The battle was predated by an earlier attempted to capture the town by an insurgent company led by Maksymilian Iksal on August 17, which resulted in failure.

The strategic goal of the Battle of Godow was opening the road between Cieszyn Silesia and Loslau, which had been blockaded by German troops.

[2] Ultimately however, The attack failed and Iksal left Upper Silesia soon thereafter for Warsaw where he requested support for the uprising, giving command of his unit to Franciszek Marszolik.

To avoid alerting the fortified enemy on the hill, the Silesian insurgents refrained from firing on the escaping soldiers.

[4] In retaliation for the insurgent attack in Godow, German soldiers barged into the school in Piotrowice, which served as a centre for Silesian refugees, and took 40 people hostage.