The first mentions of Lodz date back to 1332. In July 1423 Lodz was granted its municipal privilege by king Wladyslaw Jagiello. At that time Lodz had a 28-cornfield area. The existence of its inhabitants was based on agriculture. This period of its history is called the period of "The agricultural Lodz". In the middle of the 16th century the population of the town was 650-800. At the beginning of the 19th century the period of prosperity begins. New inhabitants, craftsmen and merchants are coming to Lodz, the markets and town fairs come to life.

The history of great career of Lodz started in the first half of the 19th century. The customs border between the Polish Kingdom and Russia was lifted. The domestic textile industry came into being and Lodz started to be the leading centre of Polish textile industry.

The founder and patron of modern Lodz was Rajmund Rembielinski. Owing to his efforts, in 1820 Lodz was ranked among the so called "factory cities". The first settlers came to the town in 1822. In 8 years time there were more than a thousand families of craftsmen in Lodz. They gave rise to the development of textile industry in the town.

The first textile settlement in Lodz. "The Textile New Town" originated in 1823. That date is considered to be the beginning of "the industrial Lodz".
Lodz becomes "The Promised Land" for thousands of poor people from villages and small towns. From the village hidden among willow-osier, out of swamp and peatbog, the town started to emerge.

Only half of the century passed from the beginning of the town to the times when industrial Lodz started to flourish. Already in 1825 the first cotton mill, built by Kristian Fryderyk Wendisch coming from Saxony, was started.

In 1839 in L. Geyer's factory the first steam-engine in Polish cotton industry was installed. In 1855 in K. Scheibler's factory the spinning machine was started, and in 1866 in J. Heinzl's factory the first weaving-mill appeared.

The very fast increase in population of Lodz in the 19th century was a result of the immigration from villages and small towns. The settlers from adjoining countries, mainly from Czech and Saxony, but sporadically also from England, France and Switzerland, were flowing into Lodz.

As far as the increase rate in population is concerned, Lodz broke all records of that time. Almost every 10 years the population of Lodz was doubling (in 1860 it was 32 000, and in 1897 - 314 000).

In the years 1828-1880, Lodz underwent enormous changes. After that period it entered a phase of fast growth, concentration of capital and the rise of production.

The years between 1870-1890 are the period of most intense development of industry in the history of Lodz. Many big cotton plants come into existence, among others: I. K. Poznanski's plant (in 1872) and also J. Heinzl's and Kunitzer's plant (in 1879). The production of woollen, linen, silk, and rubber goods as well as textile machines develops. At that period Lodz entered a phase of great capitalist development.

partnerships were converted into joint stock companies. The area of the town was too small both for the mass of people to settle in Lodz and for a great number of new factories to be situated there (in 1908 the town with the population of 340 000 covered the same area as in 1840 when the number of population was only 13 000).

The shortage of building grounds resulted in extending the administrative boundaries of the town. The first suburbs appear: Baluty and Chojny which are the districts of poverty, built in a chaotic and primitive way, devoid of any municipal facilities. The new class was arising and it started to create new conflicts. In Lodz of that time, the 19th century eventful history, people's lives, and the history of industry got mixed together.

Already in 1861 in Scheibler's factory in Lodz, power looms were destroyed. Whereas in 1892 the first general strike on the Polish territories, known as 'The Lodz Rebellion', took place.

In the years 1905-1907 thousands of workers in Lodz started fighting for their rights again. As a result of violent encounters, several hundred people were killed or injured, many of those who took part in the struggle were arrested.

Despite the crisis at the beginning of the 20th century, the number of population in Lodz increased up to 408 000 in 1910, and in 1913 - to 506 000. In 1906 the area of the town was extended to 38.1 sq. kilometres. Just before World War I, Lodz was one of the most densely populated industrial cities in the world (there were 13 280 people per sq. kilometre).

During World War I, the city was under German occupation. The war stopped the process of economic development, Lodz lost 43% of its inhabitants. The inter-war period was the time of depression in textile industry. The fact that in 1922 Lodz became the capital of the province did not change it either.

Lodz is the first city in Poland which, according to the resolution adopted by the Municipal Council in 1919, introduced a general obligatory free school instruction "with the reference to 7-year elementary schools.
In 1928 the Branch of Warsaw Free Polish University is opened in Lodz and it gives rise to the foundation of the University of Lodz. The Society of the Friends of Science, founded in 1937, was the beginning of todays Lodz Scientific Society. In the years 1919-1939 Lodz remained the city of textile workers, the centre of an industrial district, and the centre of domestic textile industry. It was characterised by considerable national differences.

The day before the outbreak of World War II, the city was inhabited by approximately 672 000 people, among whom 34.4% were Jewish (231 000 people) and 86 351 Germans.

The realities of Nazi invasion could be felt in Lodz earlier than in other cities. Lodz was included in the so-called 'Poznan District' in the III Reich. The name Litzmannstadt was given to the city, and Piotrkowska Street was called Adolf Hitler Strasse.

The first cruel restrictions were imposed on Jews in 1940. Ghetto was created for the Jewish and more than 300 000 people were living there (The liquidation of ghetto took place in August 1944. Only 900 people survived to be free).

The camp for Gypsies was also created as well as the camp for the germanization and extermination of Polish children (there were about 12 000 children kept in that camp, 6 000 of them were tormented to death).

The day before the liberation, on the night of 17/18 January 1945, the Nazis set the Radogoszcz prison-camp on fire. 2000 of imprisoned people were burnt alive. In the years of German occupation, 300 000 Jewish people and about 120000 Polish people were killed.

During the occupation not so many buildings were destroyed in Lodz. The material losses were more serious because the invader took away the machines, raw materials, finished goods etc.

The day before the liberation, about 80 000 Germans left Lodz in panic. At the beginning of 1945 the number of population in Lodz was estimated at 300 000. The most tragic period in the history of the city ends in January 1945. At the end of 1945 there were more than 502 000 inhabitants in Lodz, and in 1951 - 646 000 people living here.

The years between 1945-1948 can be regarded as the period in which the city was fulfilling the function of the temporary capital of the country, because the representations of the authorities were gathered here.

In 1945 the city area was enlarged almost four times (up to 21 150 hectares). The nationalisation of industry, its modernisation, and the change in trade structure took place. Lodz became a big scientific and academic centre. The importance of the city as a cultural centre was increasing as well. The new housing estates were being built. The new industrial plants were coming into existence, the buildings which were to serve science and culture, and the Institutes of Higher Education. The whole infrastructure of the city was changing.

Today's Lodz with the population of one million is a city in which all roads lead to Piotrkowska Street - a seven kilometre promenade and commercial centre, the longest such street in Europe.. In this street there are public administration offices, most important institutions, banks, churches, hotels, theatres, also half of the number of the Lodz shops, most galleries and book-shops, the best restaurants, coffee bars and pubs. "Putting all in Piotrkowska is Lodz-dwellers' perpetual goal", however, it is certainly not possible to move the whole metropolis into one street.

Lodz is a truly European city, eager for international Cupertino. Numerous contacts with cities all over the world can be seen in the increasing number of partnership agreements. We are also an active member of the organisation of European major cities - Eurocities.

Lodz of today is an important economic centre. Several important fair events are organised here every year, e.g. "Intertelecom" - International Fair of Telecommunications, "Interglass" - International Glass and Ceramics Fair, "Na styku kultur" - International Tourism Sites Fair. In Lodz there are seven state-owned and four private schools of academic rank. There are 7 national, 11 private and 4 catholic colleges, and over 40 research institutes and university scientific centres. There are theatres and museums, an opera house and philharmonic hall, numerous galleries.

already well developed - The Lodz-Lublinek airport, the biggest in Poland cargo railway station - will be soon extended by an intersection of two transeuropean motorways. Investors have an access to lands, buildings and industrial infrastructure. Highly qualified specialists can be found here on the spot.

The city authorities provide favourable conditions for entrepreneurs who are interested in making investments in Lodz. Many tempting investment offers have been prepared for them. They may count on encouraging reliefs and financial incentives. There are lawyers, economists, translators and interpreters at their services. Many companies have already invested in Lodz. There are others showing up every day - small enterprises and the big international corporations. Like many years ago their predecessors - they also plan out their future in Lodz - UNCOMMON CITY.

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