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Zabrze

Coordinates:50°18′09″N18°46′41″E/ 50.30250°N 18.77806°E/50.30250; 18.77806
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Zabrze
Zŏbrze(Silesian)
Ulica Wolności (Liberty Street)
Ulica Wolności(Liberty Street)
Flag of Zabrze
Flag
Coat of arms of Zabrze
Coat of arms
Zabrze is located in Poland
Zabrze
Zabrze
Coordinates:50°18′09″N18°46′41″E/ 50.30250°N 18.77806°E/50.30250; 18.77806
CountryPoland
VoivodeshipSilesian
Countycity county
Establishedthirteenth century
City rights1922
Government
• City mayorAgnieszka Rupniewska[2](nonpartisan/KO[3])
Area
• City80.40 km2(31.04 sq mi)
Population
(31 December 2021)
• City168,946Decrease(21st)[1]
• Density2,140/km2(5,500/sq mi)
•Urban
2,746,000
•Metro
4,620,624
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
Postal code
41–800 to 41–820
Area code+48 32
Car platesSZ
Primary airportKatowice Airport
Highways
Websitehttps://www.um.zabrze.pl

Zabrze(Polish pronunciation:[ˈzabʐɛ]ⓘ;German: 1915–1945:Hindenburg O.S.,full form:Hindenburg in Oberschlesien,Silesian:Zŏbrze,Yiddish:זאַבזשע,romanized:Zabzhe) is an industrial city inSilesiain southernPoland,nearKatowice.It lies in the western part of theMetropolis GZM,a metropolis with a population of around 2 million. It is in theSilesian Highlands,on the Bytomka River, a tributary of theOder.

Zabrze is located in theSilesian Voivodeship,which was reformulated in 1999. Before 1999 it was inKatowice Voivodeship.It is one of the cities composing the 2.7 million inhabitant conurbation referred to as theKatowice urban area,itself a major centre in the greaterKatowice-Ostrava metropolitan areawhich is populated by just over five million people.[4]The population of Zabrze as of December 2021 was 168,946, down from June 2009 when the population was 188,122.[1]Zabrze is bordered by three other cities of the metropolitan area:Gliwice,BytomandRuda Śląska.

History

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Early history

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A historic metallurgical building in Zabrze
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1950128,005—
1960188,800+47.5%
1970197,300+4.5%
1980196,000−0.7%
1990201,400+2.8%
2000197,111−2.1%
2010186,913−5.2%
2020170,924−8.6%
source[5]

Biskupice, which is now a subdivision of Zabrze, was first mentioned in 1243 asBiscupici dicitur cirkaBitom[citation needed].Zabrze (orOldZabrze) was mentioned in 1295–1305 asSadbre sive Cunczindorf(German forKonrad/Kunze's village;sive= "or" ). According to historical sources, mining in Zabrze dates back to the 13th century.[6]The present-day districts of Mikulczyce and Rokitnica were locations ofmotte-and-bailey castlesfrom the 13th-15th century, which are now archaeological sites.[7][8]In the 1970s, archaeologists discovered anEpipalaeolithicflintwork andflinttools from theMesolithicat the Mikulczyce archaeological site.[7]In theLate Middle Ages,the localSilesianPiastdukes invited German settlers into the territory, resulting in increasingGerman settlement[citation needed].The settlement was part of theSilesianduchies of fragmented Poland. Zabrze became part of theHabsburg monarchyin 1526. In 1645, along with theDuchy of Opole,Zabrze returned to Polish rule under theHouse of Vasa,in 1666 it fell back to the Habsburgs, and was later annexed by theKingdom of Prussiaduring theSilesian Wars[citation needed].In 1774, the Dorotheendorf settlement was founded. In 1791, acoking coalseam was discovered in Zabrze, and then its first coking coal mine was opened.[6]In the 19th century, new coal mines, steelworks, factories and a power plant were created. A road connectingGliwiceandChorzówand a railway connectingOpoleandŚwiętochłowicewere led through Zabrze.

Early 20th century

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In 1905, the Zabrze commune was formed by the former communes Alt-Zabrze, Klein-Zabrze and Dorotheendorf. The Zabrze commune was renamedHindenburgin 1915 in honour ofGeneralfeldmarschallPaul von Hindenburg.The name change was approved by EmperorWilhelm IIon 21 February 1915.[9]Up until then, it was one of the few cities whose Polish name was retained during German rule.

In 1904 the"Sokół" Polish Gymnastic Societyin Zabrze was established, which was also a Polish patriotic and pro-independence organization.[10]As a result of the Prussian harassment it was liquidated in 1911, but it was reactivated twice, in 1913 and 1918.[11][10]Its members took an active part in the post-war plebiscite campaign and theSilesian uprisings.[10]

Interwar period

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TypicalJugendstilarchitecture on Wolności (Liberty) Street in Zabrze

During the plebiscite held afterWorld War I,21,333 inhabitants (59%) of the Hindenburg commune voted to remain in Germany, while 14,873 (41%) voted for incorporation to Poland, which just regained its independence.[9]In May 1921 the ThirdSilesian Uprisingbroke out and Hindenburg was captured by Polish insurgents, who held it until the end of the uprising.[9]WhenUpper Silesiawas divided between Poland and Germany in 1921, the Hindenburg commune remained in Germany, while the present-day districts of Kończyce,Makoszowyand Pawłów were reintegrated with Poland.[9]It received itscity charterin 1922. Just five years after receiving city rights Hindenburg became the biggest city in German-ruled western Upper Silesia and the second biggest city in German-ruled Silesia afterWrocław(thenBreslau). Nevertheless, various Polish organizations still operated in the city in theinterbellum,including a local branch of theUnion of Poles in Germany,[12]Polish libraries,sports clubs,credit unions,choirs,scout troopsand an amateur theater.[13]Polish newspaperGłos Luduwas published in the city.[14]In a secretSicherheitsdienstreport from 1934, Zabrze was named one of the main centers of the Polish movement in western Upper Silesia.[15]In terms of religion, most of the city's population adhered to theCatholic Church.[16]

In the 1920s, thecommunists,Christian democratsandnationalistsenjoyed the greatest support among the German population, while Poles supported Polish parties.[17]In 1924 theCommunist Party of Germanywon the local elections and proposed changing the name of the city toLeninburg.[18]In 1928, among the largest cities in western Upper Silesia, Polish parties received the most votes in Zabrze.[13]In theMarch 1933 elections,most of the citizens voted for theNazi Party,followed byZentrumand theCommunist Party.Nazi politician Max Fillusch became the city's mayor and remained in the position until 1945.[19]

A monument commemorating the fallen in the fight for the liberation of Silesia in theSilesian uprisingsandWorld War II

The anti-Polish organizationBund Deutscher Ostenwas very active in the city, it dealt withpropaganda,indoctrination and espionage of the Polish community, as well as denouncing Poles to local authorities.[20]When, the Barbórka (traditional holiday of miners) church services were organized separately for Poles and Germans in 1936, the Polish service enjoyed a greater attendance,[21]however, due to Nazi oppression and propaganda, the attendance at Polish services in the 1930s gradually decreased, according to Bund Deutscher Osten.[22]Polish activists were increasingly persecuted since 1937.[12]People were urged toGermanisetheir names, Polish inscriptions were removed from tombstones.[20]Some Polish priests were expelled from the city, both before[23]and duringWorld War II.[24]As a result of German persecution theJewishcommunity dropped from 1,154 people in 1933 to 551 in 1939, and its remainder was deported toconcentration campsin 1942.[16]The town's synagogue, that had stood since 1872, was destroyed in theKristallnachtpogroms of November 1938.[25]

World War Two

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During World War II, in 1941 the German administration requisitioned church property, in which it removed Polish symbols and memorabilia.[26]Church bellswere confiscated for war purposes in 1942.[27]The Germans established threeforced laboursubcamps of theStalag VIII-B/344prisoner-of-war campin the city, two of which operated in the local coal mines,[28]and also a subcamp ofAuschwitz IIIwas located there. Another subcamp of Stalag VIII-B/344 (E51) was operated at a coal mine in the present-day Mikulczyce district.[28]

In January 1945, the Soviets captured the city and afterwards deported some inhabitants to theSoviet Union,while other inhabitants wereexpelledwest in accordance to thePotsdam Agreement.However, in stark contrast to the other cities in the so-calledRecovered territories,three quarters of the mostly bilingual inhabitants were spared expulsion.[29]

Contemporary history

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Ludwik coal mine, closed down in 1978

FollowingWorld War II,according to thePotsdam Agreementthe city was handed over to Poland in 1945 and the town's name was changed to the historicZabrzeon 19 May 1945. The first post-war mayor of Zabrze was Paweł Dubiel, pre-war Polish activist and journalist in Upper Silesia, prisoner of theDachauandMauthausenconcentration camps during the war.[30]The pre-war Polish inhabitants of the region, who formed the majority of the city's population in 1948,[31]were joined by Poles expelled fromformer eastern Poland annexed by the Soviet Union.Moreover, Polish settlers from the central part of Poland also settled in Zabrze.

The city limits were largely expanded in 1951, by includingMikulczyce,Rokitnica, Grzybowice,Makoszowy,Kończyce and Pawłów as new districts.[31]New neighbourhoods were built from the 1950s to 1990s.[31]In 1948,Górnik Zabrzefootball club was founded, which won its first Polish championship in 1957, and soon became the pride of the city as one of the most successful clubs in Poland.

Administrative division

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Districts of Zabrze

On 17 September 2012, the Zabrze city council decided on a new administrative division of the city. Zabrze was subsequently divided into 15 districts and 3 housing estates.[32]

Infrastructure

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The Polish north–southA1and east–westA4motorways, which are parts of the European routesE75andE40,respectively, run through Zabrze, and their junction is located just outside the city limits. In addition the PolishNational roads78, 88 and 94 also run through the city. TheDrogowa Trasa Srednicowaleads through the town.

Culture and sights

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Among the cultural institutions of the town are theZabrze Philharmonic[pl]andTeatr Nowy( "New Theatre" ).Dom Muzyki i Tańca( "House of Music and Dance" )indoor arenais located in Zabrze. The local museums are theCoal Mining Museum[pl],the Municipal Museum and the Military Technology Museum. The Maciejmine shaftand the Main KeyAdit(Główna Kluczowa Sztolnia Dziedziczna), one of the longest such structures in Europe, are open for tourists. The historic coal mines of Zabrze are listed as aHistoric Monument of Poland.[33]

Among the historical architecture there are many industrial facilities, as well as various churches, houses, public buildings, etc. Important monuments of architecture were built theExpressionistand modernist styles, eg. the Admiralspalast Hotel (1924-1927), housing estate on Słowiański Square (1927-1928) andSt Joseph's Church(1930-1931, designed byDominikus Böhm). There are also numerous monuments referring to the history of the city, especially theSilesian uprisingsfought here andWorld War II.

There is also abotanical gardenand several parks in Zabrze.

  • Coal Mining Museum
    Coal Mining Museum
  • New Theatre
    New Theatre
  • Main post office
    Main post office
  • Regional Court in Zabrze
    Regional Court in Zabrze
  • Maciej mine shaft
    Maciej mine shaft
  • Guido mine shaft
    Guido mine shaft
  • Main Key Adit
    Main Key Adit
  • Admiralspalast Hotel
    Admiralspalast Hotel
  • Housing estate on Słowiański Square
    Housing estate on Słowiański Square
  • St Joseph's Church
    St Joseph's Church
  • Botanical garden
    Botanical garden

Politics

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Selected historic churches
St. John the Baptist
St. Lawrence
St. Anne
Assumption
St. Joseph

Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Bytom/Gliwice/Zabrze constituency

  • Chojnacki Jan, SLD-UP
  • Dulias Stanisław, Samoobrona
  • Gałażewski Andrzej, PO
  • Janik Ewa, SLD-UP
  • Kubica Józef, SLD-UP
  • Martyniuk Wacław, SLD-UP
  • Okoński Wiesław, SLD-UP
  • Szarama Wojciech, PiS
  • Szumilas Krystyna, PO
  • Widuch Marek, SLD-UP

Sports

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Ernest Pohl Stadium,home venue ofGórnik Zabrze

The city's most renown sports team isGórnik Zabrze,one of the most accomplishedPolish football clubs,14 timesPolish champions,6 timesPolish Cupwinners, and1969–70 European Cup Winners' Cuprunners-up, as the only Polish team to reach the final stage of a major European football competition. Other popular team isNMC Górnik Zabrze,two times Polish men's handball champions and three times Polish Cup winners. Both teams compete in the national top leagues, theEkstraklasaandSuperligarespectively.

Many sportspeople were born in Zabrze, including footballersJerzy Gorgoń,Łukasz SkorupskiandAdam Bodzek,and proice hockeyplayer of theNational Hockey League,Wojtek Wolski.

Economy

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Like other towns in this populous region, it is an important manufacturing centre, havingcoal-mines,iron,wire,glass,chemicalandoilworks, and localUpper Silesia Brewery,etc.

Notable people

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Krystian Zimerman
The Dumplings
Wojtek Wolski

International relations

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Consulates

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There is an Honorary Consulate ofArmeniain Zabrze.[34]There is akhachkarin Zabrze commemorating theArmenian–Polish friendship.[35]

Twin towns – sister cities

[edit]
See also:List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Zabrze istwinnedwith:[36]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ab"Local Data Bank".Statistics Poland.Retrieved24 July2022.Data for territorial unit 2478000.
  2. ^"Prezydent Miasta – Urząd Miejski w Zabrzu".
  3. ^"RUPNIEWSKA Agnieszka Małgorzata – Kandydatka na Prezydenta Miasta Zabrze".
  4. ^European Spatial Planning Observation Network(ESPON)[1]Archived28 July 2009 at theWayback Machine
  5. ^"Zabrze (śląskie) » mapy, nieruchomości, GUS, noclegi, szkoły, regon, atrakcje, kody pocztowe, wypadki drogowe, bezrobocie, wynagrodzenie, zarobki, tabele, edukacja, demografia".
  6. ^abAgata Mucha."Zespół zabudowy dawnej Kopalni" Królowa Luiza "".Zabytek.pl(in Polish).Retrieved25 July2021.
  7. ^abMichał Bugaj."Grodzisko stożkowate (Mikulczyce)".Zabytek.pl(in Polish).Retrieved25 July2021.
  8. ^Michał Bugaj."Grodzisko stożkowate (Rokitnica)".Zabytek.pl(in Polish).Retrieved25 July2021.
  9. ^abcdHistoria – HindenburgArchived1 May 2019 at theWayback Machineat the official website of Zabrze
  10. ^abc"Polskie Towarzystwo Gimnastyczne" Sokół "w Zabrzu, Historia Zabrza".31 July 2016.Retrieved10 June2019.
  11. ^Encyklopedia powstań śląskich,Instytut Śląski w Opolu, Opole, 1982, p. 637
  12. ^abCygański 1984,p. 24.
  13. ^abRosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 74.
  14. ^Rosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 124.
  15. ^Rosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 60.
  16. ^abRosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 35.
  17. ^Rosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 53-54.
  18. ^Zalega, Dariusz (2024).Chachary. Ludowa historia Górnego Śląska(in Polish). Warszawa. p. 201.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  19. ^Stadtkreis ZabrzeArchived3 March 2016 at theWayback Machineat Geschichte on Demand website
  20. ^abRosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 50.
  21. ^Rosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 130.
  22. ^Rosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 157.
  23. ^Cygański 1984,p. 26.
  24. ^Rosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 100.
  25. ^Ghetto Fighters' Housearchives, Photo No. 55805: a memorial monument placed by the Zabrze municipality in 1998 to commemorate its Jewish community.
  26. ^Rosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 102.
  27. ^Rosenbaum & Węcki 2010,p. 105.
  28. ^ab"Working Parties".Stalag VIIIB 344 Lamsdorf.Archived fromthe originalon 29 October 2020.Retrieved25 March2020.
  29. ^Dawid Smolorz. "Fußballegende mit deutsch-polnischem Hintergrund".Kulturkorrespondenz östliches Europa(in German) (1441): 30.
  30. ^"Dubiel Paweł Mikołaj (1902–1980)".Biblioteka Sejmowa(in Polish).Retrieved25 March2020.
  31. ^abc"Okres powojenny".Urząd Miasta Zabrze(in Polish). Archived fromthe originalon 1 May 2019.Retrieved25 March2020.
  32. ^Zestawienie liczby mieszkańców z uwzględnieniem podziału na dzielnice na dzień: 30-09-2013[permanent dead link].
  33. ^Rozporządzenie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 14 lipca 2020 r. w sprawie uznania za pomnik historii "Zabrze - zespół zabytkowych kopalni węgla kamiennego",Dz. U., 2020, No. 1288
  34. ^"Misje dyplomatyczne, urzędy konsularne i organizacje międzynarodowe w Polsce".Portal Gov.pl(in Polish).Retrieved20 September2024.
  35. ^"Chaczkar w Zabrzu".Awedis(in Polish). No. 55. 2023. p. 3.
  36. ^"Miasta partnerskie i zaprzyjaźnione".um.zabrze.pl(in Polish). Zabrze. Archived fromthe originalon 21 September 2019.Retrieved11 March2020.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Cygański, Mirosław (1984). "Hitlerowskie prześladowania przywódców i aktywu Związków Polaków w Niemczech w latach 1939 – 1945".Przegląd Zachodni(in Polish) (4).
  • Rosenbaum, Sebastian; Węcki, Mirosław (2010).Nadzorować, interweniować, karać. Nazistowski obóz władzy wobec Kościoła katolickiego w Zabrzu (1934–1944). Wybór dokumentów(in Polish).Katowice:IPN.ISBN978-83-8098-299-4.
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