Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski (1888–1974) created the maritime policy of the Second Polish Republic. Before the war, in 1926–1930 and 1935–1939, he had a significant impact on the Polish economic policy. At that time, he saw Szczecin mostly as a competitor for the Polish free-trade harbour zone (Gdańsk & Gdynia) and the West Pomerania region as an exploiter of cheap Polish labour force in their local estates. The post-war boarder changes obviously changed his views. Kwiatkowski became one of the most important supporters of the reconstruction of Szczecin’s harbour, connecting the city and the region to the rest of the country by building infrastructure, and establishing a genuine maritime academy. The plans drawn up in the first post-war years were in large parts abandoned. The West Pomerania region and its neighbourhood, however, remained an important part of Kwiatkowski’s views on modern policies.