Dąbrowa Górnicza () is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, southern Poland, near Katowice and Sosnowiec. It is located in eastern part of the Silesian Voivodeship, on the Czarna Przemsza and Biała Przemsza rivers (tributaries of the Vistula, see Przemsza).

Even though Dąbrowa Górnicza belongs to the historic province of Lesser Poland, it now is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship. Dąbrowa Górnicza is one of the cities of the Katowice urban area (2.7 million people), and within the greater Katowice-Ostrava metropolitan area (5.2 million people). The population of the city itself as of December 2021 is 116,971.

In 1909, the gmina of Dąbrowa Górnicza was established by Tsarist authorities. Even though its population reached 30,000, the Russians were reluctant to grant Dąbrowa town charter, so it remained a village until 18 August 1916, when Austrian authorities, which during World War I occupied southern part of Congress Poland, agreed to establish the town. After the war, in 1918, Poland regained independence and control of the city. 15 local Polish boy scouts were killed in fights for Polish independence in 1914–1920.

World War II

thumb|upright|Memorial to local miners who were murdered by the Germans in [[Auschwitz]]

In September 1939, in the beginning of World War II, the city was invaded by Germany, and shortly afterwards the German Einsatzgruppe I operated in the city and committed various crimes against the Polish population. Also in September 1939, Wehrmacht troops carried out a massacre of 14 Polish boy scouts from nearby villages in the present-day district of Tucznawa. Poles from Dąbrowa Górnicza were among the victims of massacres committed by the Germans in other places, including Sosnowiec on September 4, 1939, and Celiny on June 4, 1940. Under German occupation the city was annexed directly to Germany, and included within the Upper Silesia Province. At least 14 Polish policemen from Dąbrowa were murdered by the Russians in the large Katyn massacre in April–May 1940. Further executions of Poles were carried out by the Germans during the war. Over 40 local Polish boy and girl scouts were killed by the Germans in various places, including the Auschwitz concentration camp and during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, The Germans also operated the E513 and E543 forced labour subcamps of the Stalag VIII-B/344 prisoner-of-war camp at the local coal mine. More than 4,000 local Jews were enclosed in a ghetto, and later murdered in death camps. German occupation ended in 1945.

Recent history

Together with all of Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, the city was transferred to Katowice Voivodeship after World War II, in 1945.

In 1968, the local church of Saint Mary of the Angels was visited by the Primate of Poland Stefan Wyszyński and cardinal Karol Wojtyła (future Pope John Paul II).

The 1970s saw the construction of the Katowice Steelworks, which is nowadays the biggest steel producing plant in Poland, after privatization owned by ArcelorMittal. In the 1970s the town expanded territorially and economically. In 1975 and 1977 the neighboring localities of Strzemieszyce Małe, Strzemieszyce Wielkie, Ząbkowice and others became suburbanized. The population of Dąbrowa Górnicza reached its peak in 1982 with 152,373 inhabitants. In 1984, the neighboring settlements of Marianki and Ratanice were included within the city limits of Dąbrowa Górnicza as new districts. From 1975 to 1998, it was administratively located in the Katowice Voivodeship.

In the 1990s, all local coal mines were closed, because of lack of coal. The oldest part of the town Reden still exists. In 1993, the neighboring settlement of Trzebiesławice was also included within the city limits as a new district.

Demographics

Education

thumb|Municipal Public Library

  • Silesian Technical University, Faculty of Chemistry, Industrial and Environmental Chemistry course
  • WSB University known as Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu w Dąbrowie Górniczej prior to 2018
  • Wyższa Szkoła Planowania Strategicznego

Transport

thumb|Voivodeship road 910 in city center

Road transport

The road network of Dąbrowa Górnicza comprises 396.2 km of public roads, with municipal roads accounting for approximately 67% (267 km) of the total. Additionally, there are 89.7 km of county roads, 23.8 km of voivodeship roads, and 15.7 km of national roads. The primary administrator of these roads is the Mayor of Dąbrowa Górnicza, while the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) manages an over 8 km section of the S1 expressway.

Major roads passing through the city include:

  • Expressway S1, part of the European route E75
  • Line 62 (Katowice – Kielce): Dąbrowa Górnicza Strzemieszyce, Dąbrowa Górnicza Wschodnia

The city is part of the Silesian Interurbans tram network, one of the largest and oldest in Europe, operational since 1894 and encompassing over 200 km of tracks.

Additionally, Dąbrowa Górnicza participates in the Metrorower metropolitan bicycle system, operated by Nextbike. The system features numerous stations across Dąbrowa Górnicza and surrounding cities.

Air transport

Approximately 11 km from the city's border and 18 km from its center lies the Katowice International Airport, accessible via the S1 expressway.

Culture

Among cultural institutions there are the Palace of Zagłębie Culture, City Museum Sztygarka, Ząbkowice House of Culture, Zagłębie Music Scene, Chamber Orchestra of Zagłębie, Film Center Helios, and various music and arts schools.

Sports

thumb|right|500px|"Nemo" Waterpark

The city's most notable sports club is basketball team MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza, which competes in the Polish Basketball League, the country's top division. The local football clubs include and , which both compete in the lower leagues.

Notable people

  • Karol Adamiecki (1866–1933), economist, engineer
  • Aleksander Zawadzki (1899–1964), head of state of Poland in 1952–1964
  • Jerzy Pławczyk (1911–1989), athlete, competed at 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics
  • Edward Babiuch (1927–2021), communist political figure
  • Zdzisław Marchwicki (1927–1977), serial killer
  • Kazimierz Imieliński (1929–2010), physician and father of Polish sexology
  • Sobiesław Zasada (born 1930), rally driver, businessman
  • Janusz Gajos (born 1939), actor
  • Jerzy Janikowski (1952–2006), Olympic fencer
  • Dawid Podsiadło (born 1993), singer
  • Igor Michaliszyn (born 1996), Mixed martial artist
  • Maja Chwalińska (born 2001), tennis player

Twin towns – sister cities

thumb|Municipal Office

Dąbrowa Górnicza is twinned with:

  • Alchevsk, Ukraine
  • Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Romania
  • Mediaș, Romania
  • Studénka, Czech Republic

References

  • Encyclopædia Britannica Dąbrowa Górnicza
  • Jewish Community in Dąbrowa Górnicza on Virtual Shtetl
  • Jewish family of Dabrowa Ghetto
  • Dąbrowa Górnicza page for investors
  • Forum about Dąbrowa Górnicza
  • The City of Dąbrowa Górnicza
  • www.dawnadabrowa.pl – history of the town