Kraków 2013-01-02
Świdnik Airport. Part 3. 2013
Świdnik City
Description to the photo: In the upper part of the photo you can see the construction site of the Lublin Airport.
Świdnik City. 1950 year.
Together with the construction of the WSK PZL Świdnik plant and its subsequent development, the City of Świdnik was established. Brick residential barracks were built for the builders and later employees of the plant. The first was built near the railway tracks and in Franciszkanów.
There were always new people coming to work. These people had to be able to buy basic food and economic products. Therefore, in 1952, the Provincial Enterprise of Municipal Retail in Lublin established a branch in Świdnik. The communists feared that this area of life would be taken over by private initiative, and they wanted to avoid it. The first points of sale were located in barracks and kiosks. In addition, a staff canteen was opened. The number of state-owned retail outlets (shops) quickly grew to nine. The shops offered basic food products, cleaning products, tobacco products, and most of all the communist press. However, the main place where the inhabitants bought their basic supplies was (and still is) the market near the railway tracks.
Description to the photo: Location of the market in Świdnik. You can see the underpass under the railway tracks, put into use in 1973, which increased the safety of children and adults.
In 1954, the town of Świdnik had already 7,000 inhabitants. The authorities in Warsaw decided to grant it city rights. This allowed for the establishment of the City National Council and the City Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party. In 1955, the Public Library was established.
The expansion of the city was carried out on the Soviet model. Świdnik resembles Nowa Huta in many respects. The present May 3 Constitution Square has become the city center with the government and party administration buildings situated next to it.
New kindergartens and schools were built in the city. Along with the activities of WSK in Świdnik, there was a need to educate highly qualified employees for the Department. Therefore, on September 1, 1959, the Basic Vocational School was opened. In 1969, ZSZ students moved to a new school building with a spacious gym and a large sports field. On October 8, 1970, the Youth Mechanical Technical School was established, followed by the Extramural Mechanical Technical School and the Mechanical Technical School for Workers. Therefore, in May 1971, the Technical School Complex named after Zygmunt Puławski. Today (2012) the school functions as the County Center for Vocational Education.
In 1960, the population reached 11,000. In 1970, the population was already 20,000 inhabitants.
Świdnik, as a communist city, was supposed to be secular. Despite this, the people adhered to the faith of their fathers and used the temple in nearby Mełgiew or traveled to Lublin. In the 1960s (after religion was expelled from schools), catechesis was taught in private homes. Only in 1975. the communists gave the first permission to build a Roman Catholic temple. The square of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church was consecrated in June 1977. (32 Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego Street). By the way, the church was located far to the north of the city center and even further from the factory.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman