Z kortów na barykady: Commemorating Polish Tennis Heroes in the Warsaw Uprising Exhibition

This exhibition and event, held on August 5, 2013, commemorated the actions of the AK 'Ruczaj' battalion during the Warsaw Uprising, highlighting the participation of prominent Polish tennis players. It included a meeting with historical figures and a presentation of a related visual exhibition.

The event 'Z kortów na barykady' (From the Courts to the Barricades), organized by the Museum of Sport and Tourism in Warsaw and the Olympic Education Centre Foundation on August 5, 2013, focused on the significant action of the AK 'Ruczaj' battalion in capturing SS barracks on Koszykowa Street during the initial days of the Warsaw Uprising. A notable aspect highlighted was the participation of many leading Polish tennis players, members of the Polish Davis Cup team, in this battalion. Among the heroes of this 'uprising success' were the Tłoczyński brothers, Ignacy and Ksawery, Czesław Spychała, Antoni Smordowski, Jerzy Gottschalk, and athlete Tadeusz Hanke. The event featured sports journalism doyen Bohdan Tomaszewski, himself a member of the AK, who shared personal recollections of the pre-war tennis scene and the wartime heroes. He recounted their pre-war matches and their roles in the uprising, captivating the audience of Uprising veterans, historians, journalists, and Olympians. The second part of the event involved a presentation of the exhibition 'Z kortów na barykady,' curated by Zbigniew Chmielewski, which lent its title to the entire gathering. Chmielewski commented on the visual material and provided additional details to Tomaszewski's account. Kordian Tarasiewicz, a Warsaw enthusiast and tennis player, also contributed to the exhibition's preparation. The exhibition was scheduled to be on display at the Olympic Centre until the end of August. A touching moment occurred when soldiers of the 'Ruczaj' battalion presented the museum director with significant relics, including an uprising armband and documents. The event concluded with discussions and plans for the 70th anniversary of the Uprising.

The page mentions an exhibition being viewable until the end of August. Specific ticketing information for this archival event or exhibition is not provided, but general museum visit information is available via the navigation menu. Visitors are directed to check general museum admission details if interested in viewing permanent or temporary displays at the museum during regular operating hours. The event itself seems to have concluded on August 5, 2013, with the exhibition continuing afterwards.