing hiding places for secret messages inside wooden blocks, which civilian workers employed in the camp’s expansion attempted to smuggle outside its grounds.
The creation of the Figurine of Virgin Mary from Behind the Wires
Two of the brothers – Bolesław and Antoni – worked in the camp’s sculpture workshop. It was there that Bolesław created the figurine of Mary, now known as the Virgin Mary from Behind the Wires. This work was not only an artistic expression of escape from the camp’s reality into a world of Goodness and Beauty, but also had a hidden meaning – inside the figurine there was a hiding place for a secret message, similar to those concealed in the wooden blocks.
A Symbol of Faith and Resilience
The message that was meant to be forwarded using this hidden compartment never reached its intended recipients. Bolesław himself and two of his brothers did not survive the war. Bolesław was killed — beaten to death during a brutal interrogation after another denunciation against the family. Despite suffering and repression, he took all the accusations upon himself, remaining faithful to the values that shaped his life until the very end. Today, the Virgin Mary from Behind the Wires stands as a symbol of faith, hope, and the steadfastness of human spirit.
Presentations During the Meeting
The meeting will shed light on both: the fate of the Kupiec brothers and the story behind the creation of the figurine. The event program includes two presentations:
Maria Bafia-Bobek, Historical Department, the Palace Museum – branch of Tatra Museum “The Story of the Six Kupiec Brothers from Poronin – A Symbol of Regional Remembrance”
Dr. Teresa Wontor-Cichy, Research Center of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum “The History of the Figurine of Virgin Mary from Behind the Wires”
During the event, visitors will be able to see an exact copy of the Virgin Mary from Behind the Wires figurine, displayed as part of our exhibition. The original is held at the St. Maximilian Centre in Harmęże.
Date: 21 October 2025, 11:00 Venue: The Remembrance Museum of the Land of Oświęcim Residents
Registration until: 17 October 2025 Phone: 33 447 40 84 E-mail: biuro@muzeumpamieci.pl
