History

 Social movement of the Deaf was launched in Poland in the period of 1876-1918. The very first association called Galician Association of the Deaf “HOPE” was founded on July 7th 1876 in Lviv. In 1883 in Warsaw the Christian Association of the Deaf “Providence” was established and its goal was to organize social and cultural life of its members, helping the elderly, sick and unemployed and also to provide financial support if needed.
Until regaining the independence in 1918 there were 7 associations that gathered the Deaf living on the polish territory. In 1909 the Christian Mutual Aid Association for the Deaf “Mutuality” was founded in Łódź. It was directed by the deaf activist Władysław Kranas who was also a co-founder of the school for the deaf children in Łódź.

Władysław Kranas

After the World War II 8 organizations resumed or began their operations, including the Association in Łódź. On December 1946, on the initiative of the pre-war members of the association, the local branch of the Polish Association of the Deaf and Their Friends was established. The name changed into the Polish Association of the Deaf. There were also different headquarters over the years until 1998 when the building situated on 94/96 Nawrot street was purchased from the founds of the Polish Association of the Deaf. 

We are the oldest organization that works on rehabilitation care, social assistance, cultural life animation of the Deaf in Łódź voivodship.