Katowice “transatlantic” entered in the register of historic buildings

The decision to enter it in the register was taken by the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Katowice. “Transatlantyk” is a modernist kindergarten building that was built on the site of the then allotment gardens

The building is located at 72 Gen. Józefa Hallera Street in Katowice – Dąbrówka Mała. The initiator of its construction was the head of the municipality of Dąbrówka Mała – Augustyn Rzepka. The project envisaged the construction of a modernist building and the entire layout of a Jordan garden. At present, the place is occupied by the square of the Soldiers of September

The whole establishment was probably designed by Kazimierz Wędrowski. The construction was financed by the municipality, provincial authorities and municipal associations, among others. The building was opened in 1937. It has features of the functionalist style with elements of the shipbuilding style. In the literature there is often an erroneous information that a small swimming pool was designed on its roof, while the flat roof covered with tar paper is maintained on a wooden rafter framing, informs the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Katowice

Interestingly, the aforementioned swimming pool was built, but is located in the garden. In addition to the two concrete pools, a pergola and a sandpit were built there. These elements can be seen in the archive photo below the article

After the end of the Second World War, the Jordan Garden was transformed into a municipal park. on 18 September 1960, a monument was unveiled there to commemorate the inhabitants of Dąbrówka Mała who had been killed and murdered by the Nazis. Fortunately, the edifice has survived the last decades and its original shape with a characteristic semi-elliptical belvedere has been preserved. This last element is why the building is sometimes referred to as a “transatlantic” building

Today, the building houses the Municipal Kindergarten No. 38, which is part of the School and Kindergarten Complex No. 3 in Katowice

source: Voivodeship Historic Preservation Office in Katowice

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