Giants, renovations, and lost hopes: A brief study of Wrocław cinemas between 1960 and 1975

Abstract

The article describes the most important cinemas in Wroclaw and their activities in the 1960s and 1970s, outlining technical, renovation, and repertoire problems. The most important cinema in Wroclaw was Śląsk, which in the mid 1960s began to share its premises with the Lower Silesian Operetta. The Warszawa cinema building, closed in 1968 and built from scratch, took over as the city’s main cinema when it opened in 1976. The largest Cinema was the Gigant in the People’s Hall, where acoustic and technical conditions were improved with subsequent renovations.

The cinema base was enriched with neighborhood cinemas — both state and union-owned, but these were closed due to delayed repertoire and deteriorating technical conditions. The plans of the Presidium of the National Council of the City of Wroclaw called for the construction of new cinemas: both in Śródmieście and in other districts, but the projects were not realised due to financial restraints.