Poland regained its independence in November 1918, after 123 years of subjugation. Wielkopolska was the best organised region in the reborn state and had the strongest economy. The then mayor of Poznań, Cyryl Ratajski, decided to organise an exhibition that would showcase the achievements of the first decade of the reborn republic. The city was adjusted to meet the demands of a major event in the space of two years and at considerable effort and expense. The public transport system was redeveloped and a new building complex went up in the south-west of the city. New hotels were built, restaurants and cafes were opened and the city’s sanitation was improved.

The General National Exhibition, colloquially known as “Pewuka” after its Polish initials P-W-K, was held between 16 May and 30 September 1929. It covered a greater area than today’s Poznań International Fair – 650,000 sq. m, of which 292,000 sq. m were in indoor pavilions.

The exhibition was a holiday for Poznań and the rest of Poland that went on for months. Not visiting was not an option in 1929. Visitors made their way to the Warta by bus or by train from all over Poland. The exhibition was combined with congresses and conventions (120 in all), concerts and cultural events. The city was pulsating with life. The city’s cafes, hotels and exhibition halls were full of visitors enthralled with their reception and their impressions of their time in Poznań. Altogether some 4.5 million people came to Poznań, including over 200,000 foreign visitors and nearly 1,000 journalists from 30 countries.