Zabrze

Sister cities

• Sangerhausen
• Rovereto
• Rotherham
• Rivne
• Zahlé
• Trnava
• Sønderborg Municipality
• Essen
• Seclin
• Lund Municipality

History

Biskupice, which is now a subdivision of Zabrze, was first mentioned in 1243 as Biscupici dicitur cirka Bitom. Zabrze (or Old Zabrze) was mentioned in 1295–1305 as Sadbre sive Cunczindorf (German for Konrad/Kunze's village; sive = "or"). According to historical sources, mining in Zabrze dates back to the 13th century. The present-day districts of Mikulczyce and Rokitnica were locations of motte-and-bailey castles from the 13th-15th century, which are now archaeological sites. In the 1970s, archaeologists discovered an Epipalaeolithic flintwork and flint tools from the Mesolithic at the Mikulczyce archaeological site. Until that time, it was among the few cities in Upper Silesia whose Polish name had been retained under German rule. In 1904, the "Sokół" Polish Gymnastic Society was established in Zabrze as both a sporting and patriotic organization promoting Polish national identity. It was dissolved by Prussian authorities in 1911 but reactivated twice, in 1913 and 1918. In May 1921 the Third Silesian Uprising broke out and Hindenburg was captured by Polish insurgents, who held it until the end of the uprising. In 1928, among the largest cities in western Upper Silesia, Polish parties received the most votes in Zabrze. In the March 1933 elections, most of the citizens voted for the Nazi Party, followed by Zentrum and the Communist Party. Nazi politician became the city's mayor and remained in the position until 1945. The anti-Polish organization Bund Deutscher Osten was very active in the city, it dealt with propaganda, indoctrination and espionage of the Polish community, as well as denouncing Poles to local authorities. When, the Barbórka (traditional holiday of miners) church services were organized separately for Poles and Germans in 1936, the Polish service…