Siren — cloth

Syrena glasses cleaning cloth

Microfiber cloth for cleaning glasses or LCD screens. Dimensions: 15 cm x 15 cm.

FSO Syrena

The idea to produce the Syrena originated in 1953 from the then Presidium of the Government. The intention was to create an efficient and economical car for cadres and representatives of the contemporary intelligentsia. In 1956, the production documentation for the Syrena was finally completed, allowing the FSO (Passenger Car Factory) production lines to begin operating at full capacity in 1957.

The Syrena, whose name evoked the Warsaw Mermaid, was a car frequently seen in the capital. Its elegant body with flowing curves and round headlights made it resemble Western cars, which beautiful women in headscarves sped along the French Riviera. And although in the People's Republic the backdrop for driving the Syrena was less picturesque – though, thanks to the Palace of Culture, equally iconic – its users must have felt privileged and derived sufficient pleasure from driving.

Production of the Syrena ceased in 1972. The total number of units that entered the roads over those fifteen years exceeded half a million. The car also received many critical opinions – it was accused of generating a lot of noise, having an inefficient cooling system, lacking resistance to corrosion, and high fuel consumption in winter due to the engine's thermal inertia. Despite this, today we fondly remember the Syrena, whose sight immediately puts us in a nostalgic mood.

The drawing is by Wrocław artist Paweł Grabowski.