Katwoice Square to be Named in Honour of Henryk Sławik and Józef Antall
The naming of one of Katowice's most important public spaces was confirmed by the City Council. For practical reasons, it will be named " Sławik and Antall Square", without using their first names. It will also carry the same number as that of Katowice's International Congress Centre.
For many years, the Śląsk Province authorities and the City of Katowice have endeavoured to preserve the memory of its former resident. In 2014, the 120th anniversary of Henryk Sławik's birth and the 70th anniversary of his death were commemorated throughout the Śląsk Province. At that time, the decision was taken to erect a monument in Sławik's honour and in honour of his co-conspirator, Józef Antall. On 21st March 2015, the monument was jointly unveiled by the Presidents of Poland and Hungary, Bronisław Komorowski and Janos Ader.
Henryk Sławik (1894-1944) is a figure inseparably connected to Katowice. He was born in the village of Szeroka, now a district of Jastrzębia Zdroj. When Górny Śląsk was incorporated into Poland, he became a journalist in Katowice. Among other things, he served as a city councillor, editor-in-chief of the Catholic "Gazeta Robotnicza" ("Worker's Gazette"), long-serving member of the Śląsk Sejm, a delegate to the League of Nations and a union activist.
Following the outbreak of World War II, he reached Hungary, via Romania. There, he became President of the Civic Committee Caring for Polish Refugees in Hungary. He was also a representative of the Polish Government-in-Exile.
He rescued around 5,000 Jews in Hungary by providing them with false documents based upon baptismal certificates. He also organised an orphanage for Jewish children.
He was arrested in July 1944 when the Germans entered Hungary and was subjected to Gestapo interrogation in prison in Budapest. He was then sent to the German camp in Mauthausen, where he was shot on 25th or 26th August 1944.
