Pomorzany, Szczecin

Pomorzany (Polish pronounciation: [pɔmɔˈʐanɨ]; German until 1945: Pommerensdorf) is a municipal neighbourhood of Szczecin, Poland, located within the West district. It is a mid-rise housing estate dominated by tenement houses. Pomorzany has an area of 7.1 km², and in 2022, was inhabited by 20,505 people, making it the fourth most populous neighbourhood. It is a residential neighbourhood with mid-rise apartment buildings, which also features numerous factories.

The first traces of human activity in the area of today's Pomorzany date from the late Neolithic period. The human settlement stabilised in the area in the 8th century, and the village of Pomorzany was first attested in the documents in 1253. Its northern part was incorporated into the city in 1864, and the rest, in 1939. In the second half of the 19th century, numerous factories were opened in the neighbourhood. Beginning in the 1960s, several mid-rise housing estates with apartment buildings were developed in the neighbourhood.

Historically, the neighbourhood was known by the German name Pommerensdorf, which, coming from lemmas Pommeren, meaning Pomerania, and dorf, meaning village, translates to Pomeranian village. The current Polish name Pomorzany is the calque of the former, with the term Pomorze, also meaning Pomerania.^[1]

The first traces of human activity in the area of today's Pomorzany date from the late Neolithic period. The stabilisation of the settlement in this area occurred in the 8th century. The oldest record of Pomorzany, then a small farming community, dates to documents issued by Duke Barnim I on 8 May 1253, where it was recorded under the name Pomerenstorp. In the following centuries, the spelling evolved to Pommerensdorf.^[2] In the 14th century, the Pommerensdorf Church was built in the village, with the Gothic style, situated on a slope paved with field stones and surrounded by a defensive wall. Originally, it belonged to the Catholic denomination, and following the reformation, it became Lutheran. The building was destroyed by the Swedish army during the siege in the Scanian War, and was rebuilt afterwards. Later, it was rebuilt once more, eventually losing its Gothic appearance. The church was destroyed again during the Second World War. It was rebuilt in 1973, being reopened as the St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe Church, belonging again to the Catholic denomination. Next to it was also placed a small cemetery yard, which was eventually cleared out in 1978. The church is located at the current 67 and 69 Włościańska Street.^[2][3]

In 1865, the Pomorzany Cemetery was founded between the current Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue and Grudziądzka Street, to serve as the burial site for the local population. It had an area of around 11 ha.^[2][4] In 1879, a hospital complex was opened to the south of the cemetery, at the current 72 Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue, now known as the University Teaching Hospital no. 2 of the Pomeranian Medical University.^[5][6] The burials at the cemetery were ceased in 1928, and in 1938, its southern half was cleared to make space for the extension of the hospital, with the graves being moved to the Central Cemetery. After the Second World War, its remaining portion was also cleared out, and turned into the General Dowbór-Muśnicki Pomorzany Park, with an area of 5.5 ha.^[2][4]

The northern part of the village, known as Pommerensdorfer Anlagen (lit. Extension of Pomorzany), was incorporated into the city of Szczecin in 1864, with the current streets of Dziewiątego Maja, Smolańska, Szczawiowa, and Bydgoska, forming the new boundary. The other half was absorbed in 1939, during the formation of the Greater City of Stettin.^[2]

In 1893, the Martin Luther Church, belonging to the Lutheran denomination, was built at the current 1 Połabska Street, in the Baroque Revival style. After the Second World War, it was adopted in 1946 for the Catholic community, and renamed to the Church of St. Joseph the Favourite of Saint Mary.^[2][3]

In 1898, the Szczecin Pomorzany (German: Stettin Pommerensdorf) railway station was opened near the current Grudziądzka Street, and operated on the line between Szczecin Main Station and Police. It operated until 1953 when it was closed down, and later reopened in 1984, at a new location near Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue, where it operated until 2002.^[2][7][8] In 1899, Pomorzany was also the final station on the narrow-gauge railway line leading to Casekow.^[2][9][10] Within the neighbourhood were located stations of Pommerensdorf Kleinbahnhof (narrow-gauge station) and Pommerensdorf Hafen (harbour) near Bygdoska Street, and Güstow near the corner of Szczawiowa and Ustowska Streets, for the nearby village of Ustowo.^[11][12][13] The line was closed down in 1946, with most of the rail tracks being removed.^[2][9][10] Additionally, in 1936, between current Białowieska, Milczańska, and Orawska Streets, was opened the Szczecin Wzgórze Hetmańskie railway station, originally known as Kosakenberg, which operated passenger lines until 1998. It included a locomotive deepot which is used to the present day.^[2][14]

Beginning in the second half of the 19th century, numerous factories were opened in the neighbourhood, as well as gasworks, a power plant, and a wastewater treatment plant^[2] Among the companies present, there was the brewery Bohrisch Brauerei, founded in 1848, which produced beer brand Waldschlösschen. It operated until 1945, and was reopened in Kiel, Germany in 1948. After the Second World War, the brewery building was reopened by the company Bosman Browar Szczecin, which began producing the beer brand Piwo Bałtyckie.^[15][16] In 1975, it acquired franchise rights to produce and bottle Pepsi soda drinks, as one of the first free companies in the country.^[2][17]

During the Second World War, seven forced labor camps with prisoners from Poland, Yugoslavia, and the Soviet Union, among other countries.^[18] Many prisoners died in the camps.^[18] During the conflict, the Allied air raids destroyed numerous factories and residential buildings in the area. Following the end of the conflict, the German population either left or was expelled from the city, being replaced with Polish settlers. Szczecin, including Pomorzany, was given under Polish administration on 5 July 1945.^[2] In 2007, a monument dedicated to the victims of the local forced labour camps was unveiled at the corner of Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue and Smolańska Street.^[18][19]

Most of the local factories were reopened after the conflict. The neighbourhood remained sparsely populated until the late 1960s, when it began being developed with the construction of the mid-rise apartment buildings in its eastern side. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, a mid-rise housing estate was also developed at the Hetman Hill (Polish: Wzgórze Hetmańskie). In 1984, a building of a water towar at 3 Orawska Street, dating to 1865, was modified and adopted as a Catholic church, named for Our Lady of the Bright Mountain.^[3]

In 1959, the Karol Świerczewski Bridge in Pomorzany, was opened at a crossing on the West Oder river, connected to Krygiera Street. It was built by the Polish Armed Forces, and replaced a provisional bridge, erected there in 1948, with financing from the United Kingdom. It in turn, was built in place of another bridge, which was destroyed by the Red Army during the Second World War.^[20] It was closed in 2008, being replaced with the neighbouring Pomeranian Bridge.^[21]

In 1990, following the administrative reform in the city, Pomorzany became one of its municipal neighbourhoods, governed by a locally elected council.^[22]

In 1992, the Polish Atherosclerosis Research Association was founded with its headquarters in Pomorzany, at 72 Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue.^[23]

In 2000, the Omni Molo shopping centre was opened at 73 Mieszka I Street, with a floor area of 26,235 m². It was originally known as Piast, later being renamed to Atrium Molo, and again, to its current name in 2023.^[24][25][26] In 2020, the Retail Park Mieszka was opened it next to it, with the floor area of 10,000 m².^[27] Additionally, in 2008, near in the municipality of Kołbaskowo, near the city boundary, Pomorzany neighbourhood, and the village of Ustowo, was opened the Auchan Kołbaskowo shopping centre, with the floor area of 21,731 m². It is placed at 45 Ustowo Street.^[28][29]

Pomorzany is a residential neighbourhood with mid-rise apartment buildings.^[2] It also features numerous factories, including the brewery Bosman Browar Szczecin, which produces beer brand Browar Bałtycki.^[2][15] The neighbourhood features the General Dowbór-Muśnicki Pomorzany Park, with an area of 5.5 ha, placed between Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue, Starkiewicza Street, and Grudziącka Street.^[2][4] To its south is also placed the complex of the University Teaching Hospital no. 2 of the Pomeranian Medical University, located at 72 Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue.^[5][6]

Pomorzany has three churches of the Catholic denomination, including the St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe Church at 67 and 69 Włościańska Street, whose history dates to the 14th century. There are also present the Church of St. Joseph the Favourite of Saint Mary at 1 Połabska Street, dating to 1893, and the Our Lady of the Bright Mountain Church at 3 Orawska Street, which was opened in 1984, with the building adopted from a water tower dating to 1865.^[2][3]

Within the neighbourhood is located the Szczecin Wzgórze Hetmańskie locomotive deepot, located between Białowieska, Milczańska, and Orawska Streets.^[2][14] Additionally, near Grudziądzka Street is placed now closed Szczecin Pomorzany railway station, which operated from 1984 to 2002.^[2][8]

The eastern boundry of the neighbourhood is formed by the West Oder river, and it features the Pomeranian Brige, with the lenght of 205.75 m, which forms the crossing to the Pucka Island, as part of Krygiera Street. Next it is placed now closed Karol Świerczewski Bridge, as well, as two railroad briges of the line no. 351.^[21][30]

Pomorzany includes the Omni Molo shopping centre at 73 Mieszka I Street, with the floor area of 26,235 m², and the neighbouring Retail Park Mieszka with the floor area of 10,000 m².^[24][25][25] Additionally, near the city boundary, next to Pomorzany and village of Ustowo, is placed the Auchan Kołbaskowo shopping centre, with the floor area of 21,731 m². It is placed at 45 Ustowo Street.^[28][29]

At the corner of Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue and Smolańska Street, is placed a monument dedicated to the victims of the Nazi Germany forced labor camps in Pomorzany during the Second World War.^[18][19]

The Polish Atherosclerosis Research Association has its headquarters in Pomorzany, at 72 Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue.^[23]

Pomorzany is one of the municipal neighbourhoods of Szczecin, governed by a locally elected council with 21 members. Its headquarters are located at 1 Włościańska Street.^[22][31]

Its boundaries are approximately determined by Powstańców Wielkopolskich Avenue, the tracks of the railway line no. 406, Generalska Street, Dąbrowskiego Street, Zapadła Street, the West Oder river, Krygiera Street, Południowa Street, the tracks of the railway line no. 432, Białowieska Street, and Mieszka I Street. Pomorzany borders the neighbourhoods of Gumieńce, Turzyn, New Town, and Międzyodrze-Wyspa Pucka. Its southern boundry forms the city border, neighbouring the municipality of Kołbaskowo in the Police County, including the village of Ustowo. The neighbourhood has a total area of 7.1 km².^[32]