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Do you know these men?

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The faces of more than a dozen men in a photograph taken in Chelmek 89 years ago are clearly visible. Will we be able to find out their names or the names of their descendants?

A photo with men in identical costumes marching in ranks against a backdrop of factory halls with a large sign reading “Bata” has found its way into the collection of the Remembrance Museum. We have only just discovered how important the event immortalised on the photo was in the history of the factory.

The print measures 140×89 mm. The descriptions in pencil on the back – “Chelmek”, “Chelmek near Oświęcim” are a clear hint as to the location of where the photograph was taken. The number 38 next to it could indicate the year the photo was taken.

Thanks to the ability to access the digital archive of the “Echo of Chelmek” on the website of the Municipal Centre for Culture, Sports and Recreation in Chelmek, we checked the appearance of the front yard of the Bata factory in 1938. One of the photos shows the same place, but with completely different trees. Further research led Remembrance Musuem employees to the first issue of the “Echo of Chelmek” of May 14, 1934. There we found a lot of information and photos from the celebration of the Constitution Day on May 3, 1934, including our photo of the parade. On that day, Rev. Bronislaw Ataman consecrated the Batts plant and the Marshal Jozef Pilsudski stadium. The events were accompanied by marches in front of a grandstand of honour, demonstrations and sports events. The 3rd of May celebrations in Chelmek were attended by a large number of people. Suffice it to mention that only the football matches and boxing show attracted more than 2,500 spectators to the stadium.

What was the situation for Bata’s employees at the time? Did they have reason to celebrate?

“In 1933 we employed: about 800 people in our factory in Chelmek, 500 people in our branches scattered around the country, so we gave the opportunity for good earnings to about 3,000 souls, bearing in mind that most of our employees are the breadwinners for their families. To these our employees we paid a total of 2,000,000 zlotys in wages, social contributions and insurance of about 200,000 zlotys, industrial certificates, railway transportation, etc. of about 1,200,000 zlotys (…) In 1933 we purchased goods needed for our shoe factories in the country for more than three million zlotys, thereby giving such huge orders to factories, we have already partially contributed to unemployment reduction”. The quote comes from the first issue of “Echo Chelmek”.

In the 18th week of 1934, the weekly wage at the shoe factory on the Przemsza River, depending on the department and the amount of productivity bonus, ranged from 15 to 69 zlotys. According to the website www.niepodlegla.gov.pl, a year earlier the average weekly wage in Poland was about 30 zlotys. “For example, the average weekly wage in the textile industry of about PLN 35 was the equivalent of 112 loaves of bread and more than 400 kg of potatoes (!).”

Precisely how much the men on the photo taken on 3rd May, 1934 earned is something we will probably never know. But perhaps we might be able to find out their identity? Maybe we will be able to meet their descendants? We very much hope so and would appreciate any information related to the men. They are walking in the parade and are wearing the same clothes. That is, they represent some closely related group: athletes, employees of any of the company’s branches, associations, societies, etc. Do you have a clue we can follow?

We can’t wait to hear from you. Maybe you have the key to solving the mystery! Please email us at: biuro@muzeumpamieci.pl

You can also call: tel. 33 447 40 84

The march of participants in the celebration of the Constitution Day on 3rd May 1934 at the Baty factory in Chelmek
Colouring by the Remembrance Museum