Oberwüstegiersdorf Material Ropeway

The Oberwüstegiersdorf Material Ropeway was a material ropeway in Oberwüstegiersdorf, Silesia that connected the melaphyre quarry on Stuben Berg (753 m; Polish: Ostoja) with the gravel works near Oberwüstegiersdorf railway station.

History

The quarry was put into operation in 1900. Initially, the extracted material was transported by horse-drawn teams. After 1910, the use of modern pneumatic jackhammers and [...] led to an increase in production, making the construction of a material ropeway necessary. The material ropeway is not yet recorded on the TK25 5364 Messtischblatt map sheet from 1913. Postcards from 1917 already exist that show the material ropeway. The quarry was closed in 1975.

Forced labour

During the Second World War, the KL Schotterwerk subcamp of Gross-Rosen was located in the area of the lower station and the gravel works. The Gross-Rosen Memorial names the quarry in Oberwüstegiersdorf, the gravel factory, and the loading of building materials as part of Project Riese as places where prisoners were deployed. At least 1,245 prisoners are known.

Route

The line ran from the melaphyre quarry to the gravel works at Oberwüstegiersdorf railway station. Remains of the installation, such as the loading ramp and the initial station, can still be seen today. Some concrete blocks of the former ropeway line are also still visible.

The route of the material ropeway is recorded on the TK25 5364 Messtischblatt map sheets from 1934 and 1944.