Site overview

Szyb Wschodni II was a winding shaft of the Kopalnia Węgla Kamiennego Mysłowice, a coal mine established at Mysłowice in 1837. Sinking of Szyb Wschodni II was completed in 1945. During the operational years the shaft served as one of two intake shafts at the eastern sector of the mine, alongside the adjacent Szyb Wschodni I. Following the merger of KWK Mysłowice with KWK Wesoła on 1 January 2007 to form KWK Mysłowice-Wesoła, the Mysłowice section ceased coal extraction on 7 November 2008.

The former mine site was transferred to the Spółka Restrukturyzacji Kopalń (SRK) for liquidation in June 2015. The eastern shaft zone subsequently underwent modernisation and now forms part of a dewatering and ventilation facility. The taller headframe of Szyb Wschodni II remains standing as the dominant structure at this location.

The surviving tower stands within a reworked industrial landscape at Mysłowice, where the shaft zone remains functional but the former mine reads as a fragmented site.

Map

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No site photograph is currently available. Images will be added as field visits are carried out.

History

The Kopalnia Węgla Kamiennego Mysłowice was one of the oldest hard coal mines in Upper Silesia. The mining concession field Danzig was granted on 18 May 1837 to a group of proprietors including Aleksander Mieroszewski, the mayor of Mysłowice Fryderyk Gawron, merchant Loebel Danzinger, Antoni Kołodziejski, and Franz von Winckler. The mine operated under a succession of corporate owners: initially the Gwarectwo Myslowitz, then the Katowicka Spółka Akcyjna dla Górnictwa i Hutnictwa, and from 1937 as part of the Wspólnota Interesów Górniczo-Hutniczych. During the Second World War the mine was taken over by the Reichswerke Hermann Göring concern in 1940, and after 1945 it passed to the Katowickie Zjednoczenie Przemysłu Węglowego.

The mine's shaft infrastructure was developed progressively across more than a century. Early shafts sunk in the 1870s included Gustaw (later Jagiełło), Kate (later Łokietek), and Luisa (later Sas). A ventilation shaft designated Otto (later Bończyk) was constructed in 1911. Sinking of Szyb Wschodni I began in 1923. Szyb Wschodni II was completed in 1945, making it the last of the mine's eight shafts to be sunk. During the combined operational life of the mine, Szyb Wschodni I served primarily as the shaft through which hydraulic sand stowage — a mixture of sand and water used to fill voids left by coal extraction — was delivered underground. Szyb Wschodni II, taller than its neighbour, functioned as a primary intake shaft. Both shafts formed the eastern shaft complex of the mine.

The mine was incorporated into the Katowicki Holding Węglowy SA in 1993. On 1 January 2007 KWK Mysłowice was merged with KWK Wesoła to form KWK Mysłowice-Wesoła. Under this combined structure the Mysłowice section continued as Ruch Mysłowice, with Szyb Wschodni I and Szyb Wschodni II listed as intake shafts alongside Szyb Południowy as the exhaust shaft. The last tonne of coal was extracted from the Mysłowice section on 7 November 2008.

On 1 June 2015 Ruch Mysłowice, including the eastern shaft area, was transferred to the Spółka Restrukturyzacji Kopalń for liquidation. A programme of selective demolition followed: in 2018 the SRK demolished the lamp room, baths, and several other pithead buildings, leaving the heating plant and the headframe of Szyb Łokietek in the main compound. In the eastern shaft zone, rather than proceeding to full demolition, the SRK undertook modernisation works. Szyb Wschodni I was retained and equipped with a new fan station to serve as an exhaust ventilation shaft for the continuing operations of KWK Mysłowice-Wesoła, with this role confirmed to run until at least 2041. The zone was also adapted as a dewatering installation, with mine water from the former Mysłowice workings redirected to the eastern shaft area and then discharged to the river Przemsza. The headframe of Szyb Wschodni II, which is taller than that of Szyb Wschodni I, remained standing and dominates the site. The area forms part of the Centralny Zakład Odwadniania Kopalń Rejon Mysłowice-Wesoła I, the central mine-water drainage facility for the district.

Timeline

1837
Legislation

Mining concession granted for field Danzig

On 18 May 1837 the mining concession field Danzig was granted to a group of proprietors including Aleksander Mieroszewski, the mayor of Mysłowice Fryderyk Gawron, merchant Loebel Danzinger, Antoni Kołodziejski, and Franz von Winckler, establishing the foundation of the Mysłowice mine.
1923
Construction

Sinking of Szyb Wschodni I commenced

Construction of Szyb Wschodni I began in 1923, initiating development of the eastern shaft complex at KWK Mysłowice.
1945
Construction

Sinking of Szyb Wschodni II completed

Szyb Wschodni II was completed in 1945, becoming the last of the eight shafts of KWK Mysłowice to be sunk.
1993
Operation

Mine incorporated into Katowicki Holding Węglowy SA

KWK Mysłowice was incorporated into the Katowicki Holding Węglowy SA in 1993.
2007
Operation

Merger of KWK Mysłowice with KWK Wesoła

On 1 January 2007 KWK Mysłowice was merged with KWK Wesoła to form KWK Mysłowice-Wesoła. The Mysłowice section continued coal extraction as Ruch Mysłowice, with Szyb Wschodni I and Szyb Wschodni II functioning as intake shafts.
2008
Closure

Last tonne of coal extracted from Ruch Mysłowice

On 7 November 2008 the last tonne of coal was extracted from the Mysłowice section of KWK Mysłowice-Wesoła, ending coal production at the site.
2015
Closure

Ruch Mysłowice transferred to Spółka Restrukturyzacji Kopalń

On 1 June 2015 the Mysłowice section, including the eastern shaft area, was transferred to the Spółka Restrukturyzacji Kopalń (SRK) for formal liquidation.
2018
Closure

Demolition of pithead buildings in main compound

In 2018 the SRK demolished several former pithead buildings including the lamp room, baths, and stores. The heating plant and the heritage-listed headframe of Szyb Łokietek were retained in the main compound.
2018–2021
Construction

Modernisation of eastern shaft zone for dewatering and ventilation

The eastern shaft zone, comprising Szyb Wschodni I and Szyb Wschodni II, underwent modernisation by the SRK. Szyb Wschodni I was equipped with a new fan station to serve as an exhaust ventilation shaft for the continuing KWK Mysłowice-Wesoła operations to at least 2041. The electrical supply infrastructure was also replaced. Mine water from the former Mysłowice workings was redirected to the eastern shaft area and discharged to the river Przemsza. The zone was reconstituted as part of the Centralny Zakład Odwadniania Kopalń Rejon Mysłowice-Wesoła I.

Sources and records

Polish Wikipedia article: Kopalnia Węgla Kamiennego Mysłowice
Polish Wikipedia article: Kopalnia Węgla Kamiennego Mysłowice-Wesoła
Historical blog article: Fedrowała węgiel ponad 170 lat. KWK Mysłowice (mojhistorycznyblog.pl)
netTG.pl article: Zabudowania szybu Wschodniego I miały zostać zlikwidowane (2022)
netTG.pl article: Likwidacja, ale też inwestycja — modernisation of eastern shaft zone
netTG.pl article: Oddział SRK Mysłowice-Wesoła I zbliża się do końca procesu likwidacji
Śląska Opinia: Likwidacja części kopalni Mysłowice ruszyła (April 2021)
netTG.pl article: Co dalej z likwidowaną kopalnią Mysłowice (2018)
The Beauty of Steel: KWK Mysłowice profile
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