photographs

The National Digital Archive’s photographic collection contains approximately 15 million pictures, dated from 1840 to present. A major part of the collection comes from Polish Peoples’ Republic period, 2% comprises of the most historical photographs, dated 1840 to the early 2nd Republic period, 6% are photographs documenting the interwar period and 3% originate from the German occupation. 
 
The collection is divided into 70 categories:

  • The beginning of 20th Century, World War I and 2nd Republic period

• Photographic Archive of the Illustrated Daily Courier - ‘Swiatowid’ Photo Agency - approximately 180,000 photographs dated 1910 - 1939, documenting life in Poland during this period.
• Polish Telegraph Agency - a collection of 1,200 photographs dated 1918 - 1939, relating to the most important social, political and economical events, picturing prominent politicians and leading churchmen of 2nd Republic.
• Joseph Piłsudski Institute - 1,300 photographs dated 1914 - 1935 documenting the life and activities of Joseph Piłsudski.

  • The World War II period

• Press Publishers Krakow - Warsaw (Zeitungsverlag Krakau - Warschau) - approximately 18,000 photographs dated 1939 - 1945. These are mostly propaganda pictures showing German soldiers, dignitaries and life in the occupied Polish lands, especially the General Government.
• Photographs relating to the Warsaw Uprising - almost 300 pictures from 1944, mainly taken on behalf of the Home Army’s Bureau of Information and Propaganda.
• Documentary pictures of Polish soldiers in action - photographic archives of Tadeusz Szumański, Władysław Choma, Władysław Gryksztas, Stefan Bałuk and Czesław Datko.
• Photographs of war destruction and the re-building of Warsaw - photographic archives of Wacław Żdżarski and Stefan Massalski.

  • The Polish Peoples’ Republic period

• Central Photographic Agency - approximately 12 million photographs dated 1944 - 1990, documenting the Polish Peoples’ Republic period.
• Military Photographic Agency - 2 million Polish military related pictures dated 1960 - 1980.
• Collection of photographs relating to the Church celebrations of the Millennium of Christianity in Poland - nearly 600 uncensored pictures from 1966.

  • Art, Culture and Architecture

• Photographic archives of Edward Hartwig, Władysław Miernicki and Stanisław Brzozowski - pictures of celebrities, mostly Polish actors and actresses, as well as documentaries of cultural events, especially theatre plays.
• Collection of Warsaw University’s Art History Institute - about 19,000 images of sculptures, paintings and objects d’art.
• Photographic archives of Ignacy Płażewski,Tadeusz Sierosławski, Stanisław Wdowiński and Eugenia Trzeciakowa - documenting the contemporary and historical architecture of Poland.

To find out more about our photography collection, please visit

Related:
List of Records >>
NDA Collection on-line >>