AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE UNDERGROUND SUBWAY (Zarys dziejow metra)

• Authors: Andrzejewski Marek
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

The article is an attempt at bringing the reader closer to the history of the underground subway, the point of departure being the beginning of the Underground in London in 1863, a veritable revolution in municipal communication. The author devoted much attention to the metro in Chicago, New York, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Rome and Warsaw, as well as its situation during the First and Second World War. At the time of the 'Battle of Britain' the London Underground often played the part of air raid shelters. Subsequently, the inhabitants of Berlin also sought refuge in local subway facilities. The article draws attention to the impact of the Olympic games upon the development of the underground subway, with emphasis on the threats posed by terrorist attacks. Other topics include accidents, the battle against crime and the homeless. The reader finds data depicting the development of the metro in assorted periods and on different continents. The author stressed dynamic expansion after 1945, proving that the metro system fulfils not merely communication functions but also culture–oriented ones. Mention is made of the divergent architecture of stations in Berlin, London and Moscow. The article lists the number of passengers and the length of lines in selected cities. It also analyses the situation of the underground subway in divided Berlin and after the unification of Germany. Finally, the author underlined that in the majority of instances the metro is a symptom of the civilisational progress of a given state, although in communist countries it remained to a considerable degree a question of prestige and propaganda.

Keywords

EN

METRO; MUNICIPAL COMMUNICATION; UNDERGROUND SUBWAY

Discipline

• HISTORY: HISTORY

• Publisher: Polska Akademia Nauk. Instytut Historii im. Tadeusza Manteuffla PAN w Warszawie
• Journal: Dzieje Najnowsze
• Year: 2010
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 3-17
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Andrzejewski Marek

• Marek Andrzejewski, Uniwersytetu Gdanski, Instytut Historii, ul. W. Stwosza 55, 80-952 Gdansk, Poland.

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

10PLAAAA082427