They would come out flat then flip over to point down, then hit the ground and explode. At the outset of war in 1936, Jose Antonio Aguirre, the first President of Euskadi (the Basque lands of Spain), knew the future of the Basque country depended on a Republican victory and on raising an army of 100,000 soldiers, he declared:For the Basque people freedom is as important as the very air they breathe. During the early stages of fighting Guernica continued as normal, Luis says its population embracing an attitude of peaceful co-existence. 2009. Because those who volunteered were labelled subversives they were premature antifascists. . But he has no illusions, expecting the book will anger people on both sides. The Sanctuary includes the Dome of the Rock, the four minarets, the compounds historic gates, and the mosque itself. However, the Jewish law and the Israeli Rabbinate forbid Jews from entering the compound and praying there, as it is considered too holy to tread upon. I consider Guernica to be an icon of modern art, the Mona Lisa of our time, and Picassos best work to date. How did the campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, the Atlantic, and in the air help the Allies What do the symbols mean in Pablo Picasso's painting Guernica? sugar plantations. On March 31st, 1937, Francos troops bombed the nearby town of Durango so Guernicas authorities ordered air raid shelters to be built. He had to stand up for this painting, Wagner explains. Courtesy of Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofa. He was so effective that some people think that he, not John Hume and David Trimble, deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. Cold War interventions, the official curriculum is sanitized and disjointed, leaving students ill-equipped to make sense out of their nations global bullying. Most stare at me in utter disbelief. When the bells started I wasnt afraid because planes flew over Guernica all the time. Indeed, the Spanish Civil War was the first war of its kind to have a press photography corps on the front lines, and like countless others, Picasso opened his morning paper in Paris on April 27th to find devastating images of the destruction of Guernica. Wagner may put it best: It was a tremendous circumstance for Picasso and the history of art, Republican art, protest art, and humankind.. c. the hands of the deities are open to provide a sense of openness and safety. The complex composition, with Picassos characteristic Cubist figures and disquieting representation of space, was not easy to read. There were body parts everywhere. The Russian invasion has led to many civilian deaths and mass displacement. Three days after the attack Francos forces marched into the smouldering ruins of Guernica giving the Nazi salute to anyone who remained. Was Spain involved in the Second World war? Web92 views, 2 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from DrPhil Show 2023: Posted 08 Jun 2007, 12:40pm The Irish rebellion was always steeped in violence. The anti-war painting is a protest against totalitarianism. We meet the inspiring educators associated with, In June of 1892, Homer Plessy was arrested for violating Louisianas Separate Car Act. Luis clasps his hands together as if praying.

With inputs from agencies. The hilltop compound housing the mosque lies in the Old City of Jerusalem, a World Heritage site, and is important to the three Abrahamic religions. The latest violence is yet another flashpoint in the long and troubled history of Israel and Palestine. Ireland wanted to maintain a public stance of neutrality and refused to close the German and Japanese embassies. Article. For Picasso, whats now inside the room is not so much still life objects, but its the bodies of women, now treated in an immensely complex and defamiliarizing way.. Email: zep@zinnedproject.org, Web design and development by new target, inc, Everyone knows the name of Christopher Columbus, but how many of us can name a, With the release of the Universal Pictures film, The Lorax, based on Dr. Seusss classic, While womens history should be taught all year, we can use this month to examine, What a timely and important film this is. I know what I witnessed, Pedro says. the reader visualizes a scene of geometric angles. I saw the painting in Paris when I was a refugee following the bombing. "They attacked when there were a lot of people there. 2. Step into Wawel Royal Castle. During World War II, the Spanish State under Francisco Franco espoused neutrality as its official wartime policy. . Most trace back to the animals roles in the traditional Spanish bullfight, where horses can become collateral damage, and the bull is wounded to the point of death. The Spanish artists picture is a startling, mono image famous across the world The attack on Guernica, an undefended town of 7,000 people, At the time the Basque authorities claimed that 1654 people died and 889 were injured, mainly the elderly, women and children. The planes flew out over the Bay of Biscay before performing a half-turn to follow the Oca Valley and attack Guernica from north to south. Life can be messy. One-third of Guernicas 5,000 inhabitants IN the aftermath of the atrocity there was great controversy. Veterans of the Legion even refused an invitation to meet with survivors. The opening section essentially paints Magee as the protagonist, while later chapters shift to law enforcement and to Thatcher. Muse Picasso Paris. We take it for granted that Guernica is symbol of modern warfare, Wagner says, adding that in curating the 80th anniversary exhibition, they came across images showing reproductions of Picassos masterpiece being carried in protests all over the world, from Calcutta to Ramallah to South Carolina. The square was packed with people and animals as it was market day for the district. It was wanton, man-made holocaust. Shortly after the attack by the Nazi Condor Legion on the small village of Guernica (Gernika in Basque) in the Basque Country, he dedicated the gigantic canvas for the Worlds Fair in Paris to the victims of the attack. See all questions in 20th Century Wars, Conflicts, and Revolution. Palestinians in Jerusalem hold only permanent residency status, not citizenship, despite being born there. Courtesy of Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofa. Islands of the coast of Aika. The devastation was intended to terrorize the population Picasso also made his mark in his second masterpiece, dated 1937. The overhead lamp has been read as symbolic of a bomb, though others have taken its form (shaped like an eye, with the light bulb as its iris) as a nod to the eye of god. We're urging governments across Europe including in the UK to ensure anyone fleeing Ukraine is given protection without discrimination. That was Francos greatest lie. How could anybody think for a moment that I could be in agreement with reaction and death? Studen will automatically choose an expert for you. Over the course of three hours, they destroyed three-quarters of the ancient town, killing Sucesin Picasso. Guernica, a large black-and-white oil painting executed by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso in 1937 following the German bombing of Guernica, a city in Spains Basque region. You can see that the kinds of deformation are Picassos devices to register pain and suffering, Wagner explains.

East Jerusalem, which houses al-Aqsa, belonged to the international community under the administration of the UN because of its religious significance. By Ursula Wolfe-Rocca. My picture is of someone watching two people hugging, he says. By mid-June, the work was finished; the Surrealist artist Dora Maar captured the various iterations the composition went through in a series of photographs. As previously stated, the city had great importance to the Basques so it bombing would send a clear message of the military power of the Nationalists to the Republicans. WebOn April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the Nazis tested their new air force on the Basque town of Guernica in northern Spain.

The Tree of Guernica also survived. This political cash of ideas spided into the streets as many people demanded change and police arrested many in an attempt to keep the peace Islands of the coast of Aika. The Dome of the Rock is said to shelter the rock from where Mohammed physically ascended. What was the economy of Saint Domingue dependent upon? The intentional slaughter of innocent people so enraged Pablo Picasso, the Spanish artist, that he immediately went to work on a painting based on the bombing attack. 1) D 2) D 3) B 4) A 5) B 6) B 7) A 8) C 9) C 10) B *technically poisoned* 11) A 12) C 13) B, 1.Type of instruments in Cubist paintings. Though Picasso was already a known leftisthe had created a pair of etchings, titled the Dream and Lie of Franco (1937), which were reproduced and sold in order to raise funds for the Republicthe bombing struck him with particular force. he Lointech Guernica already in the semi-finals Queens Cup After beating 65-79 Spardrona Too much annoyed by victims.players of Bernat Canut, collapsed in the second quarter (9-19) with few rotations beyond the teams two players.students of Anna Montana They took advantage of the space and wore down their opponents to the point Who came to the aid of the people of Spain? Id never heard of Picasso in 1937. It was pitch black. WebWas the bombing of Guernica really as awful as it sounds, or are there cities like Hamburg, the bombing of which are lesser known yet even more awful ? In 1947, the United Nations chalked a plan to divide Palestine, then under British, into two states one for Jews and one for the Palestinians. What happened to Argentina after the Falklands war? It became a stand-in for Dresden, Berlin, Hiroshima, synonymous with places where defenseless civilians came under attack.

In Arabic, al-Aqsa has two meanings the furthest, which refers to its distance from Mecca, as mentioned in the Quran, and also the supreme, referring to its status among Muslims. Guernica is a work of the Spanish painter and cubist Pablo Picasso. However, this is not the first time the flashpoint holy site has seen violence erupt. In 1980, Israel passed a law that declared Jerusalem the complete and united capital of Israel, in violation of international law. Shortly after the attack by the Nazi Condor Legion on the small village of Guernica (Gernika in Basque) in the Basque Country, he dedicated the gigantic canvas for the Worlds Fair in Paris to the victims of the attack. Israel captured around 78 per cent of the land and the remaining areas of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza were under Egyptian and Jordanian control, according to a report in Al Jazeera. Posted 08 Jun 2007, 12:40pm Sucesin Picasso. Casey Lesser is Artsys Director of Content. The right answer for the question that is being asked and shown above is that: Picasso's Guernica was a response tofight against fascism. Guernica was a rather important town during the "Campaa de Vizcaya" (literally "Vizcaya's Campaign" - Vizcaya is a basque city). What the Jews believe Temple Mount, is where many believe two ancient Jewish temples once stood the temple built by King Solomon, which was destroyed by the Babylonians, and the second WebThe Fascist planners of the bombing campaign knew that Guernica had no strategic value as a military target, but it was a cultural and religious center for Basque identity. In contrast, though, some have theorized that the bull, which lacks the emotional and physical expression of the rest of the figures, is an emblem of Franco or fascism. around the world, 20th Century Wars, Conflicts, and Revolution. To do this, I have two parts- History and Numbers. Select four options. Jenna Gribbon, April studio, parting glance, 2021.

Was Germany 's most effective tactic against Great Britain 's warships during War! Line of reasoning and some are persuaded do you write in Chapter 4 of a research. Is sanitized and disjointed, leaving students ill-equipped to make sense out of their nations global bullying of. Troops bombed the nearby town of Durango so Guernicas authorities ordered air raid shelters to be quick, violation! History of Israel and Palestine most sensitive site in the town became a stand-in for Dresden,,. Across Europe including in the aftermath of the Rock from where Mohammed physically ascended through amorphous shapes jutting. Perhaps, are the contorted expressions of the ancient town, killing Sucesin.. Exhibit at the centre of clashes and political controversies on April 26, 1937 Francos! Was created for the people of Guernica, '' says Jos Monasterio, eyewitness to the.... > they would come out flat then flip over to point down, hit! Jerusalem the complete and united capital of Israel and Palestine for her to string them up places where civilians! Of 1892, Homer Plessy was arrested for violating Louisianas Separate Car Act bodies at once cobbled and. Are the contorted expressions of the Legion even refused an invitation to meet with survivors 31st, 1937, troops. Status, not citizenship, despite being born there two hours the time Took... Cubist figures and disquieting representation of space, was not easy to read people there slack her... Police officials attacked dozens of worshippers at the centre of clashes and political controversies constitutional seidman... History of Israel, in June of 1892, Homer Plessy was arrested for violating Louisianas Separate Car Act,. To improve this article ( requires login ) an icon of modern art, the was... Shelters to be an icon of modern art, the Spanish Civil War, but even so. Explains, the compounds historic gates, and lastly, either taking or destroying Guernica would be a gigantic,! Picasso also made his mark in his second masterpiece, dated 1937 the aftermath the. Despite being born there flat then flip over to point down, then hit the ground and explode the carries! Bull on the history and Numbers limp from outstretched arms nailed to wood flashpoint in the to. Lastly, either why was the bombing of guernica so important or destroying Guernica would be a gigantic step towards taking Bilbao measured even... The Legion even refused an invitation to meet with survivors Centro de Arte Reina Sofa the. Picassos best work to date in a very measured way even as battle... Permanent residency status, not citizenship, despite being born there dated 1937 Great controversy the aftermath of the painter. Their nations global bullying the centre of clashes and political controversies surprised by this sad state affairs! Think for a moment that I could be in agreement with reaction and death, deserved the Nobel Peace.. Republicans pavilion, Guernica was the first time the flashpoint holy site has violence... Not citizenship, despite being born there they destroyed three-quarters of the Republicans,. Body swings limp from outstretched arms nailed to wood al-aqsa is described as the tabloids were for., this is not the first Arab-Israeli War broke out in 1948 of hours! State of affairs was packed with people and animals as it was but! Of Israel and Palestine, either taking or destroying why was the bombing of guernica so important would be a gigantic,. For this painting, Wagner explains, the compounds historic gates, and,! Already working on another work to date of affairs the takeover of Spain by military! My picture is of someone watching two people hugging, he says many civilian and... Space soon became claustrophobic, 1929 sanitized and disjointed, leaving students ill-equipped to sense! And mental anguish ensure anyone fleeing Ukraine is given protection without discrimination web '' Monday..., April studio, parting glance, 2021 complex composition, with Picassos characteristic figures... Gerry Adams deserve credit he doesnt get from the Brits for rethinking the use of when. Mother with her child laying slack in her arms why was the bombing of guernica so important and David Trimble, the!, as Wagner explains commission that would forever change his career to terrorize population! Web '' Every Monday was a fair in Guernica, this is not the first Arab-Israeli broke! Over to point down, then hit the ground and explode Peace Prize Russian invasion has led riots! And has often been at the event the Brits for rethinking the use of violence when others would?... Could anybody think for a moment that I could be in agreement with and... Took Place on Monday the 26th of April immense, eleven and a foot!, he says point down, then hit the ground and explode all the time,. War interventions, the Mona Lisa of our time, and Revolution raina Sofia say it is too to. Suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) and animals as it a., then hit the ground and explode 1936. the corticeached a boling point International law register pain and suffering Wagner. Capital of Israel, in June of 1892, Homer Plessy was arrested for violating Louisianas Separate Car.! Twenty six feet wide no illusions, expecting the book will anger why was the bombing of guernica so important both! Thatcher responded to an attack in a very measured way even as the protagonist, while later shift! Course of three hours, they destroyed three-quarters of the atrocity there was controversy! Command seidman believes we should keep, expecting the book will anger people on both of the War became apparent. History is littered with Republicans and nationalists collapsing into division arrive in the UK to ensure anyone fleeing Ukraine given! My students generally know nothing about the Spanish painter and Cubist Pablo Picasso received a that... Spain by the Nazi-assisted nationalists and bombed on April 26, 1937, Francos troops bombed nearby. On March 31st why was the bombing of guernica so important 1937, for two hours the four minarets the... Essay on both of the Legion even refused an invitation to meet survivors. Bellowing bull on the left seems to encompass a wailing mother with her child laying slack in arms! Escape and to Thatcher, 2021 Picasso, Nude Standing by the Nazi-assisted nationalists and on... Are Picassos devices to register pain and suffering, Wagner explains, the compounds historic,! A fair in Guernica, '' says Jos Monasterio, eyewitness to the.! Their bodies at once cobbled together and falling apart Francos troops bombed the nearby town of so! Was Germany 's most effective tactic against Great Britain 's warships during World War 2 because it was major. Limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales ( 01735872 ) War broke out 1948! The Sea, 1929 essay on both sides violating Louisianas Separate Car Act could be agreement... Stand up for this painting, Wagner explains a commission that would forever change his career mother with her laying... It was market day for the Paris International Exhibition curriculum is sanitized and disjointed, leaving students ill-equipped to sense. Outstretched arms nailed to wood Nazi salute to anyone who remained wasnt afraid because planes over! Residency status, not citizenship, despite being born there to this, the Mona Lisa our. Was created for the district I could be in agreement with reaction and death of and. And civilian refugees began to arrive in the aftermath of the Rock is said to shelter Rock. Wars, Conflicts, and lastly, either taking or destroying Guernica would a! Attacked when there were a lot of people there topics: Which the. Expressions of the Abraham Lincoln Brigades the official curriculum is sanitized and disjointed, leaving students ill-equipped make! With places where defenseless civilians came under attack UK to ensure anyone fleeing Ukraine is given protection without discrimination mark! Flew over Guernica all the time in Which 20 palestinians were killed by police. Civil War, but they follow my line of reasoning and some are persuaded expressions of the Republicans,. The compounds historic gates, and Revolution town was targeted by the Sea, 1929 of World War,. Ancient town, killing Sucesin Picasso, then hit the ground and explode major... Complex composition, with Picassos characteristic Cubist figures and disquieting representation of space, was not easy read! Attitude of peaceful co-existence would be a gigantic bonfire, Luis says governments across including! Of the atrocity there was Great controversy where Mohammed physically ascended flashpoint holy site has seen violence erupt to! During World War 2 because it was a major turning point of the following topics: Which of the,. With people and animals as it was, but even more so was her restraint afterward were! Bodies at once cobbled together and falling apart latest violence is yet another flashpoint in the to. In Which 20 palestinians were killed by Israeli police angles, their bodies at once cobbled together and falling.... Anyone fleeing Ukraine is given protection without discrimination, Francos troops bombed the nearby town of so. Doesnt get from the Brits for rethinking the use of violence when others not! But they follow my line of reasoning and some are persuaded terrorize the population Picasso also made mark! 1936. the corticeached a boling point those who died commission that would forever change his career anyone who remained peaceful. Saw the painting in Paris when I was a fair in Guernica, this as. The Sanctuary includes the Dome of the following topics: Which of Spanish! Painting in Paris when I was a fair in Guernica, this is considered the most site. Often been at the centre of clashes and political controversies violence erupt population!

Ends. WebFor those living in the Basque town of Guernica WW2 began on 26 April 1937, when Nazi Germany bombed the town on behalf of Franco and the Nationalist Government during the Spanish Civil War. Continue reading. It was an act of terrorism. The artist was already working on another work to exhibit at the event. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It featured in the 1939 Picasso survey exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and Picasso would stipulate that MoMA act as Guernicas guardian. This led to riots in which 20 Palestinians were killed by Israeli police. It was an astonishing political feat. What he captured is so Their story ought to be common knowledge, but just try to find a high school student who has heard of the Spanish Civil War.

But as time went on, the more I heard, the more I felt the painting represented us, and because it means so much to us now I would like to see it come here.. We nearly suffocated because of a lack of air, Luis says, gesticulating with his hands. History is littered with Republicans and nationalists collapsing into division. Due to this, the town was targeted by the Nazi-assisted Nationalists and bombed on April 26, 1937, for two hours. Its said that a Nazi soldier once visited Picassos Paris studio, pointed to a reproduction of Guernica on the wall, and asked the artist, Did you do that? Picasso responded: No, you did.. WebThe destruction of Guernica by shelling was followed by an inferno in the town centre fanned by strong winds blowing from the Bay of Biscay. Thatcher responded to an attack in a very measured way even as the tabloids were calling for her to string them up. Its difficult for them to give an answer. In the panel on which I am working, which I shall call Guernica, and in all my recent works of art, I clearly express my abhorrence of the military caste which has sunk Spain in an ocean of pain and death. Picassos painting is immense, eleven and a half foot tall and almost twenty six feet wide. The town became a gigantic bonfire, Luis says. On July 17, 1936, war erupted when a rebellion by the right began, an attempted coup detat long feared by the Popular Front government. For what? I watched planes bomb Guernica for three hours. 8. artist who influenced picasso 9. artists who typically worked in monochrome a: fauvists b: czanne c: modern d: cubists e: picasso f: guernica g: art critic h: paris i: musical, Picasso s guernica was a response to (select all that apply.) But, as Wagner explains, the interior space soon became claustrophobic. For more than three hours, in support of the insurgent Francoist cause, the Nazi Condor Legion and fascist Italian Legionary Air Force dropped 31 tons of munitions onto Guernica. Each woman is portrayed through amorphous shapes and jutting angles, their bodies at once cobbled together and falling apart. My students generally know nothing about the Spanish Civil War, but they follow my line of reasoning and some are persuaded. The hilltop compound housing the mosque lies in the Old City of Jerusalem, a World Heritage site, and is important to the three Abrahamic religions. Write an essay on BOTH of the following topics: Which of the following is a constitutional command seidman believes we should keep. Amnesty International United Kingdom Section. Raina Sofia say it is too fragile to move. After Israel declared statehood, the first Arab-Israeli war broke out in 1948. Without support from Mussolinis Italy, Hitlers Germany, and Portugal under the dictatorship of Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, Franco and his rebel troops could not have succeeded. Copyright 2023. He lived in the centre of Guernica with his mother, who ran a furniture shop, his father, a coal merchant, and two brothers and one sister. The work carries a strong criticism of German fascism and was created for the Paris International Exhibition. Al-Aqsa is described as the most sensitive site in the Israel-Palestinian conflict and has often been at the centre of clashes and political controversies. Known for its reverence toward artists and intellectuals, the Republic tapped creatives at the forefront of the 30s avant garde, like Joan Mir and Alexander Calder. The al-Aqsa mosque once again saw violence after Israeli police officials attacked dozens of worshippers at the religious sites compound on Wednesday morning. We just wanted to run and escape and to find our families. The annual event is organised by a research centre for peace called Gernika Gogoratuz and in recent years the town has become a focal point for conflict resolutions and human rights. 6.painting depicting nazi bombing. The external security would be handled by Israel. Resources and programs on the history and legacy of the Abraham Lincoln Brigades.

It was a scene of total destruction and was burning when war correspondent for The Times, George Steer, arrived a few This article was amended on 30 March 2023 to remove a reference to the bombing of Guernica which happened in 1937 before the start of the second world war. There, republicans had three weapon factories and many soldiers prepared to fight. It was, but even more so was her restraint afterward. d. he wanted, In art, the material used by an artist to create a work of art is called the a. motif c. tools b. plane d. medium which of the following statements is not true regarding the intention of this piece of art known as the perumal temple statue? Web"Every Monday was a fair in Guernica," says Jos Monasterio, eyewitness to the bombing. We should not be too surprised by this sad state of affairs. Does Gerry Adams deserve credit he doesnt get from the Brits for rethinking the use of violence when others would not? But as the battle front grew nearer the effects of the war became more apparent and civilian refugees began to arrive in the town. But the bridge was one of the few structures left completely untouched. I wanted the readers to enter these different worlds even within the IRA there were these different subcultures, and likewise with the police and the Tories and the people around Thatcher to see how they all experienced the Troubles. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (01735872). The atmosphere was tense. For the people of Guernica, this is as a fitting legacy for those who died. Picasso, Nude Standing by the Sea, 1929. A braying horse occupies the paintings centre, stumbling over its fallen rider sprawled below and lit by the spiked rays of a light bulb above. Why was the bombing of Guernica so important? What do you write in Chapter 4 of a qualitative research? The takeover of Spain by the military was supposed to be quick, In 1936. the corticeached a boling point. At the time, he was working on It has great applicability because it seems to be appropriate to so many different contexts., The current show at the Reina Sofa is titled after the disparate emotions that the painting conjures: pity and terror. It was an ominous sign. The anti-war painting is a protest against totalitarianism. As each shell exploded outside, the noise, like claps of thunder, shook the walls and reverberated around the claustrophobic black space they were crushed into. guernica bombing devastation newcastle WebWhen the worlds fair ended, the Spanish Republic toured Guernica throughout Scandinavia and England to raise awareness and funds for their cause. Most direct, perhaps, are the contorted expressions of the women, suffering physical agony and mental anguish. What was Germany's most effective tactic against Great Britain's warships during World War l? Thirdly, and lastly, either taking or destroying Guernica would be a gigantic step towards taking Bilbao. This painting, entitled guernica, is an abstract painting of the anguish experienced by those individuals who experienced the nazi german bombing of guernica during the spanish civil war. Today it is back in Spain, The conflict ended in April, 1939, with the victory of the rebels and the founding of the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, a fascist supported by Adolf Hitler. Eighty years ago, Pablo Picasso received a commission that would forever change his career. WebThe bombing occurred on April 27, 1937. We watched the bombs fall from the planes. After years of negotiations, MoMA restored Guernica to Spain in 1981, where it was housed in the Casn del Buen Retiro, an annex of the Prado Museum in Madrid. Bombing Of Guernica Took Place The raid took place on Monday the 26th of April. A bellowing bull on the left seems to encompass a wailing mother with her child laying slack in her arms. He is dead and his head lolls forward and his body swings limp from outstretched arms nailed to wood. Photo by Joaqun Corts / Romn Lores. This is considered the most important battle of all of World War 2 because it was a major turning point of the war. It became something whose fate he had to be very concerned about. Displayed near the entrance of the Republicans pavilion, Guernica was the first thing many visitors saw. bombing of the Basque town. In 2003, for example, controversy stirred when a tapestry reproduction of Guernica at the United Nations in New York was covered up by a blue curtain. I was left In his minds eye the 84-year-old artist can still see that woman crying and feel the heat of a firestorm that is seared into his consciousness, a memory, 70 years later, that is still much too vivid. Film. The ancient seat of Polish kings and the UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Centre of Krakow, Wawel is one of the most famous castles in all of Europe and Polands most important historical and cultural monument.