Kazimierz Szpotański

“A factory… his third child?” you might wonder. Here, at the memorial to Kazimierz Szpotański, that statement rings true. Kazimierz Szpotański wasn’t just an engineer. He was a visionary, a pioneer of the Polish electrical industry, and a man whose passion for his factory rivaled his love for his own family. The inscription on this memorial commemorates Kazimierz Szpotański (1887-1966), an engineer and pioneer of Polish electrical engineering. It also tells us he established the first factory in Poland for electric meters here in Kamionek. Szpotański started modestly. In 1918, his Fabryka Aparatow Elektrycznych (FAE), or Electrical Apparatus Factory, began in a two-room apartment on Mirowska Street with only two employees. He later moved to Kamionek, transforming the landscape and the lives of the people here. Before World War II, FAE grew to become Poland’s largest electrical equipment manufacturer, employing 1,200 workers, including 100 engineers. Some departments were even relocated to Międzylesie in 1938 due to orders for the Central Industrial Region. Szpotański believed in the JEEN system: Quality, Economics, Aesthetics, and Modernity. This ensured high quality and allowed him to compete with giants like Siemens. His factory wasn’t just about machines and production. It was a community, a family. Szpotański ate in the same cafeteria as his workers, fostering a sense of unity. He organized events and outings, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and shared purpose. The factory was his passion, his third child, where he lived with his family and where his children, Krystyna and Jacek, grew up. FAE produced a wide range of products, including around 400 different types of electrical apparatus. From electric meters, still found in homes long after the war, to water heaters, large transformers, and even pioneering X-ray equipment, Szpotański’s innovations touched many aspects of Polish life. He even developed electric car motors, foreseeing a future of electric vehicles. In recognition of his contributions, Szpotański received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta in 1937. During the war, the factory provided crucial employment and a sense of security. His actions saved lives, even after he was imprisoned in Pawiak in 1942, though his family secured his release after several months. Sadly, Szpotański’s story takes a tragic turn. In 1947, his factory was nationalized, forcing him to leave his family home on Kałuszyńska Street. He worked as the director of the state-owned factory for a time, but was eventually dismissed, labeled a “relic of the capitalist past”. Though his life ended on a bittersweet note, Kazimierz Szpotański’s legacy lives on, not only in the electrical systems that power our modern world but also in the memories of those who worked alongside him and benefited from his vision. He wasn’t just building a factory; he was building a community, a legacy of innovation and social responsibility that continues to inspire us here at his memorial in Kamionek.