The fate of Warsaw Breweries during WWII and the Warsaw Uprising
The United Warsaw Breweries were not included in the Warsaw Ghetto by the German occupiers. They are remembered in history as a unique place that supported the Polish resistance, the persecuted Jewish and Polish communities, and assisted the Home Army.
From 1919 until World War II, the area that now encompasses Warsaw Breweries was home to the United Warsaw Breweries, which included: Haberbusch and Schiele Brewery (which since 1846 had been the largest brewery in the Kingdom of Poland and one of the most important in Europe), Karol Machlejd Brewery, Korona Brewery, Seweryn Jung Brewery, and Edward Reich and Sons Brewery. Due to its significance, this brewing giant was not incorporated into the ghetto by the Nazis in 1940. This allowed the owners and employees to support those fighting against the occupiers.
Assistance to the Polish Resistance and the civilian population
In the building now known as the "Factory Owner's Villa" at 58 Grzybowska Street, the family of Alexander Schiele lived. Its basements sometimes sheltered Jews who had escaped from the ghetto and needed food, shelter, and assistance in escaping to other parts of the country or abroad. Despite their German nationality, the Schiele family was very pro-Polish and pro-Jewish. During the occupation, Alexander Schiele and his son Jerzy were imprisoned in Pawiak, and Jerzy was executed. Jerzy died because he refused to sign up as a Volksdeutsch.
Before and during the Warsaw Uprising, weapons and ammunition were stored on the brewery grounds. The owners protected Home Army soldiers (including Alexander Schiele) by issuing employment certificates. They also hid civilians persecuted by the Gestapo.
At the then Ceglana 4 (now 45 Grzybowska and 61 Żelazna), there was a vodka and liqueur factory that organized aid for ghetto residents. During the Warsaw Uprising, huge stocks of barley were stored in the Haberbusch and Schiele warehouses, which were known as the granary of insurgent Warsaw. The barley was used to prepare meals for the fighting insurgents and was distributed to various parts of the city. One of the dishes made from it was "plujka" soup, named after the barley husks that soldiers would spit out while eating.
A walk through Warsaw Breweries today
Today, a new history unfolds on the grounds of the former United Warsaw Breweries. However, we will never forget what happened here in the past. Commemorative plaques, created by Warsaw historian Janusz Dziano, are located throughout the area, reminding passersby of this history. We strongly encourage you to take a walk and follow these traces of the past.
You can read more about the history of Warsaw Breweries at https://browarywarszawskie.com.pl/o-nas.
The upcoming concert will feature the distinguished trombonist Jacek Namysłowski. The event will be hosted by vocalist Magdalena Este, who is also the author of the Polish adaptations of the texts. She will be accompanied by Mateusz Kaszuba on piano, Wojciech Pulcyn on double bass, and Patryk Dobosz on drums. The concert will consist of specially selected and arranged jazz standards and songs with newly translated lyrics. The musicians leading "Jazz for Kids" excel at interacting with the young audience, encouraging active participation. This not only guarantees fun but also stimulates creativity and provides children with a space to express themselves and develop their imagination.
The concert will take place in the Central Garden of Warsaw Breweries at 60 Grzybowska Street.