The mine at Jawiszowice

The mine was founded in 1903 and, after Poland regained independence, passed into Polish hands and was the only state owned coal mine in the Second Polish Republic. In August 1942 the Germans set up the Jawischowitz subcamp beside it and, for the first time in the history of the German concentration camps, sent prisoners underground, to the coalface, to mine coal. All the other subcamps at mines were created at least a year later.

Work below ground was a deferred sentence. Men with no mining training, in camp clothing, came back to the camp for roll call after twelve hours at the face. Roof falls, accidents and exhaustion took them faster than any selection. The subcamp operated until January 1945 and was one of the largest in the whole system.

On 15 December 1981, four days after martial law was declared, the crew of this same mine began a strike. One thousand two hundred and sixty seven miners stayed underground for two days and two nights; the last came up to the surface on 17 December at half past one in the morning. Seven historic structures survive, among them two pre-war headframes and winding engines from the nineteen thirties. We visit the surface buildings only.