Mining traditions 

The profession of miner, as few others, has grown from traditions cultivated over the centuries. Everyday habits, such as the miner’s greeting “szczęść Boże”, or God keep you, as well as in celebrations of the St. Barbara miner’s holiday “Barbórka”, mining traditions have become firmly embedded in the life of the mining divisions of KGHM and in the local community.

Mining traditions are strictly observed in KGHM. So-called “beer halls” (in Polish „karczmy piwne”) are organised both on a company basis as well as by individual divisions, which include a traditional initiation rite called the „jump over the leather apron” (in Polish „skok przez skórę”). Other traditions include retirement ceremonies, meetings with employees celebrating jubilee anniversaries, ceremonies for the handing out of awards and honorary miner swords, meetings with the mothers of miners, family trips to the mines and many other social events.
Every year on the 23rd of March, on the anniversary of the discovery of the copper deposit, near the SW-3 shaft, festivities are observed to commerorate this event. In Lubin, memorial wreaths are laid at the monument to Jan Wyżykowski– discoverer of the Polish copper ore deposit.

Statue of Jan Wyżykowski

 
Saint Barbara. According to legend, this exceptionally lovely maiden, who may have lived at the turn of the third and forth centuries A.D., was beheaded by her father Dioscorus, a lord of Nikomedia in Asia Minor, for converting to Christianity. Following this cruel execution her father was struck and killed by a lightning bolt. For this reason Saint Barbara became the patron saint of artillerymen, miners and firemen who ran the risk of sudden death, and in particular death by explosion. Another reason that miners took her as their patron saint was that during one of her escapes from persecution she took shelter among some quarrymen. Miners throughout the Christian world took her as their patron saint; during the Middle Ages her cult came to Poland from Bohemia. 4 December was established as the miners’ holiday, a day of rest after a year of strenuous toiling. This is also when celebrations connected with the cult of Saint Barbara (in Polish “Barbórka”) are observed.
In Poland Saint Barbara is mainly associated with mining. Images or figures of the saint are found not only in mines themselves, but also in miners’ homes and churches.

The Guardian is the spirit of the mines, according to old Silesian or Cracovian beliefs. This grey-bearded old man is perceived as a good protector of those working underground, or as a dangerous and vindictive ruler of the souls of miners who have perished there. Legend says that all of the treasures – the minerals – lying underground also belong to the Guardian.

The miners’ colors are black and green. The first symbolises the darkness of the underground world, and the second the longing of miners for the green of forests and fields during their work underground.

The miners’ emblems are the maul (miner’s hammer) and the iron (short pick). They were used by miners for breaking up ore and coal.  

The “jump over the leather apron” ceremony is used as an initiation rite for admitting young people (known as “foxes”) to the status of miner. This traditionally took place in an inn during a "beer hall" fest. The candidates were led in single file by the fox-major in front of the old miners. After the test, the young man jumped over the leather and then he was accepted as a miner. He was taken to the party table by the "beer father".
The miner’s leather apron was the most important symbol, the most important article of equipment, of the miner. The miner used the apron when he had to work in a kneeling position; used it to cover his head when water dripped from the roof of the tunnel; sat on it during meals; and also used it to collect his wages. The miner’s apron became a symbol of being admitted into the brotherhood of miners.
The ceremony of initiation into the mining profession has always been a formal event. Today the “jump over the leather apron” ceremony is practiced as part of the Saint Barbara festivities. In the Copper Region around KGHM the “jump over the leather apron” ceremony is observed mainly during Beer Halls or as a street show in mining towns. The ceremony ends with the singing of the Polish Miner’s Hymn. 

Górniczy Stan, hej niech nam żyje
Niech żyje nam Górniczy stan
Bo choć przed nami ziemia światło kryje
Toć dla ojczyzny trud ten jest nam dan

Boć synowi podziemnych czarnych światów
Każdy chętnie poda swą dłoń /bis/
Niech żyje nam górniczy stan
Górniczy stan niech żyje nam

Czyż nie słyszysz dzwonka z naszej wieży
I dźwięk kilofa, który wzywa nas
Hej do szybu niech z nas każdy bieży
Szczęść nam Boże zaśpiewajmy wraz

Boć synowi podziemnych czarnych światów
Każdy chętnie odda swą dłoń /bis/
Niech żyje nam górniczy stan
Górniczy stan niech żyje nam 

The “jump over the leather apron” ceremony

Barbórka (Saint Barbara’s Day). On Saint Barbara’s Day miners, bedecked in handsome miner uniforms, paraded with their flags and orchestras to church. After the return to the beer hall the initiation ceremony for the new miners was held, during which an additional button was attached to the collar of their uniform and a miner’s belt was donned. Then the drinking began. The tradition of Saint Barbara’s Day is strictly observed in all of the mines, while the fox marches, jump over the apron, beer halls and other miner festivities are permanent elements.

Beer Halls. To preserve miner traditions festive beer halls are held. Participating in these beer halls are Stare Strzechy (Masters of Ceremonies), entitled miners and invited guests. Miners who celebrate with the MCs and the distinguished guests treat this opportunity as an honor. The ultimate authority during a beer hall is the Great and Infallible in Matters of Beer Board of Presiding Officers. Such beer parties are conducted according to prepared scenarios, in which contests are held against a backdrop of gusty singing and merrymaking by all participants. At a beer hall one can vent one’s frustrations and laugh at others with impunity, even at one’s superiors. Beer is traditionally drunk from mugs specially-designed for each beer hall.

Ladies’ Nights („babskie combry”) – during Ladies’ Night, women who are employed at the mines meet and celebrate in a similar manner to the men. Ladies’ Night has its own customs and traditions, with singing and celebrating lasting till the early hours.

Miner insignia

The miners’ uniform was introduced in the 18th century in the mountainous regions of Germany. In Poland, the question of uniforms for miners was resolved by the introduction of changes to the Mining Act of 1817. Various uniforms were used to distinguish the different categories of mining. Enacted into law in 1949, and related to the uniform in use at the end of the 19th century, the ceremonial black uniform is emblazoned with a variety of stylised decorations which hark back to earlier working clothes, in which the miner performed a specific function. For example, the brush used for cleaning blasting holes, which was attached to the hat by a band, became the decorative, symbolic feather on the headpiece of the uniform. The short cloak worn is a relic of the cape protecting the miner from water dripping from the roof. Pockets of material on the breast and cuffs on the sleeves were used to hold the fuses and flints necessary in blasting. A permanent part of the miner’s formal uniform is the miner’s sword. Today, apart from this formal uniform, miners also use an official steel-colored uniform. The insignia worn show the miner's rank.  

Mining Militaria includes an axe, sword and knife. The axe was a work tool and had a parade and military function. Miners as a free people had an obligation to report armed at the prince’s command. The sword was worn by salt miners in Wieliczka despite numerous protests of the nobility. In the 19th century it was accepted as part of the uniform of the Royal Miners Corps in the Kingdom of Poland. The knife was worn by students of Mining Academy in Kielce. Now swords and knives are bestowed for outstanding achievements and work of long standing in the mine.

Miners allowance. Once a year the wealthy and powerful nobility used to come to the miners party. On this occasion miners were given portions of food and drink. This tradition has survived in the form of a ceremonial dinner. In 1920 the official miner's allowance was established: a quarter liter of vodka, 20 decagrams of kielbasa and two rolls.

The miner's card granted special privileges and honors in salaries, honorary rights, social and health care, pensions and vacations for the miners, introduced by a Resolution of the Council of Ministers from 30 November 1949.

The miners shift, i.e. work. After dividing up specific jobs in a meeting hall at the surface, the miners descended into the mine. First, in order to adjust their eyes to the darkness, they sat at the bottom of the shaft. Here a miners council was held.

The mining profession has been arranged in a hierarchical order for centuries. Salt miners mostly came from the nobility, and so were accustomed to a strict hierarchical structure. Even the miners, however, although all were free people, also maintained a hierarchy, beginning with secret initiation rites into the profession of miner. During the miners councils, the various levels of miner each sat in their own prescribed group. Observing and honoring this tradition, the profession of miner is divided into the following ranks:
1. general director of mining;
2. general mining director;
3. mining director;
4. mining engineer;
5. mining technician;
6. miner;
7. miner candidate.
Each rank is divided into "hammers", or degrees – from one to three. The general director of mining is an exception; the upper level has gold oak leaf and one hammer in a gold frame, while the lower level has four hammers.

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