Cars - Poland: Books - History and Models

Polskie fabryki samochodów 1946-1989

This publication describes the various Polish manufacturers of passengers cars, vans, trucks and buses. The chapters contain information about their history and achievements in the period from the end of World War II to the fall of the communist system in 1989.
The descriptions of the factories are preceded by introductory chapters containing information about the beginnings of the Polish car industry and its situation in the socialist People's Poland. Manufacturers of specialized and special bodies are also mentioned.

After the political transformation of the state and the introduction of the free market, the factories in question did not cope with external competition. Various organizations, including foreign ones, took them over or they simply collapsed.
However, it is worth remembering the achievements of those factories that were grouped in ZPMot and bearing the Polmo logo. They formed a large socialist automotive concern - which was then an important branch of the Polish industry.

The book includes, among others, descriptions of vehicle factories in Lublin, Starachowice, Bielsko-Biała, Warsaw, Poznań, Jelcz, Sanok, Mielec and Nysa.

Text in Polish.

Montownie samochodów w II Rzeczypospolitej

Car assembly plants were an important part of the Polish automotive industry in the interwar period. In this book the author describes the backstage of their creation, stages of activity and production program.
The study is pioneering. It brings many little-known facts from the history of domestic motorization, and some of the illustrations contained therein are published for the first time.

In addition to the plants located within the borders of the Second Polish Republic, the Hudson and Essex (Hudsexway) vehicle assembly plant, operating in the Free City of Gdańsk, is also included.

The technical data of the described models and statistical information on the number of assembled vehicles compiled in tables are a valuable supplement to the publication.
When collecting materials for the book, the author used both contemporary sources - domestic and foreign, as well as original press, company and advertising publications from the era.

Text in Polish.

Producenci nadwozi samochodowych w II Rzeczypospolitej

This extensively illustrated and documented book provides an overview of car body manufacturing plants in the Second Polish Republic, preceded by a detailed outline of the global automotive body industry up to World War II, including the evolution of body design and technology. The featured plants include:
- "Brzeskiauto" (1925-1941)
- Zakłady Mechaniczne Plage i Laśkiewicz (1924-1933)
- Szydłowiecka Fabryka Braci Węgrzeckich (1923-1934)
- Zakłady Przemysłowe "Bielany" SA (1931-1944)
- Wytwórnia Karoserii i Przyczepek Samochodowych Józef Zagórski (1938-1939)
- Centralne Warsztaty Samochodowe (CWS) (1918-1928)
- Państwowe Zakłady Inżynierii (PZInż.) (1928-1939)
And other body manufacturers in the Second Polish Republic and the Free City of Gdańsk.

The author delves into their origins, operational stages, and production programs, presenting many lesser-known facts from the national automotive history. Some illustrations included are published for the first time.
The author gathered materials from contemporary sources, both domestic and foreign, as well as original press, corporate, and advertising publications from the era. This publication will appeal not only to enthusiasts of Polish motoring and vintage cars but also to those interested in the economic history of the Second Polish Republic.

Text in Polish.

Polskie samochody osobowe z lat PRL - Produkcja seryjna

The Polish car industry produced hundreds of thousands of passenger cars of various types and for various purposes. The Warszawa and Polski Fiat 125p were built mainly for offices and state institutions.
The cars "for Kowalski" were the Syrena, Mikrus and the flagship people's car, the Polski Fiat 126p. In addition, also other passenger cars left the Polish factories, either produced or only assembled.

Polish passenger cars of the People's Republic of Poland were once the pride of a thriving automotive industry; the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Poles coming true; an object of social prestige; an impulse for the development of tourism, the first vacation by the sea or in the mountains, the first trip abroad to befriended East Germany, Czechoslovakia or sunny Bulgaria.
Older readers will be able to take a seat in their old car once again in this book. Young readers will be exposed to the stories of parents and grandparents. We hope that both will enjoy this trip.

Text in Polish.

Pierwsze były Stary: Historia produkcji pojazdów w Polsce Ludowej

The first comprehensive and detailed history of the Polish automotive industry from 1945 to 1990. The author chronicles all serially produced vehicles and prototypes, beginning with the 1948 Star 20 trucks.
The coverage extends across various types of trucks, personal cars, delivery and agricultural vehicles, special-purpose vehicles (ambulances, tankers, fire trucks, garbage trucks, tippers, and more), buses, motorcycles, and scooters.
Complemented by detailed technical data for numerous vehicle types, the text features 350 photographs and technical drawings.

Zdzislaw Podbielski, a leading automotive journalist with extensive experience, has written thousands of press materials and authored 30 books. His expertise stems from years of work at the Industrial Institute of Motorization in Warsaw.

Text in Polish.

Samochody PRL-u

Reading "Samochody PRL-u" will take us on a fascinating journey to a time when the Polish automotive industry produced several hundred thousand vehicles every year. They were produced in a dozen or so factories. Dozens, if not hundreds, more factories made individual components, thus creating this branch of the national economy.

The book presents iconic Polish vehicles including the Mikrus, Warsaw, Syrena and Fiat 126p. It presents descriptions of trucks, vans and buses. One of the chapters is devoted to agricultural vehicles - tractors and harvesters.
The publication also presents prototypes of cars which unfortunately did not went into production, but which often - both in terms of styling and technical parameters - did not differ from the world standards of the time.
Thanks to the cooperation with the factories producing cars in the times of the People's Republic of Poland and their contemporary successors, the book has been enriched with hundreds of interesting photographs.

Text in Polish.

Samochody ze Śląska 1971-2018

This richly illustrated monograph presents vehicles produced in series and assembled by WSM (Wytwórnia Sprzętu Mechanicznego), FSM (Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych) and Fiat Auto Poland and FCA Poland (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) in Bielsko-Biała and Tychy.
Also included are designs, mock-ups and prototypes developed at the Research and Development Centre for Small-engined Cars and later at BOSMAL.
The history and circumstances of the creation of these vehicles, the development of their construction and basic technical and statistical data are given.

The publication covers the years 1971-2018 and includes many archival, previously unpublished photographs and drawings. The following cars are presented, among others:
- WSM/FSM Syrena
- Polski Fiat 126p, Polski Fiat 127p
- Beskid, Fiat Cinquecento
- Fiat Uno, Fiat Siena/Palio Weekend, Fiat Seicento, Fiat Panda II, Fiat 500/500C
- Abarth 500/595/695
- Ford Ka II
- and Lancia Ypsilon II.

The numerous limited edition versions and equipment variations of the various models are also described.

Text in Polish.

Karetki pogotowia ratunkowego PRL

This is another volume in the series 'History of motoring in the People's Republic of Poland'. It contains descriptions of all types of ambulances and other vehicles designed and manufactured for the health service, as well as prototype vehicles and those that remained only on the drawing boards.
Also presented are military ambulances and buses which, during natural disasters or war, were designed to transport the wounded after dismantling the seats and attaching stretcher supports.

The book is illustrated with several hundred photographs and technical drawings, most of them previously unpublished.

Text in Polish.