Interview
country. Those handles were elegant.
they to go? Some of us decided to buy
MK: I remember that, I think in 1963,
our flats, for example, a neighbour was
Gomułka** was to visit Iwaszkiewicz***
afraid that the City would raise rents and
at his home in May 9th Street while he
she couldn't afford it, and the purchase
was the president of the National Council.
cost was very low at the time.
The Administration gave blue paint and brushes to all residents living along the
GHL: How many of the flats are owner-
route to Iwaszkiewicz's house and made
occupied?
us paint the windows. For a while all our
TK: Twenty percent belongs to the City;
windows were painted blue****.
eighty percent is in private possession.
don't open the windows at all and
TK: The colours here were really odd,
MK:Three or four people have council
their flats are humid; others open the
since everyone painted them as they
flats.
windows, air the rooms and their flats are
wished and as their own fantasy would
TK: But they've already applied to
dry. However, if you open the windows,
tell them. It was not until later when Mrs
purchase outright. It's hard to sell such
the street noise in unbearable. When we
Sobótkowa from flat 18 organised for us
flats now. They look quite ok, but people
had the original windows, we were so
all to paint the balcony.
don't really trust them. Yet we had
used to the noise that we blocked it out.
MK: Once or twice a year.
no intention to invest in this building
TK: She made us, the younger
because just as it has its advantages, it
GHL: So you changed the windows?
generation, take part. Well, she didn't
certainly has its disadvantages. It’s hard
What were the original ones like?
make us, but asked and it would've been
to live here due to the lack of fresh air,
TK: The original windows had double
rude to decline.
the low ceilings of the rooms and the problems with the top floor flats which
glazing, two sashes that opened
tend to overheat in the summer.
independently, and a mullion*. They also
GHL: I was really surprised that almost
had brass fixtures and fittings. However,
nobody has sold their flat and that
supposedly during the war they were
so few of them are now rented to
GHL: But now, after the restoration,
substituted for cast-iron ones because the
students.
the insulation is going to be much
Reich's need for metals was so high that
TK: My daughter took my flat and she's
better, right?
they took all those handles and fittings.
renting hers to students. Generally,
TK: Well, the roof is ready now, the
Some of those handles have survived
people who moved in around here in the
insulation was improved slightly but it
though. Apparently, lesser patriots didn't
mid-60s were either retired or simply
didn't really help at all. We are really
want to give them away to their home
poor. What are they to sell? Where are
counting on this mechanical ventilation
34 WuWA
* A mullion is a vertical element that forms a fixed division between units of a window, door, or screen, or is used decoratively. ** Władysław Gomułka was a Polish communist leader. He was the de facto leader of Poland from 1945 to 1948, and again from 1956 to 1970. He was a member of the Communist Party of Poland (Komunistyczna Partia Polski, KPP) established in 1926. *** Bolesław Iwaszkiewicz was the president of the National Municipal Council and National Council of Wrocław between 1958–1969. **** At the time of socialism in Poland many such awkward actions were taken to make a place visited by someone important look pristine as if everything were perfect and prosperous.