Hanza Living History Foundation projects are about reenactment and popularizing the culture of medieval Europe. The protection and promotion of monuments, antiques, and relics are very important for our organization.
Our members are creating an exciting experience of 1000 years of medieval history through knights' tournaments, archery contests, medieval dances, and stories of knights, ladies, craftsmen, monks, traders, mercenaries, and artists.
We are presenting early and late medieval fighting equipment during many tournaments.
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Their clothes, accessories and everyday items are faithful reconstructions of those from the era, created on the basis of original patterns down to the smallest detail.
However, the history of the Middle Ages is not only about fighting and politics – it is also about the richness of social and spiritual culture. Therefore, the Foundation also promotes aspects of medieval everyday life, such as cuisine, early music, common and courtly entertainment, such as old board games, including chess played according to medieval rules.
The group has been cooperating for years with numerous cultural and educational institutions, local governments, organizers of mass events, as well as private companies and organized groups.
Our organization offers shows, workshops and living history lessons, illustrating basically all aspects of the history and culture of the Middle Ages – from various styles and formulas of fighting, through a wide range of crafts, to medieval cuisine, entertainment and art.
Recently, the Foundation has started activities in the field of reconstruction of two later eras, i.e. the 18th century and the Belle Epoque (1870-1914).
The headquarters of our organization is located in Suwałki, which received city rights in 1720, which we decided to research, recreate and present to a wider audience.
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Belle Epoque is a period from the turn of the 19th century and the 20th century, characterized by elegance and sophistication. We were interested in the figure of Teofil Noniewicz, a distinguished doctor, social activist and cultural activist from Suwałki, and his wife Zofia Eleonora and their circle of friends, so we decided to present their profiles and those times to our recipients.
It is worth emphasizing that the Foundation has been cooperating with the Cultural Center in Góra Kalwaria for years, which manages the Castle of the Dukes of Masovia in Czersk.
It resulted in the creation of two permanent exhibitions in the castle's gate tower: on the second floor, we prepared the Castellan's Chamber, i.e. a 14th-century interior living room, decorated as it might have looked in that era, with tables, benches, chests, chairs and even a bed with a baldachin.
On the top floor, we recreated a late-Gothic reception hall, i.e. a room where guests were received, especially those on official diplomatic missions. Exhibitions have been popular for almost 10 years because their elements are reconstructions that everyone can use.
The second institution that the Foundation has been cooperating with for many years is Szkoła Podstawowa nr 11 z Oddziałami Integracyjnymi im. Gen. Bryg. Pil. Witolda Urbanowicza w Suwałkach.
For years, we have been conducting living history lessons for school students. There we present our costume reconstructions, demonstrate our sword fighting skills and pass on knowledge of history to the younger generation.