ZSD Nysa

A crisp Monday morning in People's Poland. The first ray of sun falls on a polished wall unit, the kettle whistles from the kitchen, and citizens prepare to leave their homes, soon to hurry to their workplaces. In the streets, the morning bustle, typical of towns and cities where production is in full swing, and quotas are not just met, but exceeded with proud surplus. But this doesn't happen by itself. Behind the production success of factories, behind the delivery of products to consumers, behind trade in general – stands (or rather, drives) the Nysa, a versatile and multifaceted delivery van.

The Nysa was created at the Delivery Vehicle Factory in 1957, and its regular production then continued until 1994. Its versions were improved year by year – here, the reinforcement of the front suspension beam, there, reinforced tires. In 1959, the first 200 units were designated for export, with the Nysas that were destined to see a piece of the world being improved compared to those that remained in the country forever. The biggest export boom occurred in 1973-74, when 74% of the units produced were sent abroad.

The Nysa, like any hero, also has its dark side – working for the militia. Blue Nysas spread terror on the streets of Polish cities, frightening citizens with the menacing expression of their angular bumpers. The role of a police van takes a back seat when one hears that the Nysa transported the first post-war Polish expedition to the Himalayas, bringing climbers to the summit of Malubiting.

The author of the drawing is Wrocław artist Paweł Grabowski.