Wawel Treasures

Between 280 and 300 objects of fine and decorative art deemed to be of exceptional artistic or historical value, which became known collectively as Polish National Treasures (Polish: skarby narodowe, French: trésors polonais), were evacuated out of Poland at the onset of World War II in September 1939 and transported via Romania, France, and Britain to Canada. The bulk of them came from the Wawel Castle in Kraków and included a rich collection of Jagiellonian tapestries, as well as Szczerbiec, the medieval coronation sword of Polish kings; these came to be known as Wawel Treasures (Polish: skarby wawelskie), an appellation sometimes erroneously extended to all of the evacuated items. Most of the rest of the salvaged objects were manuscripts from the National Library in Warsaw, including the earliest documents in the Polish language and Frédéric Chopin's autograph sheet music. The treasures were complemented by works of art from the Royal Castle of Warsaw and a Gutenberg Bible from the library of the Catholic Higher Seminary of Pelplin. After the end of the war, the treasures remained in Canada for nearly two decades due to competing claims made by the new communist government of Poland and the London-based Polish government-in-exile. Negotiations spanned over fifteen years before they were eventually returned to Poland in 1961.

This collection consists of hundreds of pieces, some of which are globally notable.

Szczerbiec, commonly referred to as Poland’s Coronation Sword, is a two-handed antique battle weapon that had been used to crown Polish kings for generations. Its popularity is derived, in part, from a myth attached to the blade in which legend dictated that any king that did not use this sword at coronation would endanger the borders of his country, putting his kingdom at risk of invasion. It possesses a bejewelled hilt, encapsulating a number of Polish engravings. It is the only preserved piece of the Polish Crown Jewels still in existence today.

...
Wikipedia