“Remember those 127-meter-tall masts?” asks an old-timer. These are the ruins of tower number 4 of the Transatlantic Radiotelegraphic Center Bemowo. Once, ten such towers dominated the landscape here. The Transatlantic Radiotelegraphic Center was no ordinary radio station. It was a vital link connecting Poland to the world.
Imagine, back in the 1920s and 30s. The Transatlantic Radiotelegraphic Center buzzed with activity. The facility significantly boosted the development of Warsaw’s western edge. The nearby Boernerowo settlement even had a tram line built to serve it.
Poland, newly independent after World War I, needed to communicate across vast distances. The Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs planned four large radio stations. Warsaw’s Transatlantic Radiotelegraphic Center was to be the most powerful. It would reach across continents. This station boosted Poland’s image on the world stage.
Built with technology from the United States, the Transatlantic Radiotelegraphic Center was a marvel. Its ten towering masts used 1770 tons of steel. The station began operating in 1923. By the late 1930s, it stretched for four kilometers. It was between 500 and 1200 meters wide. A receiving station operated in Grodzisk Mazowiecki.
The Transatlantic Radiotelegraphic Center was more than just a transmitter. It was a symbol of Poland’s ambition. It facilitated communication with the United States. Before World War II, it was one of Europe’s largest stations. The station used two 200 kW transmitters. A 500 kW diesel generator powered them. This ensured round-the-clock communication. The call signs AXL and AXO echoed across the Atlantic.
During World War II, the Transatlantic Radiotelegraphic Center fell into German hands. They used it to communicate with U-boats and Japan. In 1945, as the war neared its end, the Germans destroyed the station. On January 16, 1945, they detonated the masts. The blast shattered windows 16 kilometers away.
Today, the forest reclaims the ruins of tower number 4 of the Transatlantic Radiotelegraphic Center. You can find parts of the old broadcasting station scattered among the trees. In 2018, a monument was erected nearby. It commemorates the antenna of this once-mighty center. A similar station in Grimeton, Sweden, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are efforts to create a museum here. The museum will honor the engineers and builders. It will preserve the memory of this milestone in Polish history.