Nowa Huta – the rebellious district of Cracow

Recenzowane materiały z XVI Wrocławskiego Spotkania z Historią Gospodarczą, które odbyło się w dniach 11-12 czerwca 2021roku w Sobótce

Nowa Huta was supposed to become the new, perfect socialist city, the citizens of which were meant to constitute the model man of work of the PRL (Polish People’s Republic). This image of an ideal man of work was propagated by the head writers and filmmakers (e.g., the 1951 film Kierunek – Nowa Huta, directed by Andrzej Munk). Plenty of myths and legends arose, especially regarding the pioneer period, of the building of the metallurgic conglomerate and the new district of Cracow. However, the scale of  support of the Nowa Huta men of work towards the communist system was miniscule. Contrary to the propaganda actions taken by the party activists, the workers never felt like the representatives of the PZPR (Polish United Workers’ Party), that the party tried to consider them as. Deprived of their fundamental rights, including the right to self-organization and defense, they were subject to indoctrination, numerous manipulations, and permanent invigilation of the security apparatus. Soon after the start of building of the metallurgic plant and the new district, the Nowa Huta men of work started opposing the actions and the expectations of the authorities, and in the 1980’s, the Lenin Metalworks became one of the crucial bastions of the „Solidarność”.