Polska kopalnia soli w Rumunii

Kaczyka is a village in Bukovina, where in 1791, 20 families from Wieliczka and Bochnia built a salt mine. The presence of salt in the area of ​​present-day Kaczyka had long been known. However, it was Austria-Hungary that showed any interest in professional mining. Shortly after the first partition of Poland and the creation of Galicia, Austria seized Bukovina from Turkey. A few years later, it incorporated it into Galicia. At the time, this was an underdeveloped and sparsely populated area. The Habsburg Emperor commissioned work to determine the best location for the mine. After the site was identified, construction began in 1791. At first, the Emperor did not want Poles to participate in the mine's construction. However, he quickly changed his mind, declaring that Poles were among the best candidates for the job. In 1792, 20 Polish mining families from Bochnia and Wieliczka were brought to Kaczyka. The mine developed Kaczyka into a thriving town. Soon, the population exceeded one thousand, three-quarters of whom were Polish. The Poles built a school and a Polish library, and then a stately church. Kaczyka became a small, local Poland, where everything revolved around salt. Everything seemed fine until the outbreak of World War II, Kaczyka, then home to over two thousand residents, became a front line. I invite you to join me on a tour in the footsteps of the Polish community in Bukovina. In this episode, we'll explore Kaczyka. We'll focus on the mine. After exploring all the Polish villages, we'll delve into more detailed stories. #bukowina #polonia #romania Filmed: May - October 2023