Traditions of artisans from Lodz

In Lodz, a former industrial center of Poland, I have discovered a place that resembles me of a time machine. The Łódź Wooden Architecture Museum consists of old houses, in which citizens lived in the 19th and 20th centuries. These houses were moved from the main street of Piotrkowska and found a new home next to Reymont Park.

Every house tells a story of a family, its habits, and traditions. There are modest beds, a sewing machine, a kitchen corner with red cattle, and hand-written postcards on the table. A wooden wardrobe reminds me of the furniture manufactured by my grandfather. It was always durable and made with love.

One of the houses displays sewing and embroidery of this period. It shows how the cloth was designed and manufactured. There is also an exhibition about crafts, such as bookbinding where every book cover was individually designed as a piece of art. Another part of the exhibition displays watch repair.

Visitors can choose film clips on the tv to learn more about crafts. One features a hat maker stating that every self-respecting lady wore a headdress, especially in spring. Listening to her, I could imagine myself in a bowler hat that she shows.

Since the 19th century, Łódź has attracted craftsmen and entrepreneurs from different countries. Poles, Germans, Jews, and Russians lived and worked here together. The open-air museum pays tribute to the hard work of these people. It’s striking how carefully people looked after things back then and how they devoted many years to mastering their profession.

In the 1980s, during the wave of privatization, Lodz declined from its former grandeur. Factories closed, and workers went on hunger strikes, although there was nothing to eat anyway. But today, the city is revitalizing the industrial spaces.

On my way back I walked along the main avenue Piotrkowska stretching for almost four kilometers. It was full of life at any time of the day and kept surprising with buildings of completely different styles. The smaller streets to the side of Piotrkowska catch attention with murals of local and foreign street artists. While Lodz is searching for its new identity, the paintings on the facades of the buildings tell its history.