During the post-war period, there was a huge demand in Poland for experts to guide reconstruction efforts. Therefore, the Institute of Industrial Design was founded on the initiative of Wanda Telekowska in 1950. The Institute was a scientific and research institution whose aim was to improve...
The history of the “Uroda” Warsaw Soap and Cosmetics Factory dates back to 1899, when the Chemical Products Factory Joint Stock Company was established at Szwedzka Street under the name of “Praga”. At first, the company produced mostly floor wax and shoe polish, later changing...
In socialist countries even the way citizens dressed was centrally regulated. The most important fashion show in the 50’s was the International Leipzig Fashion Fair, where Poland was represented by Jadwiga Grabowska. On her return, she managed to convince party dignitaries that fashion could be...
The Friends of Warsaw Society is a grassroots initiative that brings together people who want to work in the interest of the capital and its residents. The Society was founded by eminent historians, including Stanisław Lorentz, Stanisław Herbst, Juliusz Wiktor Gomulicki, and Janusz Durko. Although the...
For over 60 years The Institute of Mother and Child has offered hospital treatment to mothers, children and adolescents. It was founded to combat infectious diseases and perinatal morbidity of infants and mothers. One of the Institute’s greatest achievements was its introduction of the concept of...
The International Book Fair was first held in Poznań in 1956. Two years later it was moved to Warsaw and since then has been held annually at the Palace of Culture and Science. During the period of the Polish People’s Republic, it was the largest...
„Smyk” Department Store, although built in 1949-52, during the height of socialist realism era in Poland, was one of the boldest late modernist tributes to modernity. The most important element of the project – designed by Zbigniew Ihnatowicz and Jerzy Romański – was a reinforced...
The “UNIVERSAL” Foreign Trade Centre was one of the leading state import and export institutions in communist Poland. Due to the nature of its activity, the regular staff had to work alongside security service undercover agents. From its founding in 1959 UNIVERSAL was importing consumer goods...
The “UNITRA” association of Polish consumer electronics manufacturers was established in 1961 as a union of consumer electronics manufacturers, such as Radmor, Tonsil and Diora, which produced watches, radio receivers, tape recorders, speakers and television sets. The company had its own R&D department for developing...
The original building of the Warsaw Philharmonic was erected in 1901. The eclectic structure based on the Paris Opera was designed by Karol Kozłowski. The Warsaw Philharmonic was the concert hall for the greatest contemporary musicians, as well as international piano and violin competitions and...