Sosnowiec

Sosnowiec (pronounced: [sɔs:nɔvȋεʦ]) is a city located in the south of Poland, in a tributary of the Wisla (Vistula) river. A county capital neighbouring Katowice, and a mining and industrial region, it was one of the largest cities in the Silesian Voivodeship and Upper Silesian Industry Area. Sosnowiec belongs to Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, and not to Silesia. Its population as of 2006 numbers 225,202.

It is sometimes known by the names Sosnowietz, Sosnowitz, Sosnovitz (Yiddish), Sosnovyts, Sosnowyts, Sosnovytz, Sosnowytz, Sosnovets (Russian), Sosnovetz. There are 5 other smaller towns in Poland also called Sosnowiec. They are located in the regions of Bydgoszcz, Kielce, Łódź, Łomża, and Opole.

History

1795: Sosnowiec passed to the Kingdom of Prussia in the Partitions of Poland and became known as Sosnowitz in German.

1815: The city was passed to Imperial Russia at the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

1890: There were 2,600 Jews living in Sosnowiec (29.8% of the total population), who earned their livelihood mainly in the clothing, food, construction, and machine industries, and bookkeeping services.

1896: A Jewish cemetery was opened.

1905-1906: A Jewish labor movement was organized through the Bund and Poalei Zion. Some Jewish workers of Sosnowiec took part in "revolutionary activities", and 30 were imprisoned and exiled to Siberia.

1907: A Jewish "linat zedek" ("paupers' hostel") was founded.

1908: A Jewish "Talmud Torah" (religious school for Hebrew and bible studies) was opened.

1913: A Jewish mikveh was opened.

1919: The city reverted to Poland, after the Soviets' retreat in World War I.

1920: A mine owed by H. Priwer produced 25,000 tons of coal.

1921: The Jewish population reached 13,646 (16% of the total), of whom about a third engaged in light and medium industry (including the manufacture of shoes and clothing), crafts and trade, coal mining, and the manufacture of iron coke. Around 2,000 Jews were employed as clerks or laborers in business or industry, and a significant number were professionals.

1922: A mine owned by B. Meyer produced 32,000 tons of coal.

1931: The Jewish population reached 20,805.

1931-1939: Many Jews came mainly from Kielce province attracted to Sosnowiec by more favorable work opportunities. A Jewish hospital was established, as well as secondary schools for boys and girls. Associations of merchants, industrialists, and artisans were formed.

Sep 1, 1939: Nazi German forces invaded Poland. German planes bombed Polish cities, including Warsaw, the capital. German tanks, infantry and cavalry penetrated Polish territory on several fronts with five armies, a total of 1.5 million troops. The attack came without any warning or declaration of war. Britain and France started preparing to wage war on Germany.

Sep 3, 1939: Britain and France declared war on Germany.

Sep 4, 1939: The German army entered Sosnowiec and on that day it organized an attack on the Jewish population, in which 13 Jews were killed. At the time, the Jewish population was estimated at 28,000 (22% of the total).

Sep 9, 1939: The Great Synagogue on Dekert Street was set on fire.

October, 1939: In Czeladź, a separate Jewish Council was formed, and included some of the town's most respected citizens. A local Jewish Constabulary (police force) was also formed.

1940: The Jewish population of Sosnowiec, estimated to be 22407, became part of the central Judenrat (Zentrale der Judischen Altestenrate in Ostoberschlesien, or Central Office of the Jewish Councils of Elders in Eastern Upper Silesia), together with other 45 communities with Jewish populations. It was headed by Moshe Merin, who hoped to mitigate German policy by obedience. The Jewish Council became a branch of the Central Judenrat.

May-August, 1942: Thousands of Jews from the large cities were sent to the Auschwitz death camp. 1,500 on May 10-12; 2,000 in June; and over 8,000 (about 25 percent of the Jews of Sosnowiec) on August 12-18. After the latter deportation, the Germans established a ghetto in the suburb of Srodula. The survivors remained under the authority of Organisation Schmelt.

Spring of 1943: The Germans completed the concentration of the Sosnowiec Jews in the Srodula ghetto in Zaglebie. The Germans planned to exploit the Jews as a labor force, but soon a decision was made to liquidate the ghettos.

March 10, 1943: The Srodula ghetto was sealed off.

June 21, 1943: Moshe Merin and several of his close aides were deported to Auschwitz.

June 22, 1943: Thousands of Jews were deported from the Sosnowiec ghetto to Auschwitz.

August 1-16, 1943: The Sosnowiec ghetto was finally liquidated, and almost all remaining Jews (around 15,000) were deported to Auschwitz, were they perished. Some Jews presented resistance. Many had gone into hiding in bunkers and on three occasions Jews opened fire on Germans. The Nazis had set up several liquidation camps in the district, using 1,300 Jews to sort out the possessions of the deported Jews.

Dec 1943-Jan 1944: The last 1,000-1,300 Jews in Sosnowiec were either murdered or also sent to Auschwitz to die. Previously there had been considerable underground activity among the Jews, mostly organized by the youth organizations [[Hanoar Hatzioni|Ha-No'ar ha-Ziyyoni, Gordonia, and Ha-Shomer ha-Tsa'ir, whose main leader was Zevi Dunski.

1945-1946: After the war about 700 Jews resettled in Sosnowiec, but almost all of them emigrated shortly afterward.

For Sosnowiec's 100th birthday, the downtown area was thoroughly rebuilt, to harmonise its architectural layout and give the city a more modern image.

2004: Sosnowiec authorities and designers were awarded the Grand Prix for the rebuilding of the downtown area in a competition for the best public space in the Śląskie Province (Silesia). This investment had been accompanied by a program designed to improve the esthetic qualities of the city, under which a comprehensive program for unifying the colors of the elevations, and advertisements entitled “rainbow city” were introduced.

Economy

It is characterized by its dynamism, economic activity, and care for its cultural heritage and natural environment. In recent years, Sosnowiec has been transformed from an industrial center with mainly mining and heavy industries into a trade and service processing hub. However, it still has several important coal mines, steel factories and other heavy industrial plants.

Its Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which was established in Sosnowiec thanks to the efforts of local authorities, has played a major role in the establishment of new businesses in the area. As a result, several companies with Polish and foreign capital have decided to place their businesses in the city. Companies operating on the local market have easily adopted their technologies to market requirements and global standards. A large number of them have introduced quality assurance systems compatible with the international standards ISO 9000, while others have been awarded the ISO 14000 quality certificate. This year Sosnowiec City Office was awarded the ISO 9001 2001 quality certificate for its management system for providing services for the local community.

From 2006 there is arising new trade center Silesia Expo. From third quarter od 2007 there will be organized several tens trade show events.

Points of interest

The city has a 17th-century castle known as the Sielecki Castle.

Sports

Zagłębie Sosnowiec: men's football team, Polish Cup winner: 1962, 1963, 1977, 1978
KP Polska Energia Sosnowiec - men's volleyball team playing in Polish Volleyball League (Polska Liga Siatkówki, PLS), 5th place in season 2003/2004.

Education and Science

As well as industry, services and trade, Sosnowiec is an academic centre with a well-developed research and educational infrastructure.

The University of Silesia (schools of modern languages, natural science, technology and a language teacher training college)
- Faculty of Earth Science
- Faculty of Computer and Materials Science
- Faculty of Philology
The Silesian Medical Academy,
- Faculty of Pharmacy
The private School of Marketing and Management
The Silesian University of Technology
- Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science
The private School of Ecology