Norblin Factory “Then/Now”

The former industrial complex now known as the Norblin Factory, located at 51/53 Żelazna Street in Warsaw, is a place deeply rooted in the landscape of the Wola district. It carries nearly 250 years of multifaceted history—both of Warsaw and of Poland as a whole.

Its story was shaped by both prominent families—such as the Norblins and the Werners—and by anonymous designers, engineers, foremen, and workers. The site’s origins date back to the late 18th century, when it was home to a garden and villa belonging to Franciszek Ryx, a courtier of the king. The industrial chapter began over 70 years later, thanks to Edward Luckfield and Gustaw Henninger. Later, the German company Buch brothers from St. Petersburg became associated with the factory—a name that would remain tied to the site until World War II.

A pivotal moment came in 1882, when Ludwik Norblin, his sister Albertyna, and her husband and business partner Teodor Werner purchased the property on Żelazna Street. Although today it is commonly referred to as the “Norblin Factory,” it was the Werners who played the greater role in its development, eventually taking over the management of the enterprise after Ludwik Norblin—who had no heirs. At that time, the factory operated under the name Norblin, Buch Brothers i T. Werner.

A dramatic turning point occurred with the outbreak of World War II. After Wacław Werner refused to sign the Volksliste, the factory was taken over by the occupying forces. It was bombed in September 1939 and again in August 1944. After the war, it was nationalized and transformed into the Walcownia Metali “Warszawa” (Warsaw Metal Rolling Mill). Production at 51/53 Żelazna Street ended in 1981, when operations were moved to Palisadowa Street in the Bielany district. From 1982 to 2009, the buildings were used by the Museum of Technology (NOT). The site was later placed under receivership and sold to a private investor—Capital Park Group.

From the time of Luckfield and Henninger, the factory was renowned for its metal products—primarily silver-plated tableware, known as platers, such as cutlery, plates, bowls, and candlesticks. Manufacturing these required metal prefabricates—sheets, pipes, rods, and profiles. Even before World War I, the factory’s leadership concluded that it would be more profitable to focus on producing prefabricated materials themselves, which formed the backbone of the rapidly advancing Western industrial civilization. After World War II, the production of silver-plated items was never resumed.

The history of the Norblin Factory—closely intertwined with that of Warsaw and Poland—is marked by dramatic events that left a visible imprint on its buildings and machinery: the forced evacuation deep into Russia in 1914, the economic crises of the 1920s and 1930s, wartime destruction in 1939 and 1944, post-war reconstruction, the relocation of production, and the stewardship of the Museum of Technology—all of these events have left lasting traces.

The concept of the exhibition “Norblin Factory. Was / Is” is based on the juxtaposition of two perspectives—two photographic viewpoints captured thirteen years apart: in 2012 and in 2025. Michał Jaszowski’s photographs document the state of the historic factory buildings before revitalization—still bearing visible signs of the dramatic events that shaped both the complex and the wider history of the city and the country. In contrast, Marcin Czechowicz’s images show the same spaces following the conservation and restoration work carried out between 2017 and 2021, with the overarching goal of preserving as many historical traces as possible while removing signs of damage and neglect. One of the key curatorial aims was to recreate the 2012 frames as faithfully as possible, to capture the transformation of the Norblin Factory in a direct and comparative way.