Understand
The exact origin of the city's name is unknown, however, the word łódź translates to "boat" in English. This is referred to in the emblem and when you hear the dwellers of Łódź łodzianin (men łodzianka women łodzianie plural) calling themselves "the boat people".
A settlement on the area of present-day Łódź was first established in the 14th century and in 1423 it has been granted a town charter, along with the right to have a marketplace. However, the real development of Łódź starts with the industrial era at the beginning of the 19th century when the city was chosen to be the heart of the rapidly-growing textile industry. The population of Łódź soared from some 4k people in the 1830s and 40k in 1865 to over 300k inhabitants at the turn of the century, which was an unprecedented growth on a worldwide scale.
The rapid development of Łódź in the second half of the 19th century was brought about by the rise of enormous industrialist fortunes. New inhabitants, craftsmen and merchants came to Łódź; markets and town fairs came to life. The profits obtained from prosperous textile mills opened up practically unlimited possibilities for their owners. The city residences became expressions of the riches and power of the local tycoons. They were usually situated next to the owner's factory.
Andrzej Wajda's movie "The Promised Land" portrays Łódź's 19th century heyday.
Ever since the industrial revolution bringing a massive influx of workforce, Łódź has been a city almost equally divided between four cultures - Polish, Jewish, German and Russian. The day before the outbreak of World War II, Łódź was inhabited by approximately 672,000 people, among whom 35% were of Jewish faith and some 15% were ethnic German.
During the Nazi occupation, Łódź was incorporated directly into the Third Reich. The city was renamed to Litzmannstadt, and Piotrkowska Street was called Adolf-Hitler-Strasse. Although the city was not destroyed in the aftermath, the material losses were serious as the machinery, raw materials and finished goods have been taken away by the fleeing Nazis.
The day before the liberation, about 80,000 Germans left Łódź in panic. At the beginning of 1945, the number of population was estimated at 300,000.
In recent years, Łódź was seemingly forgotten by the government, investors, and travelers in favor for other cities, such as Krakow, Warsaw, and Wroclaw. As a result, there's a strange atmosphere in Łódź – streets are littered with cracks and potholes, soviet architecture can be the norm in some areas, and for a city of 760,000 aglomeration 1.428,000 there doesn't seem to be much, at first glance – compared to Warsaw , which are revered for their many qualities. However, there are signs of this changing now with Łódź campaigning and redesigning itself as a up-and-coming destination. To accomplish this, Łódź has been capitalizing on it's film history – Łódź is jokingly referred to as the "HollyŁódź" of Poland – by creating and hosting several film festivals. Łódź has also begun actively campaigning to be the European Capital of Culture in 2016 (http://www.lodz2016.com/).
Łódź today may not have the glitz and glamour of its heyday, however there is a certain charm to Łódź in its partially renovated façades and leitmotivs, not to mention its large artistic traditions, even if not immediately evident. With a little bit of persistence, you'll see the magic Łódź has to offer. For a different and eye-opening experience of the world and its cultures, Łódź is certainly a recommended destination.
