The Battle of Poznań

The Red Army’s offensive reached Poznań in mid-January 1945. An attempt to conquer the city, which was well-defended by the German army, began. The battle lasted for a month – till 23 February. The heaviest fighting took place in the city centre. The last place to be conquered was the Citadel.

Already in the first half of February the first institutions and workplaces began to open in the districts in which the fighting stopped (for example Łazarz, Wilda, Jeżyce). People tried to restore electricity and water supply, open bakeries and schools, organise help for those needing it.

photo, Wreck of a Soviet tank at the corner of Roosevelta and Zwierzyniecka streets, from the collection of the Poznań Municipal Conservation Officer, cyryl.poznan.pl

Ruins

As a result of the war about 55 per cent of buildings in Poznań were completely or partially destroyed. Over 20 per cent of flats were unfit for use. In some areas even about 90 per cent of buildings were destroyed. The removal of debris from these areas took many years.

‘Citizen Director Kaczmarek raises an issue of the importance of making a quick decision concerning reconstruction, as prolonging the situation inflicts financial losses. Cracow, which made a quick decision despite the fact that it had not been destroyed, has been given a loan in the amount similar to the one considered for Poznań, in order to bargain something for the city. Construction materials are scarce. We decided to first repair at least some bigger damage on roofs before winter. At the moment we do not have almost any bitumen, we work with the oddment of roof tiles, and factories are closed. Despite the pressure from the Industrial Department, the brickyard cannot be opened because there is no fuel. The bitumen factory in Poznań is in the same situation and has not been opened yet. Glass is imported to Poznań in small numbers and when we were supposed to receive a greater amount, we lacked finance. Then, there is the issue of sheet metal, although it is not as difficult to obtain. Whenever we hear complaints about the season passing while nothing has been done, we are surprised because there were no materials to do anything. All authorities encourage demolition. We are constantly monitored by the Voivodship Office. The prosecutor’s office threatens us with penalties, whereas the means at our disposal are moderate. (…) The maintenance team formed in February began work already in February. On 17 February the first renovation works started. They worked without pay for nearly 3 months. Today because of the delayed payment of wages as well as low emolument, which is not enough for anyone to survive, they are discouraged and want to leave. We do not know how to stop them. Citizen Mayor ordered us not to let any employee who is permanently employed leave. Young workers who are not permanently employed leave without the Municipal Executive’s permission and the number of staff is diminishing. Only older workers employed on a permanent basis, who are pushed into doing the tasks, stay. The Department, which managed to repair 1,500 damaged houses, has only 50 per cent of staff at its disposal in comparison with the pre-war team, and it is responsible for the condition of flats in the city. Up till now 85 residential buildings, partly some schools and 35 public buildings, most of which are hospitals, have been rebuilt. Only the most urgent works are being carried out due to the lack of money, materials and workforce.’

An extract from the minutes from the session of the Municipal National Council held in Poznań on 18 June 1945 concerning the challenges connected to the rebuilding of the city of Poznań, from the collection of the National Archives in Poznań.

Barszczewska, Celina and Julia Wesołowska (eds.). 2022. 18 June 1945, Poznań – Challenges connected to the rebuilding of the city of Poznań, Rebuilding the city of Poznań. Selection of materials. Vol. 1. Poznań: 73-74.

Debris removal in Armii Czerwonej Street (today’s Święty Marcin Street), in the background there is a damaged tower of the Imperial Castle, 1945, photo by Zbigniew Zielonacki, from the family collection, cyryl.poznan.pl

Flats

As a result of the war many inhabitants lost their homes, which were either destroyed or had to be abandoned in fear of the approaching front. Therefore, people were forced to quickly find new a new place to stay. In the first weeks after the war some of the flats were taken chaotically and without any formal permits. Some people moved in flats left by the evacuating German civilians. In February 1945 it was legal to take ownership of an empty flat and only then officially register your stay there. Some flats were taken by the army as well as the employees of the communist police and the Department of Security. The general chaos and belongings left behind by people attracted looters.

The flats of the people deported to GG [the General Government] or to the Reich for forced labour, had been allocated to Germans by the Nazi authorities. Now these post-German flats were being taken by the Poles.

Becela, Tadeusz. 1973. Taste of freedom, Poznań: 32.

My pre-war flat, taken by a [German] family, was stripped bare. The furniture was sent away already in mid-January and a family of fire victims moved into the empty rooms. (…) after days of searching, we finally found a shared flat in Berwińskiego Street.

Weight, Marian. 1970, in: Tadeusz Świtała (ed.) The hardship of the first days. Poznań 1945. Poznań: 307.

the locks were broken and doors were open in nearly all flats. People who left their homes in Midtown come and move in, and when the flat’s owner returns they fight for it (…)

Stryjkowski, Krzysztof. 2013. Poznań ’45 The last year of the war and the first year of reconstruction. Poznań: 343.

„Głos Wielkopolski” 1945, number 4, from the collection of PAN Kórnik Library

Clearing-up

A huge challenge proved to be clearing up the flats. Debris, mud and garbage piling up inside them had to removed. Broken windows and open doors in buildings did not stop the winter frost from entering, which damaged the plumbing systems and heating installation. Fuel for heating was scarce. Sometimes people used books they found and burnt them in stove heaters.

The flat was a true battlefield. The floor was littered with piles of rubbish, paper, glass, human excrement. To cap it all, bundles of German grenades were lying around in the corners. I found several grenades and buried them in the garden.

Romała, Marian. 1970. in: Tadeusz Świtała (ed.) The hardship of the first days. Poznań 1945. Poznań: 279.

It was freezing. We covered the paneless windows with mattresses, there was no water, no light (…) the central heating installation was broken.

Zaremba, Piotr. 1980. The first days of 1945 in Poznań. Poznań: 111.