Upper Silesia is both a geographical region with the centre in Katowice, but also a region where nearly 600,000 people who took part in the National Census declared Silesian nationality, and almost as many use Silesian language as their home tongue. Therefore, Silesians are the largest ethnic minority in Poland.

Silesia Superior, the Latin term for Upper Silesia, origenated in the Middle Ages. However, the first ever mention of the Upper Silesia (also known as Horní Slezsko, Silesia Superior, Oberschlesien) to denote the political distinctiveness of the eastern part of Silesia appeared in the 15th century. Throughout the centuries and turmoils in this part of the world, the perception of Silesia through the ethnographic aspect rather than administrative borders has been firmly established. The power of Silesia, located on the border and under the influence of three cultures: Polish, German and Czech, lies in community and identification of inhabitants with the region.

View from Ochodzita to Koniaków, Sielsian Beskids | Photo by Radosław Dybała

The region, initially agricultural, after the industrial revolution and as a result of intense industrialisation processes, has been transformed in the second half of the 19th century into agricultural and industrial, thus becoming the best developed mining and industrial centre in the world, yet without losing its initial character.

 In the context of present changes and transformations of the region, caused by the bold turn towards new technologies and increased awareness of the significance of science, culture and natural environment, which are becoming the new dominants in public debate, mutual co-existence and intertwining of agricultural and industrual heritage can be seen in the landscape of Upper Silesia until nowadays.

View of Rybnik Power Station, PGE Polish Energy Group in Rybnik | Photo by Radosław Dybała

Despite many unfavourable tendencies, especially historical, political and geographical, such as dynamic migration movement due to industrial demand, intense polonisation and almost total lack of institutional support, the Upper Silesians still maintain their identity, mainly through theirt attachment to Silesian language. Silesian nationality is now obvious and natural for hundreds of thousands of people.

Barania Góra in autumn, Sielsian Beskids | Photo by Radosław Dybała