Katowice Off The Beaten Path

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The information sign says: "Look! Those walls are full of crime!

In this building in 1939 - 1945 Gestapo had its headquarter and in 1945 - 1954 the building belonged to the Provincial Office of Public Security (Wojewodzki Urzad Bezpieczenstwa Publicznego). Both, Gestapo and the Office detained, tortured and murdered the most important sons of Polish nation.

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Jewish Cemetery is one of the oldest necropoles in Katowice founded in 1868, extended in 1927, 1945, the original arrangement of the necropolis preserved, the tree complex, tombstones from the XIXth century. A place of burial of persons of merit for the story of Katowice: Goldstein, Schalsch, Grunfeld and others.

You may see that there is the older cemetery and the newest one, as well as some really new thombs. More photos of the cemetery in my travelouge.

The cemetery is located in Kozielska street (not far from the main railway station).

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The Great Synagogue in Katowice, built in 1900, fulfilled its task with dignity and splendour until the day it was burned by the Nazis. During its 39 years of existence, it served as a center for expressions of joy and sorrow for the entire Jewish population, the young as well as the elderly.

The synagogue was not only a holy site for adults. Those in charge saw to it that special prayer services were held for young members and the first announcement to that effect was published in the Newspaper (#23 January, 1933). These services appear to have taken place every Saturday afternoon at 4:00 PM. Other announcements make it evident that parents did not always cooperate. They often complained that religious studies placed a heavy burden on their children and that they interfered with secular studies.

The two Rabbis alternated in delivering sermons in the Great Synagogue. These sermons were subsequently published in the official newspaper of the community.

In the course of time there was pressure to build a second synagogue despite the existence of a number of prayer houses in Katowice. In July, 1935, a Building committee was established with Klein as chairman and with the participation of the head of the community, Bruno Altmann, and the vice chairman of the community, Lobinger,. It was decided to enlarge an existing two-storey building.

In 1937-38 a five storey building was erected next to the Great Synagogue and they shared a yard with a garden. The building contained a prayer hall and community institutions. It still remains standing.

On the place where the synagogue used to stand is a monument commemorating Jewishs who was killed by Nazis in 1939 - 1945.

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Trzy Stawy is fabulous place to spend your leasure time, especially in summer. This is a huge, open-air green area. Trzy Stawy means Three ponds and in fact, it consists of three ponds: two bigger and one smaller. It is, of course, possible to take a small boat or rather kayak and spend all day in water... There are also lots of fishers.

It is ideal place to walk or take sunbath. There is a huge grass field where local people come and take their towels and lie on. There is a place for children and some restuaurants to eat or have a drink...

Not so far there is a hypermarket - Geant, Lidl and Praktiker.

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In the house on November 6 - 11, 1884 took place a meeting of Syjon Lovers Movement (Hovevej Syjon). This meeting is called `Katowice Conference` and lead to eltablish Izrael as independet country....

There is a Jewish Community of Katowice now in the house. The Community has its agencies in Bytom and Gliwice. There is also a Prayers' House in 13 Mlynska street. The Community has about twenty cemetries under protection and a kosher bar... During Warld War II Germans distructed Synagoga in Katowice in September 1939. All Jewish had to move from Katowice to Sosnowiec. After WW II many Jewish came back to Katowice. There were even about 1500 Jewish at the time. However, most of them emigrated soon....

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In the South of Poland you may find lots of steet chapels. In the region I come from - Beskidy Mountains - almost every street has its chapel... In Silesia you will also find some good exaplmes of these kind of chapels. In some places, local people still gather together, usually in May and June. In these months there are litanies in Polish churches - in May prayers to Holy Virgin and in June to God. People gather and sing litanies together in front of the chapel. The chapel is located in Szopienicka street in Nikiszowiec.

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Magiel Gallery in Nikiszowiec is a branch of The Museum of History of Katowice. It is located in 4 Rymarska street, just on the main square of Nikiszowiec. You may take from the main railway station bus no 12.

The Gallery shows both, permanent and temporary exhibitions. The permanent one is about dolls dressed in regional costumes. The entery fee is for free. You may buy some postcards at the office or just take an English leaflet for free.

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Houses were designed in the way that all streets between them lead to the main square called Wyzwolenia square. Now there are: church, post office (with beautiful red roses on the wall), museum of Katowice and the sign on one of walls in Polish and English saying that the place is under protection as Nikiszowiec is an interesting architectual complex.