THE WITCH OF CHWALISZEWO

Monument to the first woman accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake in 1511.

The monument was created as a symbol of remembrance for women who, for centuries, fell victim to accusations of witchcraft, social prejudice, and unjust trials.

The sculpture stands approximately 166 cm tall, corresponding to the average height of a woman in Poland. It is made of polished stainless steel with an acid-etched finish. It depicts the outline of a woman’s body and head, without defined eyes or nose, representing an unknown woman. She appears to be in motion. Its mirrored surface allows every visitor to see themselves reflected in it, both literally and symbolically.

Historical Background

Across Europe, the period between the 15th and 17th centuries is considered the height of the witch trials. According to historical records, the first execution of a woman accused of witchcraft in the Polish lands took place in 1511 in Chwaliszewo, then an independent town and now a district of Poznań. At that time, Chwaliszewo was known for its breweries. A woman was accused of poisoning the water used for brewing beer, allegedly causing illness and death among many residents. Beer was an important and widely consumed beverage in those days. The townspeople suspected a local healer, a woman practising herbal medicine. She was accused of casting spells and sentenced to death by burning at the stake.

Regardless of the extent to which this particular story can be historically verified, it has become an important symbol of the mechanisms that led to the persecution of women.

Witch trials were conducted in accordance with the laws of the time and were held before both secular and ecclesiastical courts. Torture was commonly used to force confessions. Contrary to popular stereotypes, those accused of witchcraft were most often not elderly women living alone, but middle-aged women who were wives, mothers, and members of their local communities.

Witch hunts continued in the Polish lands for approximately three centuries, and the last documented executions for witchcraft took place in the early 19th century. The exact number of victims remains unknown, but historians estimate that between 20,000 and 40,000 people accused of witchcraft may have been executed within the territory of present-day Poland, the vast majority of them women.

The Witches’ Choir

The direct inspiration for creating The Witch of Chwaliszewo monument was the work of the Witches’ Choir, founded in 2015 by Ewa Łowżył.

The history of the woman from Chwaliszewo inspired the creation of the choir. Combining music, performance and social activism, the Witches’ Choir reclaims the figure of the “witch”, giving it a new meaning as a symbol of independence, courage, strength and female solidarity. The choir addresses issues related to women’s rights, equality and combating social exclusion.

You can learn more about the Witches’ Choir and its projects on its official Facebook page or listen to their work on YouTube.

Symbolism

The Witch of Chwaliszewo is not a conventional historical monument, but an important voice in the discussion about contemporary mechanisms of exclusion, stigmatisation and rushed judgement. The story of the woman from Chwaliszewo reminds us how easily fear, prejudice and misinformation can lead to social violence.

This story reaches far beyond its historical context. It encourages reflection on the ways in which people are still judged, excluded or stigmatised for their independence, courage or willingness to challenge social norms.

The creation of the monument also reflects the broader idea of increasing the presence of women in public space, both as figures of history and as creators of art. Public art created by women and telling women’s stories enriches collective memory, strengthens cultural identity and contributes to building a more equal society. Such works are especially important for young girls, allowing them to see women as courageous, influential individuals who actively shape history.

Concept Author: Ewa Łowżył  is a visual artist, photographer, costume designer, scenographer and cultural animator. She is the initiator and co-founder of the Witches’ Choir and recipient of the Organic Work Award (Nagroda Pracy Organicznej). She founded KontenerART and Ogród Szeląg, cultural spaces located on the banks of the Warta River in Poznań. She also initiated the creation of the monument to the First Woman Burned at the Stake.

Today, she is actively involved in raising awareness of the medical use of psychedelics. She enjoys listening to birds, swimming in rivers and creating lanterns that brighten the long winter months for her friends.

Sculpture Artist: Alicja Biała is the artist responsible for the sculpture.

She graduated from the Royal Drawing School and the Royal College of Art in London. A visual artist from Poznań, she works across a wide range of media and scales and is recognised for her deep engagement with social and environmental issues.

She first gained recognition through her large-scale murals, followed by the politically engaged series Wycinanki Polskie (Polish Paper Cuts), published in Marcin Świetlicki’s Polska. Wiązanka pieśni patriotycznych.

In 2020, her first public sculptures from the Totems series were installed at Przystań Sztuki in Poznań. Their proportions, colours and hand-painted patterns visualise environmental research and statistics concerning the condition of the natural world.

Her most recent works include metal sculptures incorporating post-mining contamination, new Totems, paintings, lace works and illuminated hanging sculptures called Pająki, inspired by Slavic women’s traditions. Through her work, Biała explores cultural history and speculative futures, asking: Where have we come from, and where are we going?

Patron and Funder of the Monument: Dominika Kulczyk  is an entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist and social activist.

She has served as Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Polenergia S.A. since 2019. She shapes the company’s strategic direction while continuing the vision established by Dr Jan Kulczyk. Today, Polenergia, the largest private energy company in Poland, is developing pioneering offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea in partnership with Equinor and Brookfield.

She sees her mission not only in sustainable business, but also in philanthropy, focusing particularly on challenges that have long remained overlooked, especially those affecting women in their everyday and professional lives. She is the founder, co-funder and Chairwoman of the Kulczyk Foundation, which over the past twelve years has supported nearly 250 projects in 67 countries, including programmes addressing menstrual poverty and Menopause Without Taboo. These initiatives aim to normalise natural processes affecting women and support them throughout different stages of life.

She is also committed to environmental protection, having initiated the Polish branch of Green Cross International. She serves on the Programme Council of UN Global Compact Poland and is an Ambassador for SOS Children’s Villages Poland.

As a reporter and producer, she has created more than 70 documentary films, including productions made in cooperation with CNN International and TVN Discovery. She is the patron of Malta Festival, one of Poland’s leading cultural events, which for more than three decades has fostered dialogue between artistic disciplines, cultures and ideas, and today encourages audiences to experience art from a female perspective.

She is also co-founder of the Values Group, which provides training in business psychology. Between 2013 and 2016 she served as Vice President of the Polish Olympic Committee. She graduated in Sinology and Political Science from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and continued her education in Shanghai, Beijing, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bertelsmann Foundation.