The circumstances of the establishment of “Żegluga Polska” in 1926

The aim of this paper is to show the impact of the activities of the Polish-Norwegian sea shipping company “Towarzystwo Żeglugi Morskiej «Sarmacja» SA” and the events in the international coal market on the establishment of the Polish shipowner “Żegluga Polska” in 1926. The investigations are based on the analysis of documents available mainly in the Polish Archives of New Records, the State Archives in Gdańsk, and Riksarkivet in Oslo, as well as the literature of the subject, including memoirs and scientific publications. The study provides evidence that the collapse of “Sarmacja” and the high demand for Polish coal were the key impulses for the establishment of “Żegluga Polska.” The final conclusion is that in 1926, a solid Polish shipping company could not be created without the full financial support of the Polish state authorities. The present article also sorts out contradictory literature findings and organises already-known facts into a coherent whole.