So, off we go on an amazing journey, this time by train—the one that will astound you. All aboard, doors closed, let’s go!
The Flying Silesian
Some time ago, Poland was abuzz about Pendolino—a superfast train that would finally run on our tracks. It sparked a great deal of emotion, because our railways are only moderately prepared and, as we all know, this train will not reach its maximum speed. For now, it looks nice.
Interestingly, trains once travelled through Upper and Lower Silesia at speeds of up to 160 km/h. Yes, it is true, although this was in the 1930s, and the railway line served by these fast trains belonged to the Reich Railway Directorate. The German interwar railway had already reached its highest level by then. Trains such as the Flying Hamburger and the better-known Flying Silesian were among the fastest trains in Europe at the time.
15 May 1936 was a special date for Lower and Upper Silesia and Nazi Germany. On that day, the superfast express Fliegender Schlesier, or the Flying Silesian, set out on its route for the first time. It was also popularly known as the Flying Pieron.
The train became a sensation on the rails. The speed record it set was 160 km/h on the Bytom–Berlin route. It was the highest recorded speed achieved on the section from Wrocław via Legnica to Berlin. Its average speed, meanwhile, was 128 km/h, which was extraordinary in itself.
Above, you can see one of these “flying trains,” but it is not our Silesian—it is the Hamburger, which ran on the Hamburg–Berlin route. Unfortunately, I have not found any footage of a train running from Bytom, although this one is identical.
The Bytom–Berlin railway line
The flying trains, or super-expresses, were intended to connect the German capital with important economic centres such as Hamburg, Cologne and Wrocław and Upper Silesia. The main idea was that a businessperson who needed to take care of matters in Berlin offices or finalise a business transaction could do so within a single day. The train left Bytom at 5:24, reached Gliwice 15 minutes later, and arrived at Kędzierzyn (Kędzierzyn-Koźle) another 25 minutes after that. The next station was Opole, where the train made the longest stop on its entire route—9 minutes.
It then headed towards Wrocław, which it reached in just 40 minutes. Breslau was the last station on the route to Berlin. The train also passed through Środa Śląska, Legnica and Rokitki, but did not stop there. The journey to the German capital took 2 hours and 45 minutes. At Berlin’s Silesian Station, now Ostbahnhof, our Flying Silesian proudly pulled into the platform at 9:54. The entire journey therefore took 4.5 hours.
How long does a PKP train in today’s Poland need to cover this route? At least 7 hours—and the direct train from Wrocław to Berlin has already been discontinued, after 168 years. It is a shame that Wrocław, such a well-known city in Germany, lost such an important connection. After all, Wrocław is the European Capital of Culture this year. How are tourists and visitors from Germany supposed to reach this beautiful capital of Lower Silesia quickly?
You are probably wondering how it was possible for a pre-war train to reach such speeds and cover such a long route in so little time.
The answer is simple. The railway network was not as dense—there was simply less traffic on the railways. Today, for example, travelling through the Silesian agglomeration by train requires a great deal of patience. Trains do not move there at breakneck speed because they cannot.
Another issue is the poor condition of the tracks. Admittedly, one of the main international railway lines, Wrocław–Węgliniec (and onward to Zgorzelec), has been thoroughly modernised, but this is only a drop in the ocean of railway needs. Moreover, although we are already living in the 21st century, the Węgliniec–Zgorzelec route, despite leading to the Polish-German border, is not electrified. That certainly does not help. Pendolino certainly will not travel this way, even in the future.
A super-express straight from Görlitz
Finally, I want to show you just how innovative a train once ran on Silesian tracks. It was a unit without a separate locomotive—in other words, a diesel multiple unit. Steam propulsion already had its drawbacks at the time. It was time-consuming to service and periodically needed refilling with water, which was essential for producing steam.
The Flying Silesian had a streamlined body, and the carriages were equipped in a way that provided complete travel comfort.
What were the ticket prices? Unfortunately, I have not found any specific figures. They were certainly higher than those on any other trains, but the service was extremely popular, so the price could not have been excessively high. In addition, when the Agricultural Exhibition was held in Berlin, tourists could take advantage of a discount on that occasion.
Interestingly, this beautiful train was manufactured in Germany’s eastern territories, in Görlitz, at the WUMAG works. In the video above, you can see a brief account of the train’s production.
Although the Flying Silesian was a great success for the German railway—one of the best and most modern trains in Europe—it was taken out of service in August 1939. The reason was simple: fuel conservation, as fuel was priceless during the war that was about to break out.
After the war ended, trains to Hamburg continued to run, but this one never appeared on Silesian tracks again. What a shame...
Paweł Skiersinis
The author is a blogger and history enthusiast, particularly passionate about the history of Lower Silesia and Poland. Why Lower Silesia? As he puts it: “Why not? The most interesting history is the history around us, concerning us and our ancestors.”
He adds: “I try to present history from a different perspective, in an interesting way—not in the typical textbook style, full of dry dates and facts. My articles concern facts that we will not find in textbooks or well-known publications. The history of Lower Silesia is undoubtedly interesting and fascinating, so it is worth occasionally devoting at least a brief moment to it.”