Karol Stryja (2 February 1915 in Cieszyn - 31 January 1998 in Katowice) was a Polish conductor and teacher.Stryja, son of a tailor, was born in Cieszyn and finished elementary school, gymnasium and teachers' seminary there. Since 1934 he worked as a teacher and simultaneously studied at the University of Music in Katowice. In 1939 he graduated from the Department of Pedagogy, in 1951 from the studies in conducting.In 1937 he started his conducting career with the Echo choir in Łaziska Górne.