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I Photographed Gdańsk, Old City That Was 90% Destroyed During War, And Rebuilt By Polish People
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I Photographed Gdańsk, Old City That Was 90% Destroyed During War, And Rebuilt By Polish People

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Gdańsk is the sixth largest city in Poland. During the 1000-year history, the city was governed by Poles, Germans, and the Teutonic Order. This is a symbolic place of the beginning of World War II when Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939, and the collapse of communism which had started in the 80s. It is also one of the most beautiful historical sites in Poland, full of monuments which testify to its glorious past and you can see it in the old photos.

During the Second World War, the old city was destroyed, and then razed to the ground by the Soviet Red Army. 90% of the historic old town was demolished. The destroyed city was rebuilt in the early form, thanks to the enormous effort of several generations of Polish people. Reconstruction took more than 70 years, and it continues to this day.

I have been photographing Gdańsk for three years, at any time of day or year and comparing it to vintage photos of the same places. I capture the monuments, which were rebuilt after the war ravages and the seascapes of the coast of Gdańsk – the city which is a major Polish port city.

I have been photographing Gdańsk for three years, at any time of day or year. I capture the monuments, which were rebuilt after the war ravages and the seascapes of coast of Gdansk – the city which is a major Polish port city.

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KarolNienartowicz

KarolNienartowicz

Author, Community member

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Mountain Photographer from Poland

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KarolNienartowicz

KarolNienartowicz

Author, Community member

Mountain Photographer from Poland

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SallyVogel
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was there a few months ago and the Gdansk today is marvelous. It was impressive to see the "before" pictures and to realize the horrendous damage that was done to the city. The Poles are amazing.

TelisTsipianitis
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The power of the human will-or the will of the human power. To restore beauty.

BarbaraDumara
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"During the Second World War the city was destroyed, and then razed to the ground by the Soviet Red Army." To be accurate, according to researchers and witnesses, Gdansk (or at least its historical part) presented on the pictures was almost untouched from 1939 to March 1945. What you see on "before" pictures happened in about a week.

Michel Guntern
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still to visit Gdansk but I was glad to have a similar experience in Warsaw. The Polish are really good builders.

Adrian AJ
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kudos to all those hard-working people who rebuilt the amazing city. Kudos to the spirit of Polish determination and endeavour.

ANeta Kuzera
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gdansk was impressive and after II ww it still is. There is a lot of amazing places, and what is also important good restaurants. Personally I like Szafarnia 10 the most because of delicious soups like even soup with cucumber or very aromatic cod cheeks. Regional cuisine here is fantastic.

Christian-FredrickMattner
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, the Polish people have rebuilt the old City of Danzig. Iam a Danziger born in the city of Dnzig. What the Polish people will not tell you and don't want the world to know/ or want the world to forget is: 1.that the land the are using and the buildings they restored are owned by the indigenous people of Danzig 2. that they killed 50 % of Danzigs indigenous population in 1945/46 and expelled the remainder- against their will 3.that they refuse to reimburse the legal property owners or let them occupy their family homes. My grandparents, uncles,aunts and cousins were murdered by the Polish militia--inspite of them not being Nazis or Germans.If my remaining relatives had not been expelled we would have rebuilt our properties. I object to the theft of our families properties and demand for them to be handed back to us or to be compensated adequately . They have the audacity to let our villa to the Germans//as their embassy--guess who keeps the substantial rents?

KarinaWasielewska
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Somehow my grandparents who were Kaschubians and lived in Gdansk before the war were not killed or expelled after the war and lived there in peace so im wondering who your family were if they were expelled. I assume they were occupants so you cant be surprised they were expelled after the war

Load More Replies...
SallyVogel
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was there a few months ago and the Gdansk today is marvelous. It was impressive to see the "before" pictures and to realize the horrendous damage that was done to the city. The Poles are amazing.

TelisTsipianitis
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The power of the human will-or the will of the human power. To restore beauty.

BarbaraDumara
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"During the Second World War the city was destroyed, and then razed to the ground by the Soviet Red Army." To be accurate, according to researchers and witnesses, Gdansk (or at least its historical part) presented on the pictures was almost untouched from 1939 to March 1945. What you see on "before" pictures happened in about a week.

Michel Guntern
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still to visit Gdansk but I was glad to have a similar experience in Warsaw. The Polish are really good builders.

Adrian AJ
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kudos to all those hard-working people who rebuilt the amazing city. Kudos to the spirit of Polish determination and endeavour.

ANeta Kuzera
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gdansk was impressive and after II ww it still is. There is a lot of amazing places, and what is also important good restaurants. Personally I like Szafarnia 10 the most because of delicious soups like even soup with cucumber or very aromatic cod cheeks. Regional cuisine here is fantastic.

Christian-FredrickMattner
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, the Polish people have rebuilt the old City of Danzig. Iam a Danziger born in the city of Dnzig. What the Polish people will not tell you and don't want the world to know/ or want the world to forget is: 1.that the land the are using and the buildings they restored are owned by the indigenous people of Danzig 2. that they killed 50 % of Danzigs indigenous population in 1945/46 and expelled the remainder- against their will 3.that they refuse to reimburse the legal property owners or let them occupy their family homes. My grandparents, uncles,aunts and cousins were murdered by the Polish militia--inspite of them not being Nazis or Germans.If my remaining relatives had not been expelled we would have rebuilt our properties. I object to the theft of our families properties and demand for them to be handed back to us or to be compensated adequately . They have the audacity to let our villa to the Germans//as their embassy--guess who keeps the substantial rents?

KarinaWasielewska
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Somehow my grandparents who were Kaschubians and lived in Gdansk before the war were not killed or expelled after the war and lived there in peace so im wondering who your family were if they were expelled. I assume they were occupants so you cant be surprised they were expelled after the war

Load More Replies...
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