Nowoczesność publiczna czy prywatna? Woda, gaz i elektryczność w międzywojennej Łodzi a stracone szanse
Modernity – Public or Private? Water, Gas, and Electricity in Interwar Łódź and Missed Opportunities

Author(s): Marcin Szymański
Subject(s): Cultural history, Local History / Microhistory
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: Electricity; gas; waterworks; sewerage; history of Łódź; local government
Summary/Abstract: Łódź was the largest industrial city in Europe without a water supply or sewage system. At the same time, electricity arrived there quite late, only in the early 20th century. The city gasworks were the first to be built. A clear development barrier in the construction of these devices was the lack of municipal government during the partitions, and thus the lack of the ability to obtain appropriate funds for the implementation of ambitious projects. The only option was to look for a private investor who would be willing to build and operate the infrastructure in exchange for a favorable concession. After regaining independence, the situation changed, but the local government was deprived of adequate income, so it was also forced to look for companies willing to implement urban investments. This time, unfortunately, the barrier was the lack of decision-making, especially after 1926. As a result of the short-sighted policy of the local government and the reluctance of the central authorities, Łódź lost its chance for modern urban facilities, and the infrastructure created was modest and insufficient.

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