Orzesze [ɔˈʐɛʂɛ] (German: Orzesche, Silesian: Ôrzeszŏ) is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice.

During the joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II, the town was captured by Germany on September 3, 1939[4] after Polish defense.

The Germans immediately carried out mass arrests of Polish activists, scouts and insurgents of the Silesian Uprisings of 1919–1921.

[5] The victims of the latter massacre were 28 men (foresters, railwaymen, workers, farmers, retirees, a musician, editor, photographer, teacher, local official, barber, miner, janitor) and one woman.

[5] On September 8, 1939, German troops executed Józef Szindler, the commander of the local insurgent unit.