Editing Katowice (section)

===World War II===
During the early stages of [[World War II]] and the [[Invasion of Poland|Poland Campaign]], Katowice was essentially abandoned by the [[Polish Land Forces]], which had to position itself around [[Kraków]]. Nevertheless, the city was [[Defense of Katowice|defended by local Poles]], and the invading Germans immediately carried out [[Katowice massacre|massacres of captured Polish defenders]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Warzecha|first=Bartłomiej|year=2003|title=Niemieckie zbrodnie na powstańcach śląskich w 1939 roku|magazine=Biuletyn Instytutu Pamięci Narodowej|language=pl|publisher=[[Institute of National Remembrance|IPN]]|issue=12–1 (35–36)|page=55|issn=1641-9561}}</ref> In the following weeks the German ''[[Einsatzkommando]] 1'' was stationed in the city, and its units were responsible for many [[Nazi crimes against the Polish nation|crimes against Poles]] committed in the region.<ref>Warzecha, p. 56</ref>

[[File:Katowice - Wieża spadochronowa 01.jpg|thumb|190px|[[Parachute Tower in Katowice|Parachute Tower]], one of the symbols of the Polish [[Defense of Katowice]]]]
Under [[Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)|German occupation]] many of the city's historical and iconic monuments were destroyed, most notably the [[Great Synagogue (Katowice)|Great Katowice Synagogue]], which was burned to the ground on 4 September 1939. This was followed by the alteration of street names and the introduction of strict rules. Additionally, the use of [[Polish language|Polish]] in public conversations was banned. The German administration was also infamous for organising public executions of civilians<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Katowice/Katowice.html|title=Katowice, Poland|access-date=17 March 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318003331/http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Katowice/Katowice.html|archive-date=18 March 2017}}</ref> and by the middle of 1941, most of the Polish and Jewish population was [[Expulsion of Poles by Nazi Germany|expelled]]. The Germans established and operated a Nazi prison in the city,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=2001|title=Schweres NS-Gefängnis Kattowitz|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=5 June 2021|language=de}}</ref> and multiple [[Forced labour under German rule during World War II|forced labour]] camps within present-day city limits, including two camps solely for Poles (''[[Polenlager]]''),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=2002|title=Polenlager Kattowitz-Eichenau|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=5 June 2021|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=2003|title=Polenlager Kattowitz-Idaweiche|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=5 June 2021|language=de}}</ref> four camps solely for Jews,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=2005|title=Zwangsarbeitslager für Juden Kattowitz|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=5 June 2021|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=2004|title=Zwangsarbeitslager für Juden Kattowitz-"Franzosenstraße"|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=5 June 2021|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=1877|title=Zwangsarbeitslager für Juden Kattowitz-Idaweiche|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=5 June 2021|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=100001059|title=Zwangsarbeitslager für Juden Schoppinitz|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=5 June 2021|language=de}}</ref> two subcamps (E734, E750) of the [[Stalag VIII-B]]/344 [[German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II|prisoner-of-war camp]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lamsdorf.com/working-parties.html|title=Working Parties|website=Lamsdorf.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029103834/https://www.lamsdorf.com/working-parties.html|access-date=5 June 2021|archive-date=29 October 2020}}</ref> and a [[List of subcamps of Auschwitz|subcamp]] of the [[Auschwitz concentration camp]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://auschwitz.org/en/history/auschwitz-sub-camps/sonderkommando-kattowitz/|title=Sonderkommando Kattowitz|website=Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau|access-date=5 June 2021}}</ref> Eventually, Katowice was captured by the [[Red Army]] in January 1945. Significant parts of the downtown and inner suburbs were demolished during the occupation. As a result, the authorities were able to preserve the central district in its prewar character.