Karl Godulla
Encyclopedia
Karl Godulla, Carolus Godulla, in Polish
spelled Karol Godula (born 8 November 1781 in Makoschau, today Makoszowy
, a subdivision of Zabrze
, Silesia
; died 6 July 1848 in Breslau, today Wrocław) was a Silesia
n self-made industrialist ("the king of zinc"), and one of the best-known pioneers in the industrial development of Prussian Silesia
.
Soon, Godulla acquired his own coal mines, calamine
mines and zinc smelters. He attained a large fortune, partly through introduction of new industrial processes into the fast developing industry of Silesia. By the time of his death, Godulla owned 80 zinc mines, 4 zinc smelters, 48 coal mines and considerable real estate. Godulla was considered to be an economic person, who lived rather in his little wooden house in Ruda Slaska
than in his palace at Schomberg (nowadays, a subdivision of Bytom
). He was also known to be very industrious man, who allowed himself little peace, and who imposed these standards on his employees and workers of his industrial establishments. He declined knighthood allegedly stating that "the greatest nobility comes from the memory of an actful life".
Godulla remained unmarried and childless. He adopted a child of a worker, Johanna Gryzik (1842-1910), who at the age of 6 inherited Godulla's fortune, at 16 was ennobled by Friedrich Wilhelm IV to Gryzik von Schomberg-Godulla, a month later married count Hans Ulrich von Schaffgotsch
, and then successfully administered by herself the business empire, one of the largest in Germany. After WWII, the descendants of the family were expelled from Silesia, her grave was emptied, and most of the property destroyed.
A subdivision of Ruda Śląska (Godula, de
:Godullahütte) has historically been named after Carolus Godulla. Following the fall of communism, the Godula Upper-Silesian Higher Business School in Chorzów
was established. Godula's name was also given to a college in Ruda Śląska-Halemba (Zespół Szkół Ponadgimnazjalnych nr 3) and a high school in Bytom-Szombierki (Gimnazjum Nr 6). His daughter's name has recently (2007) been given to an elementary school (#3) in Ruda Śląska (in today's Polish version, her name is spelled "hrabina Joanna Gryzik von Schaffgotsch").
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
spelled Karol Godula (born 8 November 1781 in Makoschau, today Makoszowy
Makoszowy
Makoszowy - Poland, Silesia - is a district of city Zabrze called Zabrze-Makoszowy- History :Makoszwy was an independent settlement for a long time...
, a subdivision of Zabrze
Zabrze
Zabrze is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is a metropolis with a population of around 2 million...
, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
; died 6 July 1848 in Breslau, today Wrocław) was a Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
n self-made industrialist ("the king of zinc"), and one of the best-known pioneers in the industrial development of Prussian Silesia
Province of Silesia
The Province of Silesia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1919.-Geography:The territory comprised the bulk of the former Bohemian crown land of Silesia and the County of Kladsko, which King Frederick the Great had conquered from the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy in the 18th...
.
Life
Godulla grew up in modest conditions and went into the services to count von Ballestrem, who promoted the intelligent, ambitious and skillful young man. In 1807, Godulla was promoted to be the manager at the count estate, and in 1818 ascended to become the overseer of all his goods. In 1812, the zinc smelter "Karlhütte" construction began, and Godulla became its manager. He received from the count 28 shares ("freikuxen") in this new smelter, and this started his own business career.Soon, Godulla acquired his own coal mines, calamine
Calamine (mineral)
Calamine is a historic name for an ore of zinc. The name calamine was derived from the Belgian town of Kelmis, whose French name is "La Calamine", which is home to a zinc mine...
mines and zinc smelters. He attained a large fortune, partly through introduction of new industrial processes into the fast developing industry of Silesia. By the time of his death, Godulla owned 80 zinc mines, 4 zinc smelters, 48 coal mines and considerable real estate. Godulla was considered to be an economic person, who lived rather in his little wooden house in Ruda Slaska
Ruda Slaska
Ruda Śląska is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. It is a district in the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, a metropolis with a population of 2 million. It is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Kłodnica river ....
than in his palace at Schomberg (nowadays, a subdivision of Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
). He was also known to be very industrious man, who allowed himself little peace, and who imposed these standards on his employees and workers of his industrial establishments. He declined knighthood allegedly stating that "the greatest nobility comes from the memory of an actful life".
Legacy
House of Schaffgotsch
The Schaffgotsch family is one of the oldest noble Silesian families extant, dating back to the thirteenth century. They were first mentioned in the St. Gallen book of documents in 804 and 809, when they were domiciled in the Margraviate of Meissen, Franconia, and the Tyrol...
, and then successfully administered by herself the business empire, one of the largest in Germany. After WWII, the descendants of the family were expelled from Silesia, her grave was emptied, and most of the property destroyed.
A subdivision of Ruda Śląska (Godula, de
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
:Godullahütte) has historically been named after Carolus Godulla. Following the fall of communism, the Godula Upper-Silesian Higher Business School in Chorzów
Chorzów
Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
was established. Godula's name was also given to a college in Ruda Śląska-Halemba (Zespół Szkół Ponadgimnazjalnych nr 3) and a high school in Bytom-Szombierki (Gimnazjum Nr 6). His daughter's name has recently (2007) been given to an elementary school (#3) in Ruda Śląska (in today's Polish version, her name is spelled "hrabina Joanna Gryzik von Schaffgotsch").
Legends
As a young man, Godulla was disfigured, possibly by poachers, with business of whose he successfully interfered (part of his hired job). He lost an eye, use of one hand, had a disfigured face, permanent limp, and (allegedly) lost masculinity. Folk legends had it that he cut a deal with the devil (this was to explain his exceptionally good business fortune, the late-night experiments in chemistry, and personal oddities).Sources
- Peter Szczepanek, "Godulla und der Anfang der oberschlesischen Industrie", Echo Slonska, 2002-05-06 (in German)
- "Karol Godula", Echo Slonska, 2002-10-9, (in Polish)
- Excerpt from: Urbanek: "Carl Godulla und sein Werk" (www.prosilesia.net)
- Wie ich den Godulla suchen ging, (Hans Nowak describes his novel "Godulla" in the newspaper article Zink wird Gold, DIE ZEIT, 1949)
- Ostdeutsche-Biographie: Karl Godulla, Bergbauunternehmer (with futhur literature)]