Stocznia Gdańska (Gdańsk Shipyard), Gdansk

The Gdańsk Shipyard (Stocznia Gdańska) holds the distinction of being one of the largest shipyards globally. Its prominence reached a global scale in September 1980, as it became the epicenter for the birth of the Solidarity movement, or Solidarność in Polish. This marked the inception of organized opposition to Communist rule in Eastern Europe.

During that pivotal year, Gdańsk bore witness to a strike involving 17,000 shipbuilders, led by the shipyard electrician Lech Wałęsa. This labor action led to the official recognition of Solidarity as the first non-Communist trade union within the Soviet Bloc. This event represented one of the initial successful steps in a broader campaign of civil resistance that ultimately contributed to the eventual downfall of Communism across Eastern Europe.

The shipyard itself was established in 1946, occupying the site of former German shipyards, namely Schichau-Werft and Danziger Werft, both heavily damaged during World War II. During the era of the People's Republic of Poland, it was officially referred to as the Gdańsk Shipyard and Vladimir Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk from 1967 to 1989. Additionally, in 1975, it was named "Westerplatte Heroes," in commemoration of The Battle of Westerplatte, which marked the beginning of World War II in Europe.

The shipyard's early launches occurred in 1948, involving the construction of fishing vessels such as smack and rescue boats for the Gdańsk Institute of Sea Fishing. Notably, it also produced the SS Sołdek, Poland's first seagoing vessel, which is now a museum ship. In 1949, the shipyard started making fishing lugo-trawlers. Then, from 1955, it focused on building troop landing craft, hydrographic ships, rescue vessels, training ships, and torpedo boats for navies like Poland, USSR, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and East Germany.