The War that Never Ends

Pawel Machcewicz, Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw.

"The collapse of democracy, the museum's first theme, could hardly be more salient than it is right now. And the presentation of the conflict as a global tragedy could hardly be more instructive ... Unlike other museums devoted to history's most devastating war, which tend to begin and end with national history, the Gdansk museum has set out to show the perspectives of societies around the world, through a sprawling collection ... and through themes that bring seemingly disparate experiences together. It is hard to think of a more fitting place for such a museum than Poland, whose citizens experienced the worst of the war". Timothy Snyder

"The story of Machcewicz and the museum in Gdansk is worth reading for anyone who is interested specifically in the current developments in Poland or in the prospects and difficulties of public history practice in general. It is a striking example of the impact historical museums may have upon society and of how politics might try to control and manipulate the narratives told in exhibitions - especially if it affects questions of national identity. [...] The War that Never Ends is a manual of practice on how to build a museum and how to prepare a complex historical exhibition. Since there is little explicit academic training for curators or directors of newly founded museums, this report might be helpful for anyone
dealing with similar questions." Linda von Keyserlingk-Rehbein in: International Journal of Military History and Historiography 40/2020, 340-341.