Stargard 2010-01-20
Kluczewo Airport.
Geographic coordinates: 53.284N 14.974E.
The town of Kluczewo.
The name of the city of Stargard Szczeciński was changed again on January 1, 2016, taking the name Stargard.
Kluczewo is currently one of the districts of Stargard Szczeciński, which is an important railway and road junction. The existing railway junction supports direct connections with the ferry in Świnoujście, the Seaport in Szczecin and all major Polish cities, as well as with Prague, Bratislava and Budapest.
Kluczewo is best known for its sugar factory, which has been operating here since 1883. And now it will also be known from the tire factory of the Japanese company Bridgestone. The factory occupied about 100 hectares of the former Soviet garrison in Poland. The most important monument of Kluczewo is the church of the Holy Cross, from the 15th century, built of field stones and bricks.
Location and history of Kluczewo Airport.
The imperialist aspirations of the Germans did not die out after the defeat in the great world war and, revived, led to a huge development of industry, aimed at armaments. The vicinity of Szczecin (the capital of the Pomeranian Piast dynasty) was perfect for the location of chemical factories, wood and metal industries and experimental centers. This was facilitated by well-developed communication. So let’s not be surprised that the airport could not be missing in this complex. They were located near an important industrial center, which was Stargard Szczeciński, east of Lake Miedwie, on an important railway route.
The history of Kluczewo Airport began in the 1920s. The airport was built quietly, as a civilian facility, in the period 1925-1927. The works gained momentum in the second half of the 30s and, among others, air military reconnaissance units began to be stationed at the airport.
The large development of the airport took place after the aggression of the German army on the Republic of Poland. Throughout the Second World War, the German army expanded the garrison, using prisoners of war and forced laborers for this purpose.
When there was a crisis on the eastern front and the Soviet army began a quick march to the west, the role of the airport began to increase. In October 1944, another German super weapon appeared at the airport – the M-163 B Komet fighter with rocket propulsion. The tasks of these planes included the defense against Allied bombers of the plants producing synthetic gasoline in Police. One of the Allied bombing raids caused heavy damage to the airport infrastructure. In January 1945, when the Soviet front was already on "Wale Pomorski", these planes were evacuated. The retreating German soldiers blew up several important objects at the airport.
In the first days of March 1945, the troops of the 61st Soviet Army, under the command of Colonel General P. Belov, from the 1st Belarusian Front of Marshal G. Zhukov, as part of the Pomeranian Operation, occupied Kluczewo. The airport was quickly restored to combat usefulness by the Soviet army. To remove the damage at the airport, the Soviet commandant used forced laborers who worked in the local sugar factory during the war.
According to supranational arrangements of the greats of this world, Western Pomerania was granted to Poland. After May 9, 1945, in accordance with the applicable law and eternal norms, the Soviets should leave Poland, which, as we know, they did not do for nearly 50 years. A new occupation has begun. After the end of hostilities, the Red Army troops in Poland only reduced their forces and dislocated some units, choosing barracks complexes, airports and areas most useful to them, treating them as spoils of war. In Western Pomerania, the largest Soviet garrisons, apart from Kluczew, include; Szczecin, Świnoujście, Bagicz, Białogard, Chojna and Borne-Sulinowo. The latter was the largest in Poland. The Soviets appropriated about 10 airports in Poland, locating there, for an indefinite period, hunting and fighter-bomber regiments, capable of attacking Western Europe at any time. All these objects for 45 years (until 1989) were blank spots on the maps of Poland. This is exactly how it was with Kluczewo near Stargard Szczeciński.
On May 10, 1945, Stalin dissolved the command of the 2nd Belorussian Front and in its place created the northern group of the Red Army, with the place of dislocation in Poland. He appointed Konstanty Rokossowski, who had a staff in Legnica, as the commander. To sanction this and other moves, it was officially reported that the Soviet army in Poland was protecting the communication routes connecting the CCCP with Soviet bases in East Germany.
The stationing of Soviet troops in Poland was sanctioned after the establishment of the Warsaw Pact (UW). In the period 1956–1957, a number of military-governmental agreements were signed between Moscow and Warsaw. Two of them were the most important: "Agreement between the governments of the People’s Republic of Poland and the CCCP on the legal status of Soviet troops temporarily stationed in Poland" (the time was not specified) and "Agreement between the governments of the People’s Republic of Poland and the CCCP on the number, location and mode of carrying out movements of Soviet troops stationed in Poland. The first of these documents stated; "The temporary stationing of units of the Soviet troops in Poland may in no way violate the sovereignty of the Polish state and may not lead to their interference in the internal affairs of the People’s Republic of Poland." It further stated; "The movements of Soviet troops, exercises, maneuvers outside their place of stationing were to be agreed each time in advance with the Polish authorities." Next; "Soldiers and civilian personnel of the garrisons were obliged to respect and comply with the provisions of Polish law." The second document (secret) specified, among other things, the routes of military columns without even having to inform the Polish administration. It also mentioned the number of soldiers, which was estimated at 62,000 – 66,000. (Just how to check it?) Apparently, there were 40,000 soldiers in the land forces, 17,000 in the air force and 7,000 in the navy.
The agreements stipulated that many issues would be resolved in separate agreements, which were to define, among other things, the conditions for the use by the Soviet army of barracks, airports, training grounds, use of electricity, fees for the lease of facilities and various types of services. As it turned out, these agreements were mostly unfavorable for Poland, and in places where they were beneficial for Poland, the Soviets broke them. For example, goods imported from the CCCP were not subject to Polish customs regulations and no duty could be levied. The crews of the Soviet planes did not inform that they were entering Polish airspace. The peak was the aggression against Czechoslovakia, when hundreds of Soviet planes landed at Polish airports without even informing their commands, and demanding refueling of the machines.
In 1958, it was reported that the Soviets stationed in 47 garrisons and used barracks, housing estates, training grounds, forest areas with a total area of 61,900 hectares. Fortunately, in 1992, the soldiers left Poland, and in 1994, the last Soviet soldier left. There were spies in Poland.
Until 1952, various aviation regiments were stationed at the Kluczewo Airport. None of them contributed to the development of the facility. No new buildings were built. Most of the soldiers lived in tents. They ate in field kitchens. They didn’t train. Most of their efforts were directed at defending the facilities. They often stole post-German property. With the Soviets, everything was temporary.
In 1952, the 159th PLM was stationed at the Kluczewo Airport, which (with a break in 1961-1964) was stationed here until 1992. We will not quote here the rich history of this regiment, but we will only mention that in the years 1945-1948, this regiment was stationed in Malbork, then in the years 1948-1952, in Brzeg, from where it was transferred to Kluczewo. During its stay in Brzeg, the regiment took part in the training of Polish pilots for Jak-17 and Jak-17 W turbojet fighters. In 1951, the regiment was equipped with MiG-15 and UTIMiG-15 fighters and landed in Kluczewo with these planes.
It was only then (after 1952) that the airport began to be expanded. The area of the airport has been enlarged by forest areas to the south-west and two villages; Burzykowo and Słotnice. The inhabitants were displaced and in return they were given unoccupied former German farms in other nearby villages. The Soviets even provided transport to the resettlers. Interestingly, these villages were still featured on some new maps. Some of the buildings were adapted by the Soviets to their needs. The area of the garrison reached over 1,200 hectares. It was about 5,000 m long and 3,000 m wide. It should also be mentioned that the garrison had several separate areas with various military and civilian facilities. The most famous was the resort on Lake Miedwie called Słotnica. A lot of new facilities were built in the garrison itself; blocks of flats, barracks buildings, shelters, garages. In the former village of Burzykowo, a huge fuel depot (MPS) with tanks with a total capacity of 19,000 cubic meters was built.
During this period, the redevelopment of DS (RWY) was also started. Not only was it enlarged to 2,515 m x 60 m (direction 15/33), but also its carrying capacity was increased. As a result, heavy transport aircraft could now also use the airport. However, the available information does not mention extending the RWY to 3,500 m so that it could receive strategic bombers. If so, it means that the Soviets in Kluczewo limited themselves only to tactical air force. Regarding the subject of the RWY, it should be remembered that an emergency RWY of 2 000 m x 100 m with a ground surface (grass) parallel to the main RWY was constantly maintained at the airport. In the available information about the airport, one of the main DKs is often given as RWY. Its dimensions are 2,229 m x 20 m, located in the direction of 11/29. We suspect that at the beginning of the 1940s, the plans of the German army included a third RWY, with a direction of about 6/24.
In the mid-50s, the Kluczewo regiment was equipped with MiG-17 fighters and heavy twin-engine long-range fighters Yak-25 M.
In 1961, the 159th PLM from Kluczewo was transferred to Bagicz, and then to Żagań. There he was rearmed with MiG-21 fighters, which became the basic planes in the regiment until the mid-80s.
On August 12-15, 1964, the regiment returned to Kluczewo. Field post No. 40431. At the same time, the headquarters of the 239th Baranowice DLM was located in Kluczewo. Field Post No. 55146. The Division had under it the 159th PLM Kluczewo, the 871st PLM Bagicz, the 582nd PLM Chojna. Interestingly, the latter regiment was stationed until May 1955, on the Liao Peninsula, near the Lushun Naval Base (Port Arthur) – now in China.
The location of the Kluczewie Division headquarters was due to its central location in relation to Szczecin, Bagicz and Chojna, and the largest area, which had a decisive impact on future investments.
For the needs of the division headquarters, the Soviets built an underground two-story SD (command post) in the central part of the garrison, with an area of 600 square meters, hidden under a thick layer of reinforced concrete and earth.
At the beginning of the 1980s, after the creation of: Solidarity, the introduction of martial law, the start of the second Cold War – the Soviets significantly strengthened their forces in Poland. Kluczewo, with its large airport, was suitable for one of the main roles. It was another fat year for the garrison. In the 1980s, the division entered with three fighter aviation regiments, and the Kluczewo Airport was then the most powerful air base in Poland. One of the regiments was then equipped with MiG-23 fighters (the one from Bagicz), and the other two with MiG-21s. But even then it was certain that they would soon be rearmed with MiG-29 or Su-27 fighters.
In June 1987, Su-27 fighters were introduced to the regiment in Kluczewo. It was the second Soviet unit, and the first outside the CCCP, equipped with this type of fighters. From the beginning of 1988, these planes began to be delivered to the regiment in Chojna. 37 Su-27/UB machines were accepted in Kluczewo. Combat readiness was achieved in 1990. Even before the new aircraft were delivered, 28 new shelters were built especially for them, because those for the MiG-21 aircraft were too small.
The new shelter hangars, marked with the AU-16 pattern, are more powerful. Their gates are 1 m thick and made of a steel mold filled with concrete. Each half moves on rails on double trolleys. The opening mechanism is manual, hydraulically assisted. Two airlocks were placed in the rear wall, enabling the aircraft’s engines to be started before it leaves the shelter. A refueling installation has been brought to some of the shelters. However, it is clear that some of them were not finished and the planes did not manage to stay in them. No floor, and sand on the ground. Metal parts not painted. Locks not blackened by engine exhaust fumes.
In Poland, the Su-27 was publicly presented for the first time at the international air show "Air Show" ’91 at the Poznań-Ławica airport in August 1991. It was a Su-27 UB nb 66 aircraft from the Kluczewo unit.
"Brotherly" contacts.
The unit from Kluczewo officially maintained "fraternal" contacts with the Polish 2nd PLM "Kraków" from Goleniów. These contacts were nothing special. But let’s make no mistake, it wasn’t friendship. These were courtesy contacts or those lined with some interests, and practically only at the officer level. Visits related to anniversaries of fights can be included as courtesy visits. For example, the anniversaries of the October Revolution. Local newspapers and military magazines were full of reports of these events. Related to business is how one could do something for the other. Let us remember that the regiments flew almost identical equipment. Yes, contacts sometimes ended at the common table. But the slogan about the sea of vodka is an overinterpretation of Polish hospitality. Most Polish officers always approached an uninvited guest in Poland with reserve. The officer was a professional soldier and the command could order him to make such contacts. But the lower military corps, and especially the conscript soldiers, did not like the Soviets. Let us also consider the fact that at the regimental level, joint military exercises have never been conducted.
It is difficult to conclude how the Soviet side approached these contacts with the Poles. One thing is for sure. The Soviets felt in Poland as in the West, and they treated their stay with us as ennoblement. Contacts between Polish civilians living near the garrison and Soviet soldiers were almost a separate topic. Here, above all, individual people were united by interest. The crisis prevailing in Poland in the 1980s, empty shelves in shops, forced people to go to Soviet shops in the garrison area. They were better stocked. There was chocolate, other sweets, tinned food, toothpaste, soap, and very cheap caviar, which no one was buying anyway. They also brought toys and watches. Poles offered the occupiers: eggs, fruit and vegetables, which they felt clearly lacking. But trading outside the shops was illegal. Fuel and alcohol were famous commodities. But the Soviets also offered so-called household goods; taps, pipes, wires, light bulbs, and even sinks and bathtubs. This practice intensified as the end of their stay was approaching. At that time, the offer included military equipment, and even weapons and ammunition. The stay of the Polish population in the garrison area was legal, semi-legal or illegal. Often the fence was crossed through a hole to get to the store. The garrison was fenced off with concrete posts and barbed wire. Polish children dressed like Soviet children, and since we had to learn Russian from the 5th grade of primary school, there were no problems in the estate. We must remember that there were patrols in the garrison and a captured Pole without a proper pass could receive a fine.
„Soviets go home.”
In 1989, there were two aviation accidents involving Soviet pilots and planes. The first (July 4, 1989) is the famous fact of the MiG-23 flight from Bagicz without a pilot to Belgium, where the plane, falling to the ground, killed a 19-year-old man. The second is a lesser known fact (July 5, 1989) of an air accident in Poland. A Soviet pilot performing a training flight on a Su-24 from the unit in Szprotawa violated the airspace of the aeroclub airport in Lubin and collided with a glider piloted by Maciej Majewski. As a result of this collision, the glider pilot was killed. The military plane landed safely at the airport in Szprotawa. Investigating this event, the Chief Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission concluded that the Soviet pilot was to blame for the accident.
Socio-economic changes in Poland, initiated in 1989, partly due to free elections led to the fact that the subject of Soviet bases was no longer a taboo subject. In 1989, there were several street demonstrations in which participants under the slogans "Soviet home", "Tanks to the Volga", "Down with the Soviet occupation" showed their reluctance to the presence of the Soviets in Poland. The accidents cited above were just another bargaining chip. Let us remember that in 1990, about 200 Soviet combat aircraft were stationed in Poland.
In December 1990, official talks began between Poland and Russia regarding the withdrawal of the army from Polish territory. Subsequent rounds of talks were held alternately in Warsaw and Moscow. There were fifteen in all. The Polish side proposed that the troops leave Poland by December 1991. The Russians insisted on the date 1994, justifying it by the fact that the withdrawal of troops from Poland was part of the process of withdrawing Soviet troops from Germany (about 600,000 soldiers). During the January round of talks in Moscow in 1991, General Viktor Dubynin made a surprising statement: "The invincible and proud Soviet army, which once defeated the Germans, will leave Poland when it sees fit, along roads and routes it sees fit, with unfurled banners, in a way that she will determine, and if someone disturbs her – she does not take responsibility for the safety of the Polish population.
Ultimately, however, both sides, reaching a mutual compromise, agreed in a document signed in May 1992 that by November 15, 1992, combat units of the Soviet army would leave Poland, and the rest of the units (auxiliary, liaison, etc.) would be evacuated by the end of 1993 . In the financial and property settlements, the so-called "zero option". The official date of starting the withdrawal of troops from Poland is April 8, 1991 (talks were still underway regarding the date of completion of the departure of these troops), when in a solemn setting (in pouring rain) an echelon with equipment and soldiers stationed there operational-tactical missile brigade.
Even before the start of talks on the withdrawal of troops from Poland, at the turn of August and September 1990, after many efforts and arrangements at the interstate level, Soviet bases in the Szczecin Voivodeship were inspected. Inspectors of the Department of Environmental Protection of the Voivodeship Office were admitted to the garrisons in: Chojna, Świnoujście, Szczecin and Kluczewo. After seeing in particular the garrison in Kluczewo, alarming information appeared in the press about the degradation of the natural environment of the base itself and the areas adjacent to it. The reports prepared at that time showed that the garrison in Kluczewo did not have a sewage treatment plant (which was the norm in Soviet garrisons), but only a pumping station that pumped raw sewage directly into the Gowienica River, a tributary of Lake Miedwie (since 1976, the water intake drinking water for Szczecin). This sewer ditch was lined with a large amount of sediments heavily saturated with oil derivatives. In addition, the garrison annually emitted 127.9 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (several large boiler houses and a bakery did so). The technical condition of the three deep wells operating in the garrison area threatened to contaminate the aquifers. On the other hand, waste and rubbish were thrown into unused wells, and solid waste was stored in them.
On February 21, 1991, a meeting of General W. Dubynin and the commanders of the Russian garrisons in the Szczecin Voivodeship with the authorities of the province and the city of Szczecin took place in the Provincial Office in Szczecin. During this meeting, General Dubynin agreed to allow the representatives of the local authorities to carry out an inventory of the property located within the garrisons and to prepare for the transfer of this property to the Polish side.
The departure of the combat unit from the airfield in Kluczewo was planned by the Soviets for July 10, 1992. Then they intended to use this airport – next to the airport in Legnica – for the transit of their troops from eastern Germany in 1993. However, the Polish side did not agree to this and the Soviets relented.
According to the schedule, on July 10, 1992, the last farewell assembly of pilots departing to Russia took place at the airport in Kluczewo. The farewell ceremony was attended by, among others commander of the 4th AL. Gen. A. Basov (he held this position since March 5, 1992), Consul General of the Russian Federation O. Brykin. The Polish side was represented by, among others vice voivode W. Soiński, commander of the Szczecin garrison, Colonel A. Ekiert and representatives of the authorities of Stargard Szczeciński. After short speeches, the playing of the anthems of both countries and the handing of flowers to the pilots, 37 planes took off in quick succession, heading north-east. Their final destination was the Bessowiec airport near Petrozavodsk (a city in Russia, located 300 km north of St. Petersburg). The 159th PLM was the last air combat unit of the former Soviet army to leave Poland.
After that day, several hundred soldiers remained at the airport, who secured the departure operations of the aircraft and were to prepare the base area for handing it over to the Polish side in its entirety. The stay of the technical staff was to last for several more months. The Russians handed over individual parts of the garrison one by one. First, they gave away the take-off area and the PPS (aircraft parking planes). Then, facilities in the former villages of Burzykowa and Słotnica, together with a fuel deposit, from which they sold kerosene, petrol and oils. The last component of the garrison was handed over in October 1992. In Słotnica, on October 13, 1992, relevant documents were signed ending the stay of the Soviets in Kluczewo. On the part of the Russians, the documents were signed by: the commander of the unit, Lt. Col. W. J. Kuznetsov, the head of the air service, Lt. Col. K. N. Korowin, Capt. A. M. Łukianow, Lt. Col. J. W. Paschalny and Lt. Col. W. W. Gałkin.
Kluczewo Airport in Polish hands.
A unit from the 12th Mechanized Division was brought to the airport. The goal of Polish soldiers was to secure the area and possibly remove dangerous remains; ammunition, chemicals, etc. But even then it was known that the Polish Army was not interested in this facility. On our part, its location was unfavorable, and handing it over to local authorities could bring greater benefits. In terms of administration, the area of the former base was incorporated into Stargard Szczeciński in 1993.
Since 1996, the area has been cleared of petroleum substances. By the end of 2000, 1,500 cubic meters of pollutants had been removed. The work was completed in 2004, achieving ecological balance. Our authorities did not underestimate the problem of pollution, as the nearby Miedwie Lake has been a source of drinking water for Szczecin for many years. Extensive areas of the airport have been leased and used for agricultural crops. It looked amazing. Then the land was allocated for the construction of new factories.
Blocks that belonged to the Russians were renovated and a nice housing estate for about 3,000 inhabitants was built, called Kluczewo Airport, with a full municipal infrastructure. The streets were given new Polish names; Drzewiecki, Rogalski, Skarżyński, Śniadecki, Tański, Witoszyński and Żwirki i Wigury.
The area of the former base became the Stargard Regional High Technology Park. In order to encourage investors, the Mayor of the City decided to exempt buildings and land from property tax for 20 years. On part of this area (100 hectares), the Japanese company Bridgestone built a tire factory. Cargotec plants were also established. Cargotec is a Finnish company that manufactures machinery, cranes and lifts. In Poland, the company has factories in Oborniki, Ożarów Mazowiecki and Stargard.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman