Karl Godulla

Karl Godulla, Carolus Godulla,[1][2] in Polish spelled Karol Godula (born 8 November 1781 in Makoschau, today Makoszowy, a subdivision of Zabrze, Silesia; died 6 July 1848 in Breslau, today Wrocław) was a Silesian self-made industrialist ("the king of zinc"), and one of the best-known pioneers in the industrial development of Prussian Silesia.

Godulla grew up in modest conditions and went into the services to Count von Ballestrem, who promoted the intelligent, ambitious and skillful young man.

Godulla was considered to be an economic person, who lived rather in his little wooden house in Ruda Śląska than in his palace at Schomberg (Szombierki), nowadays, a subdivision of Bytom.

As a young man, Godulla was disfigured, possibly by poachers, with business of whose he successfully interfered (part of his hired job).

Folk legends had it that he cut a deal with the devil (this was to explain his exceptionally good business fortune, the late-night experiments in chemistry, and personal oddities).