Program for the Sea Days celebrations

Sea Days, an event that has become a permanent fixture in Szczecin’s calendar, was first organised in the capital of Western Pomerania in 1947. Dedicated to sailors, dockworkers, seafarers, fishermen, shipbuilders, and other maritime professionals, the festival served as a unifying celebration for the local community. However, it also became a tool of communist propaganda, artificially shaping the maritime identity of the region, focusing on spectacular ceremonies and symbolic gestures rather than on genuine efforts to develop the maritime economy. Parades and the ritual of floating wreaths on the water were highly symbolic, but they did not necessarily reflect the actual needs of the region. During the post-Stalinist thaw, critical voices began to appear in publications such as Ziemia i Morze (Land and Sea). Journalists emphasised that the maritime character of cities like Szczecin and Świnoujście should be based on professional port management, the development of shipping, foreign trade, and the fishing industry, rather than on maritime celebrations. A fascinating archival document reflecting both the authorities’ objectives and the realities of the time is the 1957 Sea Days programme, which was acquired by the National Museum in Szczecin in 2008. It contains detailed information on the dates, times, and locations of the various events and attractions held in Szczecin from 22 to 30 June. The programme indicates that Sea Days were coordinated by municipal and provincial authorities, but numerous institutions, enterprises, and organisations were involved, including the League of Friends of the Soldier, Szczecin Shipyard and Repair Shipyard, Polish Ocean Lines, Szczecin Port Authority, the Navy and Merchant Fleet, the Maritime Museum (a branch of the Western Pomerania Museum), local sports clubs, and scouting organisations. The poster featuring the Sea Days programme illustrates the ideas and aspirations of the time, reflecting both the propaganda goals of the authorities and the social realities of mid-20th-century Szczecin. Anna Lew-Machniak