The aim of this text is to describe the determinants of communication activities of the Municipal Board and municipal organisations in Olsztyn. The administrative structure and examples of communication in the organisation are analysed. It is assumed that one of the determinants of communication was the multi-layered system of power relations and the fluid boundary between the private and public spheres. This was reflected in the management of tangible goods and in the construction of administrative structures, norms and rules. These activities were carried out during population exchanges and the creation of new cultural codes. The low state of security, the destruction of infrastructure, the uncertainty of property ownership and the course of the national border were all important factors. There was a strong influence of the Red Army and unformed public opinion. The text uses a qualitative content analysis of official documents from the collection of the Museum of Warmia and Masuria and selected resources from the State Archive in Olsztyn, and the local press.