Cinema Uciecha, Poland

The Cinema Uciecha is an abandoned 1920s cinema ruin in southern Poland. Starting life as an entertainment venue for emergency services personnel, it later welcomed the wider community a decade or so later. Once a bustling hive of community entertainment, it now stands in ruins since it closed three decades ago.

Since its closure, a dark chapter has been added to Cinema Uciecha’s history. The body of a murdered teenager was discovered on the premises after they were dumped down a chute that led to the basement.

I explored this location during my Poland 2023 Tour.

History of Cinema Uciecha

Originally constructed in the 1920s as a headquarters for local emergency services, it is a sizable structure. Certainly, you can see the Art Deco influences in the design. In addition to the emergency services offices and vehicle garages, the building also housed an orchestra rehearsal room, a recreation area, and a restaurant. There was also a two-bedroom apartment for the live-in caretaker. The upper floor houses the most interesting area: a large theatre, Cinema Uciecha. This grand space, accessible via a double staircase and complete with a first-floor balcony, could accommodate up to 500 people. Initially, the whole building was for the exclusive use of emergency personnel and their families.

By the 1930s, the cinema had opened its doors to the public, becoming a vibrant community hub. In addition to film screenings, the space hosted theatrical performances, festivals, and weddings. However, the outbreak of World War II saw the cinema occupied by German forces. The building was retaken in the aftermath, and returned to its pre-war owners relatively unscathed.

The Cinema Uciecha golden era waned in the 1980s. Ultimately, the cinema closed its doors in the 1980s/1990s when upkeep and necessary renovation work were deemed too costly. Ownership was transferred to the city, and the ground-floor restaurant continued to operate for a time. The building eventually fell into complete disuse. Despite numerous attempts to lease or sell the property, it remained vacant. A ray of hope appeared in the early 2000s, the city sold the cinema to a new owner who had some ambitious renovation plans. Unfortunately, these plans never materialised, and the building remains empty.

Dni filmu radzieckiego 1965

Leaning against the stage is a sign which reads “Dni filmu radzieckiego”, “Days Of Soviet Film” which is dated 1965 and related to a film festival that took place here. Interestingly, the Polish-manufactured Bielawska Fabryka Prostowników (BFP) projectors also date from the mid-1960s. It looks like they were fitted right before this film festival!