“They Proved to Be More European Than Us”: Polish Engineers in the Industrial Centers of Eastern Ukraine (Later Half of the 19th–Early 20th Century)

Abstract

The data show that the economic development of Eastern Ukraine’s in the early 20th century was truly impressive. The region has been described on numerous occasions in such terms as «the highest pace of production and the best quality», «technological innovations», «technical modernization» and «highly developed in comparison with other industrial areas». That success was achieved by the hard work of many highly energetic and competent people, engineers featuring prominently among them. Engineering combines theory and practice, creativity and responsibility. This was the very essence of the Polish engineers in Eastern Ukraine of the period in question. Kazimierz Bukowski, Józef Dworzańczyk, Józef Krzywicki, Józef Krzyżanowski, Władysław Plenkiewicz, Kazimierz Chrzanowski, Ignacy Jasiukowicz — all of them left their mark on that land. Their contribution to the economic development of the Dnieper–Donets basin in the later half of the 19th century was undoubtedly quite significant, with the factories and mines they directed leading their respective industries and forming the economic foundation of Ukraine to this day. The sources allow us to imagine a general picture of the Polish engineer, quite an impressive one at that. Educated, decent, prudent, amicable, competent, proactive, innovative, caring for their families — as attested by those who worked with and under them in the region. Neither Soviet Marshal K. Voroshilov nor émigré engineer A. Fenin would compliment Poles unless they meant it. While certain typical Polish traits can be discerned in their entrepreneurial activities, the neutral / positive and highly professional stance of those engineers nurtured an economic boom environment at the factories they directed and in the industrial centers of Eastern Ukraine overall.