Chorzów
Encyclopedia
Chorzów AUD is a city
in Silesia
in southern Poland
, near Katowice
. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
- a metropolis with a population of 2 million. It is located in the Silesian Highlands
, on the Rawa River
(a tributary of the Vistula).
Administratively, Chorzów is in the Silesian Voivodeship
since 1999, previously Katowice Voivodeship
, and before then, the Silesian Voivodeship. Chorzów is one of the cities of the 2.7 million conurbation - the Katowice urban area
and within a greater Silesian metropolitan area
with the population of about 5,294,000 people The population within the city limits is 113,162 (June 2009).
in Poland. The recently (2007) formed Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
is the largest legally recognized urban entity in Poland with a population of 2 million.
Nine million people live within 100 km of Silesian Stadium in Chorzów. Six European capitals are located within 600 kilometres: Berlin
, Vienna
, Prague
, Bratislava
, Budapest
and Warsaw
.
) with extensive industry in coal mining
, steel, chemistry, manufacturing, and energy sectors. Many heavy-industry establishments were closed or scaled down in the last two decades because of environmental issues in the center of a highly urbanized area, and also because of decades-long lack of investment. Others were restructured and modernized. Wedged between a dozen of other cities, the population has been decreasing. The city character has been evolving towards the service economy
as new industrial development takes mostly place at the border of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
. The unemployment rate
is high (12.6% on 2007-12-31) but decreasing; the workforce is generally highly technically skilled.
Major industrial establishments are:
Three railway stations
on two major routes:
Air:
Public transport:
Nearby cities of Katowice
and Gliwice
are far larger academic centers than Chorzów.
The nationally known Silesian Central Park covers about 30% of the city area
and features:
Chorzów also features other notable nature areas, including:
Historically notable is the former club AKS Chorzów
.
Silesian Stadium is a home stadium for the Polish national football team
, and used for international football games and other events (for example, it has held the Speedway World Championship
s four times). It also hosts large music concerts, in 2007 it featured Red Hot Chili Peppers
and Genesis
.
In 2007, Chorzów became a part of Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
, effectively forming the largest legally recognized urban entity in Poland. The Latin word Silesia
seems to be the favourite candidate for the name of the new metropolis.
Chorzów (German Chorzow): The etymology of the name is not known. Chorzów is believed to be first mentioned as Zversov or Zuersov (u and v were written similar in Middle Ages
) in a document of 1136 by Pope Innocent II
as village with peasants, silver miners and two inns. Another place name likely indicating Chorzów is Coccham or Coccha, which is mentioned in a document of 1198 by the Patriarch of Jerusalem
, who awarded this place to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
. Next, Chorzów is mentioned as Chareu (Charev) in 1257 and then Charzow in 1292. The last name may originate from the personal name
Charz, short for Zachary and may mean Zachary's place. The a in the early names may have been later modified to the current pronunciation with o perhaps due to similarity to the common adjective
chory=ill and a presence of a hospital (which was moved in 1299 to Bytom
). Today, the place of the old village is a subdivision called Chorzów III or Chorzów Stary = the Old Chorzów.
Królewska Huta (German Königshütte): The industrial and residential settlement south-west of Chorzów constructed since 1797 around the Royal Coal Mine and Royal Iron Works was named Królewska Huta by the Poles or Königshütte by the Germans, both names meaning Royal Iron Works. As it was growing quickly this settlement was granted city status
in 1868. Today this neighbourhood is called Chorzów I or Chorzów-Miasto meaning Chorzów Centre.
Hajduki (German Heiduk): the name etymology is ambiguous and is interpreted as either (1) related to the German word for moorland
(German: die Heide), or (2) adopted from the German/Polish/Silesian term for hajduk
(s) (Polish (plural): Hajduki; German (singular): Heiduck), which locally meant bandits. The place was first mentioned in 1627 as Hejduk and shown on 18th century maps as "Ober Heiduk" and "Neider Heiduk" (i.e., Upper and Lower Heiduk). The later names Hajduki Wielkie and Nowe Hajduki mean Great Hajduks and New Hajduks, respectively. The two settlements were merged in 1903 and named after the Bismarck
Iron Works
Bismarckhütte. When the international borders shifted, the name of Bismarck was replaced with the name of the Polish king Batory
(so-chosen to preserve that initial "B", which appeared on an economically important local trademark). Today this city subdivision is called Chorzów IV or Chorzów-Batory.
, including the Chorzów area, belonged to the province of Kraków
. In 1179 it was awarded by Duke Casimir the Just
to the Duke of Opole
, and since that time the history of Chorzów has been connected to the history of Upper Silesia
(Duchy of Opole
).
The oldest part of the city, the village of Chorzów, today called Chorzów Stary, belonged since 1257 to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
. Already at that time silver and lead ores were mined nearby, later also the ores of iron. There is more documentation for 16th century developments.
From 1327, the Upper Silesian duchies were ruled by the dukes of the Piast dynasty
and were subject to Bohemian
overlordship. The Lands of the Bohemian Crown
elected Polish-Lituanian Jagiellon
s kings from 1490 and Austrian Habsburgs kings after 1526. In 1742, the area was conquered by the Prussian Hohenzollern
s in Silesian Wars
, setting the stage for the Prussian industrial might. The Prussian and then German period lasted for about 180 years and overlapped with the time of rapid industrialization.
deposits at the end of the 18th century by a local church
priest, new industrial sectors developed in the Chorzów area. In the years 1791–1797 the Prussian state-owned Royal Coal Mine was constructed (Kopalnia Król, Königsgrube, later renamed several times with the changing political winds). In 1799, first pig iron
was made in the Royal Iron Works (Królewska Huta, Königshütte). At the time, it was a pioneering industrial establishment of its kind in continental Europe
. In 1819 the iron works consisted of 4 blast furnace
s, producing 1,400 tons of pig-iron. In the 1800s the modern Lidognia Zinc Works was added in the area. In 1871 the iron works were taken over by the holding called Vereingte Königs- und Laurahütte AG
für Bergbau und Hüttenbetrieb, which added a steel mill
, rail mill and workshops. In the vicinity of the Royal Coal Mine, Countess Laura Coal Mine was opened in 1870, and by 1913–1914 coal production increased to 1 million tons a year. In 1898, a thermal power plant
was commissioned which was, until the 1930s, the biggest electricity producer in Poland with power of 100 MW (electrical). Today, it operates as "ELCHO". In 1915, nitrogen chemical works (Oberschlesische Stickstoffwerke) were built nearby to produce fertilizers and explosives by newly invented processes: from air, water and coal (see Haber-Bosch process
). Today, it operates as "Zakłady Azotowe SA".
to Świętochłowice and Mysłowice, in 1857 to Bytom
and till 1872 to all major cities in the Silesian region. Królewska Huta received city status in 1868 as part of Bytom
County, and in 1898 it was made a separate city-county
.
The population of Królewska Huta was increasing rapidly: from 19,500 inhabitants in 1870 to 72,600 in 1910. Among them 17,300 workers were employed in the industry (similar number for 1939). The population spoke mostly Silesian or German.
plant was started in 1889, the first such chemical plant
in what was to later become the Polish state. Today the company operates as "Zakłady Koksochemiczne Hajduki SA".
s. Karol Miarka was the editor of Polish books and newspapers including Katolik (The Catholic) published in Królewska Huta since 1868, Poradnik Gospodarski since 1879. He was also the founder of several organizations: Upper Silesian Union, Upper Silesian Peasants Union. Juliusz Ligoń was a Polish activist and poet.
a majority of 31,864 voters voted to remain in Germany while 10,764 votes were given for Poland Following three Silesian uprisings
, the eastern part of Silesia, including Chorzów and Królewska Huta, was separated from Germany and awarded to Poland
in 1922. Migrations of people followed. Because of its strategic value, the case of the nitrogen factory Oberschlesische Stickstoffwerke was argued for years before the Permanent Court of International Justice
, finally setting some new legal precedences on what is "just" in international relations. In 1934 the industrial communities of Chorzów, Królewska Huta and Nowe Hajduki were merged into one municipality with 81,000 inhabitants. The name of the oldest settlement Chorzów was given to the whole city. In April 1939 the settlement of Hajduki Wielkie with 30,000 inhabitants was added to Chorzów.
In part due to the German-Polish trade war
in the 1920s, the industry of Chorzów, a border city at that time, stagnated until 1933. In 1927, a division of Huta Piłsudski was separated into a company making rail cars, trams and bridges; today it operates as Alstom-Konstal
. The State Factory of Nitrogen Compounds
(Państwowa Fabryka Związków Azotowych) was in 1933 merged with a similar company (largely its copy) in Tarnów-Mościce
.
in September 1939, Chorzów was taken by Nazi Germany
. Polish irregulars, mainly Silesian uprising veterans and Scouts, put up resistance to the regular German forces for three days, most of them were murdered in mass executions. Polish property was confiscated, and Chorzów (with the balance of Polish Silesia) was promptly re-incorporated into German Silesia (Preußische Provinz Schlesien, from 1941 Oberschlesien); the Upper Silesian industry being one the pillars of the Nazi Germany war effort
. There were several enforced labor camp
s in Chorzów and, in years 1944–1945, two branches of the Auschwitz concentration camp
. Chorzów was occupied by Soviet Red Army
in January 1945 with the subsequent persecution of many ethnic Silesians and Germans.
bombing
, a Soviet Army enveloping maneuver
in January 1945, and perhaps Albert Speer
's slowness or refusal to implement the scorched earth
policy. This intact industry now played a critical role in the post-war reconstruction and industralization of Poland. After the war, businesses were nationalized and operated, with minor changes, till 1989. At the fall of communism
in 1989, the area was in decline. Since 1989, the region has been transitioning from heavy industry
to a more diverse economy. In 2007, Chorzów became a part of Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
, a voluntary union of a continuous chain of cities aimed at increasing the poor visibility of the area, improving its competitiveness, and modernizing the infrastructure.
In this period, the region experienced several waves of migrations, including those commencing in 1945 (to Germany and from Poland), in 1971 (to Germany), in 1982 (to Western countries
), and in 2005 (to other countries of the EU
).
Chorzów City
with:
Zlín
, Czech Republic
Iserlohn
, Germany
since 2004 Termoli
, Italy
Ózd
, Hungary
Creil
, France
Ternopil
, Ukraine
Associated with Chorzów:
.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
in southern Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, near Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
The Metropolitan Association of Upper Silesia or Upper Silesia Metroplex, Silesia Metroplex / Silesia Metroplex is a union of 14 adjacent cities in the Polish province of Silesia....
- a metropolis with a population of 2 million. It is located in the Silesian Highlands
Silesian Highlands
Silesian Highlands are highlands located in Silesia and Lesser Poland, Poland. It is the part of Lesser Poland Highlands Its highest point is the Mountain of St. Anne .-See also:...
, on the Rawa River
Rawa River
Rawa , older name Roździanka) is a minor river in Silesia, Poland. It is the largest right tributary of the Brynica, itself a tributary of the Przemsza, which in turn is a tributary of the Vistula. The entire length of the Rawa is within the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union...
(a tributary of the Vistula).
Administratively, Chorzów is in the Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian Voivodeship, or Silesia Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland, centering on the historic region known as Upper Silesia...
since 1999, previously Katowice Voivodeship
Katowice Voivodeship
Katowice Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by the Silesian Voivodeship...
, and before then, the Silesian Voivodeship. Chorzów is one of the cities of the 2.7 million conurbation - the Katowice urban area
Katowice urban area
The Katowice urban area, also known as the Upper Silesian urban area, is an urban area/conurbation in southern Poland. It is located in the Silesian Voivodeship and in a small part of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. The Katowice urban area is the largest urban area in Poland and one of the largest...
and within a greater Silesian metropolitan area
Silesian metropolitan area
The Upper Silesian metropolitan area is the metropolitan area in southern Poland and northeast Czech Republic, centered on the cities of Katowice and Ostrava in Silesia...
with the population of about 5,294,000 people The population within the city limits is 113,162 (June 2009).
Location
Chorzów is in the middle of the largest urban centerUrban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
in Poland. The recently (2007) formed Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
The Metropolitan Association of Upper Silesia or Upper Silesia Metroplex, Silesia Metroplex / Silesia Metroplex is a union of 14 adjacent cities in the Polish province of Silesia....
is the largest legally recognized urban entity in Poland with a population of 2 million.
Nine million people live within 100 km of Silesian Stadium in Chorzów. Six European capitals are located within 600 kilometres: Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
.
Climate
The average annual temperature in Chorzów is 7.9 °C (46 °F). The annual precipitation is 723 mm. Weak West winds (less than 2 m/s) prevail.Economy
Chorzów used to be one of the most important cities in the largest Polish economic area (the Upper Silesian Industry AreaUpper Silesian Industrial Region
The Upper Silesian Industrial Region is a large industrial region in Poland. It lies mainly in the Silesian Voivodeship, centered around Katowice....
) with extensive industry in coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
, steel, chemistry, manufacturing, and energy sectors. Many heavy-industry establishments were closed or scaled down in the last two decades because of environmental issues in the center of a highly urbanized area, and also because of decades-long lack of investment. Others were restructured and modernized. Wedged between a dozen of other cities, the population has been decreasing. The city character has been evolving towards the service economy
Service economy
Service economy can refer to one or both of two recent economic developments. One is the increased importance of the service sector in industrialized economies. Services account for a higher percentage of US GDP than 20 years ago...
as new industrial development takes mostly place at the border of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
The Metropolitan Association of Upper Silesia or Upper Silesia Metroplex, Silesia Metroplex / Silesia Metroplex is a union of 14 adjacent cities in the Polish province of Silesia....
. The unemployment rate
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
is high (12.6% on 2007-12-31) but decreasing; the workforce is generally highly technically skilled.
Major industrial establishments are:
- Huta Batory - steel
- Huta Kościuszko SA - steel
- Zakłady Chemiczne Hajduki SA - carbochemistryCarbochemistryCarbochemistry is the branch of chemistry that studies the transformation of coals into useful products and raw materials.-See also:* Petrochemistry* Coal* Coke * coal-gas* coal-tar...
- Zakłady Azotowe SAZakłady Azotowe KędzierzynZAK Spółka Akcyjna is a chemical company in Poland. ZAK produces nitrogen fertilizers , OXO alcohols , and phthalate plasticizers .In 2007, ZAK's consolidated sales revenue amounted to PLN...
- nitrogen fixationNitrogen fixationNitrogen fixation is the natural process, either biological or abiotic, by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into ammonia . This process is essential for life because fixed nitrogen is required to biosynthesize the basic building blocks of life, e.g., nucleotides for DNA and RNA and...
and methanolMethanolMethanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol... - Alstom-KonstalAlstomAlstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
- transport manufacturing and construction - KWK Polska Wirek, rejon Prezydent - coal mine
- ProLogis - logistics
- Messer - technical gases
Transport
Car:- Freeway A4: from German Autobahn A4 at GörlitzGörlitzGörlitz is a town in Germany. It is the easternmost town in the country, located on the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony. It is opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945. Historically, Görlitz was in the region of Upper Lusatia...
/ZgorzelecZgorzelecZgorzelec is a town in south-western Poland with 33,278 inhabitants . It lies in Lower Silesian Voivodeship . It is the seat of Zgorzelec County, and also of the smaller district of Gmina Zgorzelec...
to Wrocław-GliwiceGliwiceGliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
-Chorzów (Batory)-KatowiceKatowiceKatowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
-KrakówKrakówKraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
(and towards UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) - Express Route (DTŚDrogowa Trasa SrednicowaDrogowa Trasa Średnicowa is a highway in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. The DTŚ is entirely a divided highway, with a minimum of 3 lanes in each direction. It is one of the most important roads of the Upper Silesian Industrial Region...
): KatowiceKatowiceKatowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
-Chorzów-Ruda ŚląskaRuda SlaskaRuda Śląska is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. It is a district in the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, a metropolis with a population of 2 million. It is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Kłodnica river ....
-ZabrzeZabrzeZabrze is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is a metropolis with a population of around 2 million... - National Route DK79: KatowiceKatowiceKatowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
-Chorzów-BytomBytomBytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
Three railway stations
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
on two major routes:
- KatowiceKatowiceKatowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
-Chorzów Batory-GliwiceGliwiceGliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million... - KatowiceKatowiceKatowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
-Chorzów Batory-Chorzów Miasto-Chorzów Stary-BytomBytomBytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
Air:
- Katowice International AirportKatowice International AirportKatowice International Airport is an international airport, located in Pyrzowice, north of center of Katowice, Poland. The airport has third biggest passenger flow in Poland....
Public transport:
- Chorzów is well connected within the Upper Silesian Metropolitan UnionUpper Silesian Metropolitan UnionThe Metropolitan Association of Upper Silesia or Upper Silesia Metroplex, Silesia Metroplex / Silesia Metroplex is a union of 14 adjacent cities in the Polish province of Silesia....
with bus linesBusA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
and tram lines. Silesian InterurbansSilesian InterurbansSilesian Interurbans - one of the largest tram systems in the world has been in existence since 1894. The system is spread over more than 50 kilometres and covers thirteen towns in the Upper Silesia metropolitan area and their suburbs Silesian Interurbans - one of the largest tram (streetcar)...
is one of the largest streetcar systems in the world, in existence since 1894. The system spreads for more than 50 kilometres (east-west) and covers the following cities: Będzin, Bytom, Chorzów, Czeladź, Dąbrowa GórniczaDabrowa GórniczaDąbrowa Górnicza is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, nearby Katowice. The north-east district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of almost 3 millions...
, Gliwice, Katowice, Mysłowice, Ruda Śląska, Siemianowice ŚląskieSiemianowice SlaskieSiemianowice Śląskie aka Siemianowice ; is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions...
, Sosnowiec, Świętochłowice, and Zabrze.
Higher education
Within the city limits of Chorzów:- Uniwerystet Śląski (University of SilesiaUniversity of SilesiaThe University of Silesia in Katowice is an autonomous state university in Silesia Province, Poland.The University of Silesia should not be confused with a similarly named university in Opava, Czech Republic ....
, two faculties) - Górnośląska Wyższa Szkoła Pedagogiczna (Upper-Silesian Teachers College)
- Górnośląska Wyższa Szkoła Przedsiębiorczości im. Karola Goduli (Karl GodullaKarl GodullaKarl Godulla, Carolus Godulla, in Polish spelled Karol Godula was a Silesian self-made industrialist , and one of the best-known pioneers in the industrial development of Prussian Silesia.-Life:Godulla grew up in modest...
Upper-Silesian Higher Business School) - Wyższa Szkoła Bankowa w Poznaniu, Wydział Zamiejscowy w Chorzowie (Higher Bank School of Poznań)
- Śląska Wyższa Szkoła Informatyki (Silesian Higher School of Information Technology)
- Numerous general and technical high schools
Nearby cities of Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
and Gliwice
Gliwice
Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
are far larger academic centers than Chorzów.
Silesian Central Park and nature
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
and features:
- Silesian Zoological GardenSilesian Zoological GardenSilesian Zoological Garden is a zoological garden in Poland. It was founded in 1954 and is situated in the Katowice and Chorzów districts of Silesia. It covers over 47.6 ha within the Silesian Central Park....
- Silesian Stadium, the largest sports stadium in Poland
- Planetarium and Astronomical ObservatorySilesian PlanetariumThe Silesian Planetarium also Silesian Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory is the largest and oldest planetarium in Poland. It was founded on 4 December 1955 to commemorate the great astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus...
- A large rose-exhibition garden (7 hectares, 385 varieties of roses)
- Amusement grounds
- Longest European cable line railway "Elka"
- Upper Silesian Ethnographic ParkUpper Silesian Ethnographic ParkThe Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park or Górnośląski Park Etnograficzny is an open-air museum in Chorzów, Poland. It is referred to as a skansen, stemming from the first open air museum of its kind, the Skansen in Stockholm, Sweden. The area of the park is 25 hectare.The museum presents a range of...
- International Exhibition GroundsKatowice International FairKatowice International Fair is an international trade fair in Katowice and one of the largest in Poland...
(Międzynarodowe Targi Katowickie) - A swimming-poolSwimming poolA swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
complex - A water sports center
- A tennis courtTennis courtA tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
complex - Lots of green area
Chorzów also features other notable nature areas, including:
- nature-landscape protected area "Żabie DołyŻabie DołyŻabie Doły is a nature and landscape protected area in Silesia, Poland. The Żabie Doły complex is located entirely within the Upper Silesian Metropolis and encompasses land heavily altered by human activity. The protected area covers 2.262 km² . At Żabie Doły, 129 species of birds have been...
" (at the border with Bytom and Piekary ŚląskiePiekary SlaskiePiekary Śląskie is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The north district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 million...
), - nature-landscape protected area of "Uroczysko Buczyna" (at the border with Katowice and Ruda Śląska),
- aquatic complex "Amelung".
Sports
Clubs:- Ruch ChorzówRuch ChorzówRuch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
- a renowned men football team (14 time national champion, 3 time winner of the Polish CupPolish CupThe Polish Cup in football or officially Remes Puchar Polski, is an elimination tournament for Polish football clubs, held continuously from 1950, and is the second most important national title in Polish football after the Ekstraklasa title...
), and female handballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
team (9 time national champion). - Alba Echo Chorzów - men's basketball teamBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
(2nd division) - SCS Sokół Chorzów - women's volleyball team (B division, 6th place in 2003/2004)
- Clearex Chorzów - 5-player football teamFootball teamA football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
(Polish Cup winner, 1st division, 2nd in 2003/2004)
Historically notable is the former club AKS Chorzów
AKS Chorzów
AKS Chorzów is a sports club in based in Chorzów, Poland. It is one of the earliest sports organizations in Upper Silesia and is still well-known nationally for its football and handball teams...
.
Silesian Stadium is a home stadium for the Polish national football team
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
, and used for international football games and other events (for example, it has held the Speedway World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
s four times). It also hosts large music concerts, in 2007 it featured Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
and Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
.
City name
The city of Chorzów was formed in 1934-1939 by a merger of 4 adjacent cities: Chorzów, Królewska Huta, Nowe Hajduki and Hajduki Wielkie. The name of the oldest settlement Chorzów was applied to the amalgamated city.In 2007, Chorzów became a part of Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
The Metropolitan Association of Upper Silesia or Upper Silesia Metroplex, Silesia Metroplex / Silesia Metroplex is a union of 14 adjacent cities in the Polish province of Silesia....
, effectively forming the largest legally recognized urban entity in Poland. The Latin word Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
seems to be the favourite candidate for the name of the new metropolis.
Chorzów (German Chorzow): The etymology of the name is not known. Chorzów is believed to be first mentioned as Zversov or Zuersov (u and v were written similar in Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
) in a document of 1136 by Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II
Pope Innocent II , born Gregorio Papareschi, was pope from 1130 to 1143, and was probably one of the clergy in personal attendance on the antipope Clement III .-Early years:...
as village with peasants, silver miners and two inns. Another place name likely indicating Chorzów is Coccham or Coccha, which is mentioned in a document of 1198 by the Patriarch of Jerusalem
Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem
The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem is the head bishop of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, ranking fourth of nine Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Since 2005, the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem has been Theophilos III...
, who awarded this place to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
. Next, Chorzów is mentioned as Chareu (Charev) in 1257 and then Charzow in 1292. The last name may originate from the personal name
Personal name
A personal name is the proper name identifying an individual person, and today usually comprises a given name bestowed at birth or at a young age plus a surname. It is nearly universal for a human to have a name; except in rare cases, for example feral children growing up in isolation, or infants...
Charz, short for Zachary and may mean Zachary's place. The a in the early names may have been later modified to the current pronunciation with o perhaps due to similarity to the common adjective
Proper adjective
In English usage, a proper adjective is an adjective that takes an initial capital letter. A common adjective is an adjective that is not a proper adjective...
chory=ill and a presence of a hospital (which was moved in 1299 to Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
). Today, the place of the old village is a subdivision called Chorzów III or Chorzów Stary = the Old Chorzów.
Królewska Huta (German Königshütte): The industrial and residential settlement south-west of Chorzów constructed since 1797 around the Royal Coal Mine and Royal Iron Works was named Królewska Huta by the Poles or Königshütte by the Germans, both names meaning Royal Iron Works. As it was growing quickly this settlement was granted city status
Town privileges
Town privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
in 1868. Today this neighbourhood is called Chorzów I or Chorzów-Miasto meaning Chorzów Centre.
Hajduki (German Heiduk): the name etymology is ambiguous and is interpreted as either (1) related to the German word for moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
(German: die Heide), or (2) adopted from the German/Polish/Silesian term for hajduk
Hajduk
Hajduk is a term most commonly referring to outlaws, highwaymen or freedom fighters in the Balkans, Central- and Eastern Europe....
(s) (Polish (plural): Hajduki; German (singular): Heiduck), which locally meant bandits. The place was first mentioned in 1627 as Hejduk and shown on 18th century maps as "Ober Heiduk" and "Neider Heiduk" (i.e., Upper and Lower Heiduk). The later names Hajduki Wielkie and Nowe Hajduki mean Great Hajduks and New Hajduks, respectively. The two settlements were merged in 1903 and named after the Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
Iron Works
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
Bismarckhütte. When the international borders shifted, the name of Bismarck was replaced with the name of the Polish king Batory
Báthory
The Báthory were a Hungarian noble family of the Gutkeled clan. The family rose to significant influence in Central Europe during the late Middle Ages, holding high military, administrative and ecclesiastical positions in the Kingdom of Hungary...
(so-chosen to preserve that initial "B", which appeared on an economically important local trademark). Today this city subdivision is called Chorzów IV or Chorzów-Batory.
Village of Chorzów
In the 12 century, the castellany of BytomBytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
, including the Chorzów area, belonged to the province of Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. In 1179 it was awarded by Duke Casimir the Just
Casimir II the Just
Casimir II the Just was a Lesser Polish duke at Wiślica during 1166–1173, and at Sandomierz since 1173. He became ruler over the Polish Seniorate Province at Kraków and thereby High Duke of Poland in 1177; a position he held until his death, interrupted once by his elder brother and predecessor...
to the Duke of Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
, and since that time the history of Chorzów has been connected to the history of Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
(Duchy of Opole
Duchy of Opole
Duchy of Opole was one of the duchies of Silesia ruled by the Piast dynasty. Its capital was Opole in Upper Silesia.After Bolesław I the Tall and his younger brother Mieszko I Tanglefoot backed by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa had retained their Silesian heritage in 1163, they divided the...
).
The oldest part of the city, the village of Chorzów, today called Chorzów Stary, belonged since 1257 to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
. Already at that time silver and lead ores were mined nearby, later also the ores of iron. There is more documentation for 16th century developments.
From 1327, the Upper Silesian duchies were ruled by the dukes of the Piast dynasty
Piast dynasty
The Piast dynasty was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. It began with the semi-legendary Piast Kołodziej . The first historical ruler was Duke Mieszko I . The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir the Great...
and were subject to Bohemian
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
overlordship. The Lands of the Bohemian Crown
Lands of the Bohemian Crown
The Lands of the Bohemian Crown , also called the Lands of the Crown of Saint Wenceslas or simply the Bohemian Crown or Czech Crown lands , refers to the area connected by feudal relations under the joint rule of the Bohemian kings...
elected Polish-Lituanian Jagiellon
Jagiellon dynasty
The Jagiellonian dynasty was a royal dynasty originating from the Lithuanian House of Gediminas dynasty that reigned in Central European countries between the 14th and 16th century...
s kings from 1490 and Austrian Habsburgs kings after 1526. In 1742, the area was conquered by the Prussian Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
s in Silesian Wars
Silesian Wars
The Silesian Wars were a series of wars between Prussia and Austria for control of Silesia. They formed parts of the larger War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War. They eventually ended with Silesia being incorporated into Prussia, and Austrian recognition of this...
, setting the stage for the Prussian industrial might. The Prussian and then German period lasted for about 180 years and overlapped with the time of rapid industrialization.
Royal iron works, coal mines and chemistry
With the discovery of bituminous coalBituminous coal
Bituminous coal or black coal is a relatively soft coal containing a tarlike substance called bitumen. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than Anthracite...
deposits at the end of the 18th century by a local church
Local church
A local church is a Christian congregation of members and clergy.Local church may also refer to:* Local churches , a Christian group based on the teachings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, and associated with the Living Stream Ministry publishing house.* Parish church, a local church united with...
priest, new industrial sectors developed in the Chorzów area. In the years 1791–1797 the Prussian state-owned Royal Coal Mine was constructed (Kopalnia Król, Königsgrube, later renamed several times with the changing political winds). In 1799, first pig iron
Pig iron
Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel...
was made in the Royal Iron Works (Królewska Huta, Königshütte). At the time, it was a pioneering industrial establishment of its kind in continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
. In 1819 the iron works consisted of 4 blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
s, producing 1,400 tons of pig-iron. In the 1800s the modern Lidognia Zinc Works was added in the area. In 1871 the iron works were taken over by the holding called Vereingte Königs- und Laurahütte AG
Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland...
für Bergbau und Hüttenbetrieb, which added a steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
, rail mill and workshops. In the vicinity of the Royal Coal Mine, Countess Laura Coal Mine was opened in 1870, and by 1913–1914 coal production increased to 1 million tons a year. In 1898, a thermal power plant
Thermal power station
A thermal power station is a power plant in which the prime mover is steam driven. Water is heated, turns into steam and spins a steam turbine which drives an electrical generator. After it passes through the turbine, the steam is condensed in a condenser and recycled to where it was heated; this...
was commissioned which was, until the 1930s, the biggest electricity producer in Poland with power of 100 MW (electrical). Today, it operates as "ELCHO". In 1915, nitrogen chemical works (Oberschlesische Stickstoffwerke) were built nearby to produce fertilizers and explosives by newly invented processes: from air, water and coal (see Haber-Bosch process
Haber process
The Haber process, also called the Haber–Bosch process, is the nitrogen fixation reaction of nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas, over an enriched iron or ruthenium catalyst, which is used to industrially produce ammonia....
). Today, it operates as "Zakłady Azotowe SA".
Królewska Huta: from village to city
Settlements grew near the new coal and iron works. Since 1797, one group of settlements was called Königshütte (Królewska Huta in Polish) after the iron works. In 1846 Królewska Huta received a railway trackRail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
to Świętochłowice and Mysłowice, in 1857 to Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
and till 1872 to all major cities in the Silesian region. Królewska Huta received city status in 1868 as part of Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
County, and in 1898 it was made a separate city-county
Consolidated city-county
In United States local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
.
The population of Królewska Huta was increasing rapidly: from 19,500 inhabitants in 1870 to 72,600 in 1910. Among them 17,300 workers were employed in the industry (similar number for 1939). The population spoke mostly Silesian or German.
Hajduki Wielkie suburb
In the village of Hajduki Wielkie, just south of Chorzów and Królewska Huta, Bismarck Iron Works (Bismarckhütte), were opened in 1872, later called Bathory Iron Works (Huta Batory). A large carbochemicalCarbochemistry
Carbochemistry is the branch of chemistry that studies the transformation of coals into useful products and raw materials.-See also:* Petrochemistry* Coal* Coke * coal-gas* coal-tar...
plant was started in 1889, the first such chemical plant
Chemical plant
A chemical plant is an industrial process plant that manufactures chemicals, usually on a large scale. The general objective of a chemical plant is to create new material wealth via the chemical or biological transformation and or separation of materials. Chemical plants use special equipment,...
in what was to later become the Polish state. Today the company operates as "Zakłady Koksochemiczne Hajduki SA".
Polish minority
Towards the end of 19 century, Chorzów experienced a revival of Polish national feelings. Ethnic tensions were mixed with the religious and class conflictClass struggle
Class struggle is the active expression of a class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The [written] history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle"....
s. Karol Miarka was the editor of Polish books and newspapers including Katolik (The Catholic) published in Królewska Huta since 1868, Poradnik Gospodarski since 1879. He was also the founder of several organizations: Upper Silesian Union, Upper Silesian Peasants Union. Juliusz Ligoń was a Polish activist and poet.
In Poland (1922–1939)
In the Upper Silesia plebisciteUpper Silesia plebiscite
The Upper Silesia plebiscite was a border referendum mandated by the Versailles Treaty and carried out in March 1921 to determine a section of the border between Weimar Germany and Poland. The region was ethnically mixed, chiefly among Germans, Poles and Silesians. According to prewar statistics,...
a majority of 31,864 voters voted to remain in Germany while 10,764 votes were given for Poland Following three Silesian uprisings
Silesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed uprisings of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919–1921, against German rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I...
, the eastern part of Silesia, including Chorzów and Królewska Huta, was separated from Germany and awarded to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in 1922. Migrations of people followed. Because of its strategic value, the case of the nitrogen factory Oberschlesische Stickstoffwerke was argued for years before the Permanent Court of International Justice
Permanent Court of International Justice
The Permanent Court of International Justice, often called the World Court, was an international court attached to the League of Nations. Created in 1922 , the Court was initially met with a good reaction from states and academics alike, with many cases submitted to it for its first decade of...
, finally setting some new legal precedences on what is "just" in international relations. In 1934 the industrial communities of Chorzów, Królewska Huta and Nowe Hajduki were merged into one municipality with 81,000 inhabitants. The name of the oldest settlement Chorzów was given to the whole city. In April 1939 the settlement of Hajduki Wielkie with 30,000 inhabitants was added to Chorzów.
In part due to the German-Polish trade war
Trade war
A trade war refers to two or more states raising or creating tariffs or other trade barriers on each other in retaliation for other trade barriers...
in the 1920s, the industry of Chorzów, a border city at that time, stagnated until 1933. In 1927, a division of Huta Piłsudski was separated into a company making rail cars, trams and bridges; today it operates as Alstom-Konstal
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
. The State Factory of Nitrogen Compounds
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
(Państwowa Fabryka Związków Azotowych) was in 1933 merged with a similar company (largely its copy) in Tarnów-Mościce
Tarnów
Tarnów is a city in southeastern Poland with 115,341 inhabitants as of June 2009. The city has been situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999, but from 1975 to 1998 it was the capital of the Tarnów Voivodeship. It is a major rail junction, located on the strategic east-west connection...
.
German period during World War II (1939–1945)
On the day of the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in September 1939, Chorzów was taken by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. Polish irregulars, mainly Silesian uprising veterans and Scouts, put up resistance to the regular German forces for three days, most of them were murdered in mass executions. Polish property was confiscated, and Chorzów (with the balance of Polish Silesia) was promptly re-incorporated into German Silesia (Preußische Provinz Schlesien, from 1941 Oberschlesien); the Upper Silesian industry being one the pillars of the Nazi Germany war effort
War effort
In politics and military planning, a war effort refers to a coordinated mobilization of society's resources—both industrial and human—towards the support of a military force...
. There were several enforced labor camp
Labor camp
A labor camp is a simplified detention facility where inmates are forced to engage in penal labor. Labor camps have many common aspects with slavery and with prisons...
s in Chorzów and, in years 1944–1945, two branches of the Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. Chorzów was occupied by Soviet Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
in January 1945 with the subsequent persecution of many ethnic Silesians and Germans.
After 1945
At the end of World War II, Chorzów (with the balance of Silesia) was re-incorporated into Poland. Generally, the Chorzów industry suffered little damage during World War II due to its inaccessibility to AlliedAllies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
bombing
Strategic bombing during World War II
Strategic bombing during World War II is a term which refers to all aerial bombardment of a strategic nature between 1939 and 1945 involving any nations engaged in World War II...
, a Soviet Army enveloping maneuver
Pincer movement
The pincer movement or double envelopment is a military maneuver. The flanks of the opponent are attacked simultaneously in a pinching motion after the opponent has advanced towards the center of an army which is responding by moving its outside forces to the enemy's flanks, in order to surround it...
in January 1945, and perhaps Albert Speer
Albert Speer
Albert Speer, born Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer, was a German architect who was, for a part of World War II, Minister of Armaments and War Production for the Third Reich. Speer was Adolf Hitler's chief architect before assuming ministerial office...
's slowness or refusal to implement the scorched earth
Scorched earth
A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area...
policy. This intact industry now played a critical role in the post-war reconstruction and industralization of Poland. After the war, businesses were nationalized and operated, with minor changes, till 1989. At the fall of communism
Revolutions of 1989
The Revolutions of 1989 were the revolutions which overthrew the communist regimes in various Central and Eastern European countries.The events began in Poland in 1989, and continued in Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and...
in 1989, the area was in decline. Since 1989, the region has been transitioning from heavy industry
Heavy industry
Heavy industry does not have a single fixed meaning as compared to light industry. It can mean production of products which are either heavy in weight or in the processes leading to their production. In general, it is a popular term used within the name of many Japanese and Korean firms, meaning...
to a more diverse economy. In 2007, Chorzów became a part of Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union
The Metropolitan Association of Upper Silesia or Upper Silesia Metroplex, Silesia Metroplex / Silesia Metroplex is a union of 14 adjacent cities in the Polish province of Silesia....
, a voluntary union of a continuous chain of cities aimed at increasing the poor visibility of the area, improving its competitiveness, and modernizing the infrastructure.
In this period, the region experienced several waves of migrations, including those commencing in 1945 (to Germany and from Poland), in 1971 (to Germany), in 1982 (to Western countries
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
), and in 2005 (to other countries of the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
).
Historical population
Królewska Huta City- 1870: 19,500 inhabitants
- 1910: 72,600 inhabitants
Chorzów City
- 1934: 110,000 inhabitants
- 1939: 127,000 inhabitants
- 1960: 146,600 inhabitants
- 1970: 151,900 inhabitants
- 1975: 156,300 inhabitants
- 1980: 150,100 inhabitants
- 1990: 131,900 inhabitants
- 1995: 125,800 inhabitants
- 1998: 123,000 inhabitants
- 2002: 117,430 inhabitants
Twin towns — sister cities
Chorzów is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
Iserlohn
Iserlohn
Iserlohn is a city in the Märkischer Kreis district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest city by population and area within the district and the Sauerland region.-Geography:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
since 2004 Termoli
Termoli
Termoli is a town and comune on the Adriatic coast of Italy, in the province of Campobasso, region of Molise. It has a population of around 32,000, having expanded quickly after World War II, and it is a local resort town known for its beaches and old fortifications...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Ózd
Ózd
Ózd is a city in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary, away from county seat Miskolc. Ózd is the second largest city of the county.-History:The area has been inhabited since ancient times. The village Ózd was mentioned first in 1272...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Creil
Creil
Creil is a large town in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-History:Archaeological remains in the area include a Neolithic site, as well as a late Iron Age necropolis, perhaps belonging to a Gaulish fortress or protected camp.The city itself...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Ternopil
Ternopil
Ternopil , is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical region of Galicia...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
People
Born in Chorzów:- Kurt AlderKurt AlderKurt Alder was a German chemist and Nobel laureate.-Biography:Alder was born in the industrial area of Königshütte, Silesia , where he received his early schooling...
(1902-1958) - German chemist, Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in chemistry - August FroehlichAugust FroehlichAugust Froehlich was a German Roman Catholic priest. In his pastoral activity he opposed National Socialism. He stood up for rights of German Catholics and of Polish forced labourers, martyred in Dachau concentration camp....
(1891-1942) - German Roman Catholic priest, member of the resistance against Nazism and martyr - Franz WaxmanFranz WaxmanFranz Waxman was a German-American composer, known for his bravura Carmen Fantasie for violin and orchestra, based on musical themes from the Bizet opera Carmen, and for his musical scores for films....
- American composer - Wlasyslaw Pilars de PilarPilars de PilarWładysław Baron Pilars de Pilar was a Polish poet and a literature professor at the Warsaw University. He was a son of Edward Gustaw Pilars , an accountant in Adolf Gottlieb Fiedler's cloth factory, and Ewa Grzankowska...
- Polish poet and entrepreneur - Ryszard RiedelRyszard RiedelRyszard Henryk Riedel – was the original lead singer of blues-rock band Dżem . He is often regarded as one of the most popular and well known vocalist of Polish music along with occasional collaborator Czesław Niemen...
- blues-rockBlues-rockBlues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
vocalist - Karolina Gluck - Polish victim of the 7/77 July 2005 London bombingsThe 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
Bombing in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on July 7, 2005 (killed on the Number 30 bus at Tavistock squareTavistock SquareTavistock Square is a public square in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden with a fine garden.-Public art:The centre-piece of the gardens is a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, which was installed in 1968....
) - Hanna SchygullaHanna SchygullaHanna Schygulla is a German actress and chanson singer. She is generally considered the most prominent German actress of the New German Cinema.-Life and career:Schygulla was born in Königshütte, Upper Silesia,...
- German actress and chanson singer - Walter MixaWalter Mixathumb|Walter Mixa Walter Johannes Mixa is a German Catholic priest, and Bishop Emeritus of Augsburg and Ordinary Emeritus of the Bundeswehr. He resigned as Bishop of Augsburg in 2010 due to allegations of fraud and violence towards children who had been in his care.- Biography :Mixa was born in...
(born 1941), Bishop of AugsburgBishop of AugsburgThe Bishop of Augsburg is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Augsburg in the Ecclesiastical province of München und Freising.The diocese covers an area of 13,250 km².The current bishop is Konrad Zdarsa who was appointed in 2010....
and military Bishop of the BundeswehrBundeswehrThe Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities... - Theodor Kotulla - German filmCinema of GermanyCinema in Germany can be traced back to the late 19th century. German cinema has made major technical and artistic contributions to film.Unlike any other national cinemas, which developed in the context of relatively continuous and stable political systems, Germany witnesses major changes to its...
director - Olgierd Łukaszewicz - Polish actor
- Helga MolanderHelga MolanderHelga Molander, born as Ruth Werner on 19 March 1896 in Königshütte, Silesia, Germany , died in 1986, was a German actress and mother of Hans Eysenck.-Life:...
- German actress, and mother of Hans EysenckHans EysenckHans Jürgen Eysenck was a German-British psychologist who spent most of his career in Britain, best remembered for his work on intelligence and personality, though he worked in a wide range of areas... - Günther RittauGünther RittauGünther Rittau was a German camera operator and film director.After study of science in Berlin, Rittau started his career in 1919 at the documentary-film department of Decla, later at Universum Film AG. He learned the job of camera operator "on the side". From 1924, he was active as a feature...
- German cameraman and film directorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:... - Antoni PiechniczekAntoni PiechniczekAntoni Piechniczek is a retired Polish football player and a football manager. Since 2007 he is a Polish senator.- Player career :...
- Polish soccer coach (lead twice the national team at World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
) - Tino Schwierzina - German politician
- Oskar SeidlinOskar SeidlinOskar Seidlin ; German-born American literary scholar, poet, and writer of children’s stories. He is also said to have co‑authored several detective novels or Kriminalromane in collaboration with Dieter Cunz and Richard Plant under the collective pen‑name of Stefan Brockhoff.Born Oskar Koplowitz...
- American scholar - Gerard CieślikGerard CieslikGerard Cieślik , also known as Gienek, is a former football player of Ruch Wielkie Hajduki ....
- Polish soccer superstar - Reinhard Appel - German journalist
- Mirosław Breguła - Polish vocalist, guitarist, composer and founder of Polish musicMusic of PolandArtists from Poland, including famous composers like Chopin or Lutosławski and traditional, regionalized folk musicians, create a lively and diverse music scene, which even recognizes its own music genres, such as poezja śpiewana.- Beginning :...
group UniverseUniverseThe Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature... - Paul MrossPaul MrossPaul Mross was a Polish–German chess master.-Biography:...
or Paweł Mróz - Polish and German chess player - Friedrich WeißlerFriedrich WeißlerFriedrich Weißler was a German lawyer. He belonged to the Christian resistance against National Socialism.- Biography :...
- lawyer - Gerard WodarzGerard WodarzGerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
, Polish soccer star of the interbellum period, - Leonard PiątekLeonard PiatekLeonard Franciszek Piątek was a Polish football player of Upper Silesian origin who played in the interwar period....
, Polish soccer star of the interbellum period. - Adam TaubitzAdam TaubitzAdam Taubitz is a German jazz and classic musician, violinist, trumpeter, guitarist bandleader, and composer. From 1997 he was Principal 2nd Violinist in the Berlin Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado...
, German jazz and classic musician. - Janusz MichallikJanusz MichallikJanusz Michallik is a retired Polish-American football defender and current soccer coach and television sports commentator.-Youth:...
, former AmericanUnited States men's national soccer teamThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
national team soccer player, currently a commentator for ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Associated with Chorzów:
- Friedrich Wilhelm von RedenFriedrich Wilhelm von RedenFriedrich Wilhelm von Reden was a German pioneer in mining and metallurgy. He was born in Hamelin in the Electorate of Hanover and died in Michelsdorf in Prussian Silesia.- Life :...
(1752–1815) German pioneer in mining - John BaildonJohn BaildonJohn Baildon was a Scottish pioneer in metallurgy in continental Europe.Baildon was born in Larbert, Stirlingshire. In 1793, he came to Prussian Silesia on the invitation of Friedrich von Reden...
(1772–1846) Scottish pioneer in metallurgy - Adolph Menzel (1815–1905) German artist
- Ignacy MościckiIgnacy MoscickiIgnacy Mościcki was a Polish chemist, politician, and President of Poland . He was the longest-serving President of Poland .-Life:...
(1867–1946) Polish chemist and then President of PolandPresident of the Republic of PolandThe President of the Republic of Poland is the Polish head of state. His or her rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Poland.... - Fritz HaberFritz HaberFritz Haber was a German chemist, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1918 for his development for synthesizing ammonia, important for fertilizers and explosives. Haber, along with Max Born, proposed the Born–Haber cycle as a method for evaluating the lattice energy of an ionic solid...
(1868–1934) German chemist - Eugeniusz KwiatkowskiEugeniusz KwiatkowskiEugeniusz Kwiatkowski was a Polish politician and economist, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, government minister and manager of the Second Polish Republic....
(1888–1974) eminent Polish economist and politician - Joe WickhamJoe WickhamJoe Wickham was the General Secretary of the Football Association of Ireland from the 1930s until his death in 1968 at the age of 78. He took over from Jack Ryder in 1936, having previously worked as a supervisor in the coach-building workshop in the Broadstone depot of the Midland Great Western...
(1890–1968) Irish sportsperson - Ernest Wilimowski (1916–1997) Silesian soccer star
- Jerzy BuzekJerzy BuzekJerzy Karol Buzek is a Polish engineer, academic lecturer and politician who was the ninth post-Cold War Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001...
(1940- ) Prime minister of Poland, President of the European Parliament
Accident
On 28 January 2006, a roof collapsed at an exhibition hall, killing 65 people. See Trade hall roof collapse in Katowice, PolandKatowice Trade Hall roof collapse
On 28 January 2006, the roof of one of the buildings at Katowice International Fair collapsed in Chorzów / Katowice, Poland....
.
Further reading
- J. Janas, Historia Kopalni Król w Chorzowie 1871-1945, Katowice 1962
- A. Stasiak, Miasto Królewska Huta. Zarys rozwoju społeczno-gospodarczego i przestrzennego w latach 1869-1914, Warszawa 1962
- J. Surowiński, 75 lat Zakładów Koksochemicznych Hajduki 1888-1963, Warszawa 1963
- L. Pakuła, Chorzów, [in:] Encyklopedia Historii Gospodarczej Polski do 1945, Warszawa 1981
- Chorzów, [in:] J.Bochiński, J.Zawadzki, Polska. Nowy podział terytorialny, przewodnik encyklopedyczny, Warszawa 1999