Started out of Brno at 9am…drizzle, traffic jam on the opposite side of the highway heading into Brno. 3 hours later get into Katowice, weather has improved, some sun! But can’t find my airB&B at the address I have. Ring…discover they are redecorating and have a new place on the other side of town for me, ‘just as nice’. I love my GPS! If I didn’t have that, would be seriously stressed. Mission accomplished in 15 mins! Keys to apartment and apartment block handed over, I’m shown car garaging facility and remote control function ….over to you they say. Just leave our keys @ level O in box 34! No worries I say, thinking….I think I have all that.

Consulted my crib notes and decided to drive to Katowice’s no 1. attraction, Nikiszowiec estate.  It’s a worker’s housing estate of red brick apartment blocks grouped around gardenlike courtyards, there’s a red brick church and other buildings, all close to the mine and green surroundings…. a pearl of social housing architecture; designed in the late 19thC, Nikiszowiec initially was a coal miners’ settlement of Giesche mine between 1908–1918. In 1960, Nikiszowiec was incorporated as a part of Katowice. 
The remnants of the original workers’ housing estate ‘familoks’ (specialized multi-family residences designed for workers in heavy industry) comprise one of Poland’s official national ‘Historic Monuments’. 

Close by, the Galeria Szyb Wilson is a modern art gallery. Arguably Katowice’s best art space, comprising an impressive 2,500 square metres divided into three halls. It was supposed to be full of “seriously bonkers, yet compellingly high quality sculpture, graphic and installation art- some playful, some political – hidden throughout the dozens of small nooks spidering throughout the building”.
When I went there today, lots of empty walls, ladders, canvass covers…either they are preparing for an exhibition … or….closing down. Nice to see a few paintings though and loved the ivy covered building outside! 

I’ve also contacted the National Archives of Katowice and asked questions about Mum’s side of the family and hopefully they’ll get back to me on those.