Retkinia

Retkinia is a panel block housing estate and district in the city of Łódź (Poland), located in the south-western part of the city. Formerly a suburban village, Retkinia was incorporated into Łódź in 1946. According to information provided by Łódź city council, the district has a population of around 60,000 people. Retkinia is one of 56 districts recognized by the Urban Information System in Łódź, but in terms of municipal administration it is divided into Osiedle Karolew-Retkinia Wschód (Eastern Retkinia, including the district of Karolew) and Osiedle Retkinia Zachód-Smulsko (Western Retkinia, including the district of Smulsko). The dominant type of housing in Retkinia is Panelák, built from the year 1972 on.

==Name== The origin and meaning of the name Retkinia is uncertain. It has been suggested that the name originates from ret kiń, an expression glossed as "cast the net." This could either refer to the act of throwing fishing nets (which would suggest that the area was rich in fish) or to casting away hunting nets and settling down, which would account for the origin of farming in the area. Neither "ret" nor "kiń" are in use in contemporary Polish, and the etymology is a matter of guesswork. Another theory suggests that the name of the district derives from the personal name Retko (or Retka).