Stefan Cybichowski

Stefan Cybichowski (1881 –1940) was a Polish architect and a social activist. He was one of the most versatile artists in the architecture of Greater Poland in the interwar period, both in terms of style and functional diversity of his buildings.

Life Early years Stefan Cybichowski was born on 2 August 1881 in Poznań (then Posen) to Maria Marta Bischoff and Bronisław Bernard Cybichowski (1844–1903), a philosopher and a philologist. Following the Kulturkampf strict policies, the family had to transfer to Inowrocław in April 1882 and later to Münster, Westphalia on 1 November 1887. They only returned to Inowrocław in 1892.

In 1901, Cybichowski graduated from the German Royal Gymnasium in Inowrocław, today's Secondary School - Jan Kasprowicz .

Berlin (1906–1910) With his diploma, Cybichowski started to work on different projects in Berlin (1906-1909):

Poznań (1910–1939) At the end of 1910, Cybichowski moved to Poznań: there, he opened his own architectural office. In 1912, he became a member of the newly created (1911) Technical Department of the Poznań Society for the Advancement of Arts and Sciences .

In 1911, he gave a lecture On the use of gypsum in construction and, on 20 January 1914, a lecture about quadrangles. From 1920 to 1926, he lectured on rural architecture at the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.

Activism Between 1919 and 1922, Cybichowski was at the head of the construction department at the Voivodeship Office. There, he carried out the polonization of the administration. As such, he was one of the organizers of the first Poznań Trade Fair from 28 May to 5 June 1921.

He was a member of the Poznań City Council (1919–1925), but resigned from the seat in 1922. Later (1927–1931), Cybichowski was an honorary councilor of the "Magistrat of the city of Poznań".

Furthermore, he belonged to the Association of Artists in Poznań from 1911. He was also a member of the Society of Friends of the City of Poznań .

Death On 28 October 1939, the Poznań Gestapo arrested Cybichowski, together with a group of professors, as part of the Intelligenzaktion.

His family was not informed about his execution until after the end of the conflict. His work is characterized by stylistic diversity, from Neo-Baroque to Neo-Renaissance, from Neoclassicism to Eclecticism and Modern Architecture. Design of the administrative building (pavilion 101) and the Fair Palace (pavilion 12).

1927 Palm House in the Wilson park. Bieganowo had been owned by the Grzymalita Bieganowski family since the 18th century.

Bydgoszcz and vicinity YearEdificeRemarksPicture 1926-1929 Saint Therese of the Child Jesus church in Kruszwica Originally, timber framing technique was supposed to be used, but following Poznań architect Stefan Cybichowski's advice, it was decided to build a reinforced concrete nave and enlarge the church by one span. center 80px 1927 Reconstruction of the 1850s manor in Chwaliszewo Registered on the cultural heritage registry of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (number 187/A). center 80px Design in 1923, building in 1927-1933 Extension and Neo-Baroque re-designing of Saint Nicholas church in Fordon Thanks to Father Polzin, the unfinished church was leased during WWII to a German company for storing there construction tools, hence saving the future edifice. center 80px 1935 Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of Poland in Brzoza For the seminary, works comprised the addition of two floors and wings. center 80px 1934 Saint Dorothy church in StrzałkowoDipslaying neoclassical style, the edifice characterized by a large dome. center

Toruń and vicinity YearEdificeRemarksPicture 1927-1930 Minor seminary and Redemptorists monastery The projects were financially supported by Redemptorist followers and American and Dutch Redemptorists. center 80px 1927 Chapel of Our Lady of Częstochowa in Chełmża. In 1940, the chapel was destroyed by the German forces. center

Other places YearEdificeRemarksPicture 1929 Saint Joseph church in Tczew The brick tower is tall. center 80px 1934 Reconstruction of the St. Michael the Archangel in Łomża The works followed the raising of the church to the rank of the cathedral of the Łomża diocese on 28 October 1925. center 80px 1930-1934 Saint Lawrence church in Gołańcz The tombstone was consecrated on 10 November 1913, on the third anniversary of the death of Father Piotr Wawrzyniak, a great advocate of Polishness, deputy to the Prussian Sejm in Berlin (1894 - 1898) and priest of the Mogilno parish church. center 80px 1923-1924 Insurgents' mausoleum in Trzemeszno The monument was destroyed by the Nazis in the autumn of 1939. It was reconstructed according to the design of Andrzej Chodnik (reduced by one third) and unveiled on 28 December 2008. center 80px 1933 Saint Nicholas church in Niedamowo Three churches (ca 1282, 1649, 1820) preceded the current one. center