The ceremonial launch of the fifth volume of the monograph "Łódź poprzez wieki. Historia miasta" [Lodz Through the Ages. History of the City], which has just been published by the Lod University Press, culminates the production of this monumental work devoted to the history of Lodz. On Friday, 18 July, the packed Mirror Room of the Museum of the City of Lodz was filled to capacity by the authors of the monograph (often applauded by the audience), historians, and Lodz residents – enthusiasts of their city's history. The city authorities were represented by Mayor Hanna Zdanowska, and the university by Prof. dr hab. Rafał Matera, Rector of the University of Lodz, and dr hab. Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation of Science and Education. The meeting was moderated by Dr Andrzej Kompa from the Faculty of Philosophy and History of the University of Lodz.
History is being made – in the midst of the summer holidays, almost all those responsible for the creation of this unique work, whom I would like to thank wholeheartedly, are here with us. Thank you for the fact that together we have managed to create, to condense within the pages of a single publication, the dispersed knowledge about our city. We have never had such a publication. Thank you for your commitment and for the very intensive work on this monograph, as we have limited time. Now we need one more: a volume translated into English and other languages, containing a condensed history of the city, which, perhaps, we could treat not as a promotional tool, but as a story for the world about the true history of Lodz. Perhaps it will become the basis for lessons about Lodz, its identity, history and present day, in the curricula of Lodz's primary and secondary schools. Lessons about our small homeland
– said Mayor Hanna Zdanowska.
We are here because Lodz unites all of us. I would like to thank all the numerous authors for their commitment and work, for their incredible collaborative nature. Thanks to this, five volumes, containing knowledge about the city from many different perspectives, have been created. This is primarily due to the great merit and immense work of the researchers from the Faculty of Philosophy and History of the University of Lodz. Many thanks also go to the Lodz University Press and the City Library in Lodz. Without funding from the Lodz local government, this project would not have been possible of course. As the Mayor said, we now dream of a comprehensive, single-volume publication about the history of Lodz in English (and other languages). We hope to see this project realised in the near future
– added Prof. dr hab. Rafał Matera, Rector of the University of Lodz.
The fifth volume, concluding the series comprising the monograph, is entitled "Łódź poprzez wieki. Rozmowy jak przy kawie Łódź" [Lodz Through the Ages. Conversations Over Coffee]. It features conversations on contemporary and historical topics close to the heart of every Lodz resident, presented in the form of classic interviews and time capsules. It is richly illustrated with archival and contemporary photographs and includes numerous historical maps prepared especially for the publication. Among other things, we'll read about urban legends, film Lodz, the city of the 1905 Revolution, industrialists from Lodz, world-famous Lodz residents, and criminal stories from the city's history.
The discussion about the publication and the challenges faced by the authors of Volume V was attended Prof. Jarosław Kita, lead editor of the monograph and Head of the Department of Polish History of 19th Century at the Faculty of Philosophy and History, University of Lodz; Ryszard Bonisławski, a regionalist, a sightseeing expert, a tourist guide to Lodz and the Lodz region, president of the Society of Friends of Lodz; and Justyna Tomaszewska (Just Lodz), a tour guide to Lodz and a co-author of the podcast accompanying the monograph. The meeting was moderated by Mariusz Goss, editor of the fifth volume of the monograph and Representative of the Mayor of Lodz for Lodz Heritage.
The monograph "Łódź poprzez wieki. Historia miasta" is a unique initiative launched in 2023 to mark the 600th anniversary of Lodz, pursuant to a letter of intent signed earlier by the Mayor of Lodz and the then-Rector of the University of Lodz, Prof. Elżbieta Żądzińska. It was the fulfilment of the university's mission to be useful to society and share the knowledge of its scientists with it, but also an expression of openness and diversity in our university's cooperation with its social, economic and cultural environments.
Source: Lodz University Press
Text and edit: Press Office, University of Lodz
Photos: Paweł Śpiechowicz (Rector’s Office) and Kacper Szczepaniak (Press Office, University of Lodz)