Communist district tour to Nowa Huta
HOW DID MY GRANDFATHER BUILD NOWA HUTA?
Nowa Huta is known as communist district of Krakow because it was built in communist era. In other words, it was a great propaganda construction of communist regime undertaken to prove how much they care about working class.
In the communist times theory was usually at odds with practice but this time, surprisingly, the effects are satisfying even many years after the fall of the regime. That’s because the designers of Nowa Huta were truly determined to create a comfortable and practical living space. They were designing a perfect town. Consequently, you can admire here one of the best examples of socialist realism town in the world.
My grandfather got here in 1949 to take part in this project. There was nothing around but old villages and farmlands. But there was also a vision of building a huge steel mill and modern residential area for its workers. And there were people, like my grandfather, who dreamt about better lives. And there was a promise that those who came and worked hard would get their own flats and make their dreams come true.
If you want to check if their dreams really came true join this tour!
If you know communism just from spy movies, here you can learn what it was for Polish people on everyday basis. We will go to Nowa Huta – communist district – and have a walk in housing estates built in socialist realism style. The walk will be a starting point for a conversation about everyday life under communist regime. As I was born here and spend first years of my life in communist country, I know hundreds of first-hand stories which will show you the lights and shadows of Communist Poland.
Most importantly, during Nowa Huta – the communist district tour you will learn what a disconnect there was between communists’ promises and reality. Instead of perfect life they provided empty shelves and queues in shops, censorship and propaganda in media, total control at work, school and even holidays.