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Bydgoszcz Architects (1850–1970s)

Bydgoszcz displays an abundant variety of architectures, with styles from neo-gothic, neo-baroque and neoclassicism, to Art Nouveau and modernism; hence its nickname of Little Berlin at the start of the 20th century. The notable granaries on Mill Island and along Brda river also recall a recognized timber-framed characteristics of the city in Poland.

Prussian Period (1850–1918)
City construction advisors During Prussian Partition, Bromberg fell under Prussian law, in particular regarding construction matter, which was organized with a strictly defined hierarchy. On top were builders and architects with great competences and skills, chosen to act as municipal construction councilors. The position of building consultant was one of the most important in the city administration. This advisor participated in almost all areas of Bromberg public life, from security, transport to urban land management and development. Building councilors supervised all construction activities within the city premises, but also developed plans for official buildings funded from municipal budget. They were independent, but nevertheless cooperated actively in the city council. From 1871 to 1920, Bromberg authorities nominated five municipal construction councilors. At the end of his first contract period, City Council re-elected him on July 14, 1898, for a second term and then on July 14, 1910, for another one. However, Carl Meyer fell ill in the autumn 1911 and had to retire on April 1, 1912. He then left Bydgoszcz for Berlin in 1919 and later returned to his homeland and settled in Hanover. His death date (ca. 1920s) has not been determined precisely. In recognition for his merits, he was twice honored with Prussian state decorations: the Order of the Red Eagle - 4th class (1905), and the Royal Order of the Crown - 3rd class after his retirement in May 1913. Carl Meyer, during his 26-year long activity as city advisor, had a huge impact on Bydgoszcz architecture and layout, during its expansion bloom (end of 19th – beginning of 20th century). He belonged to the German Union of Architects and Engineers and traveled a lot, not only within the German Empire, but also to Italy and France to learn about new trends in architecture and urban planning. His closest subordinates and associates included people who are authors of many edifices in downtown Bydgoszcz, among others: While working in Bydgoszcz, he regularly provided his expertise for the construction and modernization of water supply and sewage systems in other cities such as Leszno, Chełmno, Kętrzyn or Kwidzyn. In 1901, he was elected municipal councilor and on July 12, 1912, he was appointed city construction adviser, taking over Carl Meyer. In particular, during his appointment, he developed the project of Sielanka district (Idyll, in Polish) in the early 1910s. He retired on December 15, 1919, and thanks to his highly appreciated role, Heinrich took part on January 20, 1920, on behalf of the German party, to the official ceremony where Bydgoszcz re-integrated the motherland: he was one of the signatories to the commemorative protocol. His designs usually included Eclecticism style with Neo-Renaissance and Neo-baroque decoration stuccoes. He ran a company and a technical work office. He also held the position of Municipal Construction Assistant. Having first settled in 1888 at 7 Poznański Square, he set up a design studio there in 1892. He then regularly moved to the houses he designed: Hetmańska Street (1895), Gdańska Street (1896), Śniadecki Street (1897). Like other architects in the city at the eve of the 20th century, Karl Bergner dealt with the design and construction of tenement houses sold at Cieszkowskiego Street. From October 7, 1899, he became a member of the Janus Masonic lodge in Bydgoszcz. Karl Bergner's preserved accomplishments in Bydgoszcz Fritz Weidner Fritz Weidner (1863 in Nowe Drezdenko, 1950 in Potsdam) was an architect who worked during most of his life in Bromberg. Like his colleague Józef Święcicki his numerous realizations had a profound influence on downtown Bydgoszcz urban landscape. File:Bdg Cieszkowskiego13-15 6 07-2013.jpg|House at 13,15 Cieszkowskiego Street File:Bdg Gdańska 10 pion 3.jpg|Tenement at 10 Gdańska Street File:Gdańska 91 Weidner.jpg|House at 91 Gdańska Street File:Bdg Gdanska119 5 07-2013.jpg|House at 119 Gdańska Street Paul Böhm Paul Böhm has been an architect working in Bydgoszcz during the middle of the 1890s and the first decade of the 20th century. He ran an architectural studio and a technical office. He owned the property at 109 Gdańska Street, and worked for 2 years in Hugo Licht's workshop. Aterwards, he went on a six-month study trip to Italy and came back to Berlin. In 1877, he started working as a first architect in the construction office of Hermann Ende. In January 1878 he won the second prize in the competition for the Town Hall in Kaława, which was carried out in 1880–1881. He then won the second prize for a theater project in Halle (1884–1886). The building was designed in accordance with the latest architectural tendencies and technical requirements; for this realization, Seelling was honored with the Prussian Order of the Crown - 4th Class. From this moment, he devoted his architect's activity to theatre buildings: after designing the Stockholm Royal Theatre, he was appointed in 1890-1892 for the realization of the Municipal Theater in Essen, which designs pioneered many interior and façade solutions. Thanks to this project, he was published in leading architectural journals in Germany. Several projects were run in the following years: • Berlin Theater am Schiffbauerdamm (1891–1892); • Wuppertal town hall (1893); • the 1000-seats Municipal Theater of Rostock, where he used a facade composition similar to Essen's; • the Municipal Theatre in Bydgoszcz and Hanover town hall (1894–1896). Seeling also built a group of houses at Schiklerestrasse in Berlin, where he applied solutions for modern residential and commercial construction. At the end of the 19th century, Heinrich Seeling was appointed member of the Royal Academy in Berlin. In the years 1904–1910 theaters still remained in the main circle of his interests. He designed, among others: • Braunschweig court theater with 1700 seats; • Nuremberg, Kiel and Freiburg im Breisgau Municipal Theaters; • AEG store in Berlin. In 1908, Seeling was elected city building councilor of Charlottenburg, Erich Lindenburger's achievements in Bydgoszcz Rudolf Kern Rudolf Kern probably practiced in the studio of Józef Święcicki. From 1903 to the early 1920s, he ran his own architectural and construction office. Like many other colleagues from Bydgoszcz, he was involved in the design and construction of tenement houses in Cieszkowskiego Street. He was active in Bydgoszcz only from 1901 to 1907. Other local architects from Prussian era == Polish Period (1918-1970s)==
Polish Period (1918-1970s)
Bogdan Raczkowski Bogdan Raczkowski was born on March 12, 1888, in Poznań. In March 1921, he moved to Bydgoszcz, where on 29 December, he took the post of city councilor, head of the Ground Construction Office. He served as deputy chairman of the city council for many years. During his mandate as a counselor, several Bydgoszcz districts have been enriched by a number of residential complexes financed by city magistrates: Babia Wieś, Biedaszkowo, Bielawy, Jachcice and Śródmieście (downtown). Many renovations were made and the aesthetics of the city improved. Raczkowski planned and co-designed the construction of a 600-bed city hospital. After Invasion of Poland in September 1939, his home at 1 Asnyka street being already occupied by a German dignitary, the family lived with a relative at Weyssenhoff Square. On October 2, 1939, they were all arrested and shot probably in the forest north of the city (Las Gdański), on October 4. Only Raczkowski's son Zdzisław escaped the arrest and survived WWII. File:Stadion Polonii przy ul. Sportowej. - Widok ze skweru Mariana Norkowskiego - panoramio (1).jpg|Polonia Stadium (1922) File:Bdg4.jpg|View of Jurasz hospital, initial design by Bogdan Raczkowski File:Bdg ulLibelta&Kollotaja 2 07-2013.jpg| Building at 5 Libelta street (1928–1929) File:Bdg kscswStanislawa 15 07-2013.jpg|St. Stanislaus of Szczepanów church in Bydgoszcz Jan Kossowski Jan Kossowski (July 13, 1898, in Belarus-December 9, 1958, in Bydgoszcz) was a very prolific Polish architect and builder, mainly associated with Bydgoszcz. His professional activity stretches from the interwar period to the 1940s. The best villas designed by Kossowski were erected in the Sielanka and Leśne districts and in Sułkowskiego Street. Not only did he design houses, but also performed reconstruction of public, industrial buildings and sacral buildings. He is as well the author of the Freedom Monument in downtown Bydgoszcz. File:Al Ossolińskich 5.jpg|Villa at Ossoliński Alley 5 File:Pasamon 1938.jpg|Pasamon complex at 117 Jagiellońska street in Bydgoszcz File:Bydgoszcz Pomnik Wolności.jpg|Freedom Monument File:Bdg pl Wolności 7 03-2013.jpg|Tenement at 7 Plac Wolnosci Alfons Licznerski Alfons Licznerski was born on September 25, 1902, in the village of Sampława then part of East Prussia. He was the son of Józef, a farmer, also Schultheiß of the village. His parents moved to Rożental in 1906, and Alfons attended elementary and primary schools there from 1908 to 1915. In the autumn of 1915, he began his studies in the pre-gymnasium in Lubawa. There, he became interested in socio-national issues and in 1917, he joined the activist movement of the Society of Tomasz Zan. During the meetings of the society, he learned Polish history and literature. In 1919, he was a member of the forbidden Polish Scouting movement, and from 1920, he was in the first junior high school scouting team. He then attended a classical gymnasium in 1921 in Toruń and after graduation in 1924, he was appointed for military service in Grudziądz. However, after an accident, he was permanently released from the army. From 1925 to 1933, Alfons Licznerski studied at the Faculty of Architecture of the Gdańsk University of Technology, obtaining in March 1934 the diploma of Civil engineer. During his studies he participated in corporation trips in Pomerelia and Kashubia cities. During his studies he took longer professional practices in firms and construction offices in Gdynia and Gdańsk (1928–1933). As such he participated, among others, in the building of: • the Władysławowo railway station (1928); • a port warehouse and storage facility (Gdynia, 1929–1932); • a residential worker colony (Gdynia, 1932–1933). After graduating, he designed the municipal slaughterhouse in Płock (1934–1935), or the expansion of the gymnasium in Gdańsk (1935–1936). He also traveled to gain professional expertise, in Poland and abroad (e.g. Germany), studying urban issues and problems of industrial construction. In September 1936, he settled in Bydgoszcz, where he worked in the Construction Department of the Municipal Board until the outbreak of World War II. During Occupation of Poland (1939–1945), he kept his position at the Technical Department of the city. At the end of February 1944, he was drafted into the Wehrmacht. He returned to Bydgoszcz in November 1945 and started working at the Regional Directorate of Spatial Planning, where he was the head of the urban studio (1945–1948). In 1947, at the request of the Theater Reconstruction Committee, he designed a new theater building (today's Polish Theatre in Bydgoszcz). Alfons Licznerski initiated the systematic collection of photographs of Bydgoszcz monuments. After many years in the municipal and regional construction boards and offices, he retired in 1968. In 1971, was awarded the title of Honorary Member of the Association of the Supporters of Bydgoszcz (). He died on June 8, 1976, in Bydgoszcz and was buried in the Nowofarny Cemetery in Bydgoszcz. File:Teatr Polski 1950s.jpg|Polish Theatre in Bydgoszcz ca 1950 File:Bdg TeatrPolski 1 07-2013.jpg|The building today Stefan Klajbor Stefan Klajbor was born on October 20, 1924, in Bydgoszcz. After WWII, he joined the Presidium of Bydgoszcz National Council and was the main architect of the city until 1958. He had a continuous active production till December 1989, when he retired. He died in Bydgoszcz in 1991. His most important achievements in Bydgoszcz include the designs of (among others): • the Pomeranian Philharmonic building (1959); • the building of Bydgoszcz Polish Federation of Engineering Associations (); • the project of Recreation and Culture Forest Park () in Myślęcinek district. File:NOT Bydgoszcz.jpg|Bydgoszcz NOT building File:Bdg Filharmonia kat 07-2013.jpg|Pomeranian Philharmonic building Other active Polish architects File:Aleja Ossolińskich 7 willa NIK.jpg|Villa at Ossoliński Alley 7 (1927–1929). Registered on Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship heritage list. During the Nazi occupation, the building housed the Westpreußen seat of Selbstschutz of western Prussia, as well as the Abwehr. After World War II, it was used by NKVD, and between 1947 and 2004, by a delegation of Polish Supreme Audit Office. File:Aleja Ossolińskich Fortis Bank noc.jpg|Villa at Ossoliński Alley 25 (1927–1929). File:Gimnazjalna 2 2015.jpg|Tenement at 2 Gimnazjalna (1920s). File:Markwarta 5 2.jpg|Villa at 2 Kasprowicza, corner with Markwarta street File:Bdg Sielanka2 2.jpg|Villa at 2 Sielanka street, corner with Markwarta street File:4 Sielanka 2.jpg|Villa at 4 Sielanka street (1927–1930) File:Bdg Sielanka8 2.jpg|Gustaw Bernaczek Villa at 8 Sielanka street (1927–1929) File:10 Sielanka.jpg|Villa at 10 Sielanka street (1927) File:Bdg Asnyka5.jpg|Villa at 5 Asnyka Street (1927–1931) File:Bdg Sielanka 17 07-2013.jpg|Villa at 2 Jana Kasprowicza Street (1927–1929) File:Telefonika Kable Bydgoszcz a.jpg|New hall of the Bydgoszcz Cable Factory (1928) File:Bdg Kopernika7a 2.jpg|Villa at 7a Kopernika Street (1933–1935). Functionalism style. File:Kopernika 9.jpg|Villa at 9 Kopernika Street (1927–1929). File:Aleja Ossolińskich 17.jpg|Villa at 17 Ossoliński Alley (1932–1933). File:Aleja Ossolińskich 19.jpg|Villa at 19 Ossoliński Alley (1932–1933). File:Aleja Ossolińskich 21.jpg|Villa at 21 Ossoliński Alley (1932–1933). File:Sielanka 1 1.jpg|Villa at 1 Sielanka, corner with Markwarta street File:Asnyka 2.jpg|Villa at 2 Asnyka street File:Bdg Asnyka3 01-2014.jpg|Villa at 3 Asnyka street File:Bdg Kasprowicza4.jpg|Villa at 4 Jana Kasprowicza Street (1933–1934) File:Bdg Sielanka 3 10-2013.jpg|Villa at 3 Kopernika Street (1933–1935). Functionalism style. File:Gdanska 100.jpg|Tenement at 100 Gdańska Street (1930s). Functionalism style. File:Markwarta 7 Wojewodzka Stacja Pogotowia Ratunkowego.jpg|7 Markwarta street (1927–1928). Functionalism. File:Bdg Markwarta9 1.jpg|9 Markwarta street (1927–1929). Functionalism. File:18 Sielanka.jpg|18 Sielanka Street (1927–1930). Functionalism. File:Gdańska 100 róg Chodkiewicza.jpg|98 Gdańska Street, corner with Chodkiewicza Street (1932–1933). Functionalism. Other noteworthy architects since 1920 ==See also==
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