A NOTE ON THE POST-WAR STORY OF THE WAWEL TAPESTRIES IN CANADA.

This year it has been 56 years since the Wawel tapestries were returned to Poland after their wartime odyssey. The wartime and the post-war journey of the Polish Treasures had many dimensions. In an atmosphere of personal conflicts and rivalry among various political forces, the Polish tapestries and other treasures awaited the final decisions about their future, being repeatedly transferred from one place to another. Complications were numerous and related to four areas: to the relationship between the Polish Government in exile in London and the government in Warsaw; between the Canadian government and the Polish political centres - both the anticommunist authorities in London and those subordinate to the Soviets in Warsaw; between Ottawa and Quebec. Shortly after the war there was also an ideologicalpolitical conflict developed between the main caregivers of the Treasures, who had accompanied them since the beginning of this odyssey, and were their custodians in the Wawel Castle. These were the four main areas of the dispute regarding the future of Polish treasures found in Canada. This prolonged disagreement was the reason why the treasures returned to Krakow no sooner than 15 years after the war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]