Polonia Memoriae
I·06 · Dimension of the Road · Open for collaboration
The largest Polish archive outside Poland has no address. It lies in attics.
10–12 million Poles abroad. Letters, passports, medals and family albums of generations — scattered across homes in Chicago, London, Berlin, Paris and Sydney.
Problem
Archives of diaspora parishes, veterans’ papers and family keepsakes have no digital copies. They vanish with the oldest generation, and archives in Poland have no way to reach them.
FTI
A reconstruction studio in a suitcase: 600 DPI scanner, recording kit, offline AI and handwriting recognition. Digital copies return to archives in Poland; originals stay with the families.
- 4–6 missions — a year (goal)
- 5–10 days — one mission
- 8 h — on battery
- PL+4 languages — metadata and interviews
- Q3 2025: Consultations with the three largest diaspora organisations
- Q4 2025: Five priority hubs: Chicago, London, Berlin/Hamburg, Paris, Sydney
- Q1 2026: Scanner-suitcase concept: hand luggage, 8 h battery, offline AI
- Q3 2026: Framework agreement with a diaspora partner
- Q4 2026: Kit specification and mission procedure
- Q2 2027: First mission: Chicago or London
- Q4 2027: Report and integration with the National Digital Archive (pilot)
- 2029: Public Polonia Memoriae database
Fundacja Tradycji i Innowacji · KRS 0001049849 · NIP 7123459248 · REGON 525955729 · Józefów 58A, 21-050 Piaski · biuro@ftii.pl
