During the Second World War, in the years 1944-1945 an urn containing the heart of Fryderyk Chopin was stored in the rectory of the Church of St.Hedwig of Silesia.
In accordance with F.Chopin wishes, after his death his heart was taken from Paris to Warsaw by his elder sister Ludwika.It was then walled up in a column in Holy Cross Church.
During the Warsaw Uprising, the Germans, sure that the church would be destroyed during the fighting in the area, took the urn containing the composer s heart out of the church.On 9 september 1944, Gen. Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski handed it over for safekeeping to Archbishop Antoni Szlagowski, who was in charge of the Warsaw diocese residing in Milanówek during the Occupation. The gesture was filmed for Nazi propaganda purposes as evidence that the Germans showed consideration for the Polish national heritage.
Archbishop Szlagowski kept the urn in the rectory until 17 October 1945, when it returned to Warsaw on the 96 th anniversary of the death of Fryderyk Chopin.
10 июл 2022
