What stories do places hold? How do you find those lesser-known spots? This and much more in a conversation with Tomasz Tkaczyk, a seeker of old items and traveler, known as Wloczykij Boruta
Editor: You visit many places connected with nature. Why does nature draw you in so much?
Tomasz Tkaczyk: These days, it doesn’t need much advertisement. It’s an escape from everyday life – silence, peace, the sound of birds, rustling trees, the water… All of this doesn’t need much promotion.
‘To search for items with a metal detector, the first and most important thing is getting the landowner’s permission.’
So, are these the places where you feel particularly comfortable?
I think so. Since I was young, I’ve always been running around courtyards, through forests, near water – always surrounded by nature.
What activities do you take up there now?
I visit hot, unusual spots hidden in nature. We pass by them every day and often don’t notice them. I also fish a bit, a passion I picked up in childhood. In recent years, I’ve also been using a metal detector. I got really into it, though there are some issues in Poland related to it right now.
At the beginning of May, a new law regarding artifact searches was supposed to come into effect. Unfortunately, it didn’t. To search for items with a metal detector, the first crucial step is to get permission from the landowner – whether it’s a private landowner or the State Forests. The second key step is getting permission from the monument conservator. From the landowner, you can get permission in a day, while it takes about a week or two from the State Forests. But getting approval from the conservator can take two or three months. So, if you’re planning to go somewhere with a metal detector for the weekend, you have to plan it two to three months ahead of time.
The new law, once passed, was supposed to work like this: you’d have an app, register yourself, get landowner permission to ensure you’re not trespassing, and then go searching. There was a bill, but the government changed, the law was blocked, and now no one knows what will happen next.
What happens once you find an item? Can you keep it, or must you turn it in?
The process is clearly regulated by law. There’s a law about found objects that describes what should happen. For example, if I find something like a ring, I must report it to the local government office or the lost and found department. If no one claims it within two years, it becomes my property.
It’s the conservator who decides whether something is classified as a historical artifact and who ultimately owns it. They determine if the item goes to a museum, an exhibition, or the finder. Unfortunately, this process can take a long time…
What items have you found so far?
One of the more interesting finds during my first search with a metal detector was an officer’s whistle from the battlefields of the Pomeranian Wall Breakthrough. This whistle belonged to one of three or four people who participated in that battle. Of course, the item could have ended up there by accident. However, the whistle’s manufacturing date indicates it was likely present during the battle.
Identifying and dating a found object isn’t difficult. You take a photo and search the internet. On various Facebook groups, you can get all the information you need within a day or two. Sometimes, you even find out more than you initially expected.
What’s your favorite place you’ve visited so far?
My favorite place is definitely the Officer’s House in Borne Sulinowo. It’s falling into ruin and becoming harder to access. The first time I visited, you could safely explore all its corners. Almost every room was accessible, and the ceilings were still intact. But when I visited recently, I noticed some changes. Now, it’s the last chance to go there before parts of the building become too dangerous to enter. The structure is steadily decaying. I visit about twice a year, sometimes less, and I watch how nature is slowly reclaiming the area.
I’ve noticed from your social media that you visit many abandoned buildings. What draws you to them? What makes these places so special?
Abandoned places usually hold some sort of mystery. It’s fascinating because you not only explore the site itself but also uncover its history. The element of mystery is what attracts people the most.
For example, the Officer’s House, which I’ve already mentioned, was built in the 1930s by the Germans. Later, it was occupied by the Russians, and eventually, it passed into Polish hands. The building has changed owners multiple times and has “witnessed” many things. In reality, we can only imagine everything that has happened there…