On Grochowska Street
July 18 1918 year, ten years after the establishment of the Zakłady Komandytowe Society
Mechanicznych Brandel, Witoszyński i S-ka, the production hall was officially opened
with an area of 630 square meters at Grochowska Street. On this occasion, a pa-
a soft tableau with portraits of fifteen people.
Grochowska 333. Władysław lived in this house, opposite the Twardowski factory
Smolak. Two of them stand out from the others in size.
These are images of Stefan Twardowski and his first wife Jadwiga née Radzimińska,
daughters of the managers of the house at Pańska Street in which Stefan Twardowski's parents lived
they rented an apartment.
In the top row of the tableau, apart from the Twardowski couple, there were:
the highest-ranking factory employees, including technicians Kazimierz Kosiniewicz
and bookkeeper Zygfryd Bojanowski. The middle row contains portraits of five
important factory workers incl foreman Józef Zienkiewicz, turner Józef Bielawski, locksmith Wincenty Piotrowski and locksmith Andrzej Dąbrowski. In the bottom row there are four portraits of people occupying the lowest place in the factory hierarchy, including: Anna Smolakowa, Jan Drzazga i Wacław Babkowski.
The widow Anna Smolakowa and her three children occupied one room with a kitchenette
in an annex located on the plot purchased by Twardowski. She worked as a worker from... 1917 year. There was a place for her two sons in Twardowski's factory. Stefan Smolak he trained as a turner, and Władysław Smolak he became a planer and miller. After nationalization, he worked at the Warsaw Pump Factory. He lived for many years
at 333 Grochowska Street, opposite the factory, and was ready to come to work whenever called. Jan Drzazga od 1918 to 1946 year he was a night watchman at a factory. He lived close by
and guarded the factory during the war in Praga in September 1939 year when the plant
the employees and the owner left. Wacław Babkowski went down in history as gifted
a warehouseman with a phenomenal memory and an excellent ability to organize his work (Sulimir Żuk talks about him in his memoir). Piotrowski, Smolak, Kosiniewicz,
and the Twardowski family started the tradition of members of the same family working in the factory. Yeah the tradition has survived to this day in the Powen-Wafapomp SA Group.
W 1922 year he started working on a lathe Maksymilian Gross. IN 1939 year to the plant
his son came - Edmund Gross, also a turner who worked at the Warsaw Pump Factory
he was the first to get the stamp of self-control. IN 1923 year after graduating from vocational school,
he started working for Twardowski, a locksmith Józef Krasnodębski, who retired
from the Warsaw Pump Factory in 1972 year. In WFP since 1952 year, also as a locksmith,
his son worked Edward Krasnodębski. Fitter in the assembly department in the Group
Powen-Wafapomp is the youngest, born in 1952 year, son of Józef Krasnodębski —
Ryszard Krasnodębski.
Members of the owner's family also worked in the factory. His younger brother, a technician,
Stanisław Twardowskand from 1920 year before nationalization, he was responsible for acquisition.
Both of Stefan Twardowski's sons worked in the factory. Engineer Tadeusz Twardowski, a graduate of the Warsaw University of Technology, took up a full-time job with his father January 1 1939 year. Due to the war, he was mobilized. Taken prisoner by Soviet troops, he died in Katyn. Engineer Wacław Twardowski, a graduate of the Lviv University of Technology, started working for his father 1937 year and left the factory after the state took control of it. The owner's sons directed work on steam turbines. For many years, the production manager at Grochowska was a technician Stanisław Kruś, husband of one of Stefan Twardowski's sisters, who started working in 1922 year. Mobilized in 1939 In the same year he was taken prisoner, from which he returned in 1940 year. He started working for his brother-in-law again. Died in 1949 year.
Although the start-up group of the new plant at Grochowska Street consisted of employees who
moved from Aleksandrowska, in the first ten years after Stefan Twardowski took over the company, a new team was formed. During this period, many outstanding specialists were employed.
The arrival in November 1920 was a breakthrough event for the factory
Szczepan Łazarkiewicz, then twenty-seven years old, a brilliant, self-taught designer. In 1915, he was evacuated, together with the Bormann factory where he worked, to Moscow. Then fate threw him to Kiev. After returning to Warsaw, he moved to Targowa Street, close to Twardowski's factory. After changing apartments several times, he settled for many years in two rooms with a kitchen at Sprzeczna 8.
Szczepan Łazarkiewicz, the most outstanding Polish designer of centrifugal pumps
After only two years of work at Twardowski's factory, Szczepan Łazarkiewicz became the chief designer. He remained in this position for 41 years. He left it in 1963 year, at the age of 70. To end 1965 year, he still retained his position as chief pump design specialist and a room in the office building at Odlewnicza Street.
He was associated with Szczepan Łazarkiewicz for forty years Stanisław Kijewski, accepted to work at the Twardowski factory in 1922 year. Before he joined the design office, he was a locksmith for a short time. He finished high school and later obtained an engineering degree. He retired halfway through 1963 year from the position of deputy chief designer and his long-time patron - Szczepan Łazarkiewicz.
Józef Raczko he came to the factory at the age of fourteen. For several months he was a boy
on errands, and then Twardowski took him on for a three-year lathe apprenticeship. IN 1923 year
Raczko obtained the title of journeyman and was able to operate a lathe on his own. In Warszawska
Pomp Factory received the position of senior master. He retired in 1970, retaining until 1972 one year half-time as a labor inspector. Józef Raczko was the second, after Henryk Monarski, a factory worker awarded the Order of the Banner of Labor.
Józef Raczko remembered all the employees of Twardowski's factory.
In 1920, locksmith Edward Czerwiński, a socialist activist exiled to Siberia for his participation in the 1905 revolution, started working on Grochowska Street. Czerwiński directed the assembly of modern machine tools, which significantly strengthened the factory's machinery and organized a tool room. It lasted until the sixtieth anniversary of the plant's existence. On this occasion, in 1958, he received the Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
Another person sentenced to exile for participating in the revolution 1905 year there was a locksmith Zygmunt Raimers (this is the name on the list of WFP employees, on Twardowski's list it was spelled differently - Rejmers). He started working in 1922 year. He constructed and assembled a manual crane. Due to his views, he was called "Trotsky". He worked until 1952 year.
In Twardowski's factory, a turner stood out Bronisław Perkowski, who started
work in 1923 year and worked in the new plant at Odlewnicza. He passed
to retire in 1966 year.
From the left: Bronisław Perkowski and Józef Krasnodębski
Twardowski was the most talented turner Boniface Stolarkiewicz, who started working in 1919 year. It was to him that Stefan Twardowski entrusted the purchased building 1928 year at the Leipzig Fair, a modern "Berynger" lathe. After the war, the turner, known for his radical leftist views, left the factory and helped strengthen the new government.
Od 1919 year (according to Twardowski's employee book) he worked as a turner in the plant on Grochowska Street Henryk Stanisławski. During the occupation, he taught how to work on a lathe Stanisław Monarski (Mondszajn), son of Henryk Monarski. Henryk Stanisławski retired from the Warsaw Pump Factory. The oldest of the turners was the one who had been working for Twardowski since 1920 year Teofil Fernik. Also from 1920 year he worked (until his death 1949 year) blacksmith Ignacy Złotkowski.
He was one of Twardowski's outstanding locksmiths Wojciech Zalewski. He started
work at Twardowski w 1921 year, and he retired from the Warsaw Pump Factory
w 1958 year. IN 1925 he started working at Grochowska Street in the same year Feliks Jaśkiewicz, who managed the model shop before the war. After the war, he became chairman of the Factory Committee,
aw 1946 In the same year he was elected chairman of the first Works Council. Felix
Jaśkiewicz then moved to Odlewnicza. He retired as an elder
master of the pattern shop.
Sprzeczna 8. The tenement house where Szczepan Łazarkiewicz lived.
Famous and respected employees at Grochowska Street included a tracer, participant of the Warsaw Uprising, Aleksander Karczewski. After nationalization, he was a director for a short time, and then for many years he headed the company's trade union organization.
Stefan Twardowski, purchasing the village 1917 plot on Grochowska Street, he could not have expected that it would be located in the very center of a modern industrial center, which in the interwar period was named Kamionek Fabryczny. At that time, the largest concentration of Prague industry was located here.
Already in XI century, there was a village called Kamion here (the name Kamionki appeared in 1795 year). The war was made in the local fields 1573 year of the first free election. Henry Valois was elected king of Poland and the first pacta conventa, i.e. obligations of the newly elected king, were adopted. After a week-long election, the nobility returned to Warsaw over the wooden bridge over the Vistula built in the same year. This bridge, like Kamion, was burned by the Swedes 1656 year. IN 1733 In the same year, another king was elected on the fields of Kamion - Augustus III. IN 1781 In the year Stanisław August Poniatowski founded the town of Kamion, which had about sixty houses before the Kościuszko Uprising. IN 1794 In the same year, Kamion was burned by Suvorov's army, murdering its inhabitants. Victims of the Swedish Deluge and the massacre of Prague, fallen participants of the Kościuszko Uprising, including generals Tadeusz Korsak and Jakub Jasiński, were buried in the cemetery next to the local parish church. The church itself was destroyed by Napoleon's troops during fortification works. The participants of the Battle of Olszynka Grochowska are still buried at the Kamionkowski Cemetery. The cemetery was closed in 1887 year - its role was taken over by the Bródno Cemetery.
August 13 1920 year, Father Ignacy Skorupka prayed with the soldiers in the old cemetery in Kamionek before marching to Ossów. Four years later, local residents created the Church Construction Commission as a vote for victory in the Polish-Bolshevik war. The construction of the Church of Our Lady of Victory was financed by, among others, Stefan Twardowski. Szczepan Łazarkiewicz attended this temple and was distinguished by his clear, high baritone voice when singing. From 1992 year, the church in Kamionek is the co-cathedral of the Warsaw-Prague Diocese (second in importance after the cathedral basilica of Saint Florian the Martyr and Saint Michael the Archangel). The memory of the turbulent, tragic history has survived in the song sung by the faithful: Victorious Mother of Kamionek,/ Raise an olive branch./ Defend Warsaw and Poland from new wars and floods.
Employees employed before the war at Twardowski's factory, who later worked at the Warsaw Pump Factory.
The first small industrial plants in Kamionek were established after construction
in years 20. XIX century of the Brest Road. They included weaving and tobacco plants and factories
candles, soap, matches, a brewery and a dye house. IN 1889 In the same year, Kamionki, with a population of approximately one and a half thousand inhabitants, was incorporated into Warsaw. The vicinity of an expanded railway junction with the Terespolski (Wschodni) Railway Station, free construction areas and proximity
two bridges: Kierbedź and the one put into operation in 1914 year of the Poniatowski Bridge
promoted development. From 1901 year it ran on Grochowska Street (this street name appeared
w 1919 year, previously it was called the Moscow Tract, and even earlier - to
1905 year - Brzeski Tract) Jabłonowska Narrow Gauge Railway. IN 1925 In the same year, the first tram line running through Grochowska was launched next to it - a tram line
24 ran from Trzech Krzyży Square through Poniatowski Bridge, Zieleniecka, Grochowska to Gocławek. IN 1933 year, tram line 23 set off from Gocławek, Grochowska, Targowa, across the Kierbedź Bridge to Krasińskich Square. From 1935 year, there were already two tram tracks on Grochowska Street, which eliminated the troublesome "passing paths". The first large factories in Kamionek were built in the 19th century XIX century. Then, the Joint Stock Company of the Rubber Ribbon Factory and Tasiem Jaeger and Ziegler began operating at Kamionkowska Street. The Joint-Stock Company of Linen and Jute Manufaktura was opened at Mińska Street. IN 1920 year the area of this factory
ceremonially - in the presence of Józef Piłsudski - took over the "Pocisk" Ammunition Plant,
where several types of artillery ammunition and several types of ammunition were produced
rifle. Four hundred and fifty people worked there. The "missile" was destroyed
during the bombing in September 1939 year. After the war, in the area of the former "Pocisk"
The Warsaw Motorcycle Factory was built, in which, apart from motorcycles, in the years
1959-1965 About 25 "Osa" scooters were produced. IN 1965 ongoing WFM facilities
taken over by Polskie Zakłady Optyczne.
Grochowska 365. Co-Cathedral of Our Lady of Victory in Warsaw, a popular church in Kamionek, whose founder was, among others, Stefan Twardowski.
At last XIX In the 7th century, a factory of the Berlin Joint Stock Company was established at 11-1928 Gocławska Street, which from XNUMX was called the Warszawsko-Ryska Fabryka Wyrobów Gumowych "Rygawar". During the war, Stefan Twardowski provided his employees with soups prepared in "Rygawar". "Rygawar" supplied Twardowski's factory with electricity before opening the Warsaw Power Plant, destroyed during the war. After the war, the plant was nationalized and its name was changed to Warszawskie Zakłady Przemysłu Gumowego "Stomil". The factory buildings and the chimney, which had towered over the area for over a hundred years, were demolished 2006 year.
Bought in 1917 year by Stefan Twardowski, the plot was adjacent to the Silberbaum Snuffbox and Papier Mache Products Factory at 35 Grochowska Street (316 after the numbering change). Józef Raczka's father worked there as a porter. IN 1926 year, the area of the Silberbaum factory was bought by the Optical and Precision Cameras Factory H. Kolberg i S-ka, founded in 1921 year on the initiative Henryk Kolberg. It was supposed to save the company he ran from 1899 year the Optical Camera Factory, which was deprived of its Russian market. Thanks to the concluded contract for the supply of one thousand binoculars to the army, the company was able to develop quickly, starting production on Grochowska Street. The global crisis weakened Polish entrepreneurs - control over the company was taken over by French shareholders, who in 1931 year they changed the name of the factory to Polskie Zakłady Optyczne. Before the war, the factory employed eight hundred people. Apart from civilian production (including microscopes) PZO were the main Polish manufacturer supplying the army with sights and optical devices: panoramic protractors, sockets and plugs for sights, binoculars, rifle scopes, bombing sights, periscopes, etc. In the 30s, the factory, famous for its modern production and awarded at international exhibitions, was visited several times by President Ignacy Mościcki. During the occupation, control over PZO was taken over by the German Zeiss plant. IN 1944 year - before withdrawing from Prague - the Germans took the equipment from PZO and blew up the factory. Fragments of the collapsing PZO wall damaged the Design Office of Zakłady Mechanicznych Eng. Stefan Twardowski - part of the documentation was lost. After the war, PZO was nationalized, rebuilt and expanded. The factory developed its production activities and exported its products to many countries around the world. IN 90's. PZO was privatized through the National Investment Funds. The plants ceased production activities. Currently, the PZO factory building at Grochowska Street is being adapted for residential purposes and lofts are being built there. The restored neon sign reminds us that this place was a factory known throughout Poland.
On the other side of Stefan Twardowski's factory there was the Bracia Borkowscy company
— Zakłady Elektrochemiczne Spółka Akcyjna, which marked its products with the mark
factory "Brabork". IN 1921 In the same year, Anton established contact with the Borkowski Brothers
Philips, the owner of the Philips concern, appointed the company from Grochowska as the general distributor of Philips products in Poland. Shortly afterwards, together with the Borkowski Brothers, Philips founded a trading company with a developed sales network. After the nationalization of the Borkowski Brothers, a Communication Equipment Factory "Grochów" (currently WSK "PZL Warszawa II" SA) was established on their premises, producing military aviation equipment. After the Warsaw Pump Factory was moved to Żerań, the area of the old factory was given to WSK "Grochów", which demolished the factory hall built by Stefan Twardowski. The plot along with Stefan Twardowski's former residential house is still owned by this state-owned company. In the vicinity of Twardowski's factory there was the popular Szpotański - Electrical Apparatus Factory Kazimierz Szpotański i S-ka. Engineer Kazimierz Szpotański, an employee of AEG in Berlin and Siemens in Riga and Kharkov, after returning to the country from revolution-torn Russia, founded 1919 year in a two-room apartment for the company. He proudly called it the Electrical Apparatus Factory: two employees produced light switches. In December 1920 Szpotański bought a property at Kałuszyńska Street in Kamionek and developed production very quickly. IN 1928 a year it already employed two hundred people. It became the largest manufacturer of electrical equipment in the country. He expanded the factory, which occupied a quadrangle between Kałuszyńska, Rybna, Drewnicka and Gocławska, and in 1938 year he bought an industrial facility in Międzylesie. IN 1939 More than one and a half thousand employees worked in both Szpotański plants a year - most of them in Kamionek. The company operated according to the JEEN system developed by Szpotański - quality, economy, aesthetics, modernity. Szpotański celebrated the 4th anniversary of his company by establishing a library at XNUMX Gocławska Street, which could be used by local residents. The Provincial Pedagogical Library is located in this building (currently being rebuilt).
Grochowska 306-310. The building of the Communication Equipment Factory "PZL Warszawa II", which after the war took over the nationalized factory of the Borkowski Brothers.
On Kamionkowska Street, Szpotański built a company residential house for employees ("Pocisk" also had company houses). IN 1945 year Szpotański's company was nationalized and called the First State Electrical Equipment Factory. W 1950 Szpotański was evicted from his house on Kałuszyńska Street. The factory name was changed to High Voltage Generating Plants named after G. Dimitrov — popular ZWAR. W 1990 ZWAR was sold to ABB. Currently, the University of Social Psychology is located in the former Szpotański factory in Kamionek.
Near the Twardowski plant, on the other side of Grochowska Street (341 after the change
numbering), on the premises of the former Petsch brothers factory, w 1920 year State was located Telephone and Telegraph Plants producing Morse telegraph apparatus, telephones and manual switchboards. Due to the nature of production, the plant was popularly called Dzwonkowa. IN 1923 On their basis, the State Telegraph and Telephone Apparatus Factory was established. IN 1931 In 39, PWATT took over the National Telecommunications Plant and changed its name to Państwowe Zakłady Tele- i Radiotechniczne (PZT). One third of the factory's production was the fulfillment of orders for the army: telephones and switchboards, radio stations, listening equipment and radio equipment. In addition, energy meters, horns, car electrical installations, and even vending machines selling cigarettes and tickets were produced. As part of the government program for universal radio broadcasting, PZT produced a popular "Detefon" crystal receiver costing PLN XNUMX, and then an even cheaper WR receiver. IN 1939 In 2017, the company won the competition for a tube network receiver with a loudspeaker - "Ludowy". The quality of the plant's products was demonstrated by the gold medal for the "Echo" radio receiver at the world exhibition in Paris in 1938 year. After the war, in 1948 year, Wilhelm Rotkiewicz - the designer of "Detefon" - constructed the "Pionier" radio receiver, the production of which was launched by the DIORA plant in Dzierżoniów, headed by him. State Tele- and Radiotechnical Works at Grochowska Street changed their name to Telephone Equipment Manufacturing Plants. Paris Commune (ZWUT), which was bought by Siemens after the political transformation.
Grochowska 312/314. Residential house built by Stefan Twardowski in 1928.
A large area at ul. Grochowska (after changing the numbering, properties marked with numbers from 309 to 317) were occupied by the estate established in 1904 year Towarzystwo Fabryki Motorów "Perkun" Spółka Akcyjna. "Perkun" produced small and medium-power combustion engines, especially diesel ones, for industry and agriculture. As part of the cheap motorization program in 1939 In the same year, the production of the "Perkun" motorcycle was launched. IN 30's. the factory produced bayonets, rocket launchers, belt loading machines for heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, mortars, bullets, and parts for guns and rifles for the army. IN 1927 In 2017, "Perkun" employed over three hundred employees, including over seventy recommended by the army. IN 1939 year, the factory, which had difficulty finding its feet after the crisis, provided work to 183 people.
Gocławska 12. Buildings of the former Szpotański factory.
W 1913 A French one appeared on Grochowska Street (301-305 after the numbering change).
Joint Stock Company "Perun", which was established as a result of the purchase by the French Joint Stock Company L'Air Liquide founded in 1910 year in St. Petersburg of the Perun Joint Stock Company. After the revolution in Russia, the company operated only in Poland. "Perun" was the first factory in our country producing welding equipment: arc welding electrodes, welding transformers, rotary welding machines. In years 1929-1930 the plant constructed the first welded building structure in Poland - the PKO building in Warsaw. After the war, the factory was nationalized and given a new name - Warsaw Welding Equipment Factory "PERUN". The company has been cooperating with the renowned Welding Institute in Gliwice for many years. It has not changed its location. After privatization, the company remained in the hands of Polish capital, maintaining its production profile. IN 2010 this year will celebrate its centenary.
One more plant survived in Kamionek: the E. Wedel Factory, moved here in the 30s from Szpitalna Street, and nationalized in 1949, changing its name to Zakłady Przemysłu Cukierniczy 22 Lipca d.E. Wedel. Currently, the factory is owned by the Cadbury group. Bolesław Waszul, later a health and safety inspector at the Warsaw Pump Factory and a journalist of the company's newspaper "Wafapomp", worked at Wedel for many years. Shortly after regaining independence, the state-owned Central Car Workshops began to be established on Terespolska Street, established on the initiative of the Ministry of Military Affairs. They were located, among others: on the premises of Wojciech Kemnitz's Warsaw Lead and Tin Products Factory. The creator of CWS was Colonel Kazimierz Meijer, a graduate of the Lviv University of Technology, who in 1939 saved Jan Matejko's painting "The Battle of Grunwald". Initially, the car fleet was serviced at CWS and a small production of spare parts and bodies was launched. In 1920, Tadeusz Tański (son of Czesław Tański, who in the early 20s tested a prototype of an aircraft engine at the Twardowski factory) constructed the first Polish armored car based on a Ford chassis. A dozen or so vehicles produced at CWS took part in the Polish-Bolshevik war. CWS developed rapidly. In 1926, over a thousand people worked there. CWS T-1, CWS T-2 (both constructed by Tadeusz Tański), CWS T-8 engines and cars, as well as "Sokół" motorcycles were produced here. By 1927, 1074 trucks and 25 Renault FT tanks were assembled and manufactured on Terespolska Street. In 1928, based on, among others, CWS - based on the decision of the Minister of Industry and Trade Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski - the National Engineering Plant was established, which was also to deal with production for the army. In the 30s, a Passenger Car and Semi-truck Factory was built at Terespolska Street with a production capacity of 4500 cars per year. This factory produced, among others, licensed Fiat 508 and Fiat 518 passenger cars and Fiat 621 and 618 trucks. The most popular of these models, Fiat 508, cost PLN 1936 in 5400.
Zamoyskiego 28/30. Wedel Factory.
Bolesław Waszul.
A significant part of the production of the factory, which employed over three thousand people, was intended for the army (off-road vehicles, radio vehicles, ambulances, artillery tractors, trucks). The National Engineering Institute developed construction documentation for modern armor equipment. In September 1939 the plants were bombed, and in 1944 year completely destroyed by the Germans. IN 1949 In the same year, large Clothing Industry Plants were built in their place and have been operating since 1967 year with the name "Cora". This brand was known in many countries around the world, including Western Europe and the USA. "Cora" went bankrupt at the beginning of this century, and its area was taken over by a construction company that demolished the factory and built residential houses.
W 1924 year at Grochowska 1 (after changing the numbering of the street). 1937 year - Grochowska 354) was the location of the Gilz Factory "Dzwon" by Hilary Jeżewski, employing forty workers who produced seven million cigarette tubes per week. On Kamionkowska Street, apart from the Rubber Ribbon Factory and Tasiem, there was also the Gemza, Krassowski i Synowie Chromium and Haberdashery Tannery with 35 employees. W 1920 year in Kamionek a father was establishedJózef Dyjasiński's non-ferrous metal foundry. W 1928 In 25, it had four crucible furnaces and employed XNUMX people. The foundry was the main supplier of colored castings for the Twardowski factory. After the war, it was nationalized and incorporated - like the iron foundry at Kolejowa - into the Warsaw Pump Factory. At last 60s it was moved from Mińska to Kolejowa.
W 1913 year, there were 7800 workers in all of Praga, and in 1938 — 26. Of them
over half - almost 14 thousand - in Kamionek Fabryczny, which became the third one
in terms of employment, it is an industrial area in Warsaw. W 1938 Forty-two industrial plants operated in the small town of Kamionek each year. Although the Twardowski factory was not one of the largest, due to its profile and quality of production it was a well-known and appreciated industrial facility in the country.
In 1919, after purchasing all the shares, Stefan Twardowski added the name
the company, which from then on was: Zakłady Mechaniczne Brandel, Witoszyński i S-ka.
Owner: Eng. Stefan Twardowski. The names of Brandl and Witoszyński only disappeared
in 1929, after another change of the company's name to Zakłady Mechaniczne inż. Stefan Twardowski. The factory hall at Grochowska Street - still called a workshop by workers after World War II - had an area of 630 square meters. Initially, it mainly used machine tools moved from Aleksandrowska. They were powered by steam from locomobiles - a power unit resembling a steam locomotive, widely installed
at the turn of the 19th and 20th century century in small factories. In the first years it was still produced
"Plus" piston pumps and steam turbines modeled on the American "Terry".
the documentation was also prepared by Czesław Witoszyński. The production of centrifugal pumps was
initially small. The complicated situation of the reborn state was not conducive to investments. In the first years of independence, the plant was saved by state orders. Pistons and piston rings for French aircraft were manufactured at the request of the army and jacks for lifting cars. At the request of the Ministry of Treasury, several hundred manual stamping machines with German occupation marks in circulation were produced. Hyperinflation made workers at first 20s they were millionaires - they received millions of marks, which, however, were worth little. The factory's situation improved after the border problem was resolved and a strong zloty was introduced. However, its success would be impossible without two people: Stefan Twardowski
and Szczepan Łazarkiewicz, who successfully replaced Czesław Witoszyński. From
early 20s over the next forty years, all new pump designs were implemented
for production were either the work of Szczepan Łazarkiewicz or were created under his supervision.
The name of Szczepan Łazarkiewicz is associated with the production of modern centrifugal pumps meeting the needs of the Polish economy.
Construction talent Łazarkiewicz was connected with Twardowski's entrepreneurship,
who personally managed the factory. He led the transition from locomotive power
for electric power, built the only factory pump testing station in Poland at that time, equipped the plant with new machine tools and accepted orders for pumps that had previously been used were bought abroad. W 1928 The 10th anniversary of the plant at Grochowska Street and the 20th anniversary of the company's establishment were celebrated with great pomp. On this occasion, the owner organized refreshments for the entire crew, and the employees presented the owner with a souvenir tableau. Stefan Twardowski takes a place of honor there. Jadwiga Twardowska, who died in... is no longer at his side 1919 year at the birth of her daughter (she was named after her mother). Stefan Twardowski married her sister Stefania Radzimińska. She took care of four children. She was helped by her sister Maria Radzimińska, a spinster who lived with the owner's family. Tableau z 1928 year is a testimony to the company's development. IN 1918 year, on the day of the opening of the new plant, there were thirteen employees on the tableau, apart from the owner and his wife. Ten years later - fifty-eight.
The tableau layout is more democratic than that of 1918 year. Stefan Twardowski is surrounded by production workers. On the top rows and around the portrait of Stefan Twardowski there are images of long-time employees, including: Wojciech Zalewski, Teofil Fernik, Zygmunt Ryziński, Franciszek Ziarkowski, Henryk Stanisławski, Bronisław Perkowski, Eugeniusz Kostrzewski, Aleksander Szymanowski, Jan Piotrowski, Maksymilian Gross, Henryk Monarski (Mondszajna ), Józef Raczka, Władysław Smolak, Ignacy Złotkowski, Karol Kuch, Boniface Stolarkiewicz, Wincenty Piotrowski, Edward Czerwiński, Wacław Szymański. There was a place for Szczepan Łazarkiewicz in the fourth row, and only in the fifth row there was a portrait of the production manager and the owner's brother-in-law - Stanisław Kruś, and Stefan Twardowski's brother - Stanisław Twardowski. Their neighbors from the same row include: chauffeur Leon Koprzywa and Wojciech Kowalski, a cab driver and coachman who, before World War II, at a mature age, mastered driving a car and drove its owner.
Józef Raczko emphasized in his memoirs that the crew of the Twardowski factory was there
carefully selected. What mattered most was professionalism and conscientious work
duties. In the pre-war period, there was not a single inspection employee at the factory. Employees controlled their own work. The period of development of the Twardowski factory, like that of the entire national economy, was stopped as a result of the great world crisis. In the years 1930-1934, the working week was shortened and wages were reduced. However, the owner did not lay off employees. He behaved similarly to Wacław Brandel and Czesław Witoszyński during World War I, when the plant was closed and the owners supported the staff. To keep the employees occupied, Stefan Twardowski ordered them to modernize the machinery on their own. The new machines came in handy when the economic boom came after the recession.
The second half of the 30s This is the factory's heyday. A small but experienced, established, carefully selected crew has been producing larger and more complex pumps over the years. According to Józef Raczka's account, in the late 30s, a worker's hourly rate was PLN 2,70. The purchasing power of the pre-war zloty is compared to 12-14 today's zlotys, although due to the different price structure, this comparison is not appropriate. Food was definitely cheaper and industrial products were more expensive. If Raczka's account is accurate, the earnings of the best workers could have amounted to five hundred zlotys. This is a lot, because the average earnings of workers in large Warsaw civilian factories in... 1935 year was approximately PLN 140. Workers from state factories producing for the army received more. In the Rifle Factory, the State Engineering Plant, and the State Aviation Works, the average worker's earnings exceeded three hundred zlotys. Workers in private factories producing for the army earned over PLN XNUMX a month: in the factories of the Association of Polish Mechanics of America and in the Industrial and Commercial Plants of Wł. Paschal.
W 1938 In 2007, Twardowski's factory employed seventy-two workers
— fifty workers, eight technicians and four clerks. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of running the company, Stefan Twardowski received the Gold Cross of Merit.
The factory's development was interrupted by the war. From the first days of September, Prague was an object
massive bombings. Bombs fell on industrial facilities in Kamionek: Plants
Ammunition station "Pocisk", Paderewski Park (Skaryszewski), where the batteries were placed
anti-aircraft, National Engineering Plant, State Tele- and Radiotechnical Plant,
Szpotański's factory and Polskie Zakłady neighboring Twardowski's factory
Optical. One of the bombs exploded next to the Borkowski Brothers - in the immediate vicinity of the Twardowski plant. The Eastern Railway Station was bombed most fiercely. During an air attack 5 September among the many victims were twenty girl scouts helping the army.
Grochowska 339. A health center, and before the war, the Municipal Preventive Hygiene Station, well known to employees of the nearby Mechanical Works
From mid-September, fighting with the attacking Germans took place in Praga. Buoys
were fought, among others, in the area of Gocławek, Witolin, Olszynka Grochowska, Wał Gocławski, and Saska Kępa. In Grochów, Polish troops won several victories over the Germans, including capturing 120 prisoners. The fighting in Grochów continued until... 26 September. The next day, Warsaw capitulated. The war decimated Twardowski's crew. Modeler Chaskiel Stolnicki died in the ghetto or in the Treblinka extermination camp. He died in Auschwitz after being captured during a street round-up 1940 year tracer Marian Dudek. The grinder and turner Wacław Szymański, deported from Warsaw in August, died in Stutthof 1944 year. Władysław Trzciński, a turner, was killed by a bullet on the balcony of his apartment on Kamionkowska Street. Franciszek Ziarkowski died in the gate of his house, torn apart by a bullet. The turner Zygmunt Ryziński from Bródno also did not live to see the liberation early 20s he was Józef Raczka's apprentice - he was murdered in 1944 year in the Mauthausen camp. Eugeniusz Kostrzewski, a student of Twardowski's factory, died during the bombing of the Praski Hospital. Aleksander Szymanowski and Maksymilian Gross did not survive the war. Son of Stefan Twardowski, engineer. Tadeusz Twardowski, was murdered in Katyn. During the occupation, the factory helped its employees survive. With the owner's consent, mills for grinding grain, padlocks, apparatus for making samogon were produced "on the side" - everything that could be exchanged for food. Documents confirming employment at the plant gave a sense of greater security. During the occupation, for this reason, Stefan Twardowski employed Andrzej and Leszek Łazarkiewicz - the son and nephew of Szczepan Łazarkiewicz, Edward and Stefan Czerwiński - sons of Edward Czerwiński, Stanisław Monarski (Mondszajn) - son of Henryk Monarski. These security measures turned out to be insufficient. After the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, the Nazis began mass deportations of people to forced labor and concentration camps. Initially, men aged 16 to 60 were deported (including Szczepan Łazarkiewicz and Wacław Szymański), and then also women. Simultaneously with the deportation of the population, the Nazis took away machines and other factory equipment and carried out a previously planned action to destroy entire industrial facilities. Then the PZO building, Dzwonkowa, and the "Perkun" plant were blown up. The best machines of the Twardowski factory were also looted by the Germans. Despite the post-war change of regime, Stefan Twardowski still believed that he would be able to keep his plant. To avoid nationalization, he employed fewer than fifty employees.
However, in 1950, over the Mechanical Works, Eng. Stefan Twardowski, compulsory state supervision was established, and a year later it was taken over by a new, state-owned enterprise - Warszawska Fabryka Pomp.
In the first years after nationalization, the factory was managed by people with no experience
in industry. This led to organizational chaos and a decrease in the increase
employment - production. Under late 40s. Twardowski's factory produced
350 pumps and about ten tons of spare parts per year. Immediately after nationalization, production dropped to one hundred pumps. The situation has changed in 1954 year, when an engineer appeared at WFP on Grochowska Street Jerzy Kabała from Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, who efficiently managed the production. Already in the first years after nationalization, the so-called belt drive was eliminated and the machinery was replaced. The plant undertook the production of new pump designs for power plants, designed by Szczepan Łazarkiewicz. According to the authorities' decision, WFP was to produce pumps primarily for the energy industry. In 1955, engineer Kabała reorganized, appointing two masters: Józef Raczka as the master of mechanical processing and Arseniusz Szewcow as the master of assembly. This was the first step in dividing the plant into two separate departments.
Arseniusz Szewcow and Stanisław Monarski (Mondszajn).
Arseniusz Szewtsov was born in Volhynia as Wacław Szewczyk. Before the war, he graduated from a technical school, obtaining the title of technician. He worked in a sugar factory. The September soldier, wounded during the Battle of Bzura, was captured by the Soviets. He ended up in Siberia - there his name and surname were changed to Arseniusz Shevtsov. He used them until the end of his life. He moved with the 1st Polish Army Division from Lenino to Berlin. After demobilization, in March 1946 year, he started working in Twardowski's factory. He retired from WFP in 1978 year.
Mostly residents worked in the Brandel and Witoszyński factory on Aleksandrowska Street
Prague. In the Twardowski plant at Grochowska Street there was a large group of people from towns near Warsaw. They were enlarged by workers who, with the help of the owner, built small houses outside the city.
After the war, workers from their hometowns appeared in the factory
outside Poland. However, the largest new group taking up work at WFP was
young people from villages and small towns. Also with her in mind 1962 year Fundamental was opened
Vocational School of the Warsaw Pump Factory. Many of its graduates have tied their own
working life with WFP. One of them is the current director of the Powen-Wafapomp Group
SA Tadeusz Dzwonkowski, who came to Warsaw from a village near Łomża. At the vocational school, he was taught by, among others, Józef Raczko, who - like Tadeusz Dzwonkowski - came to the factory when he was fourteen.
Despite nationalization and eviction of Stefan Twardowski from the house on Grochowska Street,
WFP cultivated the tradition. IN 1958 The half-century jubilee was solemnly celebrated this year
factories. At a special academy held in the hall of the Polish Optical Works
long-time employees of the plant - Szczepan Łazarkiewicz, Józef Raczko, Józef Krasnodębski
— received awards. Even then, the crew was fighting to build a new plant, because
the old, small factory at Grochowska Street was unable to cope with the orders. The established New Plant Construction Committee managed to obtain the authorities' consent for a new investment in Żerań Wschodnie. The third stage in the factory's history began there.
