The article "Still suffering, still on the periphery? Different paths of the town's post-war spatial change. Evidence from north-eastern Poland" authored by Łukasz Musiaka from the Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of Lodz, Paweł Sudra (Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW) and Tomasz Spórna (University of Silesia in Katowice) focuses on the fate of small towns in Warmia and Mazury. The text was published in the renowned journal Land Use Policy (published by Elsevier, 140 points on the Minisytry of Science and Higher Education list).
Seventeen small towns from the Warmian-Masurian voivodeship, which were destroyed in at least 70% during World War II were selected for the study. The next step was to distinguish three representative urban centres characterised by a diverse approach to post-war reconstruction policy. Models of reconstruction based on neointegration (Węgorzewo), conditional restructuring (Lubawa) and the model of an unbuilt-up town (Kisielice) were distinguished.
The research was based on field studies (including drone photos) and analyses in the GIS environment. The study used rich cartographic and iconographic materials as well as contemporary strategic and planning documents of local governments.
Urban planning decisions made in the post-war years still significantly influence spatial management, functionality and aesthetics of the studied towns. A novelty in the study is the development of three models of spatial transformations of the studied towns, which allow for a better understanding of the long-term consequences of decisions made after World War II. The results obtained indicate that unrebuilt city centres still remain a problem in the context of their functionality and social integration
– says Dr Musiaka.
The researchers, while conducting spatial analyses, discovered that the most profound transformations in terms of both building density and function were experienced by the central areas of the cities. They also indicate that pre-war buildings have been preserved mainly on their outskirts. It was also noted that monumental architecture, such as churches or castles, which represented high historical and cultural value, were most often rebuilt.
The remaining morphological elements, in the form of a street grid, have been preserved to varying extent – significant changes have been introduced in their course, their surfaces have been replaced and they have been adapted to the new traffic organisation. As a consequence of the changes in development, the city plots have also been modified.
The authors underline that the modernist approach to reconstruction, although aimed at quickly providing housing, has often led to the loss of the historical identity of the locality and has irreversibly changed the urban landscape.
Despite the corrective measures taken in recent year, many small towns in the the Warmian-Masurian voivodeship (as well as the entire area of the Recovered Territories) struggle with spatial chaos, lack of a uniform urban structure and limited effectiveness of available planning tools.
The article suggests a need for local and regional debate on the needs and possibilities for further revitalisation of the study area and a recovery programme developed at the national level. The study is an important contribution to the analysis of post-war morphological changes in small towns and can provide a basis for future planning and revitalization activities. The relevance of the research topics undertaken in the perspective of the current armed conflicts in the world and the destruction of the historical fabric of cities should also be mentioned.
The article is permanently available at the DOI link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107517
It is available in open access until 16 April 2025 at https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1kg2e_61OxsYXI
Musiaka, Ł., Sudra, P., & Spórna, T. (2025). Still suffering, still on the periphery? Different paths of the town’s post-war spatial change. Evidence from north-eastern Poland. Land Use Policy, 152, 107517.
This is the third text by the team of authors led by Dr Musiaka, concerning the functional and morphological transformations of post-war cities. The following papers have been published so far:
Musiaka, Ł., Sudra, P., Spórna, T. P., & Spadło, K. (2023). Scenariusze odnowy małych miast. Wyzwania i problemy rewitalizacji wybranych ośrodków województwa warmińsko-mazurskiego. Czasopismo Geograficzne, 94(2). https://doi.org/10.12657/czageo-94-15
Musiaka, Ł., Sudra, P., & Spórna, T. (2021). Spatial Chaos as a Result of War Damage and Post-War Transformations. Example of the Small Town of Węgorzewo. Land, 10(5), 541. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10050541