Procesy urbanizacyjne w województwie opolskim w XX wieku

Abstract

The article presents certain results on more extensive investigations of industrialisation and urbanization processes in the XXc. Opole region. Opole region situated between two economically active centres those of Upper Silesia and of Wrocław of urbanization as measured by the growth of the percentage of urban population - (in 1900 - 23,7%; in 1939 to 33,2%; in 1960 - 37,0%). While in the capitalistic conditions in the neighbouring region new towns were springing up, in Opole region not a single new town had grown. Some of the ancient, since feudal times well industrialised small Opole towns and villages had however caused considerable transformations of the structure of regional country side employment. Already in the inter-war period (1919-1939) commutation to work from villages to town and to local industrial groups were a characteristic of the central and west part of Opole region. After the brisk reconstruction of World-war destructions began a rapid growth of Opole towns importanse and their becoming other than agricultural labour consumers. On the basis of socialistic post-war industrialization new towns and as many more settlements have grown and in a number of village groupings foundations of economic development have been laid down.