THROUGH BLOOD AND ASHES - SZCZECIN 1945-1955

Discover the turbulent history of Szczecin, a city that became the Polish "Wild West" after World War II. Learn about the fate of people who built a new life in the post-war ruins, facing hostility, violence and political intrigues.

• Szczecin - the only city behind the Oder and Lusatian Neisse line that came to Poland by Stalin's will.
• Turbulent times - a story of Dantean scenes taking place on the streets of the city.
• Hostility and violence - fighting the Wehrwolf, marauding gangs and deserters.
• War destruction - Allied air raids and Soviet liberators turn the city-fortress into ruins.
• Polish shape - the role of the first president Piotr Zaręba and voivode Leonard Borkowicz in "bringing Szczecin back to Poland".

Szczecin, an important industrial center and transport hub, paid a high price for its strategic location. Allied air raids turned the city-fortress into ruins, and the Soviet liberators completed the work of destruction. Stalin used Szczecin's affiliation as a political card, weakening Germany's influence over the Baltic Sea by taking away its main port.

Poles in Szczecin did not have it easy. The administration encountered hostility from Germans and Russians, and Dantean scenes took place on the streets. Wehrwolf, marauding gangs and deserters spread fear, and fires and automatic gunfire did not encourage settlement. The Red Army behaved like an occupying force, transporting looted "German" property through the occupied port.

Piotr Zaręba and Leonard Borkowicz successfully "brought Szczecin back to Poland", despite coming from different backgrounds and adverse conditions. Their determination and vision made it possible to give the city a Polish shape and start the reconstruction process. Marek A. Koprowski's book is a story about these turbulent events and the people who built a new future for Szczecin in difficult times.

The book "Through Blood and Ashes" is a fascinating journey through time that allows you to understand the complicated history of Szczecin and the fate of people who built a new life in the post-war ruins. It is a story of courage, determination and hope in the most difficult times.