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The gnomes of Wroclaw

May 4, 2019 | Michael Turtle | 35 Comments

HERITAGE TRAIL

The gnomes in Wroclaw, Poland

It starts with just one of them. One little guy, all bronzed and steady, looking up at you from a pavement in Wroclaw.

He’s a blend between a gnome and a dwarf – for the sake of this conversation, let’s call him a gnome.

This guy isn’t your usual garden variety, though. He’s a symbol of a dark period of history in Poland and a peaceful campaign that helped bring it to an end.

The gnomes of Wroclaw, Poland

The gnomes of Wroclaw, Poland

Walking the streets of Wroclaw, you notice another gnome, then another.

By the seventh one you’re almost expecting to see Snow White pop her head out from a tavern. But the little guys just keep on coming.

There’s a gnome asleep on a bed, one locked up in jail, another reading a book and a couple on their way to fight a fire. They’ve each got their own identity, their own character and their own reason for being.

The gnomes of Wroclaw, Poland

This is no accident. Each of the gnomes has been sponsored by a business and has usually been placed in front of their office.

The company would have commissioned a local artist to sculpt them a character (and normally paid about 1200 euros). In most cases, his identity is related to the business… the gnome using a tiny cash machine outside a bank, for instance.

The gnomes of Wroclaw, Poland

The gnomes of Wroclaw, Poland

Where did the Wroclaw gnomes come from?

New gnomes arrive every year, gradually populating more and more streets in Wroclaw. But it all started with one.

It was put there to represent a protest movement in the 1980s that used humour and satire to oppose the communist regime at the time.

Called Orange Alternative, the group dressed up as gnomes or painted pictures of them over government propaganda.

It was peaceful, it was nonsensical, and it was extremely effective.

The leader of the movement, Waldemar Fydrych, is quoted as saying: “Can you treat a police officer seriously, when he is asking you the question – Why did you participate in an illegal meeting of dwarfs?”

The gnomes of Wroclaw, Poland

Today, the gnomes add a layer of fun to the city and spawn scavenger hunts for children and tourists keen to find them all. It’s important not to forget the reason they’re there, though.

Sometimes when the system oppressing you seems absurd, that’s the very weapon that is going to be the most effective. Fight fire with satire.

Time Travel Turtle travelled to Poland as a guest of the Polish National Tourist Office but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.

Reader Interactions

    Comments Cancel reply

  1. Stephanie - The Travel Chica |

    April 25, 2012 at 4:49 am

    Reply

    Love them! I would be so tempted to steal one to take home with me in my suitcase 🙂

    • Turtle |

      April 27, 2012 at 5:41 pm

      Reply

      Don’t think I didn’t try! Sadly they’re stuck down pretty hard to the ground. I don’t know how you would’ve explained it at customs if you had managed to actually get one in your suitcase! 🙂

  2. Angela |

    April 25, 2012 at 4:54 am

    Reply

    This is super weird and cute! Well done for writing a post on these gnomes! 🙂

    • Turtle |

      April 27, 2012 at 5:43 pm

      Reply

      I thought they deserved their own post. Glad you liked it, thanks! 🙂

  3. The Travel Fool |

    April 25, 2012 at 5:14 am

    Reply

    Kinda freaky, I would hate to see one after leaving the bar late at night.

    • Turtle |

      April 27, 2012 at 5:34 pm

      Reply

      Ha ha. Yeah, I can just imagine falling over in the street after a few drinks, looking up and having a gnome right in your face. That would wake you up quick smart!

  4. A Montrealer Abroad |

    April 25, 2012 at 6:34 am

    Reply

    Great story – I had no idea! Love it though. Very original.

    • Turtle |

      April 27, 2012 at 5:40 pm

      Reply

      Thanks. I always love it when you can find something a little bit weird and different about a city.

  5. D.J. - The World of Deej |

    April 25, 2012 at 8:06 am

    Reply

    Reminds me of a similar thing we have in my hometown. We are known as the “Horse capital of the world,” so we have all of these brilliantly painted horses around town. Nice to see the rest of the world has quirky things like us:)

    • Turtle |

      April 27, 2012 at 5:33 pm

      Reply

      The horses sound amazing. Which city is that in? I’d love to get along and see them one day.

  6. Chloe |

    April 25, 2012 at 11:58 am

    Reply

    You should’ve take The Elton with you!

    • Turtle |

      April 25, 2012 at 10:33 pm

      Reply

      Ha ha. The Elton would be a great addition to Wroclaw. Perhaps we could sponsor a new statue in his honour 🙂

  7. The Time-Crunched Traveler (Ellen) |

    April 25, 2012 at 12:03 pm

    Reply

    These little guys are so adorable! I’ll have to see them someday!

    • Turtle |

      April 27, 2012 at 5:32 pm

      Reply

      They add about 30 new ones every year so the longer you leave it, the more effort it will take to see them all! 🙂

  8. Sophie |

    April 25, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    Reply

    Very interesting article, Michael.

    • Turtle |

      April 25, 2012 at 10:31 pm

      Reply

      Thanks, Sophie. By the way, I’ve enjoyed hanging out with Alexandra the past few days. We’ve had a great time!

  9. Wanderplex |

    April 26, 2012 at 8:58 am

    Reply

    Really interesting! Thanks for sharing the story behind the quirky gnomes!

    • Turtle |

      April 27, 2012 at 5:26 pm

      Reply

      My pleasure. I hope it inspires you to head to Wroclaw one day! 🙂

  10. Amanda |

    April 26, 2012 at 3:07 pm

    Reply

    So cool! I’ve never heard anyone else mention these before, but it’s certainly a cool little fact about Wroclaw.

    • Turtle |

      April 27, 2012 at 5:24 pm

      Reply

      I guess it’s fairly easy to overlook but all you need to do is glance down to the pavement to see one of these guys and the natural inclination is to want to find out why they’re there!

  11. Michal |

    April 27, 2012 at 5:25 am

    Reply

    Hi Michael,

    It’s a great article. I like it very much. Let’s start the gnomes’ revolution:)

    see you in Wroclaw

    your Wroclaw guide

    Michal

    • Turtle |

      April 27, 2012 at 5:20 pm

      Reply

      Ha ha. Thanks for introducing us all to the gnomes, Michal. I’ve still got a bit more to write about Wroclaw – so you’re not off the hook yet! 🙂

  12. Sarah @ Green Global Travel |

    June 8, 2012 at 3:43 am

    Reply

    I absolutely adore this example of how art can break through barriers, such as communism, and help people to overcome. The gnome/dwarves are cute too!

    • Michael Turtle |

      June 12, 2012 at 11:21 am

      Reply

      They are very cute. I’m sure that helped the cause!

  13. Theresa |

    April 29, 2013 at 12:20 am

    Reply

    My husband & I just returned from Wroclaw to visit family some if which I haven’t seen in 37 years. What a great visit & the dwarfs were a special treat as we walked around the city to spot them & take pictures! I have an album dedicated to the gnomes. Will be returning next year!

    • Michael Turtle |

      May 10, 2013 at 1:27 am

      Reply

      The gnomes are great, aren’t they? I wish I had seen more of them. If I ever go back, I’ll make it my mission to find every single one!! 🙂

  14. Anabolen kopen |

    December 1, 2014 at 10:47 pm

    Reply

    Howdy would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re using?
    I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different browsers and I must say this
    blog loads a lot faster then most. Can you suggest a good hosting provider at a reasonable price?
    Thanks a lot, I appreciate it!

  15. Barbara Latham |

    October 7, 2015 at 10:31 am

    Reply

    Do they sell copies of their little men? I’d love to buy a copy of some of their lovely dwarves.

    • Michael Turtle |

      November 7, 2015 at 11:37 am

      Reply

      Oh yes, I’m sure you would be able to find some of these gnomes in the souvenir stores. A lot of the ones in this post were made specifically for the locations, but there are ome more general ones that you’ll be able to find around.

  16. Jonny Blair |

    June 13, 2017 at 4:39 am

    Reply

    Some nice photos here and a quirky appeal. Despite spending so long in Poland, I have yet to backpack this one, will bear it in mind before the year is out. Safe travels. Jonny

  17. Roslyn Shapland |

    December 13, 2019 at 9:50 pm

    Reply

    Great fun … saw about 120 of the little fellows , but can’t identify some…
    1.a miner ?
    2. a girl eating ice cream with 2 little birds nearby?
    3. a man sitting on a window sill holding a walking stick?
    4. a lady looking through a magnifying glass at 3 little gnomes, one of them carrying a sack of gold(?) and the other 2 carrying a ladder ?
    5. a dwarf wearing a crown ..he was outside the Corona hotel
    6. priest dwarf outside a greek orthodox church
    7. town crier ?

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This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.

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