Gallus Anonymus Boulder

Gallus Anonymus Boulder stands in the courtyard of the 1st General Secondary School in Wrocław, in the Ołbin district, and is a monument with a surprising history of changed identity.

Original purpose

The erratic boulder was originally the Monument to the Corps of Karl Friesen, made by sculptor Richard Schipke and unveiled in 1913. It bore an inscription, now worn away but partly visible: "Dem Freiheitskämpfer Friesen geweiht vom Turngau Breslau, 1813-1913" ("Dedicated to the freedom fighter Friesen by the Breslau Gymnastics District, 1813-1913"), as well as a bronze medallion with Friesen's profile.

Relocation and a new identity

In 1967 the monument was moved from Plac Westerplatte to the courtyard of the 1st General Secondary School. A rectangular metal plaque by Władysław Tumkiewicz was then installed in place of the bronze medallion, dedicated to Gallus Anonymus, the chronicler of the beginnings of Polish history. Since then the boulder has commemorated Gallus Anonymus rather than Karl Friesen.

Practical information

• Address: courtyard of the 1st General Secondary School, Wrocław, Ołbin district
• Getting there: near the Botanical Garden of the University of Wrocław and the Tumski Bridge
• What to expect: a small monument made of an erratic boulder on school grounds, accessible from outside the courtyard