Chipped spots at the frame edges, otherwise A clean original item from the c.1900. Sorry for the glare and reflections at the sample pics.

From internet:

Bydgoszcz Polish:  German: Bromberg ; Latin: Bydgostia, Brombergum is a city in northern Poland, on the Brda and Vistula rivers. With a city population of 348,190 (December 2019),and an urban agglomeration with more than 470,000 inhabitants, Bydgoszcz is the eighth-largest city in Poland. It has been the seat of Bydgoszcz County and the co-capital, with Toruń, of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999. Prior to this, between 1947 and 1998, it was the capital of the Bydgoszcz Voivodeship, and before that, of the Pomeranian Voivodeship between 1945 and 1947. Located in the historical region of Kuyavia, it is its largest city.

The building was located downtown, on the Theatre Square, along the Marshal Foch Street. It was a prestigious public building of the city, from late 19th to early 20th century.

History

The history of the theater in Bydgoszcz dates back to the 17th century, when was built a special theatre hall in the city Jesuit College, able to accommodate approximately 300 people. Performances were played by students, on the occasion of church holidays, or for visits of dignitaries: kings, bishops, governors. The first permanent theater building in Bydgoszcz was built on the foundations of now gone St. Mary's Church of the Carmelites in 1824, on today's Theatre Square. The opening happened on September 3, 1824. The building was rebuilt twice after fires, on August 30, 1835 and March 24, 1890. The last restoration from 1895 to 1896, created a monumental representative, and was directed by Berlin architect and royal construction adviser Heinrich Christian Seeling. Seeling was recognized as a specialist in the construction of theaters in Germany: he built, among others, theaters in Halle, Stockholm, Essen (1890-1892), Berlin (1891-1892), Rostock (1894), Aachen (1901), Frankfurt (1902), Braunschweig (1904), Nuremberg (1905), Kiel (1908), Freiburg im Breisgau (1910), Charlottenburg (1911-1912). He developed the project and supervised the construction of the theater in Bydgoszcz, helped by city's construction engineer Carl Meyer. The building was designed for 800 seats, while remaining within the cost limits of 450 000 Deutsche Mark, and was completed by the end of 1896.

The first performance occurred on October 3, 1896, honored by the presence of German Emperor Wilhelm II. The theater building proved to have a successful and good location: it soon became a landmark in the city.

Prussian period (1895-1919)

At its beginnings, the theater staged off German art as one of the conditions for Prussian state financing the construction. The new theater building often attracted to Bromberg renowned European personnel. At the end of the 19th century, theater staff comprised 46 actors and 31 others (maintenance men, office managers, musicians). Famous playwrights were staged off: Goethe, Schiller, Shakespeare, Kleist, Calderon, Hauptmann, Ibsen, Victorien Sardou and others. Performances included tragedy, comedy, farce but also musical arts: opera (e.g. Richard Wagner), operetta, concerts by performers such as Richard Strauss (1899), Milan La Scala's orchestra (1899) or Eduard Strauss (1899, 1900).

Polish Period (1920-1939)

During the interwar era, the Municipal Theatre was the most important cultural institution in the city. The first Polish presentation took place on December 5, 1919, while director was Ludwik Dybizbański. Following directors were :

the actress Wanda Siemaszkowa,

Józef Karbowski,

Karol Benda,

Władysław Stoma.

The latter led in 1937 the theatre to its most heyday, when most prominent Polish actors performed in Bydgoszcz. This year, the number of theatrical performances exceeded 350 performances and exposed not only dramatic arts, but also performances including operas, operettas and revues. At that time, the scene starred, among others, Ludwik Solski, Stefan Jaracz, Mieczysława Ćwiklińska, Kazimierz Junosza-Stępowski, Stanisława Wysocka and Hanka Ordonówna. The last Polish director was Alexander Rodziewicz.

The success of the theater led to new investments. In 1921, a refurbishment of the interior was realized, including a new Front curtain, and in 1937, the scene received a revolving stage and a parking lot was built near the front entrance. On January 4, 1937, city mayor Leon Barciszewski performed from the building a speech, broadcast live by the Polish Radio. A year later, the theater was named after Karol Hubert Rostworowski.

Occupation period (1939-1945)

During World War II, new German actors arrived from Riga, relocated to Bydgoszcz, following the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. At that time performances were rather intimate, the 1943/44 season, staging puppets scene. After the proclamation of the total war, the theatre was closed for the 1944-1945 season.

Destruction of the building (1945-1946)

In 1945, during the fighting for the liberation of the city, the theatre building was hit by incendiary ammunitions, which set fire to the inside, where Soviet soldiers were billeted. The decision was then made to tear down the Municipal Theater, instead of restoring it. Eventually, demolition happened in spring 1946, and lawn planted where the theatre stood. The new theatre, Polish Theatre in Bydgoszcz (Polish: Teatr Polski w Bydgoszczy), more modest in its architecture was built a few years later (1948-1949) in Adam Mickiewicz Alley. It was the first theater building realized in Poland since the end of World War II. The choice of the new location was due to the presence of a former German theatre, "Elysium" in Gdańska Street: the project was officially an extension of this facility, hence getting more easily the approval of the Ministry of Culture and Art.

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