Although the last ton of coal from any active coal mine in Zagłębie was extracted over a year ago, the history of the past two hundred years in this area is mainly the history of mining.
Text: Tomasz Grząślewicz, Photos: Radek Struzik , Photoeditor: Rafał Opalski
On Saturday, June 18, we went on a guided tour to discover some of its traces, which are numerous here: starting from proper names, through post-mining facilities, topography of a forest, ending with residential and public utility buildings. Please see the photo coverage of a trip in the shadow of coal on the route Ostrowy Górnicze – Kazimierz Górniczy – Zagórze, during which we also met a former Home Army soldier and a scout leader.
Organisers:
Sosnowiec – Centrum Informacji Miejskiej (City Information Centre) and PTTK in Sosnowiec (Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society).
Guide: Artur Ptasiński. Special guests: scout leader Krystyna Narska and Home Army soldier, Captain Mieczysław Klein, Eng.
Photo coverage
Former Community House (Dom Ludowy), currently known as Alicja

Our tour began in the courtyard of “Alicja”, former Community House built in 1903 in Niemce, that is, a current district of Sosnowiec known under the name of Ostrowy Górnicze. View of a former house for clerks from a window in “Alicja”

One of the guests of honour was Captain Mieczysław Klein, a Home Army soldier during WWII

Former Community House. Entrance to “Alicja”, once the central location of the mining village of Niemce (the name of Ostrowy Górnicze until 1948)

The present design of the Ballroom was inspired by the works of Józef Mehoffer, a leading representative of Młoda Polska (Young Poland) modernist movement

Mehoffer’s style was characterised by decorative lines and colours, rich range of colours, passion for gildings and ornaments, as well as introduction of folk and symbolic motifs

Mr Mieczysław Klein remembered his first stay at ‘Alicja’ 84 years ago, when he fell asleep during a kinder party at the age of 4

Cpt. Mieczysław Klein is currently the President of the District Circle of the World Union of Home Army

During its over 100 years of history, Community House has served as an inn, library, theatre stage, ballroom, cinema, scouts headquarters and even a mangle. The balls would take place here every Sunday, with the dancing circle located outside the building

Alicja’ is one of the most prominent examples of Zakopane style in architecture outside the Polish highland region of Podhale. It was built in 1903, when the highlander architecture was a contender for the title of Polish national art.

View from the area near ‘Alicja’ towards school buildings erected by the Warsaw Society of Coal Mines and Metallurgical Plants
Ostrowy Górnicze

During WWII, Captain Mieczysław Klein worked for the Bureau of Information and Propaganda of the Home Army (ul. Z. Waltera-Janke, Ostrowy Górnicze)

Former hospital built by the Warsaw Society of Coal Mines and Metallurgical Plants, currently a branch of Municipal Public Library in Sosnowiec

Former hospital building (currently a library). Due to the infrastructure, before WWII Niemce was a more important location than the nearby Kazimierz. It held the office of the Management of the Warsaw Society of Coal Mines and Metallurgical Plants, as well as a hospital, school and Community House established by the Society

Plaque on the building shows that Ostrowy Górnicze is apparently located 282 metres above the Baltic Sea level

Mine director’s villa with certain elements of the national style, in 1912-1937 the home of the General Director of the Warsaw Society of Coal Mines and Metallurgical Plants, Witold Sągajłło

Mr Mieczysław Klein remembered Kazimierz Coal Mine Orchestra, which would practise in the park in Kazimierz under bandmaster Piotr Milewski

Rev. Franciszek Piwowarski brought the church door from Kraków thanks to his acquaintance with a well-known Polish architect and promotor of knowledge about art, Prof. Wiktor Zin

The Church of Our Lady of Unwearying Help in Ostrowy Górnicze, a district of Sosnowiec, built in 1987-2002

Tenement house which held a Jewish house of prayer. The Jewish community in Niemce was small but wealthy. They were a part of the Jewish religious community in Strzemieszyce, whereas the burials took place at the cemetry in Krzykawka. During WWII, the Jewish inhabitants of Niemce were moved to the ghetto in Strzemieszyce. Only few of them survived the war

Long before Facebook, messages would be sent by horseback mail service. The former seat of Postriders

During the march towards Kazimierz, our guide contacted an inhabitant of the house which, as it turned out, used to be a locksmith workshop providing manufacturing and repair services for the coal mine, and then during the war, a foundry melting non-ferrous metals for German wartime production. Interestingly, our interlocutor’s father was a participant of the Third Silesian Uprising in 1921
KWK Kazimierz-Juliusz

Chapel in the meeting hall of “KWK Kazimierz-Juliusz” coal mine with the statue of St. Barbara, the Patron Saint of Mining. On the right, there is a trolley with the last ton of extracted coal.

Chapel in the meeting hall of “KWK Kazimierz-Juliusz” coal mine. The inscriptions on the cross say: “Pray. Trust me. Do your thing.”
Kazimierz

Inside Miejski Dom Kultury Kazimierz (Municipal Cultural Centre Kazimierz), which was established 50 years ago as a coal mine cultural centre

Leśna Park, currently known as Jacek Kuroń Park. One of the most charming and diverse leisure centres in the city. It was funded by “KWK Kazimierz-Juliusz” coal mine, and built with the participation of miners and inhabitants of Kazimierz over the period of several years

Leśna Park, currently known as Jacek Kuroń Park. One of the most charming and diverse leisure centres in the city

The Park was funded by “KWK Kazimierz-Juliusz” coal mine, and built with the participation of miners and inhabitants of Kazimierz over the period of several years
Las Zagórski