Anton Uthemann

I must admit to make a mistake. What is the story about Giszowiec and Nikiszowiec without mentioning about Anton Uthemann?  

He was born in 1862 and died in 1935 - a miner with education, German privy council of mining, general director of the company of George von Giesches Erben, he was one of the builders of the housing estates in Giszowiec and Nikiszowiec. From the year 1905 when he became the general director of the company 'George von Giesches Erben' up to 1913 he directed and supervised the construction of the two settlements.  

The word 'supervised' should be understood extremely accurately. Not once, not twice he suddenly turned up at night at the construction place to see if by any chance someone does not steal materials from it. He could also 'show out of nowhere' among the builders and carefully evaluate the progress and quality of the performed work. You could say that it was the famous Prussian precision. But probably something more. It was responsibility for his duties. But he was an honest, reliable man. It is true that part of Giszowiec was ruined in because of the bulldozers, but the rest of the buildings still stand firmly in place even though they are over 100 years old. Not to mentiona the strong walls of Nikiszowiec. It is thank to Anton Uthemann.  

Up to this day, the house that he leaved in is called Utheman’s villa.

Rich is the story of this villa. Until the Second World War it was occupied by high officials of the mine, during the occupation was the residence of the gauleiter Fritz Bracht, who committed suicide before the arrival of the Soviets to Katowice. Sometimes the locals call the building, villa Bracht, but this is definitely not the right term. After the war, there were places such as kindergarten, mining club, cafe, etc. From the 90s of the twentieth century until 2014 the building belonged to Getin Bank. Currently it is still in private hands.  

Going from Katowice to Tychy on Pszczyńska Street, it is worth to stop for a moment to see this building dating from 1905 and to mention its first tenant - Anton Uthemann.