This lane in the Lower City was not only, like many others in this area, traversed lengthwise by a ditch — which meant that the two sides bore different names — it was also, following the custom of the time, named differently section by section. The names mentioned above therefore always applied in the past only to one side of a section. Specifically: between Kasernengasse and Reitergasse, the eastern side was Reussengasse; between Reitergasse and Strandgasse, the western side was Schilfgasse, while the same section's eastern side was Gänsegasse; between Strandgasse and Sperlingsgasse, the western side was Schwanengasse, while the same section's eastern side was Lindengasse. Only the stretch between Rosengasse and Kolkowgasse was called Weidengasse around 1650. On maps from the 18th century, this name can then be seen extended to the entire western side, from Strandgasse to Sperlingsgasse, while the opposite side still bore the name Schwanengasse. Both sides of the section between Strandgasse and Kasernengasse bore the name Hintergasse at this time. From 1814 onward, the uniform and “two-sided” name Weidengasse was used. This name was also applied to the extension of this lane to Langgarten, which was built in 1874. The origin of all these old names should be clear — except for Reussengasse. The name is said to derive from visitors coming from Eastern Europe who used to stay at a guesthouse located here until the 19th century. After the war, the Polish renaming commission made an amusing mistake with this lane. They confused the willow tree (Weide) with the pasture (Viehweide), so that this lane is today translated as Meadow Lane, while the old Meadow Lane became Willow Lane. Bohdan Szermer, a 1945 employee of the Polish city administration, explains this error as follows: “When the streets of the Lower City were being renamed, the workers who nailed up the street signs got things mixed up and nailed the 'Willow Lane' signs in Meadow Lane and the 'Meadow Lane' signs in Willow Lane. When the error was noticed some time later and they wanted to correct it, the residents protested — they had already gotten used to the names, had informed their families and acquaintances of the addresses, and some (as craftsmen and shop owners) had already ordered stamps. And so it remained.” (Bohdan Szermer: “The First Year in Danzig. Fragment” Published in: 30 Tage Nr. 3 (41). Translated by R. Kowald)

History