Travel to Silesia (contacts, places to stay?)

I'm trying to go to Upper Silesia in February to do photo-documentary about the mining industry that is suffering there, and the high unemployment. Does anyone have any professional contacts that might be good to talk to? Or suggestions on translators or places to stay?

Hi, I live in Zabrze one of the biggest Upper Silesia cities, I'll ask few people about contacts to mining industry workers/heads but it's a really small chance I'll find something so can't promise anything. There's a mining museum in Zabrze, don't remember if they have descriptions in english.. but it might be a place worth seeing. Many other mining monuments and mining landmarks around. As for unemployment I wouldn't say there's a visible problem, the unemployment is far worse on the east border. I'd even say that Upper Silesian region is one of the best regions to look for work ( and wages ) just behind Warsaw, Wroclaw and 3city...

There are hotels in every city. So lodging shouldn't be a problem. I can give you my contact information if you'll get yourself in some sort of trouble ;D

ctobin
hey
try to contact regional or branch trade union office solidarnosc - they are not only striking ;) also doing other job, there is an international department and for sure they can give qutie a lot of useful info.

Mining industry in Poland is not so much black and white situation like it used to. There are profitable mines, there are problematic ones. You will have to make quite a research to show it in true colors. Anyway, this museum in Zabrze could be cool place to start with :-) :

kopalniaguido.pl/galerie/poziom320

Just make sure you show the other side - miners getting early retirement with high pensions, often from unprofitable mines that are only kept open because Solidarność will declare hunger strikes the moment 'redundancy' is mentioned.

And if you want information on the current environment, I'd suggest contacting KGHM. They are the biggest mining company in Poland.

KGHM it is entirely different story. They mine copper and silver, and are located in the west of Lower Silesia. And this is really rich company... ctobin clearly wants to show struggle of hard coal miners in Upper Silesia ;-) If someone want to show entire mining industry of Poland then there would be quite a lot places to visit, ranging from west to east of Poland, and not only in the south.

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