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The want
In 1871, a private collector planned to organize an animal exhibition at the corner of Hoża and Krucza Streets. He wanted to present the residents of Warsaw with a couple of monkeys, wolves, roes, parrots and other species from his collection. He was not granted permission to charge a fee at the entrance, but his application resulted in a special commission being set up. The commission consisted of zoologists and townhall officials. Together, they decided that the city of Warsaw – for both didactic and scientific reasons – needs a zoological garden.
The Zoological Garden in Warsaw, visitors are feeding the elephant named Kasia, 1930. PHOTO: National Digital Archive. - 2/8
The location
The first zoological garden was located on Bagatela Street. The present-day premises of the ZOO were chosen in 1912. The meadows on the right bank of the Vistula River, at the time referred to as Alexandrian Park, were expansive and wild.
The arrival of a giraffe to the Warsaw ZOO. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden. - 3/8
The title
When Jan Żabiński took up his post in 1929, an international team of experts deemed the Warsaw based initiative worthy of the name Zoological Garden. Only those institutions which possessed suitable units to keep and breed animals and were managed by people with adequate qualifications could be granted such a name.
European Zoological Gardens’ Managers Convention in Munich. Jan Żabiński is standing in the back row on the left, 1931. PHOTO: National Digital Archive. - 4/8
The successes
The Zoological Garden on the right bank of the Vistula River was developing dynamically under Jan Żabiński’s management. Subsequent breeding successes attracted not only residents of Warsaw, but also excursions from all over Poland to visit the beautifully groomed park. In 1937 Tuzinka was born, the 12th elephant in the world to be born in captivity.
Elephants in the outdoor enclosure at the Warsaw ZOO. The elephant Kasia and baby elephant Tuzinka, 1937. PHOTO: National Digital Archive. - 5/8
The culture
Director Żabiński and his wife Antonina were very keen on art and artists, therefore they made sure that the ZOO became a space which welcomed art. They held regular concerts in the park and invited artists who made good use of park alleys. The Żabińskis’ villa, located on the ZOO premises, was built according to the most recent architectural trends, in the modernist style. It was soon dubbed the house “under a wacky star”, due to the level of engagement and activities of its owners.
The painter K. Lasocki painting lions at the Warsaw ZOO, 1937. PHOTO: National Digital Archive. - 6/8
The war
The outbreak of the Second World War forced Jan Żabiński to make a number of dramatic decisions. Due to the risk of being set free by the bombings to roam the streets and pose threat to local population, the predators were shot dead by the ZOO employees. Other animals were slaughtered in order to provide food for residents of Warsaw and the army during the siege. The animals who remained alive were taken away by the Germans. Tuzinka the elephant was transferred to the ZOO in Königsberg. A number of animals were shot by German officers during an impromptu hunt they organized at the ZOO. “There was this gloomy, dead calm everywhere, and I kept telling myself that it is not the dream of death and extinction, but merely ‘winter sleep’”, wrote Antonina Żabińska.
Shelter for elephants. The elephants pavilion at the Warsaw ZOO was constructed thanks to financial help of the Friends Society of the Warsaw Zoological Garden. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden. - 7/8
The occupation
The Żabińskis continued to reside in the run-down villa. Despite the fact that German army warehouses were located nearby, Jan Żabiński engaged in activities which allowed him to reach his conspiratorial goals. He started breeding pigs, which made it possible for him to deliver meat to the ghetto. The Żabińskis’ house became a shelter for many Jews; its owners never turned down requests for help. In the subsequent years of the occupation a bulk of the garden was divided into allotments for local residents. Silver foxes were bred in the ZOO up until the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising.
A child’s drawing, the ZOO in 1940. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden. - 8/8
The aftermath of the war
The Warsaw ZOO reopened already in 1946, amongst the sea of rubble which blanketed the city. The premises required thorough refurbishment and tidying up. Antonina Żabińska used to declare in her memoirs: “It was agreed at the meeting of the Educational Board and the Teachers’ Union that older students of the gymnasiums and high schools from the Praga district would devote their share of work towards reconstruction of Warsaw to the Zoological Garden”. Shortage of tools and lack of financial means balanced the enthusiasm of the engaged parties.
Feeding hippopotamus at the Warsaw ZOO, 1950. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden.

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The Zoological Garden in Warsaw, visitors are feeding the elephant named Kasia, 1930. PHOTO: National Digital Archive.
The want
In 1871, a private collector planned to organize an animal exhibition at the corner of Hoża and Krucza Streets. He wanted to present the residents of Warsaw with a couple of monkeys, wolves, roes, parrots and other species from his collection. He was not granted permission to charge a fee at the entrance, but his application resulted in a special commission being set up. The commission consisted of zoologists and townhall officials. Together, they decided that the city of Warsaw – for both didactic and scientific reasons – needs a zoological garden.
The Zoological Garden in Warsaw, visitors are feeding the elephant named Kasia, 1930. PHOTO: National Digital Archive.

2/8
The arrival of a giraffe to the Warsaw ZOO. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden.
The location
The first zoological garden was located on Bagatela Street. The present-day premises of the ZOO were chosen in 1912. The meadows on the right bank of the Vistula River, at the time referred to as Alexandrian Park, were expansive and wild.
The arrival of a giraffe to the Warsaw ZOO. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden.

3/8
European Zoological Gardens’ Managers Convention in Munich. Jan Żabiński is standing in the back row on the left, 1931. PHOTO: National Digital Archive.
The title
When Jan Żabiński took up his post in 1929, an international team of experts deemed the Warsaw based initiative worthy of the name Zoological Garden. Only those institutions which possessed suitable units to keep and breed animals and were managed by people with adequate qualifications could be granted such a name.
European Zoological Gardens’ Managers Convention in Munich. Jan Żabiński is standing in the back row on the left, 1931. PHOTO: National Digital Archive.

4/8
Elephants in the outdoor enclosure at the Warsaw ZOO. The elephant Kasia and baby elephant Tuzinka, 1937. PHOTO: National Digital Archive.
The successes
The Zoological Garden on the right bank of the Vistula River was developing dynamically under Jan Żabiński’s management. Subsequent breeding successes attracted not only residents of Warsaw, but also excursions from all over Poland to visit the beautifully groomed park. In 1937 Tuzinka was born, the 12th elephant in the world to be born in captivity.
Elephants in the outdoor enclosure at the Warsaw ZOO. The elephant Kasia and baby elephant Tuzinka, 1937. PHOTO: National Digital Archive.

5/8
The painter K. Lasocki painting lions at the Warsaw ZOO, 1937. PHOTO: National Digital Archive.
The culture
Director Żabiński and his wife Antonina were very keen on art and artists, therefore they made sure that the ZOO became a space which welcomed art. They held regular concerts in the park and invited artists who made good use of park alleys. The Żabińskis’ villa, located on the ZOO premises, was built according to the most recent architectural trends, in the modernist style. It was soon dubbed the house “under a wacky star”, due to the level of engagement and activities of its owners.
The painter K. Lasocki painting lions at the Warsaw ZOO, 1937. PHOTO: National Digital Archive.

6/8
Shelter for elephants. The elephants pavilion at the Warsaw ZOO was constructed thanks to financial help of the Friends Society of the Warsaw Zoological Garden. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden.
The war
The outbreak of the Second World War forced Jan Żabiński to make a number of dramatic decisions. Due to the risk of being set free by the bombings to roam the streets and pose threat to local population, the predators were shot dead by the ZOO employees. Other animals were slaughtered in order to provide food for residents of Warsaw and the army during the siege. The animals who remained alive were taken away by the Germans. Tuzinka the elephant was transferred to the ZOO in Königsberg. A number of animals were shot by German officers during an impromptu hunt they organized at the ZOO. “There was this gloomy, dead calm everywhere, and I kept telling myself that it is not the dream of death and extinction, but merely ‘winter sleep’”, wrote Antonina Żabińska.
Shelter for elephants. The elephants pavilion at the Warsaw ZOO was constructed thanks to financial help of the Friends Society of the Warsaw Zoological Garden. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden.

7/8
A child’s drawing, the ZOO in 1940. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden.
The occupation
The Żabińskis continued to reside in the run-down villa. Despite the fact that German army warehouses were located nearby, Jan Żabiński engaged in activities which allowed him to reach his conspiratorial goals. He started breeding pigs, which made it possible for him to deliver meat to the ghetto. The Żabińskis’ house became a shelter for many Jews; its owners never turned down requests for help. In the subsequent years of the occupation a bulk of the garden was divided into allotments for local residents. Silver foxes were bred in the ZOO up until the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising.
A child’s drawing, the ZOO in 1940. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden.

8/8
Feeding hippopotamus at the Warsaw ZOO, 1950. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden.
The aftermath of the war
The Warsaw ZOO reopened already in 1946, amongst the sea of rubble which blanketed the city. The premises required thorough refurbishment and tidying up. Antonina Żabińska used to declare in her memoirs: “It was agreed at the meeting of the Educational Board and the Teachers’ Union that older students of the gymnasiums and high schools from the Praga district would devote their share of work towards reconstruction of Warsaw to the Zoological Garden”. Shortage of tools and lack of financial means balanced the enthusiasm of the engaged parties.
Feeding hippopotamus at the Warsaw ZOO, 1950. PHOTO: Warsaw Zoological Garden.