Gdansk, Poland

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Geo: 54.4025, 18.6702

Gdansk is Poland's gateway to the waters of Europe--where its main river, the Vistula, meets the Baltic Sea. The town was first mentioned in the 10th century and was seized in 1308 by the Teutonic Knights. They gradually turned Gdansk into a wealthy city. In 1361, Gdansk joined the Hanseatic League, a trade federation of mostly Germanic merchant towns that provided mutual security. By the 15th century Gdansk was a leading member of this network, which dominated trade in Northern Europe. The 16th and 17th centuries were known as its Golden Age.

On September 1, 1939, Adolf Hitler started World War II when he invaded Gdansk in order to bring it back into the German fold. Later, nearly 80% of th its was destroyed when the Soviets "liberated" it from Nazi control. After World War II Gdansk officially became part of Poland, and was painstakingly reconstructed replicating the buildings of its Golden Age. In 1970 and again in 1980 the shipyard of Gdansk witnessed strikes and demonstrations that would lead to the fall of European communism. Remember Lech Walesa? He is Gdansk's most famous resident and still lives here. When he flies around the world to give talks, he leaves via Gdnask's "Lech Walesa Airport."

We enjoyed a walking tour of this historic city and again, not enough time to see everything; but, we captured as much as we could.

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Photos

Gdansk Walk
This lovely street with colorful buildings carefully reconstructed back to what it looked like before it was destroyed.

Golden Gate
While the other gates were defensive, this one is purely ornamental. The four women up top represent virtues that the people of Gdansk should exhibit toward outsiders (left to right): Peace, Freedom, Prosperity and Fame. The gold-lettered inscription a psalm in medieval German, compares Gdansk to Jerusalem: famous and important. Directly above the arch is the Gdansk coat of arms: two white crosses under a crown on a red shield. You can see this symbol all over town. Inside the arch, there are old photos showing the 195 bomb damage. On the right is a heartbreaking aerial view of the city n 1945, when 80 percent of its buildings were in ruins.

Gdansk 1945
As you can see from this photograph, at the end of World War II, the Royal Way was in ruins. That war actually began here. Following World War I, nobody could decide what to do with this influential and multiethnic city, so rather than assign it to Germany or Poland, it was set apart as its own little autonomous statelet. In 1939, Danzig was 80% German speaking, enough for Hitler to consider it his. And so, on September 1 of that year, the Nazis seized it in one day with relatively minor damage. Six years later, when the Soviets arrived on March 30, 945, the city was left devastated. This was the first major traditionally German cit that the Red Army took on their march toward Berlin. It was easy for the Soviets to seize the almost empty city, the commander then insisted that it be leveled building by building, in retaliation for all the pain the Nazis had caused in Russia, Soviet officers turned a blind eye as their soldiers raped and brutalized residents. An entire order of horrified nuns committed suicide by throwing themselves into the river.

Gdansk 1945
It was only thanks to detailed drawings and photographs that these buildings could be so carefully reconstructed.

Gdansk walking tour
Some of the most striking facades along the Royal Way.

Gdansk walking tour
The centerpiece of Long Market square is Gdansk's most important landmark, the statue of Neptune-god of the sea. He's a fitting symbol for a city that dominates the maritime life of Poland.