German forces appeared in the vicinity of the city on 3 September and some early clashes most likely took part on that day. The German forces that took the city on 4 September only had to deal with some remaining irregular Polish self-defense militia units, who either refused to evacuate or were unaware of the orders from the Polish army command. German soldiers reported being shot at in a number of incidents, suffering about 15 total fatalities in the process of securing the city. The most notable incidents involved the defense of the , as well as a group of Polish Boy and Girl Scouts shooting Germans troops from the vantage point of the Parachute Tower Katowice. In the latter incident, witness reports suggest at least ten fatalities among the defenders, and several defenders might also have been taken prisoner. The defense of the Parachute Tower became also the best remembered incidents of the defense of Katowice and has been describe as "legendary". Other militia strongholds included the city's first skyscraper, Drapacz Chmur, and the Silesian Theatre; there were also militia units in the towers of local churches, in the Silesian Museum in the city center and other locales. A small number of rearguard units or stragglers from the of the Polish 23rd Infantry Division also participated in fighting Germans in Katowice on that day, with several soldiers killed, wounded or taken prisoner. The German advance on the city began on the morning of 4 September and they gained control of the town within a few hours.
Aftermath
In the aftermath of the battle, the Germans executed over 80 prisoners, namely people wearing insurgent or scouting uniforms. Total Polish casualties for that day from fighting and follow-up executions are estimated at about 150. An unknown number of people were arrested, with some being executed over the following weeks. Einsatzgruppen units were also active in Katowice and Silesia, and one of their standing orders was to summarily execute all identified former Polish insurgents. One of the first actions of the Germans after taking the town was the destruction of the Great Synagogue.
Remembrance
In 1961, the was unveiled. On 4 September 1983 a was unveiled in Katowice, commemorating the Polish Boy Scouts who were killed during the defense of Katowice. There are also individual and mass graves, as well as several memorial plaques dedicated to the victims of the defense of Katowice, including those who had been executed. During anniversaries of World War II a number of those monuments are visited by government officials and activists.
