Keeping the wolves from my door.

Last night I attended the bi-annual meeting of all the flat owners in the building here where I live. It kicked off at 6pm and they were still going strong at 11pm. So much hot air. Poles take 10 minutes to say what the English would say in 2, going round in circles with endless repetition and tedious detail.

I live in what was once a beautiful Art Nouveau apartment block on the main street. Like most older property in this city no money has been spent on this building in a hundred years. But it has been consistently 'patched up' causing immeasurable damage. The owners do not want to fork out and only if work is absolutely necessary then will they employ the cheapest method possible, and only enough to sort it temporarily, nothing more. Hours are spent discussing the price of a door knob. They prefer to spend their money on cars and millions of TV channels.

Among the issues being hotly debated last night were the main street doors to each of the three staircases. We are lucky to still have the original wooden portals although they are in a bad state and hanging loosely from their antique hinges. Like Henry Fonda in Twelve Angry Men I wrangled valiantly with my neighbours all night on why the doors should stay, that they could and should be renovated. Like General Custer I stood alone while they shot arrows at me. They are all up for replacing the splendid wooden structures with prison-like metal gates, an act of pure vandalism, they think only in terms of cost and security. I told them that my bank in London has beautiful old wooden doors along with many other important institutions but that did not impress them. I told them that such a building as this is rare in Poland, a thing of value and irreplaceable, but that did not impress them. I told them that this street is one of the most famous in Poland and renowned for its Art Nouveau architecture. That did not impress them. So, finding myself with no other option I have offered to pay for the restoration of the original portals and hope that this will keep the wolves from my...er, doors so to speak.

Every time workmen come to 'fix' something here they create shocking acts of destruction, everything from ornate Victorian fireplaces and tiling to stunning parquet flooring is at risk. They have no sensitivity or aesthetic awareness and never even clear up afterwards, leaving their empty beer cans amongst the rubble. With 90% of polish property consisting of communist concrete crap, and the new plastic lego-like constructions appearing all over the place just as bad, you'd think that they would want to preserve the older stuff... but sadly no. In Krakow they realise that historic and interesting architecture attracts tourists and the locals there are more in tune with their city, but the Old Town of Krakow is completely removed from the rest of Poland. Here in Lodz they just don't care.