Clothes

In the time of hardship it was women who generally engaged in shoemaking, sewing and leathercraft. Making numerous alterations and using unusual materials, they tried to provide basic clothes for their families. For a long time newspapers and magazines featured advice referring to female resourcefulness, for example, explaining how to sew a coat from a blanket.

„Moda i Życie Praktyczne” 1946, number 13

„Głos Wielkopolski” 1946, number 136, from the collection of PAN Kórnicka Library

Radio

During the occupation Poles in Poznań were not allowed to own a radio set at home. After the war, before they managed to get their own first sets, they would listen to the radio broadcasted from speakers installed on the streets and in parks. The so-called ‘barkers’ attracted to the streets the city’s inhabitants who were waiting for announcements as well as music. A song about Poznań was very popular. It began with the words: ‘In Poznań people love most truly.’

Poznań misses the Polish language. Huge crowds gather around the speakers. Głos Wielkopolski is in high demand.

Borodziej, Włodzimierz and Hans Lemberg (eds.) 2001. Germans in Poland 1945-1950. Selection of documents. Vol. 3. Warszawa: 60.

‘[Songs] were the hit of the month! The whole Poznań learnt each and every one of them by heart with enthusiasm. Five minutes before each broadcast crowds of people even gathered around the local street ‘barkers’.

Many months have passed until the ‘Pioneer’ radio set appeared at our house. It was a small, quite neat set. A dream for many of us.  

Stuligrosz, Stefan. 1995. With a Nightingale’s feather. Poznań: 195-196.

„Głos Wielkopolski” 1945, number 34, from the collection of PAN Kórnicka Library

A song about Poznań

Music by: Adam Jastrzębski

Lyrics by: Stanisław Krokowski

Performed by: Jan Ciżyński

The recording comes from the collection of Jacek Bochiński