reseacher
Anna Polak
I specialize in interdisciplinary research combining social, cultural, and architectural history. My academic work focuses, among other things, on the study of sacred buildings, including crypts. I analyze them by reconstructing the functioning of communities, founders, and local elites.
In my research work, I primarily use written source criticism, archival queries, inscription analysis, and conservation documentation. For years, I have been obtaining grants for construction, conservation, and restoration work on historic buildings, as well as archaeological and anthropological projects, which is why issues related to architecture are particularly close to my heart.
An important area of my interest is war losses and the transformation of cultural heritage in the territories annexed to Poland after 1945.
At the same time, I am conducting research on the history and heritage of the Brandenburg region, analyzing its connections with the areas currently within the borders of Poland. I am interested in the political and religious processes that shaped this area, as well as their reflection in architecture and the organization of sacred space.
