Kino zamieniło się w cmentarz. Tragedia dzieci z powojennych Gliwic #kronikikatastrof

On March 24, 1919, one of the most tragic and forgotten tragedies in the region's history occurred at the Capitol Cinema in Gliwice. During a children's performance of "Saint Jadwiga, Patron Saint of Silesia," a hot light bulb ignited the curtain. Although the fire itself was small, unimaginable panic erupted in the building. The auditorium became a death trap: the exit doors were locked from the outside by the organizers, and their unfortunate design, opening inward, prevented escape from the press of the crowd of children. As a result of being trampled and suffocated, 76 children lost their lives. In this episode, we analyze not only the tragedy itself, but also the blatant fire safety negligence, the lack of proper supervision, and the consequences of this tragic event. We also examine the fate of the entertainment complex, which, despite attempts to reactivate it, ultimately ceased to exist in 1945 after the fire. We discover the history of the mass grave at the Lipowy Cemetery and the fate of the unique monument by Paul Ondrusch. Małgorzata Lichecka, a journalist, activist, and history and architecture enthusiast, shares the story behind this forgotten and mysterious event. She is also the leader and co-founder of the informal group "Gliwice dla Schabika" (Gliwice for Schabika). =========== Email address: [email protected] ========== Host: Karolina Michalik Production: Mateusz Franczyk #chroniclesofdisasters