History of Katowice

achieved the status as a county town in 1873. By 1897, Katowice further grew after being crafted into a separate urban district, which also included the suburban municipalities of Bogucice, Zawodzie, Dąb, Wełnowiec and Załęże.

In 1889, one of the largest companies in Upper Silesia, the Kattowitzer Aktien-Gesellschaft, was set up with its headquarters in the city. As a result, major insurance companies and large-cap banks were attracted to Katowice. During the First World War, the steel industry continued to develop at a frenetic pace. Rail connections were also developed during this period, connecting the city throughout the German Empire and with neighbouring Austria-Hungary.

In the aftermath of World War I, discontent with Katowice's Polish population with German authorities reached a boiling point. Beginning in 1919, Polish armed insurgents launched a series of uprisings against Weimar Germany, encouraged on by the newly-independent Second Polish Republic. After the Third Silesian Uprising in 1921, the most successful of all the rebellions, Katowice was annexed by Poland as part of Silesian Voivodeship under the terms of a German-Polish peace treaty. The Polish government gave the province considerable autonomy, with Katowice serving as the provincial capital and home of the Silesian Parliament. Between 1922 to 1939, Katowice experienced massive industrial and population growth.

In 1975, the neighbouring municipalities of Piotrowice, Ochojec, Panewniki, Kostuchna, Wełnowiec, Szopienice, Giszowiec, Dąbrówka Mała and Murcki were merged with Katowice. Construction works further commenced within the city center. The main communications artery was widened and old industrial buildings to the west of this road were demolished. To the east, the historic Tiele-Winckler Palace was also demolished. In the market place, old buildings were replaced by modern shops, including Zenit, Skarbek, and also the Dom