Drezdenko hides a true gem, a testimony to the craftsmanship and aesthetics of the early 20th century. It is the perfectly preserved Art Nouveau interior of the former butcher’s shop at 29 Poniatowskiego Street. This unique object, which is a gem on a regional and even national scale, is entering a new stage of its history. The Drezdenko Public Library has come up with an initiative to renovate the fairytale interior, which will restore its former charm and allow it to begin a second life as a cultural centre and year-round tourist information centre. The historic shop will once again become the pride of the town.
History enchanted in the walls
The building at 29 Poniatowskiego Street (formerly Holmstrasse) bears traces of Drezdenko’s past, when the town, known as Driesen, was part of Brandenburg. The small but striking building was built at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, a butcher’s shop run by the German butcher Gustav Bautz moved into one of the premises on the ground floor and operated there until the middle of the century. Local legend has it that Bautz won the unique Art Nouveau furnishings as a prize in a butcher’s competition. After several decades of thriving business, the premises changed its purpose and in the following decades served as, among other things, a cake shop. A trace of the butcher’s business is still visible in the form of an old advertisement preserved on the building’s west facade.
The historic shop and its unique décor
What distinguishes the former shop is its preserved interior, which is an almost complete testimony to the Art Nouveau art of 1905. The Lubusian Provincial Conservator of Monuments confirms its exceptional significance and excellent state of preservation. The entire ceramic décor is the work of the renowned German company Villeroy&Boch of Mettlach, a potentate in the production of artistic and applied ceramics at the turn of the century. The sales room is a veritable feast of patterns and colours enchanted in the tiles. The walls and floor are covered with tiles of varying textures and richly decorated with Art Nouveau floral motifs, geometric motifs and abstract ornaments. The dominant colour scheme is broken white and bottle green, broken by accents of energetic yellow and red. But ceramics are not everything. The decoration is completed by the elaborate stucco decoration of the ceiling with moulded divisions and corners, decorated with poppy compositions and a central wreath with a sunflower. The original wooden door with carved floral detail has also been preserved.
Furnishings worth admiring and preserving
The unique furnishings include a sliding display case, a ceramic cash register case, a mirror, a screen and a hanger, whose streamlined shapes and curvilinear ornaments perfectly reflect the spirit of the period. Particularly delightful are the brass handles, including the meat hooks, shaped in fanciful, stylised floral tendrils. Some elements, such as the counter or exhibition bench, have been deposited for years in the Franciszek Gras Museum of the Drawsko and Notecka Forest in Drezdenko. They were moved there in order to protect them, as they were not safe while remaining in their original place. The preserved interior is a textbook example of Art Nouveau ‘unity of the arts’, harmoniously combining ceramics, blacksmithing, woodcarving and stucco. Every element here is placed consciously, creating a coherent and artistically mature whole that goes far beyond simply imitating a fashionable style. It is this completeness and high artistic value that made the former butcher’s shop in Drezdenko enter the register of historical monuments in 2010 and make it a treasure unique in the country.
From shop to cultural centre
The future of this unusual place was shaped with the active participation of Drezdenko’s residents, who were consulted by the local library. It was as a result of these discussions that the idea of transforming the former shop into a public space was born. The Rev. Józef Tischner Municipal Public Library in Drezdenko asked the local authorities to buy the premises from a private owner in order to carry out the renovation. Thanks to a positive decision by the local government and the goodwill of the previous owner, the transaction was finalised. Currently, the Drezdenko authorities are planning to create in the renovated interior a year-round tourist information point and a centre where cultural events will be held. The new function, although different from the original, is to make full use of and expose the beauty of the preserved Art Nouveau décor. The aim is to restore the original layout as much as possible and make use of every surviving original element.
A historic shop: a second life for heritage
The funding of PLN 284,961.00 from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, combined with the involvement of the local community and authorities, gives this valuable building a chance to regain its former splendour. The renovation will safeguard the unique cultural heritage for future generations and create a new and fascinating attraction on the map of Drezdenko, promoting the rich history of the region. To ensure the highest quality of the work, the renovation of the Art Nouveau interior and furnishings will have to be carried out under the supervision of a qualified conservator. Thanks to this painstaking work, Drezdenko will gain a place of special artistic and educational value. The former butcher’s shop will rise to new life, telling its Art Nouveau story to the next generation.
Source: materials courtesy of the Rev. J. Tischner Public Library in Drezdenko
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