Craftsmanship was the first to write Bolesławiec’s chronicle. An exaggeration? Nothing of the sort. The first chronicler-documentarian was Rudolf, followed by Alojzy Skorupa—outstanding photographers whom their successors unfortunately do not match either in the scale of their talent or in the depth of their emotional commitment. The first bread was baked by Józef Brzozowski, who arrived in the town on the Bóbr as early as 14 August 1945. After a week, bread could be collected from his bakery using ration coupons. The new authorities of the Polish government administration allocated him approximately 28–30 tons of flour per month, which had to suffice to supply the hospital, PUR, the militia and the residents themselves. The first bread was available as early as 20 August 1945, literally the day after the war. Mr Józef worked tirelessly, but the bread was ready on time—fresh, fragrant and with a crispy crust, although there was a slight shortage of salt. Later, he became a well-known confectioner in the town, and his products had no equal. In time, the family tradition was taken over by his son, who continues it to this day.
But almost at the same time—nearby, on another street—Alfred Kotowski opened a bakery, where he baked bread from military flour. Here too, the problem was a lack of salt, but who, in those pioneering days of being swept up by freedom, paid attention to such a trifle? “Give us this day our daily bread, O Lord…” the settlers prayed. And this bread was baked in the first Polish bakeries—a milestone on the road to the dream of a Poland in the Recovered Territories, where, despite forced resettlements, the German population still predominated…
On 17 September 1945, a transport of repatriates from distant Drohobych, in the Eastern Borderlands, stopped at the railway station. Among them was the respected pioneer-watchmaker Mr Adam Kowalski. They were all travelling into the unknown, westward, to the Recovered Territories of that time, without a designated destination station. They travelled in freight wagons with all their modest belongings—the fruits of many years of industrious life, diminished by the war that had finally come to an end. They stopped here because beyond Bolesławiec a railway viaduct over the Bóbr had been destroyed. On the platform lay glass, piles of papers and rubbish, and battered barrels. It was dark, gloomy and frightening. They spent the entire night in the wagons. In the morning, most of them went beyond the platforms; many reached the park in front of the railway station. A piano that was still in working order stood there, next to armchairs stripped of their upholstery. Mrs Anna Okoń played a waltz, followed by the national anthem, “Poland Is Not Yet Lost…”. The newcomers “from beyond the Bug” joined in, singing together, and later also sang the religious song “God, Who Has Protected Poland…”. Many wept. This was how Poland returned here: first through a native melody, through the first song of the emigrants. Today, a symbolic stone obelisk with a plaque honouring the people from the Eastern Borderlands stands at this site, commemorating the 50th anniversary of our settlement in the town on the Bóbr. The initiator of the monument’s construction was the craftsman-watchmaker Mr Adam Kowalski.
Let us record one more historic date: the Collective Guild in Bolesławiec (today the Guild of Various Crafts) was formally established on 27 August 1946. Andrzej Czupkiewicz assumed the duties of Guild Master. Today, it is headed by Eugeniusz Stachowski, a soldier of General Anders and a legendary figure, who simultaneously serves as Vice-President of the Wrocław Chamber of Crafts.
The recognition and respect enjoyed by Bolesławiec’s crafts are eloquently demonstrated by the fact that on 5 October this year, on the day of the golden 50th anniversary, a commemorative plaque made of stone will be unveiled inside the representative seat of the municipal authorities—in the historic Town Hall, right next to the entrance to the beautifully renovated Council Chamber, restored by the craftsman Henryk Nawrot. The first, and so far the only one. Its text praises the community of craftspeople:
“To the Bolesławiec craftsmen and merchants—heralds of a Poland being reborn—in recognition of their lasting contribution to rebuilding and developing social and economic life, on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary, the residents of the town.”
Let us add that years ago, another plaque adorned the Guild building, also made in a spontaneous gesture of the heart, and deeply eloquent in its content and message:
“Faithful to the town and its residents—in 40 years of civic and patriotic service, 1946–1986, the Bolesławiec craftsmen.
The present-day local crafts sector is already represented by a new generation of educated and dynamic successors to the respected pioneers and veterans. The owners of the Marzena and Sławomir Kruk family confectionery business met the challenge of the political transformation, employing 24 people and 15 apprentices. Jerzy Ekiert’s carpentry workshop and store are an excellent, almost model example of economic, production and management solutions: a passionate craftsperson and master of his trade, he deepened his knowledge as far away as Canada, and today his products reach Wrocław and Poznań, while his glazed doors have become a hit throughout western Poland.
But the town had been famous for ceramics since the Middle Ages, which made it possible after the war to build genuine industrial giants here—the CPLiA “Artistic Ceramics” Cooperative and the “Bolesławiec” Ceramic Works, employing hundreds of people. Their monopolistic position on the domestic and European markets was nevertheless challenged by the exceptionally dynamic owner of the “Dana” Fine Ceramics Factory, Mr Janusz Jakubowski. Within just a few years, he transformed a modest manufactory in Bożejowice into the owner of a highly modern, European-standard plant on the outskirts of Bolesławiec, opening gallery-stores in central Berlin and downtown Bolesławiec. The hand-stamped decoration of the stoneware products distinguishes them from others; at the same time, it is a creative reference to the historic tradition of the local community, without dead copying of patterns, colours or shapes. Modification and innovation determined this success, broke the monopoly of state-owned companies and contributed to growing renown, particularly among the western neighbours. In this way, Bolesławiec’s crafts are entering Europe without the blessing or support of the central authorities, which somehow cannot manage to turn on the proverbial “green light” through acts of the Sejm.