HISTORY

Our roots

Ozimek owes its name to a miller who had lived on the river Mała Panew in 17th century. However, today the mill does not exist, it was pulled down and a huge ironworks complex replaced it.

The first human traces in the region were recorded thousands years BC. The prehistoric finds prove that the region, especially Krasiejów, Krzyżowa Dolina, Szczedrzyk, Schodnia Stara and Nowa, has been inhabited since ages mostly due to an easy access to the river Mała Panew, a tributary of Oder.
The Neolithic Age (the latest period of the Stone Age), ca. 4200 - 1700 BC, was the epoch when the very first vestiges of a human being were found. The official declaration of the discoveries recently made in Krasiejów may help to place the earliest human beings in Ozimek commune region in the middle period of the Stone Age (ca. 8000 – 4500 BC).

Fairly intensive settlement in the Ozimek commune region started in 13th century as a consequence of German law based colonization. The starting point was the birth of the Duchy of Opole ca. 1281 under the reign of Bolek I, who took over after Prince Władysław's death. In 1327 - 1532 the Duchy of Piast Opole was the vassal of Czech kings and after the last Prince`s of Opole (Jan) death in 1532 the Duchy became the Habsburg protectorate. In 1544 it was Cesar Ferdinand II who took control of the Duchy, then Ferdinand III Habsburg, Władysław IV Waza and finally Leopold I Habsburg. During the Prussian-Austrian war in 1740-1741 the Duchy was occupied by Fryderyk II and in 1742 formally annexed to the Prussian monarchy. In 1815-1820, as a consequence of the Congress of Vienna resolution, it left Prussia and formed Opole Regency.In 1939 a totally new administrative division was introduced by the Nazi invaders. The Upper Silesia was divided into Upper Silesia Province and Opole Regency. The former lands of the Duchy stayed within the administrative borders of Opole Regency until 1945, when they were finally annexed to Poland. In the Middle Ages the region was a crossing of two trade routes. One lead from the south of Czech (Hradec, Opava) through Głubczyce, Opole to Olesno and farther towards the north and the sea; the other from Małopolska to Lower Silesia and then to the west.
Until 13th century the area of the commune was densely covered with forests, its soil was quite poor and consequently only a scarce number of people could find their home here.
The settlement process was closely connected with the German law based colonization (in 13th - 15th centuries). After the lost battle of Legnica against Tartars in 1241, the country saw widespread devastation wreaking havoc in the area. As it was vital to revive the country colonisation on a larger scale began. The oldest villages founded at the time were: Krasiejów (1292 r.), Szczedrzyk (1300 r) and Schodnia Stara.
The next settlement period fell on 16th-18th centuries when the region was conquered by Ferdinand II and annexed to the Prussian Monarchy in 1741. Immediately afterwards new settlements rapidly sprouted especially due to an intensive metallurgy development in the Oder's right bank tributaries area. As natural resources (peat, wood, water energy) were plentiful in the region the metallurgical industry was constantly developing and soon new villages arose giving shelter to the foundry workers and peat collectors.
In 14th and 15th centuries primitive yet well known in the whole Silesia ironworks were built on Mała Panew river. The iron was smelted in slate furnaces placed in the ground and filled with peat and charcoal. To reach high temperature the fire was stimulated by masses of air produced by the bellows. In the beginning of 18th century increased demand for iron necessitated reconstructing old furnaces and producing "tall" ones where higher temperature could be easily reached. Before the ironworks "Małapanew" was found there were already 12 "tall" furnaces in the Mała Panew area. They belonged to liege lords who unscrupulously exploited villeins in all kinds of industrial work. As a result new works came into being: alcohol distilleries, brickfields, ironworks, ground chalk works and many others.

Foundation and development of the ironworks

A considerable development of metallurgy in our area was clearly seen after Silesia had become a part of Prussia. Heinitz, Prussian minister, suggested focusing on this branch of industry to which Fryderyk II eagerly consented. To carry this project into effect he appointed the count of Reden. His broad knowledge and experience in mining and metallurgy acquired while visiting industrial parts of Germany and England was limitless. The count of Reden decided to build an ironworks on the Mała Panew river, between Krasiejów and Schodnia, because this spot was attractive in terms of communication (the Oder river was quite close) and natural resources accessibility. The area was rich in wood and the river itself was an important source of energy.
The ironworks was built exactly where a water mill once had stood. It belonged to a peasant called Ozimek after whom a settlement of the administration personnel and skilled workers was named. The plant builder was a local forest inspector Rehdanz. The first "tall" furnace was installed in the ironworks in 1754 and another one, a year later. Until 1780 the plant was under the War-Domain Chamber authority but later on it became subject to the Upper Mining Office in Wrocław. At that time the management body was the Metallurgy Office which also administered the glassworks in Jedlice and steelworks in Dębska Kuźnia. Those enterprises formed an impressive metallurgical complex.
Initially, the ironworks produced mostly ammunition, pots, boilers and furnaces; then the production shifted to castings and iron ingots. The Małapanew ironworks was always famous for its quality; even in 19th century it was considered one of the best in Europe as multitude of technical and technological innovations were introduced right here. Even the Second World War did not prevent the plant from further expansion. Advanced modernisation and development in 1945-1980 made it one of the biggest and most modern cast steel works in Poland. The basic products were iron and steel cast, industrial and railway fittings, rolls, machines and steel constructions.

OZIMEK

The building of the plant entailed a sudden influx of workers whose lodgings sprang up in close vicinity of the ironworks. The first houses were built for the administration personnel and skilled workers in 1756 and regarded henceforth as the town of Ozimek.
Soon afterwards "Forests" colony was found for the charcoal collectors whose job was to supply the charcoal to the ironworks. Each of the colonists was given a piece of land for cultivation (0,5 ha) and a piece of meadow (0,25 ha). In 1782 there were 17 wooden houses with 107 residents in the colony. 20 years later the number of the colony inhabitants increased to 133. "Forests", which presumably aligned today's Wyzwolenia street, was incorporated into Ozimek in 1829.
The Evangelical Church was erected in 1819 according to the architect Karl Friederich Schinkel's design.
This was followed by another project - a road from Opole to Zawadzkie via Ozimek which ran next to the plant and crossed Mała Panew river. As it was necessary to build a new bridge local authorities decided on an iron suspension bridge constructed in the "Małapanew" ironworks in 1827. The designer was a machine inspector - Schottelius.
The next projects were: a railway section from Opole to Tarnowskie Góry which was accomplished in 1858 and a siding leading from Ozimek station to the plant. In 1915-1930 new settlements for workers sprouted along Częstochowska street. Three years later a ring road was built to relieve traffic congestion in the town.In 1962 Ozimek was granted civic rights.

After the war expansion of the ironworks caused an uncontrollable spread of the town which gave rise to new settlements and re-modeled communication network. Originally, the foundry employed a few hundred workers, in the 1970s the number rose to 7000. All those came from all over Poland, started their families here and many devoted their lives to the town. The municipality gave them new flats, the local school educated the plant's future personnel, business and craft expanded. Plentiful investments were embarked on: the cultural centre, kindergartens, canteens, worker hotels, recreation centres in different parts of Poland. The scale of all investment projects was really impressive of which the proof may be still unfinished, waiting for enterprising investors sport and recreation centre lying in the woods near the high school. The 5 ha complex comprises rooms for rehabilitation therapy, a gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and hotel and conference amenities. Unfortunately, in 1989 the building works came to a halt.
In spite of the difficult transformation-caused economic situation of the plant small and medium enterprises in the town found their way through to survive on the market.
Our villages are picturesque and well-kept, our people - diligent and cooperative and our City Council members - understanding and obliging. The commune of Ozimek could be an example of the local government and the people's mutual cooperation. This resulted in our teenagers' participation in The International Youth Project "The World of Friends", in forming partnerships with Heinsberg and Rymarov, in establishing contacts with a Byelorussian school and in many years friendship between our Parish and that of Achern.