The subject of the present article is a reflection on the epistemological value of ethnographic materials collected by ethnologists in academic archives, especially during the period of the People’s Republic of Poland. The author disagrees with Filip Wróblewski, who, in one of his articles, radically criticises not only the scientific value of the aforementioned archives, but more broadly the activities of the researchers themselves at that time. Therefore, from the large catalogue of problems that emerge from reflection on these archives, the author first focuses on the possibilities of using these materials in current research, including attempts at re-contextualisation, as well as the ethical issues related to today’s archival methods and access rules.