Monument to the Fallen Miners of the "Wujek" Coal Mine

The Monument to the Fallen Miners of the "Wujek" Coal Mine is an important symbol commemorating the tragic events that took place on December 16, 1981, when nine mine workers were killed during the pacification of the miners. The monument is located on the NSZZ Solidarność Square in Katowice-Brynów, in front of the mine's main building. The history of the monument began immediately after the pacification, when a cross was first placed by the mine wall, only to be removed in January 1982. The following years saw the organization of anniversary commemorations, and in 1987, Kazimierz Świtoń established the Social Committee for the Construction of the Monument. After the initial registration application was rejected, a new organization was registered in 1989, and in 1990, a competition was announced for the design of the monument. Construction began in 1991, and the unveiling took place on December 15, 1991, the day before the tenth anniversary of the pacification. The ceremony was presided over by then-President Lech Wałęsa and Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Józef Kowalczyk, who consecrated the monument. Designed by Alina Borowczak-Grzybowska and Andrzej Grzybowski, the monument is 33 meters high and consists of a tall cross, alongside which are placed urns containing soil from the miners' graves, within nine crosses. The site is registered in the record of memorial sites of the Silesian Voivodeship, underscoring its cultural and historical significance. Additionally, nearby on the mine wall, there are commemorative plaques that remind us of those tragic events and the history of mining in Poland. The monument stands as a testament to the unwavering memory of the victims of the fight for workers' rights and social solidarity during the difficult times of the Polish People's Republic.