During the renovation of Sienkiewicza and Wschodnia streets in Łódź, underground structures were found. Archaeological research has shown that these are the remains of one of the plants in the city center and the remains of anti-aircraft structures built by the Germans during World War II.
Workers came across an unusual discovery behind the building of the County Office in Łódź and the local public television center. Nobody expected underground constructions here. There was no trace of them in any documentation. Archaeological work began on the site.
They showed that during the works, the relics of the building were found, which was visible on the map of Władysław Starzyński drawn up in the years 1894-1896.
– Its south wall has been discovered. The remains of an anti-aircraft rift, probably created in 1942, were also exposed. The entrance to the bunker from the east has survived, says the city’s vice-president, Adam Pustelnik.
He adds that the entrance from the west side was demolished during the works on laying the pipeline.
The remains were found during the renovation of streets in the city centerThe City of Łódź Office
Another find
Everything indicates that the exposed walls of the buildings are the remains of the worsted spinning mill by Izydor Birnbaum, who built it in 1877.
Eight years later – as Deputy President Pustelnik says – he expanded the plant, thanks to which the employment increased to 300 workers. The factory suffered a lot during World War I and did not resume production under the Birnbaum brand, and the premises were rented to the Braun and Hurewicz spinning mill, which employed 125 workers and was still operating in 1936. Six years later, the buildings were demolished by the Germans.
Agnieszka Kowalewska-Wójcik, director of the Management Board of Municipal Investments in Łódź, emphasizes that this is not the first discovery during the construction phase recently:
– In May last year, at the construction site of a new passage that will connect Ogrodowa Street with Legionów Street and Śródmieście with the former factory empire of Karol Poznański, old graves were discovered at a depth of 1.5 meters – says Agnieszka Kowalewska-Wójcik.
After the conducted archaeological research, the discovery of human remains of a total of 13 people was found.
– Antique items were also found in old graves. We are facing large investments in historically very interesting areas – the Old Market Square, Staromiejski Park or Plac Wolności – ends Kowalewska-Wójcik.
Underground structures were found next to the building of the Lodz poviat starosty
Main photo source: The City of Łódź Office