Let us return to an incident that took place almost two years ago. On the morning of 2 March 2024, at 23 Jana Kasprowicza Avenue in Wrocław’s Karłowice district, demolition work began on a villa over a century old, which was under the protection of the conservation officer. Unfortunately, the emergency services arrived too late, and all that remained of the historic building was a pile of rubble. The case quickly spread across social media, causing widespread outrage. The day before yesterday, the prosecutor filed an indictment against the person representing the owner of the property for unlawful destruction of the building. He faces a penalty of one to ten years’ imprisonment or financial consequences.
Kasprowicza 23 – demolition without permits
The demolition work was noticed by a random witness who, concerned, notified the police. When the officers arrived at the scene, the building was almost completely destroyed. As reported by the excavator operator and his assistant, they were carrying out an order for the property owner. The city authorities and the conservator later confirmed that no institution had issued a demolition permit, so everything was done in violation of the law. There was no decision from the Provincial Conservator of Monuments, the District Building Control Inspector or any permit issued by the city council.
The villa in the Karłowice landscape
The destroyed building was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century and belonged to the historic urban complex of Karłowice, which survived the enormous destruction of Wrocław in 1945 almost unscathed. The form of the villa was based on a combination of a stone ground floor, plastered facades, brick details and fragments of half-timbered construction. The building was listed in the municipal register of monuments and was subject to the provisions of the local spatial development plan. Earlier plans for its extension were opposed by the conservator, who considered them to be an interference leading to a reduction in the architectural value of the building.
Kasprowicza 23 – indictment and line of defence
The preliminary proceedings conducted by the Wrocław-Psie Pole District Prosecutor’s Office ended with the indictment being referred to the District Court for Wrocław-Fabryczna. Janusz J., acting as the representative of the property owner, is facing charges. The prosecutor’s office accuses him of causing the destruction of a historic building by collapse and of endangering property worth more than PLN 1.5 million. The defendant pleaded not guilty, stating in his explanation that he acted in good faith. In his opinion, the demolition was a response to the significant deterioration of the building and concerns about the safety of bystanders. The man also emphasised that, in his opinion, the work did not violate building regulations.
Consequences beyond one address
Janusz J. faces a penalty of between one and ten years’ imprisonment for the destruction of a historic building. The court may also order the reconstruction of the building or impose a financial penalty corresponding to its value. Regardless of the outcome of this case, the villa at 23 Kasprowicza Street is gone, and even a faithful reconstruction will only be a copy of the original monument. Like many other buildings of this type in Poland, it survived decades of difficult times only to be destroyed by human ignorance, greed and disrespect for history.
Source: Wrocław City Hall, Lower Silesian Provincial Conservator of Monuments, gov.pl
Photos: Karłowice Różanka Housing Estate, Wrocław
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