Szombierki

50°20′N 18°53′E Szombierki (German: Schomberg, Silesian: Szōmbierki) is a district of Bytom, Poland, located in the southern part of the city.

Szombierki Szōmbierki
Bytom District
From top, left to right: Aerial view of Szombiekri, Finnish houses in Szombierki, Former Szombierki Coal Mine, Szombierki Heat Power Station, Fazaniec Park.
Location of Szombierki within Bytom.
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Silesian
County/City	Bytom
First mentioned	1369
Within city limits	1951
Notable landmarks	Szombierki Heat Power Station, Szombierki Coal Mine, Szombierki town hall, Fazaniec Park.
Area
• Total	493 km2 (190 sq mi)
Population
• Total	23,665
• Density	48/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	41-907
Vehicle registration	SY

Szombierki Heat Power Station and Szombierki Coal Mine (KWK Szombierki), both recognized as important historical and industrial monuments, are located here.

In 2004 the winding tower "Krystyna" of the former coal mine KWK Szombierki and its surroundings was listed as a National Heritage Site.^[1] In 2009 the tower and the Power Station were voted as two of the "Seven Architectural Wonders of the Silesian Voivodeship."^[2] In 2013 the Power Station was also recognized as a national heritage site.^[3]

The village of Szombierki was first mentioned in documents in 1369.^[4] In 1768, the first coal mine was established in Szombierki. However, it was closed around 1820. During World War II, Nazi Germany held prisoners of war in the settlement.^[5] POWs worked as forced labourers in the local coal mine, which formed the E72 subcamp of the Stalag VIII-B/344 prisoner of war camp.^[5]

Szombierki is home to football club Szombierki Bytom, established in 1919, Polish champions from 1980.

The historic churches of Saint Margaret and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus are located in the district.

Etymology and other names

Etymology

The origin of the district's name is disputed, some suggest it derived from the name of Fridericus de Schonenburch, a knight who was a witness of the vassalage of Casimir II to the king of Bohemia, while others point towards "Schönberg" (Meaning Beautiful Mountain in German), a medieval settlement located in the approximate area of Szombierki.

Name of the district in various languages

Language	Name/s
Polish	Szombierki
(Polish) Silesian	Szōmbierki (Ślabikŏrzowy szrajbōnek), Szůmbierki (Steuer alphabet)
German	Schomberg
(German) Silesian	Schumbarg

Former names

Shortly after the Polish communist authorities took over Szombierki, its name was officially changed to "Chruszczów". The origin of the name is unknown and it was changed back in 1985.^[6]

Religion

At the turn of the 20th and 19th centuries Szombierki had a population of roughly 3,000 people and the village was subordinate to the Holy Trinity church in Bytom.^[7] It was decided that a church was to be built in Szombierki and the construction began in 1902. It was designed by Wilhelm Wieczorek and funded by the Schaffgotsch. In 1904 the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Szombierki was completed and it was consecrated on 20 June 1905.

List of churches in Szombierki

Name	Image	Denomination	Location	Construction Began	Construction Finished	Patronage
Church of Saint Margaret of Antioch		Catholic	50°20′27″N 18°54′53″E	-	1881	Margaret of Antioch
Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus		Catholic	50°20′05″N 18°53′44″E	1902	1904	Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Church of the Ascension		Catholic	50°20′23″N 18°54′15″E	1985	2001	Ascension of Jesus

Notable people

• Johannes Schweter (born 1901), German NSDAP politician
• Carl-Heinz Stephan (1904-1989), German mining manager
• Wiktor Maks, Pole, President and co-founder of TS Poniatowski (now Szombierki Bytom)

Gallery

• 
  Winding towers Krystyna (right) and Ewa
• 
  Saint Margaret Church
• 
  City Sports Hall (Miejska Hala Sportowa)
• 
  Former Szombierki town hall