At the Dawn of the 20th Century

Departure from Łódź for Pabianice

In the years leading to World War I, as a prosperous industrial metropolis, Łódź experienced quick pace of technological and social change. The introduction of electricity—at first for lighting in textile factories and few exclusive apartment buildings—led to the opening of the first electric tram lines in 1898 (the first such system to be established in Russian Poland). At the start of the century, an electric power plant for the city was built.

Courses for Motor Vehicle Drivers

While the economic collapse that followed World War I had a devastating effect on the working poor, social and technological changes continued to impact the world around them. The new water and sewage infrastructure did not extend to homes in the poor districts of Łódź, but by the 1930s, most dwellings, even in Bałuty, had electricity. The magistrate of Łódź, now part of sovereign Poland, renewed the efforts to offer basic education to all children, including Jews. New technologies required trained workers. For instance, a rapid increase in road transport offered new jobs for skilled motor vehicle drivers. 

The Jazz Singer in Łódź

The world that was being transformed not only through new social, economic and political circumstances, but also by latest entertainment technologies: the gramophone, the radio and the newest craze—talking movies. Music delivered through these media came from the Americas and conveyed new values, changing the younger generation’s attitude towards age-old Jewish traditions. In fact, the tale of a musician making a choice between jazz and liturgical synagogue music was retold in various contexts as an allegory for this generational transformation.