[vc_row type="in_container" full_screen_row_position="middle" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left" overlay_strength="0.3" shape_divider_position="bottom"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_position="all" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" width="1/1" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid"][vc_column_text]Among the many events accompanying the centenary of Poland's independence, the photography exhibition organized at the History Meeting House deserves special attention. RECOVERED is a photo reportage from Warsaw from 1918-1939, which, through 350 photographs, tells the story of the developing capital, shows the daily life of the city, and events that had a much broader impact. The curators of the exhibition are Anna Brzezińska and Katarzyna Madoń-Mitzner. The photos come from the collections of the National Digital Archive.

My attention was drawn to a thread which – although certainly not central – provides an insight into how marketing and advertising communication looked in the city's public spaces during the interwar period. After all, advertising was present in the landscape of Warsaw.

One hundred years ago, just like today, brands needed a place for communication. However, the possibilities were different.
It's obvious to everyone that there was no television or internet. However, few people realize that the first radio programs only appeared in 1926. Newspaper readership also looked different (ignoring the problem of illiteracy reaching 33% in 1921), and there were far fewer titles (in 1915 – 14 in Warsaw; in 1939 – about 200 in all of Poland; currently about 2,100 titles are published, including about 300 nationwide).

I invite you to see a few images of interwar Warsaw:[/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11186" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1931, Kopernika Street.
The horse is clearly not interested in the flower seller, but the flowers are a completely different matter.
In the background, an advertising pillar – one of the first advertising media to appear in Warsaw in the 1870s. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11188" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][vc_column_text]1931, Sienkiewicza Street.
PPS May Day parade. In the background, on a pillar, an advertisement for "Radion" washing powder. Schicht-Lever, the owner of the "Radion" brand, was very keen on outdoor advertising. It was the first company in Warsaw to install a neon sign on the roof of its factory. It employed the most famous Polish actors to promote its products, and the most famous "Radion" poster was designed by Tadeusz Gronowski. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11189" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1925, Marszałkowska Street (probably).
Another advertising pillar, this time attracting the attention of Warsaw's ladies of society.[/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11190" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1934, Nowy Świat Street.
Warsaw at night. Electric and gas lanterns, illuminated shop windows, neon signs – this is what the city center looked like. On the roof, a neon sign advertising "Jeleń" soap – one of Schicht-Lever's products. The neon sign included a clock displaying the current time. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11196" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1930s, Wierzbowa Street.
The famous Oaza restaurant, located near the Grand Theatre – one of the most elegant establishments in Warsaw. On the facade, signs made with neon technology. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11199" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1931.
Performances by the Italian Adriano Circus. These were the times when Warsaw had a brick circus building. During the interwar period, large forms of advertising were usually painted directly on the facade. In this case, they are more likely specially prepared panels, hung on the wall. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11200" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1934, intersection of Żelazna and Leszno streets.
On the wooden fence of the ice rink, there is an advertisement for the American film "Secret of a Woman" starring Irene Dunne.[/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11202" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1932, Dzielna Street.
The Jewish theater SCALA. Warsaw during the interwar period was a multicultural city. Bilingual advertisements or those written only in Yiddish were not an exception. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11201" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1930s.
Intersection of Nowy Świat and Jerozolimskie Avenue, and an example of pre-war signs in the city center.[/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11194" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1920s. Intersection of Marszałkowska Street and Jerozolimskie Avenue.
A shoeshine boy – probably a war invalid. One could say that the photo illustrates point-of-sale advertising. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11195" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1929, Piłsudski Square.
A rally promoting the purchase of domestic products. Out of frame was a tethered balloon with a banner attached.
Today, we would call this a public awareness campaign. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11191" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1927, Jerozolimskie Avenue.
Interwar mobile advertising - a PPS campaign truck participating in the election campaign for the City Council. PPS won 28 seats in the 120-member council. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11198" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1935, Krakowskie Przedmieście.
Another example of mobile advertising. This time it's a car adapted to advertise the Cyrulik Warszawski Theater, in front of the Illustrated Daily Courier's headquarters. [/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11192" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]Late 1930s, Nowy Zjazd Street.
Advertisement on a public transport tram.[/vc_column_text][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][image_with_animation image_url="11193" alignment="" animation="Fade In" border_radius="none" box_shadow="none" max_width="100%"][divider line_type="No Line" custom_height="40"][vc_column_text]1939, Wspólna Street.
The last days before the outbreak of World War II. An example of how the authorities communicated with society. Because frightened residents of Warsaw were hoarding supplies, there was a shortage of basic foodstuffs. Some shop owners hid goods to sell them later for a greater profit. Such actions led to decisive state action (arrests), and the public was informed about the entire event in this way.

The entire exhibition “Recovered. Photo Reportage from Warsaw 1918-1939” is a selection of beautiful photographs.
Although they are black and white, Warsaw truly comes alive in them: on the streets, at work, at play, in gardens, in sports.
Everyday Warsaw was not black and white, after all. It was colorful, multicultural, and fascinating.

https://dsh.waw.pl/2949-odzyskana-fotoreportaz-z-warszawy-19181939,wys[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]