The article analyses the downfall of post-industrial cities, using Bytom as an example – one of the cities in Poland most affected by the energy and economic transition. The starting point is the process of decarbonisation and the closure of coal mines, which once formed the foundation of local identity and prosperity. It describes the dystopian reality of Bytom: mass depopulation, urban degradation, mining damage, social polarisation, and ghettoisation. Despite the grim diagnosis, it also points to emerging signs of recovery – grassroots initiatives, revitalisation programmes, and external support. The text reflects on the possibility of escaping the dystopian conditions not through utopian visions but through corrective measures.
English
Język Polski