The problem of the development of the Vistulan boulevards among press of interwar Warsaw

Abstract

In 1918, the moment of regaining the Polish independence, Warsaw was a city neglected in many ways. One of the aspects of this neglect was its removing from the natural main axis – the Vistula river, which banks were built-up with infrastructure of less importance. In the interwar period there was an ongoing debate in the Warsaw press about the necessity of reversal the city „to face the river”. It was said that creating a representational Vistulan boulevard would increase safety on coastal districts, improve urban public transport as well as make city more prestigious, making it more similar to some other Western European metropolis. Despite some political discrepancies between the editors, they all agreed that changes and investments by the Vistula are indispensable. Unfortunately, because of the outbreak of the Second World War only a little part of the Vistulan boulevards was realised. The aim of the article is to reconstruct the discussion of Vistulan banks management in the Warsaw press of the interwar years.