W-Skers

Story

W-Skers is a brave little dwarf who rolls through life in a wheelchair, and he waits on the Market Square beside the Old Town Hall, at Rynek Ratusz 1. Legend says he is the fastest dwarf in the neighbourhood, because no cobblestone is bumpy enough to stop him. He was the first of his friends to arrive and spent several months alone by the underpass on Świdnicka Street, until Głuchak and Ślepak came to keep him company. Now the three sit shoulder to shoulder and are always ready to say hello. Crouch down to his level for a photo and you will see the square from his point of view.

History & Significance

W-Skers appeared on 8 December 2007, close to the underground passage on Świdnicka Street, as the first dwarf of the 'Wrocław bez Barier' (Wrocław Without Barriers) campaign. He was made by sculptor Marta Mirynowska. On 18 June 2008 two more dwarfs joined him, Głuchak and Ślepak, and later all three were moved to the Market Square, in front of the Museum of Bourgeois Art in the Old Town Hall. The move took place on 5 May, the day of European protests for the equality of people with disabilities. The dwarf tradition itself began with the Orange Alternative, the 1980s movement whose members painted dwarfs on city walls.

Inspiration

W-Skers is an ambassador for wheelchair users and for everyone who has ever struggled with a high kerb, a steep ramp or a door that is too narrow. He forms a trio with Głuchak, who is deaf, and Ślepak, who is blind, and together they stand for the idea that a city should be easy for everybody. They stand in front of the Old Town Hall, the busiest place in Wrocław, so that thousands of visitors meet them every day. If you cross the Rynek with a pushchair or a wheelchair, you will soon see why their message is still useful.

Fun Facts

• He was the first of the three, arriving in December 2007, half a year before Głuchak and Ślepak.
• The dwarfs originally stood by an underground passage on Świdnicka Street.
• They were moved to the Market Square on 5 May, the European day of action for the equality of people with disabilities.
• Marta Mirynowska, who sculpted him, also made Ślepak.
• Pomagajek and Zraszacz are both within 30 metres, so he has plenty of neighbours to visit.

How to Find This Dwarf

Walk to the Old Town Hall in the middle of the Market Square and look for the museum entrance on its southern side. W-Skers, Ślepak and Głuchak stand together right in front of it. If you come from Zraszacz, the sprinkling dwarf, walk about 30 metres south-east. Your mission: crouch to his height for a photo, then look for one thing on the square that is hard to reach from a wheelchair, such as a high kerb, and decide where you would put a ramp.

Nearby Dwarfs

Frequently Asked Questions

Accessibility

Wheelchair AccessibleGround LevelOutdoor

Stands at ground level on the cobblestones in front of the museum entrance. The Market Square is flat, but the cobbles are bumpy for wheelchairs and pushchairs. He sits at a low height, so children and wheelchair users can reach him easily.