Jelonki Północne

Founding and development

A small farming community, later known as Jelonki, was established in the area in the 19th century, next to the village of Odolany, to the north of the Poznań Road (now Połczyńska Street).^[3][4][1] The village was bought by Bogumił Schneider, a businessman, who moved to the area from Westphalia. In the second half of the century, he built his residence in the form of a brick manor house, near the current Fortuny Street. In 1904, the village had 729 inhabitants and included 19 houses and a school.^[3][1] After the purchase, the village began being known as Jelonki and Jelonek.^[3][1] In 1846, the Bogumił Schneider Brickworks and Roof Tiles Factory (Polish: Zakłady Cegielniane i Fabryka Dachówek „Bogumił Schneider”), in the area, which produced bricks, roof tiles, and ceramics.^[3][1][5][6] The factory had a good reputation, being locally known for the good quality of its products. Many houses and tenements in Warsaw were built from its bricks.^[3][1][5][6]

In 1927, inspired by the garden city movement, the Schneider family divided and sold a portion of their land, promoting the construction of villas and gardens in the village. They also founded a garden and a fruit tree orchard, located around their summer residence, and also drew plans of wide town streets, including Schneider Avenue, which currently forms Powstańców Śląskich Street. In 1932, the settlement had been renamed to Miasto-Ogród Jelonek (Garden Town of Jelonek).^[3][1] A marketplace, known as the John III Sobieski Square, now known as the Castellan Square, was also built there.^[7]

Second World War

Jelonki was captured by German forces in early September 1939 during the siege of Warsaw in the Second World War. On 18 September 1939, they were recaptured in a counter-offensive by the 360th Infantry Regiment of the Polish Armed Forces, commanded by lieutenant colonel Leopold Okulicki. Their forces included four infantry companies, with heavy machine gun platoons, and one mortar platoon.^[8][9] They were also supported by a artillery batteries, a platoon of 7TP light tanks, as well as a company of the Capital Battalion, with the latter being pushed back during the attacks.^[9][10][11] The motorized platoon suffered heavy loses in an encounter against German Panzer 35(t) light tanks.^[10] The village was recaptured with severe losses suffered by the Polish infantry, and remained under Polish control until the capitulation of Warsaw on 28 September 1939.^[8][9]

In 1943, Jelonki had 3,826 inhabitants.^[12]

Expansion as a suburb

Since 1867, the area was part of the municipality of Blizne.^[3] On 25 March 1938, a village assembly (Polish: gromada) of Jelonki, with the seat in Miasto Ogród Jelonek, was founded as a subdivision of the municipality.^[13] After the war, the village also became the seat of the municipal government. In 1947, the village was connected with Warsaw, via the bus route W, between the Wola tram depot and the Castellan Square.^[1]

In 1943, the Schneiders family donated 28 hectares of their land to the municipality, for the symbolic price of 1 złoty, for the development of streets, churches, schools, preschools, a town hall, and other objects. After the war, Miasto Ogród Jelonek became the seat of the municipal government. In 1947, the village was connected with Warsaw, via the bus route W, between the Wola tram depot at Młynarska Street and the Castellan Square.^[1] On 14 May 1951, the area was incorporated into the city of Warsaw, becoming part of the Wola district.^[14][15] On 29 December 1989, following an administrative reform in the city, it became part of the municipality of Warsaw-Wola, and on 25 March 1994, of the municipality of Warsaw-Bemowo, which, on 27 October 2002, was restructured into the city district of Bemowo.^[15] In 1997, it was subdivided into ten areas, with Północne Jelonki becoming one of them.^[2]

In 1952, the Warszawa Jelonki railway station was established near the corner of Strąkowska and Wincentego Pola Streets.^[16]

In 1952, the Friendship Estate was developed to the north of Jelonki. It provided housing for several thousand labourers from the Soviet Union, employed at the construction of the Palace of Culture and Science.^[17][18] The government acquired the land from the owners via the compulsory purchase. Two types of wooden buildings were built in the neighbourhood; pavilions with suites for labourers and single-family detached houses for technicians.^[18] They were shipped in prefabricated pieces to the city, and assembled on site.^[19] According to some sources, a portion of the buildings were shipped from the prisoner-of-war camp Stalag I-B near Olsztynek, Poland.^[20][21] The neighbourhood also included a cinema, a student club, a bathhouse, a medical clinic, a boiler room, and two pitches.^[18][22] In 1952, it was connected to a sewage network, with the construction of the nearby pumping station.^[23] At its peak, the neighbourhood had 4,500 inhabitants. Numerous festivals, Polish and Soviet youth meetings, and sports competitions were hosted there.^[18] After the end of the construction of the Palace of Culture and Science in 1955, the neighbourhood was given by the city to the Ministry of Higher Education, which designated it for student housing for the universities in the city.^[24][17] In September 1955, it was inhabited by 3,000 students, as well as teaching assistants.^[17] It was connected with the rest of the city via two bus lines.^[25] It also began hosting an annual student festival.^[26]

In 1958, association football club Robotniczy Klub Sportowy Świt merged with club Ludowy Klub Sportowy Lech Jelonki, which played on the pitch at Połczyńska Street. In 1960, the club again merged with Dąb Jelonki, taking over its pitch at 12 Oświatowa Street. In the following years, it was acquired by the Warsaw Gasworks, with most of the players being its employees, and renamed to Gazowniczy Klub Sportowy Świt Warszawa. Later, it became a property of PGNiG.^[27][28]

Between 1974 and 1981, the housing estate of Górczewska was developed to the northwest of the historical low-rise houses of Jelonki. It consisted of mid- and high-rise apartment buildings, constructed in the large panel system technique. Additionally, the Górczewska Park was developed in 1980 around its buildings.^[3][17] In 2008 an amphitheatre was opened.^[29]

In 1992, tram line tracks were constructed alongside Górczewska and Powstańców Śląskich Streets.^[30] In 1995, the Church of Mary the Mother of God, belonging to the Catholic denomination, was built was at 13 Muszlowa Street.^[31]

In 2000, the Bemowo Civic Centre, which houses the district government, was opened at 70 Powstańców Śląskich Street.^[32][33]

In 2006, the Bemowo Cultural Centre was opened at 18 Rozłogi Street.^[34]

In 2022, the Bemowo station of the M2 line of the Warsaw Metro rapid transit underground system, was opened at the intersection of Górczewska and Powstańców Śląskich Streets.^[35] Since 2022, the Lazurowa station is also being constructed in the neighbourhood at the intersection of Górczewska and Lazurowa Streets. It is planned to be opened in 2026.^[36][37]