Whispers of innovation still linger around this Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne DZWONKOWE Plaque. This plaque marks the spot of a once-thriving hub of Polish engineering. It’s a tribute to the Państwowe Zakłady Tele- i Radiotechniczne.
The Państwowe Zakłady Tele- i Radiotechniczne or PZT for short was more commonly known as Dzwonkowa. This name came from the bells they manufactured for their telephone equipment. The Państwowe Zakłady Tele- Radiotechniczne was a state enterprise. It specialized in telecommunications and radio equipment. They also made signaling and audio devices.
Founded in 1931 the Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne was born from a merger. The State Telecommunications Factory joined forces with the State Telegraph and Telephone Apparatus Factory. This new entity became the Państwowe Zakłady Tele- i Radiotechniczne in Warsaw. Its roots went back to 1918.
Initially located at Grochowska 30 the address later changed to Grochowska 341. This was due to a renumbering of the street. The location followed the course of the Vistula River.
Operating under commercial and industrial principles, the Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne had a clear mission. It was to manufacture and repair electrical and precision mechanical equipment. This equipment served both civilian and military purposes. The Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne also handled the distribution of its products. A key directive was to maintain production readiness for mobilization in case of war. The company reported to the Minister of Posts and Telegraphs.
By combining the strengths of its predecessor factories, the Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne became a modern enterprise. It supplied essential equipment to the military. This included field radio stations. The N2 model was considered one of the best globally and was even used by the German army. They also produced telephones and listening devices. The Polish postal and telecommunications administration was a major client.
Between 1928 and 1930, the Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne produced 350 to 400 RKD divisional radio stations. From 1919 to 1939, total production included 19000 telephones. Also produced were 2600 field switchboards and 1700 radio stations and receivers. The workforce grew significantly from 1300 in 1934 to 3300 in 1939.
While producing equipment under foreign licenses the Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne also created many original Polish designs. Thanks to the support of Minister Ignacy Boerner the PZT succeeded in the consumer market. The company continued production of the Detefon. Their Echo series of radios gained recognition both in Poland and abroad. In 1938 the Echo series won a gold medal at the world exhibition in Paris. The Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne also equipped Warsaw’s international telephone exchange. This was the most modern in Europe at the time. Besides its main Warsaw location on Grochowska Street the PZT established branch plants in the Central Industrial District in the late 1930s.
In August 1944 during the Warsaw Uprising the Germans removed all machinery and equipment. They then mined and destroyed the buildings.
After the war the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs reactivated the PZT on May 1 1945. In late 1949 and early 1950 the factories were transformed into the Zakłady Wytwórcze Urządzeń Telefonicznych im. Komuny Paryskiej ZWUT. New factories with the same abbreviation were also created. These were the Państwowe Zakłady Teletransmisyjne TELKOM-PZT. They were located at Marsa 56 in Warsaw.
Today a monument with an inscription stands near Jeziorko Kamionkowskie. It commemorates employees of the Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne who died during World War II. The plaque you see here was unveiled in 2007. It is on the wall of the building at Grochowska 341. This building is part of the Sonata housing estate built on the site of the original factory.
So next time you make a call remember the Państwowe Zakłady Tele-Radiotechniczne. Think of the innovation that once rang out from this very spot.