We were saddened to hear the news that Andrzej Dutkowski, Mayor of the Bolesławiec Commune from 2010 to 2024, passed away last night.
As the “Twoje Dziedzictwo” Foundation, we are and always will be an apolitical organisation, collaborating with anyone who shares the Foundation’s ideals and can effectively implement them. And such a person was the retired Mayor of Bolesławiec Commune, who died at the age of 70.
In 2012, he was the newly elected Mayor of Bolesławiec Commune – his term lasted only two years then. In the fall of that year, we approached him with a proposal to collaborate on the reconstruction and repurposing of the destroyed and looted Evangelical Church in Żeliszów. Our Foundation wasn’t even a year old yet – we formally existed since February 13, 2012. We had no one behind us – there were no wealthy investors, family ties, or political connections. Only a small group of enthusiasts, ready to act, led by the barely 23-year-old founderess. Mayor Dutkowski met with us and took the risk of collaborating with an entity as young as we were at the time. Even though he didn’t have to, and politically, he wouldn’t have lost anything by leaving the Pearl in ruins.
Critics, looking back, say he “got rid of the problem” and “avoided the costs of securing the ruin.” But the fact is, if we hadn’t succeeded in implementing the project’s objectives, it could have been a huge blow to his political career and a powerful argument for his political rivals. Few politicians would have dared to make such a move, to take such a risk in the name of saving a beautiful monument. Mayor Dutkowski took on this risk, this challenge. Of course, not blindly – the vetting process for the Foundation and our team lasted several months, and we also accepted a number of obligations. But ultimately, in mid-2013, the Temple of Art and Light: The Pearl became our property, allowing for the emergency renovation to begin in 2014.
His involvement in the new life of the Pearl didn’t end there. He always answered his private cell phone when we called him asking for help with the ongoing construction site. Whether there was a water or power outage, he helped get things done. He also approached the spatial planning around the Pearl with care—it was thanks to his decisions that a green environment with parking for visitors can be created next to the Pearl today. From the very first event, as long as his health and strength allowed, he participated in the cultural life of the Pearl. It was clear that he truly enjoyed the music that graced our walls.
In 2022, he once again supported our efforts to preserve the region’s historical monuments. When we took on the challenge of rebuilding the Fortified Monastery in Nowogrodziec, as a resident of Nowogrodziec and the mayor of Bolesławiec Commune, with many years of experience working with us, he sent a letter of support for our project. By that time, he already knew he was retiring. He didn’t have to do anything; this gesture of support served no political purpose for him. But he has once again proven that, as a resident and local government official from the region, he cares about more than just his own position – about the future of the district’s towns and villages, their heritage, and their residents.
We wish the new generation of local government officials such courage and commitment, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Mayor Andrzej Dutkowski at this sad time. May he rest in peace.
