The oldest archive of the Polish LGBTQIAPF++ community is already available online

The first of several stages of digitalizing the Lambda Warszawa’s Archive – the biggest and oldest collection of materials on the Polish queer community – has been completed. Until now, its resources were available for review at the Lambda Warszawa’s Library. Starting from 6 December 2022, more than 3500 materials from a collection of 100 thousand have been placed at queerstoria.pl and are available for everyone. The patron of the digitalization process is Standard Chartered Global Business Services Poland.

Those interested will be able to scour the digital archive to find e.g. press releases, including magazines from 1983-1992, movies, event posters, leaflets, as well as information on HIV/AIDS prophylaxis and the legal situation of non-heteronormative people in Poland over the years.

Supporting diversity and building an inclusive atmosphere is one of the foundations of our company’s operations. Our employees are sincerely involved in the pursuit of this mission, through which we are creating a safe workplace for everyone. We are very happy and proud of the fact that we can show our support also beyond our office
and help in the completion of such an important project as the digitalization of the Lambda Warszawa Association’s Archive. This allows us not only to eternalize valuable and unique sources, but also make them available to people who want to discover the history of the queer community, educating the Polish society.

Anna Urbańska, CEO at Standard Chartered Poland

I am very happy that Standard Chartered Poland continuously engages in initiatives that support the LGBTQIA+ community – not only among its employees, but also with a broader reach. This year, we actively participated in the Warsaw Equality Parade and were featured in the “Safe Havens” report that shows good practiced and solutions for companies willing to support the rainbow community. The launch of the digitalised Lambda Warszawa Archive crowns this year’s activities of our employee resource group.

Elena Mihalache, SC Pride Poland Lead

All adults will have access to the archive – all you have to do is log in at queerstoria.pl. The Archive includes unique documents, which often are the only preserved copy. Until now, the Library was used by journalists, researchers, students and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and now, thanks to its digitalization, it can be used for private or research purposes. The Lambda Warszawa’s Electronic Archive will continue to be extended and supplemented with new materials. Ultimately, in the summer of 2023, the Lambda Warszawa Association wants to open the first museum of LGBTQIA in Poland – the Queer Museum in Warsaw. The archive is to constitute its integral part.

The first resources in our archive date back to 1960. It is very important to record such a long history, as it helps build the identity of our community, understanding the path we had to take and the people who paved it. The archive is still growing, we still collect all the current materials from important events for the LGBTQIA+ community, hoping that the future generations will be able to use them.

Krzysztof Kliszczyński, President of the Board of the Lambda Warszawa Association, which has been collecting materials related to the functioning of the queer community in Poland for 20 years now.

As part of the Electronic Archive, more than 3500 pages of documents were made available. The Lambda Warszawa Association wants to gradually extend the digitalized resources as part of next steps.

The entire undertaking would not be possible without the financial and competence-related support of Standard Chartered. We believe that through this cooperation, the digital archive will attract many people interested in its contents and will contribute to the improvement of the situation of non-heteronormative people in Poland.

stresses Krzysztof Kliszczyński