Jerzy Gelbard (1894–1944) is known mostly as an architect and designer of luxurious tenement houses built in Warsaw in the 1930s.
He studied architecture in École Nationale des Beaux-Art in Paris (1912–1914), then graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology (1916–1922), left again for Paris, and came back to Poland in 1929. Soon Biuro Architektoniczne inżynier-architekt Jerzy Gelbard i inżynier-architekt Roman Sigalin [The Bureau of Architecture: Engineer-Architect Jerzy Gelbard and Engineer-Architect Roman Sigalin] came into existence. It became one of the most renowned designer companies of the capital city in the 1930s (located on 29 Hoża street). Gelbard-Sigalin specialised in designing public buildings kept in the functional style of the French architect Le Corbusier. Between 1930 and 1933 they raised e.g. the Social Insurance Office [Polish: Gmach Ubezpieczalni społecznej] in Sosnowiec and some modernistic, big-city tenement houses. For the full list of works see: https://jedenraz.wordpress.com/2013/12/31/zycie-i-tworczosc-architektow-jerzego-gelbarda-i-romana-sigalina/, accessed 10.26.2020).
During World War II, after the Germans had created the Warsaw ghetto in November 1940, Gelbard was still living with his family – his wife Izabel (Bella) Gelbard (after the war Czajka-Stachowicz), his mother, his two sisters and cousins – in his own building at 57 Sienna Street. The street was later included in the ghetto territory. Gelbard escaped from the ghetto in 1942, but was arrested in 1943 as Jerzy Kwiatkowski. He spent 11 months in the Pawiak Prison. He was then sent to the Majdanek death camp. In 1944, Jerzy Gelbard was shot during the evacuation of the camp.
Not many people know that he also was a talented painter and graphic designer. He painted landscapes, still lifes and portraits; he also designed posters and graphics. His architect friend, Marcin Weinfeld, even claimed that Gelbard had a calling for painting, while architecture and construction were only a necessity (A. Kubiak, Wywiady o zmarłych architektach Żydach, Wywiad nr. 6 z Marcinem Weifeldem, Warszawa, 8 August 1950, ŻIH Archive, S/350/1).
His watercolour became part of our museum’s collection thanks to Małgorzata Rybus, who donated the work in the name of Krystyna Pajes, the daughter of Roman Sigalin. She inherited the painting from her mother, Hanna Sigalin. As one can posit, the Sigalins received it as a gift from their associate and friend.
Renata Piątkowska
