Past event
Brown Bag Talk: Memory Crafted in Glass and Stone The Polish Soldiers' Mosaic in St Andrews as a Material Representation of Collective and Mediated Memory
Kamila Oles
Memory Crafted in Glass and Stone:
The Polish Soldiers' Mosaic in St Andrews as a Material Representation of Collective and Mediated Memory
The “Scotland's Future — Collective Memories in Fostering Unity” project traces shared Scottish–Polish heritage. This talk, by examining the mosaic as both an artwork and a memory object, invites audiences to explore a lesser-known yet compelling chapter within this history: the story of three young Polish paratroopers who studied at the University of St Andrews during the Second World War. Trained as members of the Polish Section of the British Special Operations Executive (“Silent Unseen”), they combined military skill with remarkable artistic talent, creating a mosaic in Edinburgh that was later installed on the façade of St Andrews Town Hall. What began as a wartime token of appreciation gradually became a powerful symbol of collective and mediated memory, silently connecting those whose stories could not be spoken aloud.