The recovery of Polish independency in November 1918 was the beginning of a fresh era in the past of the Republic. The actions taken were aimed at organising state life.
In this process, it was essential to harmonise the legal, economical (including monetary), state and local government administration or education system. It should besides be remembered that by the beginning of the 1920s, diplomatic procedures and military actions aimed at finalising the borders of the Republic were ongoing. They were all highly urgent as they determined the functioning of the state. In addition to these essential projects, investment concepts were born in government circles. The overarching nonsubjective was to make conditions for the improvement and functioning of the state. Anyone who is even medium-oriented in the past of the Second Polish Republic will associate this historical period with at least 2 most crucial ones, not to mention flagship investments. This was the construction of a city and port in Gdynia and the Central Industrial territory (COP). Both projects were crucial for the functioning of modern Poland, including its defence.
It is worth noting the first of these investments. Construction of the city and port in Gdynia. On this occasion it can be pointed out that there has been a kind of discussion in the historians' environment for a long time: what was the first – the thought of building a port or a city. For the past of the Republic, its ruling is not relevant. On the another hand, it is crucial that the port and its facilities, or modern city, were created.
The uprising of Gdynia (under this word I realize both elements – city and port) was not so apparent from the beginning. The government was investigating various locations. However, yet the choice fell on the Kashubian village located in the immediate vicinity of Gdańsk. The implementation of this investment has always encountered various difficulties. Nevertheless, the determination of Minister Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski and his closest co-worker in the construction of the port – engineer Tadeusz Wendy led this task to a happy conclusion. A port and a city were formed or as anyone prefers and a city and a port. The end of this investment was 10 February 1926. This date is crucial for 2 reasons. It was the sixth anniversary of the solemn Act of Polish matrimony with the Sea. For the record, he did this act on behalf of the nation. gene. Joseph Haller In Puck. It was that day that the state authorities gave the erstwhile village of Gdynia city rights.
It's a remarkable city.
The importance of this event was appreciated by the legislature of the Republic of Poland, announcing the year 2026 in Gdynia. The bill was prepared by a group of 31 senators. The direct promoter was Senator Sławomir Rybicki. On 14 May 2025, a resolution was adopted unanimously at the legislature gathering in the presence of 83 members of the Chamber. Her introduction reads:
“Gdynia extraordinary city – a symbol of dynamic economical improvement and modernity in Polish past – in 2026 it celebrates 100. The anniversary of giving city rights. A regulation authorising the agrarian municipality of Gdynia to get the position of the city was issued by the Council of Ministers on 10 February 1926, precisely on the 6th anniversary of Poland's wedding with the sea". (M.P. 195 2025 item 462).
During the period of the interwar period, Gdynia's investment was of crucial economical importance. There were 2 main objectives that guided this action. This civilian 1 was to independent Polish abroad trade – both export and import – from the “capris” authorities of the Free City of Gdańsk. For the full implementation of this task, a railway line between Silesia and Gdynia was built. Her way led to Bydgoszcz to scope the port of Gdynia through Chojnice and Kościerzyna. In this context, it was besides crucial to build maritime passenger connections. This issue was peculiarly crucial for contacts with Polonia, especially in North and South America.
In the years II of Poland, 7 transatlantics were flying the Polish flag. That's why they're worth reminding here. These were: “Kościuszko”, “Pułaski”, “Polonia”, “Piłsudski”, “Batory”. These ships were operated by the shipowner company Gdynia America Shipping Lines (GAL), which as a public company operated until 1950. It was then transformed into Polish Oceanic Lines (PLO). For passenger traffic service in Gdynia, the essential facilities were besides built to carry out these tasks. The Marine Station (now the office of the Museum of Migration) was erected in the harbour with a passenger check-in hall and warehouses.
The second component was the construction of the Emigration Camp, besides called the Emigration Stage. He did 2 tasks. People leaving the country were waiting here for their cruise. In turn, people arriving in the country were quarantined before embarking on a further journey into the country. The complex was erected in the Grabówek territory and was built in the 1930s. It is worth noting here that this is the only specified investment in Poland. The squad consisted of 3 residential (hotel) buildings. spaces in 3 classes corresponding to the passenger compartment class on transatlantics. In addition, there were separate buildings – 1 administrative-dined, the another dysenfaction-bath.
The second nonsubjective of the port was military. 1 of its elements was the Port of War on Oxyvia. It besides spawns the future shipyard – Naval Port Workshops. Shipbuilding equipment, including a ramp, was installed in this area, allowing the construction of destroyer class units.
After planet War II, the Gdynia port became 1 of 3 – next to neighbouring Gdańsk and the port squad Szczecin – Świnoujście – the main sea ports of Poland. Gdynia was besides the main naval base. It included the Port of War in Oxyvia and the office of the Naval Command. Over time, at the airport in Gdynia – Babich Dołach became the MW Air Base.
The century, as I mentioned earlier, is simply a small, microscopic fraction of this scale on the historical timeline. Nevertheless, it would be hard to include all the events of this period in this short presentation. Between the memorable year 1926 and the present 2026 in the past of the city, many events took place, which have influenced not only the past of this place, but besides our country and even of global significance. The interwar period is construction from proverbial zeros and then dynamic improvement of the Polish maritime economy.
♪ In the shadow of the Songbook ♪
Years of planet War II, from the first days were marked by the tragic destiny of the city's inhabitants. From 8 to 13 September 1939, the city's defence continued. After his surrender, the defenders withdrew to Kępa Oxywska where under the command of Colonel. By 19 September, the oaks carried out combat activities. Immediately after the business troops entered the city, the action of displacement to the General Guberni of the Polish population began. These actions included 70 to 80 1000 Poles. The second, highly tragic action was the extermination of the Polish population. As part of the action to combat intelligence – Inteligenzaktion – 314 people were shot in Piaśnicki Forests on 11 November 1939. At the same time, many Poles were taken to the camp in Stutthof. These pressures did not break the remaining Polish residents. The Home Army intelligence cell was operating throughout the occupation. In addition to intelligence activities, she besides arranged for the via Sweden shipping services. He utilized this form of metastasis on 15 October 1943, among others. Jan Nowak-Jezioranski. An crucial component of intelligence was Action B-2. It was conducted by the Scouts of the Secret Huff of Gdynia. It consisted in the execution of plans for the German defence of Gdynia as well as the imposition of artillery positions. This material was delivered to russian command, so that the city did not endure during liberation fights.
Postwar period...
This is, of course, primarily work at sea and for the sea in a broad sense. Unfortunately, further tragic events have arisen. In December 1970, during the protest of Coast workers, including Gdynia workers, as a consequence of conflicting and irresponsible decisions of the then political authorities came to "black Thursday" on 18 December 1970. On that day, 18 people died in the streets of the city. A photograph of 1 of the victims carried on the front door on the main street of Świętojanska surrounded the planet and became a symbol of this tragedy. The boy was given a symbolic name – Janek Wiśniewski.
Fortunately, after these tragic events comes a more peaceful time. 1980 and the general August strike brings a change to the system. Although not immediately, due to the fact that there was inactive a martial law, the circular Table and economical and political reconstruction of the state took place in the final.
The past of this city is not just the events of the past century. Thanks to its builders and heroic scouts of the business period, the downtown squad was not destroyed so it retained an highly uniform architectural-urbanist layout preserved in unchanged shape. In Poland, we can visit many cities created in various historical epochs – from the mediate Ages to modern times – with a more or little preserved urban layout. This, although much younger, is the case with Gdynia.
In the past of our country, there are fewer cities that have been created in specified a distant time distance on "raw ground". His short time of creation undoubtedly determined the stylistic architecture of both public and residential buildings. Although the planned urban layout of the city was created not without problems arising from the peculiar interests of landowners, it was possible to achieve. The city, and especially its downtown is 1 of the fewer modernist concepts of the city center.
What failed in the interwar years in Warsaw and even in Berlin, was successful in Gdynia. Today, looking at the city through the eyes of the average resident, in everyday crossing the streets, we do not see these qualities. But he is appreciated by architectural or urban historians. This is the unique value of the passing century. Its importance has been appreciated by the National Heritage Institute. On 25 February 2015, pursuant to the Regulation of the president of the Republic of Poland, the historical urban layout of the city centre of Gdynia was declared a Monument of History. It is an act of designation for both the creators of this urban team, as well as the erstwhile and current residents. It is besides a decline that we leave to future generations with a clear message of concern for the passed legacy. This is simply a hard and highly liable task.
Everyone curious in the city, its past, will undoubtedly find rich literature on the subject. However, 2 another studies in fresh years deserve peculiar attention. In the context of the century the city is worth paying attention to. Each refers to the most crucial elements of this story.
The first 1 was created in 2020. Its author is Jan Tyminski. He devoted his highly extended survey to the maritime administration in Gdynia (Sea Administration in Gdynia about the period of the second Republic. Organisation, staff, activities). On the pages of his book, the author focused on factors influencing the emergence and improvement of the field maritime administration. He besides considered who the people who formed the Polish naval staff were. Especially since there was no tradition of the sea in Poland. In the final part, the activities of maritime institutions and how they were established in the state strategy and how cooperation with another departments of the administration was developed.
Gdynia is simply a port
However, in order for it to function properly, it has to have the facilities of a city with the full infrastructure of organization buildings and residential resources. Although the town was built on a natural trunk, in the area of the rural-fishy settlement of Gdynia, the developers of this task faced many obstacles. Urban plans frequently contradicted the expectations of landowners. These issues had to be negotiated many times. If we look at the final product, or present-day historical Midtown, we find that these localization perturbations succeeded with good results.
But then Gdynia was a city of contrasts. People who first built the port and simultaneously erected the city were visitors from all over Poland. Thus, their arrival on this part of the Polish coast gave emergence to settlement in this area. Unfortunately, they frequently could not afford to live in recently built tenements. Therefore, around the city, on its periphery were the creation of full “households” of buildings that were slums. This highly interesting and alternatively small known outside the ellipse of people dealing with the past of the city is not widely known. But, fortunately, she found her basement. He is. Gregory Friday, which in 2022 published an highly interesting book entitled Gdynia promised. City, Modernism, Modernization 1920-1939. His work is simply a communicative of Gdynia told from the position of urban planning and architecture. But this is not a technological monograph. Although in fact, by dressing it with a technological apparatus (subscriptions and extended bibliography) it may appear to be. But the kind that his lightness and approach is written makes it possible for anyone who wants to learn this cognition to scope for it.
Both of these items complement each another perfectly. Thanks to them, we learn Gdynia as a city from the Sea and for the Sea. We admit his organization side, but besides his typical urban side. In fact, you can read both books in parallel. Their division into different stages of improvement of both structures in Gdynia is almost identical. So to a large extent, the contents of these books are synchronous, intertwined and complementary.
What, then, is the phenomenon of Gdynia?
We seem to find an excellent answer to this question in the final passage of the Resolution of the Polish legislature of 14 May 2025: "In the 100th anniversary of the granting of city rights to Gdynia, wishing to appreciate the immense function and crucial importance of the city in the economical improvement of our Homeland and the political changes, the legislature of the Republic of Poland establishes the year 2026 as the Year of the City of Gdynia. Let the year 2026 be a reminder of the unique past of Gdynia, which was created as a consequence of the realization of visionary plans for the construction of the Second Republic to build a fresh city by the sea, a time of bringing the Kashubians closer to the destiny of the lands of fathers and compatriots coming from different parts of the country, and a time of creation, an impulse for further creative improvement respecting their achievements and traditions." (M.P. 195 2025 item 462).
Andrzej Kotecki
Think Poland, No. 5-6 (1-8.02. 2026)
