The Cavelin Dog is a sculpture which, apart from its interesting form, has an equally rich history. The bulldog-like sculpture used to stand by the fence of the Branicki Palace opposite the parish church. The original sculpture disappeared in 1944. It was most likely looted by retreating German soldiers. Interestingly – the sculpture still arouses emotions today. Russians believe that the monument, or rather its name, offends their pride. Is this right?
Kavelin Dog – history
The Kawelin Dog sculpture was originally created in 1936. It was created by Białystok-based artists Piotr Sawicki and Józef Sławicki. The sculpture initially stood by the fence of the famous Branicki Palace. In July 1944, the retreating troops of the Wehrmacht probably looted the sculpture, considering it a valuable symbol for Poles. Since then, no one has heard from it.
In 2006, a replica of the sculpture returned to Bialystok. The Kawelin dog was recreated by the sculptor Małgorzata Niedzielko and, through the efforts of the Podlaskie Association for the Encouragement of Fine Arts, stood in the Bialystok planty. In the summer of 2024, the monument was destroyed by vandals. After nearly two months of conservation work, the restored sculpture returned to the vicinity of the Branicki Palace, thus closer to its original destination.
The sculpture came to Bulwary Kościałkowskiego straight from Lucyna Markiewicz’s workshop, where its original structure and appearance were restored. In addition, the surface was protected against external factors with an impregnation and anti-graffiti layer. The conservation work was carried out under the supervision of the sculpture’s author Małgorzata Niedzielko.
The Cavelin Dog – the origin of the name
According to rumour, the dog’s name comes from a tsarist colonel Nikolai Kavelin, who settled in the Bialystok region. The dog’s facial expression was said to be deceptively reminiscent of a Russian soldier. Kavelin was famous for his thick moustache and – as historians put it – exceptional ugliness, which was to be emphasised by the monument. It is worth mentioning here that despite his origins and the situation in Poland at the time, Kavelin was not considered an enemy of the Poles. In fact, he was the chairman of the Jagiellonia club (it is worth mentioning here that his tomb is still looked after by Jagiellonia fans), he was active in sport and culture, and according to one of the legends, he saved Józef Piłsudski’s life, in return for which the latter presented him with a large land fortune.
A second version of the story concerning the origin of the sculpture’s name tells of a watchman named Kavelin working at the pre-war Ritz Hotel, which was located in Bialystok. The Ritz at the time, however, had nothing in common (apart from its name) with the legendary chain founded by Ceasar Ritz. Historians, however, are more inclined to the former version, especially as the facial expression of the friendly dog, is really similar to that of the Russian colonel.
Name dispute – Kavelin dog offends Russians
Russians believe that the name insults their national pride. Since 2009, activists of the Russian Cultural and Educational Association in Bialystok have been promoting a new interpretation of the sculpture. In their view, ‘Kavelin Dog’ offends the national pride of Russians and therefore the name should be changed to ‘Kavelin Dog’. The proposal went unheeded and Bialystok residents still call the sculpture Kavelin.
“A dog for a man? Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think the reaction of Poles would be if a statue of a dog was put up in Russia and it was called Walesa or someone else?” – perorated Halina Romanchuk in the Sejm in 2009.
What does Colonel Kavelin himself have to say about this? According to the townspeople’s recollections, the retired soldier was well aware that the locals had christened the sculpture with his name, and he himself mentioned that he had no problem with it. What’s more, he visited the sculpture more than once and was happy to joke about the similarities. Considering equally the fact that the Bialystok residents had no hatred for the Tsarist colonel, it can be concluded that the sculpture was a subtle joke (at which the man himself laughed) and not an insult aimed at Russia.
source: UM Białystok / https://www.bialystok.pl/
Read also: Architecture in Poland | Białystok | Sculpture | Curiosities | Art | History | Places, Squares, Parks