Orange Alternative Monument

The Orange Alternative Monument, also known as Papa Krasnal or Krasnal Major, is a small bronze sculpture on the pedestrian section of Świdnicka Street in Wrocław. It was unveiled in 2001 to commemorate the Orange Alternative movement, active in the city during martial law.

Where the dwarf came from

The monument's author is Olaf Brzeski. The sculpture shows a 40-centimetre dwarf standing on an 80-centimetre, semicircular pedestal shaped like the tip of a human finger. The small size and playful form echo the style of the happenings that the Orange Alternative movement organised on the streets of Wrocław.

Not a random location

The monument stands on the pedestrian section of Świdnicka Street, by the clock, next to the underpass beneath Kazimierza Wielkiego Street. This is where most anti-communist demonstrations in the city began, including the happenings organised by the Orange Alternative.

Historical background

The Orange Alternative was a social movement that, in the 1980s, protested against communist rule through absurd street happenings rather than traditional demonstrations. Wrocław was one of the movement's main centres, and the dwarf monument on Świdnicka became one of the symbols of those events.

Practical information

• Location: the pedestrian section of Świdnicka Street in Wrocław, by the clock, next to the underpass beneath Kazimierza Wielkiego Street
• Access: the monument stands in a public space, accessible without restriction all year round
• Nearby: the Market Square, Solny Square and WRO Art Center
• The site is one of the starting points of former anti-communist demonstrations in the city