Under the Czechoslovak flag. – Historia Pomorza

Institutional Presence of the Southern Neighbor in Szczecin, 1945–1989

After 1945, Szczecin, as a Polish port, became an important component of Czechoslovakia’s economic infrastructure, particularly for maritime trade. The presence of the southern neighbor on the Oder took on an institutional and multi-faceted character — ranging from a free-trade zone in the port, through industrial and shipping cooperation, to the activities of the consulate general and cultural exchanges. This essay explores the scale of this relationship, which lasted until the end of the communist era and represented an important chapter in the shared history of Poland and Czechoslovakia.

Szczecin, a port city on the Oder, played a unique role in the history of postwar Polish-Czechoslovak relations. Between 1945 and 1989, it was not only a transit point for goods but also an important center of economic, educational, and cultural cooperation. The Czechoslovak presence in Szczecin brought benefits to both sides, although over time it faced technical, bureaucratic, and political limitations.

The starting point of this cooperation was the 1949 agreement, under which Czechoslovakia obtained a lease of the so-called Czechoslovak area in the port of Szczecin. This area was used for several years for handling goods for export and import, and its operation was managed by the company Metrans. Despite numerous infrastructural difficulties, the area became a symbol of Czechoslovak presence on the Baltic Sea. Although in 1956 the zone was formally returned to the Polish side, transit through the port continued to develop. By the mid-1960s, Czechoslovakia was the largest transit partner of the Szczecin port.

The 1970s brought new challenges. Investment ambitions grew on both sides, but the actual possibilities for modernization were limited. Seeking alternatives, Czechoslovakia began directing part of its transit to ports in the GDR, the USSR, and even Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. The main reasons were logistical and financial difficulties: a shortage of railcars, limited shipping connections, outdated infrastructure, and disputes over foreign currency settlements. Poland, for its part, began to view Czechoslovak transit as less profitable and gradually reduced its importance.

Szczecin also played an important role as an industrial and educational base for the Czechoslovak merchant fleet. From the 1960s, the Adolf Warski Shipyard in Szczecin built ships for the Czechoslovak shipping company, Československá námořní plavba (ČNP). Between 1964 and 1989, eleven vessels were launched, including “Republika II,” “Brno,” “Blaník,” “Sitno,” “Kriváň,” “Praha,” “Bratislava,” and “Třinec.” Some of these ships operated on regular routes to India, Iraq, Cuba, and Newfoundland. Szczecin served as their home port, providing both logistical and technical support. Ships built in Szczecin for ČNP were notable for their high level of automation and diverse equipment, partially sourced from Western countries such as Sweden and Norway. The “Třinec” was particularly exceptional, featuring recreational spaces for the crew, including a sports field and tennis court. For decades, these vessels carried out strategic transport missions, including arms deliveries, to countries within the Soviet sphere of influence, such as Syria, Iraq, and Cuba. By the 1970s, Szczecin had become the main shipbuilding center for the southern neighbor, producing modern, often automated vessels equipped with both Polish and Western components. This production brought prestige to the shipyard and enabled technical development. The last ships, such as “Dunaj” and “Łaba”, were delivered just before the end of the 1980s.

The Czechoslovak Consulate General in Szczecin played an active role in this multi-dimensional cooperation. Established in 1949, it operated continuously for four decades. In addition to its diplomatic and economic functions, the consulate organized cultural events, official visits, and supported tourists and sailors from the south, intervened in problematic situations, and monitored the political situation in the region. In 1968 and 1970, it submitted detailed reports to Prague on the events of the Prague Spring and December strikes on the coast. These activities had both informational and propagandistic purposes.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the consulate intensified cultural cooperation. It organized Czechoslovak Culture Days and Decades, concerts, film screenings, and exhibitions, held in venues such as the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle and the Szczecin Philharmonic Hall. The music of Bedřich Smetana and Josef Suk resonated in concert halls, while the radio station promoted Czechoslovak artists. The consulate also cooperated with local authorities, organized meetings with Polish citizens, and supported tourist exchanges.

Thousands of Czechs and Slovaks traveled to the Baltic coast every year. Summer camps and holiday colonies, organized by the travel agency Čedok, were very popular. The consulate ensured their safety, accommodation, and communication with families. Although modestly staffed, it was an active institution and a visible presence in the city’s local diplomatic landscape.

At the beginning of the 1980s, amid deteriorating relations within the Eastern Bloc, Czechoslovakia’s presence in Szczecin gradually waned. Political changes, economic crises, and new trade priorities weakened the ties. After 1989, the consulate was closed, and the last ships of the Czechoslovak fleet were sold. Thus ended an era of cooperation that, for more than four decades, shaped not only the port but also the identity of the city.

The Czechoslovak presence in Szczecin was a unique phenomenon, combining political, economic, and social interests in a manner typical of the Eastern Bloc. Today, it remains a forgotten but noteworthy chapter of the region’s history. Recalling the port area, Czechoslovak sailors, students, and consular officials also serves as a reminder of Szczecin’s role as a border city — open to cooperation, yet shaped and constrained by geopolitics.

Industrial cooperation was supported by Czechoslovak companies such as Metrans — the operator of the port area in Szczecin — as well as Československá plavba dunajská (ČSPD) and Čechofracht, which were responsible for logistics and freight forwarding. Their delegations operated in Szczecin for many years, supporting transit and communication.

Equally important was the presence of Czechoslovak students in Szczecin’s maritime schools. As early as 1947, the first students from the south enrolled at the State Maritime School in Szczecin, and many later graduated from the Higher Maritime School as well. Among the notable alumni were Antonín Fojtů and Milan Rusňák, future ship captains who returned to Szczecin many times, often with sentiment. Studies offered not only a path to a professional career but also a space for international exchange, fostering contacts, shared experiences, and integration.

Czechoslovak students were covered by a scholarship system and supported by local authorities and the consulate. Their presence was also an important part of personnel training policies within the CMEA and the Eastern Bloc. Thanks to this, Szczecin earned a reputation as a city open to economic, educational, and technical cooperation with its southern neighbor.

A. Szczepańska-Dudziak, Warszawa-Praga 1948-1968. Od nakazanej przyjaźni do kryzysu, Szczecin: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego 2011.

A. Szczepańska-Dudziak, „Szczecin czechosłowackim oknem na morza i oceany”. Szczecin w stosunkach polsko-czechosłowackich 1945-1989, Warszawa: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej 2021.

Anna Szczepańska-Dudziak