In defence of Katowice

Alex Webber - 25th October 2009

Katowice has been the butt of many Polish jokes

Share:

Someone really ought to stick up for Katowice. The butt of jokes across the country and throughout this guide, it was the butt end of a rifle for Silesia during World War II, with Katowice taking it in the chest. One of Poland’s youngest metropolises, lacking a cache of cultural treasures, Katowice was essentially left to the wolves when war broke out, as the Polish Army back-peddled to sure up their positions around Kraków. While the shelling of Westerplatte on September 1st, 1939 is recognised as the first engagement of the Second World War, what few people realise is that Hitler actually started that script here in Silesia a day earlier.

Dressing his SS officers as Polish soldiers, ...

NPE Premium stories are only available to members of My NPE

NPE Premium - go beyond the news

The Warsaw Mermaid - Syrenka What's it all about?

Feisty, beautiful and very, very busty. Her image has bewitched millions, and you’ll find her film star looks printed on everything from flags to mags. -

Poles you should know - Jan Karski The Lodz man who tried to stop the Holocaust

‘Every government and church says, “We tried to help the Jews,” because they are ashamed, they want to keep their reputations. They didn’t help, because six million Jews perished, but ... -


Username
Password
	or	Register