Upper Silesia

[TheoK]

Upper Silesia

Oberschlesien
Upper Silesia
Superiorem Silesiam

Province of Prussia

Capital Oppeln
           Kattowitz (after 1941)

History

- Established 1919
- Merged with L. Silesia 1938 - 1941
- Disestablished 1945

Area - 1925 9,702 km² (3,746 sq mi)

Population - 1925 est. 1,379,408

Density 142.2 /km²  (368.2 /sq mi)



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[TheoK]

Annaberg 1938:



Silesias provincial anthem:



Girl in Upper Silesian people's costume:

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[TheoK]

It's a fine summerday in Silesia today:

"Aktuelles Wetter: Breslau - Strachowice (124m)

Sa, 26.07. 15:30  30°C  heiter"

Wetteronline

Province Silesia until 1945

[TheoK]

After a plebiscite in 1921, which came out in favour of Germany, Upper Silesia was illegally divided; the most valuable part, with coal- and ironmines, became Polish.

After the Polish defeat in October 1939, Upper Silesia was reincorporated into the German Empire. The border was drawn so that every area that had ever been Silesian was reincorporated, except for the western part of "Austrian Silesia", which had already become part of the Sudetenland in 1938. The border was drawn like the 13th Century border.

[TheoK]

In 1941 the Silesian population raised over 6½ million, and Silesia was divided in Upper and Lower Silesia. Breslau remained the capital of Lower Silesia, while the 1939 incorporated Kattowitz became capital of Upper Silesia.

[vodz]

Lower Silesisa is part of the Czech Republic now I think.

[TheoK]

No, most of Silesia is Part of Poland. Most of Austrian Silesia is part of the Czech Republic.

A small part of Lower Silesia is part of Saxony today.

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[TheoK]

The original Allied plan for post-war Germany's borders was at first only that the Oder should be the eastern border. East Prussia, eastern Pomerania and smaller parts of Silesia and Brandenburg would become Polish. On Churchill's request then also the Oppeln district was given to Poland, that is all of Upper Silesia. It is questionable if the Oder-Neisse-line follows the right Neisse river. There are two Neisse rivers; Görlitzer and Lausitzer Neisse. The final border was drawn along the Lausitzer Neisse, which is more to the west.

[TheoK]

The town Görlitz on the map above is not situated at the Görlitzer Neisse but the Lausitzer. It's unfortunately very possible that the Western Allies gave away more of Germany to Poland than they'd intended to do.

[Alex179]

The town Görlitz on the map above is not situated at the Görlitzer Neisse but the Lausitzer. It's unfortunately very possible that the Western Allies gave away more of Germany to Poland than they'd intended to do.

How could this be rectified?   The world sure isn't ready for Germany to take some of that land back haha.    Eastern Germany was in pretty poor shape before the Cold War ended.   That land would have just been another part of communist Eastern Germany.

[IlluSionS667]

This is all a very interesting part of history, but :
* ) why do you start a thread specifically on Upper-Silesia? It's definitely not the only part of Germany that got de-Germanised and fell under foreign rulership.
* ) why is this of interest to anyone besides those who lived there and their families?

[TheoK]

Upper Silesia was discussed in a couple of other threads, so I thought I would high-light the history of the province.. One of my ex girlfriend's grand parents came from Silesia.

A Youtube about the lost eastern provinces of former Prussia. The music played is "Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben" and "Heil dir im Siegerkranz"; the latter the same melody as God save the King/Queen.



All red-shaded areas on this map should be re-incorporated into Germany.



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[TheoK]

Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor of the German Federal Republic speaks to the Silesians in exile 8 years after the end of WW2. He wishes that the situation in Europe will make it possible for them to return to their homeland and that Silesia will once again be a German province in all respects.

Which of the cunts in charge in Europe today would dare to speak that way?

[The_Chosen_One]

I think you spelled it wrong. It should be Sleazier, as in the Nazis are the sleazier party arround here. And don't forget Kennedy calling himself a doughnut.....

Ich bin eine Berlinner indeed....

[TheoK]

No, idiot, it's New Latin, "Silesia".  In Sweden we use the same word as the German, "Schlesien". 

Kennedy was a jerk. A "Berliner" is either a permanent resident of Berlin or a German doughnut with raspberry jam.