Warszawa 1939 - jak wyglądało miasto tuż przed wojną?

Warsaw 1939 – what did the capital really look like just before the outbreak of war? In this film, we examine whether pre-war Warsaw deserved to be called the Paris of the North. We travel back in time to the final months before World War II to present a comprehensive portrait of the city – its urban planning, transportation, the daily lives of its residents, and the enormous social contrasts. You'll see how dynamically pre-war Warsaw developed under the rule of Mayor Stefan Starzyński – I discuss the plans for "Greater Warsaw," the construction of the Prudential building, the WSM housing estate in Żoliborz, and the modernist Saska Kępa district. I also show how Varsovians moved around the city, where they shopped, and how they spent their free time – from the Kozłowski brothers' beach on the Vistula River, through Kercelak and Różycki Market, to the famous Adria café and the capital's nightlife. But pre-war Warsaw was more than just elegance and modernity. The film also explores the overcrowding of tenement buildings, poverty, and the enormous social inequalities that existed right next to the city's prestigious center. The story of Warsaw in 1939 is a tale of a city full of contrasts – ambitious, developing, yet still grappling with a difficult reality. Soon, everything would change forever. Photo sources: Monument to the "Presidents of Greater Warsaw" - Adrian Grycuk Adria Cafe - fotopolska.eu Photos of pre-war Warsaw - National Digital Archives and warszawa1939.pl