Bydgoszcz
Encyclopedia
Bydgoszcz AUD is a city located in northern Poland
, on the Brda
and Vistula rivers. With a city population of 358,029 (June 2009), and an urban agglomeration
with more than 460,000 inhabitants, Bydgoszcz is the 8th-largest city in Poland. It has been the seat of Bydgoszcz County
and the co-capital, with Toruń
, of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
since 1999. Prior to this, between 1947 and 1998, it was the capital of the Bydgoszcz Voivodeship
, and before that, of the Pomeranian Voivodeship
between 1945 and 1947.
Bydgoszcz is part of the metroplex Bydgoszcz-Toruń
, which totals over 850,000 inhabitants. Bydgoszcz is the seat of Casimir the Great University
, University of Technology and Life Sciences and a conservatory, as well as a Collegium Medicum of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
. Bydgoszcz hosts the Filharmonia Pomorska concert hall, the Opera Nova opera house
, and the Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport
. Due to its location between the Vistula and Odra rivers, and the water course of the Bydgoszcz Canal
, the city forms part of a water system connected via the Noteć, Warta, Odra, and Elbe
with the Rhine and Rotterdam
. Bydgoszcz was a candidate for the title of European Capital of Culture
in 2016.
' in Bavaria, which until 1028 was known as Trěbigost-jь, Radogost-jь, in Austria, is also a prominent example; it is today known as Ratgoz. There are also a number of other Polish place names which make use of the goszcz suffix: Małogoszcz and Skorogoszcz
. Bydgoszcz however has a long, rich history of etymological change:
The name Byd-gost contains archaic elements of the Proto-Slavonic root 'byd' which existed as a variant of the verb 'to raise' ( Ancient Russian vъzbydati = stimulating, Proto-Slavonic bъděti / bъd 'ǫ = no sleep, to watch), and the common Slavic root Goszcz (fireplace). Some people identify the name of the town as BUDOrgis, a name from the 2nd century which is listed next to the village Calisia on the amber route.
s. In the 13th century it was the site of a castellany
, first mentioned in 1238. The city was occupied by the Teutonic Knights
in 1331, and incorporated into the monastic state of the Teutonic Knights
. The city was relinquished by the Knights in 1343 with their signing of the Treaty of Kalisz
along with Dobrzyń
and the remainder of Kuyavia.
King Casimir III of Poland, granted Bydgoszcz city rights
(charter) on April 19, 1346. The city increasingly saw an influx of Jews after that date. In the 15th–16th centuries Bydgoszcz was a significant site for wheat
trading.
The Treaty of Bydgoszcz
agreed in 1657 by King John II Casimir Vasa of Poland and Elector Frederick William II
of Brandenburg-Prussia
created a military alliance between Poland and Prussia while marking the withdrawal of Prussia from its alliance with Sweden.
Bydgoszcz followed the history of Greater Poland
until 1772, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia
in the First Partition of Poland
and incorporated into the Netze District
as Bromberg and, later, West Prussia
. During this time, a canal was built from Bromberg to Nakło which connected the north-flowing Vistula River via the Brda to the west-flowing Noteć
, which in turn flowed to the Oder via the Warta.
In 1807, after the defeat of Prussia by Napoleon, and the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit, Bromberg became part of the Duchy of Warsaw
. In 1815 it returned to Prussian rule as part of the autonomous Grand Duchy of Poznań (the Province of Posen
after 1848) and the capital of the Bromberg region. After 1871 the city was part of the German Empire
. After World War I
and the Great Poland Uprising
, Bromberg was assigned to Poland in 1919. The local populace had to acquire Polish citizenship or leave the country. This led to a significant decline of ethnic Germans, whose number within the town decreased from 74,292 in 1910 to 11,016 in 1926 and from 31,212 to 13,281 within the district. In 1938 it was made part of the Pomeranian Voivodeship
.
From 1939–45 during World War II
, Bydgoszcz was retaken by Nazi Germany
, in the Invasion of Poland and annexed to the Reichsgau Wartheland
as the seat
of the district or county (kreis) of Bromberg . On September 3, 1939, shortly after the war started, the Bromberg Bloody Sunday incident occurred in which numerous Germans
and Poles
were killed; the incident was used in Nazi propaganda and reprisals against the Poles
followed after Bromberg was occupied by the Wehrmacht
on September 9. The city's Jewish citizens were repressed and thousands of people were sent to concentration camps and/or executed. Bromberg was the site of Bromberg-Ost
, a female subcamp of Stutthof
. The subcamp was staffed by several female SS
guards (Aufseherin
) and was commanded by the Oberaufseherin
Johanna Wisotzki and a male commandant. A deportation camp was situated in Smukała village, now part of Bydgoszcz. According to Nowa encyklopedia powszechna PWN, 37,000 citizens of the city died during the war.
In 1945 Bromberg was overrun by the Soviet army
. After the Yalta Agreement, it was assigned to Poland, which later became a soviet satellite in the Warsaw Pact
.
In March 1981 Solidarity's activists were violently suppressed in Bydgoszcz
.
The Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin, commonly referred to as "The Church of Poor Clares," is a famous landmark of the city. It is a small, Gothic-Renaissance (including Neo-Renaissance
additions), single-aisle church built between 1582–1602. The interior is rather austere since the church has been stripped of most of its furnishings. Not a surprising fact, considering that in the 19th century the Prussian authorities dissolved the Order of St Clare
and turned the church into a warehouse, among other uses. Nonetheless, the church is worth visiting and inspecting. In particular the original wooden polychrome ceiling dating from the 17th century draws the attention of every visitor.
Wyspa Młyńska (Mill Island) is among the most spectacular and atmospheric places in Bydgoszcz. What makes it unique is the location in the very heart of the city centre, just a few steps from the old Market Square. It was the 'industrial' centre of Bydgoszcz in the Middle Ages and for several hundred years thereafter, and it was here that the famous royal mint operated in the 17th century. Most of the buildings which can still be seen on the island date from the 19th century, but the so-called Biały Spichlerz (the White Granary) recalls the end of the 18th century. However, it is the water, footbridges, historic red-brick tenement houses reflected in the rivers, and the greenery, including old chestnut trees, that create the unique atmosphere of the island.
“Hotel pod Orłem” (Hotel Adler or The Eagle Hotel), an icon of the city’s 19th century architecture, was designed by the distinguished Bydgoszcz architect Józef Święcicki, the author of around sixty buildings in the city. Completed in 1896, it served as a hotel from the very beginning and was originally owned by Emil Bernhardt, a hotel manager educated in Switzerland. Its façade displays forms characteristic of the Neo-baroque style in architecture.
Saint Vincent de Paul’s Basilica, erected between 1925 and 1939, is the largest church in Bydgoszcz and one of the biggest in Poland. It can accommodate around 12,000 people. This monumental church, modelled after the Pantheon
in Rome, was designed by the Polish architect Adam Ballenstaedt. The most characteristic element of the neo-classical temple is the reinforced concrete dome 40 metres in diameter.
The three granaries in Grodzka Street, picturesquely located on the Brda River in the immediate vicinity of the old Market Square, are the official symbol of the city. Built at the turn of the 19th century, they were originally used to store grain and similar products, but now house exhibitions of the City's Leon Wyczółkowski District Museum.
The city is mostly associated with water, sports, Art Nouveau buildings, waterfront, music, and urban greenery. It is worth noting that Bydgoszcz boasts the largest city park in Poland (830 ha). The city was also once famous for its industry.
Unfortunately, some great monuments were destroyed, for example the church in the Old Market Square and the Municipal Theatre. Additionally, the Old Town lost a few characteristic tenement houses, including the western frontage of the Market Square. The city also lost its Gothic castle and defensive walls.
In Bydgoszcz there is a great number of villas in the concept of garden suburbs
.
The most beautiful houses in the New Town (Śródmieście) were mostly designed by Polish and German architects.
Since 2000, Bydgoszcz has been annually subjected to international 'verification' ratings. In February 2008 the Agency 'Fitch Ratings
', recategorised the city, increasing its rating from BBB-(stable forecast) to BBB (stable estimate).
In 2004, Bydgoszcz launched an Industrial and Technology Park of 283 hectares, an attractive place for doing business as companies which relocate there receive tax breaks, 24 hour security, access to large plots of land and to the media, the railway line Chorzów Batory – Tczew (passenger, coal), the DK5 and DK10 national roads, and future freeways S10
and S5
. Bydgoszcz airport is also close by.
The city has, in recent years, become one of Poland's most important economic centres. This is especially true for the role the city plays in the economy of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
, of which it is, along with Toruń
, capital.
River and Mill Island.
In Bydgoszcz the Pomeranian Military Museum specializes in documenting the latest (19th – 20th century) Polish military history, particularly the history of the Pomeranian Military District and several other units present in the area.
The city has many art galleries, two symphony orchestras and chamber and choirs. Bydgoszcz's cultural facilities also include libraries (including the Provincial and Municipal Public Library with an extensive collection of volumes from the fifteenth to the 19th century, and old books from Germany).
Museums
Teatr Polski im. Hieronima Konieczki (Hieronim Konieczka's Polish Theatre) – despite its name, theatre offers a wide variety of shows both of national and foreign origin. It also regularly plays hosts to a large number of touring shows. Founded in 1949, since 2002 the theatre has been taken part in the "Festiwal Prapremier" where the most renowned Polish theatres stage their latest premieres. There are also a number of private theatre companies operating in Bydgoszcz.
In the years 1960–1986 there was an outdoor theater, the reactivation of which is currently being pursued by the Theatre Culture Association, "Fides" and the Acting School A. Grzymala-Siedlecki.
The Pomeranian Philharmonic named for Ignacy Jan Paderewski has existed since 1953. The concert hall, which can hold 920 people is classified, in terms of sound, as one of the best in Europe, which is confirmed by well-known artists and critics (including J. Waldorff). Due to the phenomenon of acoustics, it attracts the interest of many famous artists. Bydgoszcz's stage has been frequented by many global celebrities, including Arthur Rubinstein, Benjamin Britten, Witold Malcuzynski, Luciano Pavarotti, Shlomo Mintz, Mischa Maisky, Kevin Kenner, Kurt Masur, Kazimierz Kord, Jerzy Maksymiuk and Antoni Wit. In recent years, the city has also hosted an excellent range of bands such as the BBC Radio Symphony Orchestra, the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra and others.
The Opera Nova, in existence since 1956, started the construction of a new building in 1974 which was to consist of three main halls, situated on the Brda. The Opera Nova has become a cultural showcase of Bydgoszcz in the world. Considering the short history of the Opera, its success has been astounding; a large number of famous opera singers have performed there and theatrical troops from the Wrocław Opera, Theater of Leningrad, Moscow, Kiev, Minsk and Glubenkiana Foundation of Lisbon have also made appearances.
to Pila and the north-south line from Inowrocław to Gdańsk
(see: Polish Coal Trunk-Line
). There are also secondary-importance lines stemming from the city, to Szubin
and to Chełmża.
Among rail stations located in the city, there are:
Members of Polish Senate 2007–2011 elected from Bydgoszcz constituency:
spent some time in the city of Bydgoszcz, where, in his memory, a figure was recently mounted in a window of a tenement, overseeing the Old Town. At 1:13 p.m. and 9:13 p.m. the window opens and Pan Twardowski appears, to the accompaniment of weird music and devilish laughter. He takes a bow, waves his hand, and then disappears. This little show gathers crowds of amused spectators.
with:
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, on the Brda
Brda River
The Brda is a river in northwestern Poland, a tributary of the Vistula. It is the country's 15th longest river, with a total length of 238 km and a catchment area of 4,627 km².-Navigation:...
and Vistula rivers. With a city population of 358,029 (June 2009), and an urban agglomeration
Agglomeration
In the study of human settlements, an urban agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built-up area of a central place and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area. In France, INSEE the French Statistical Institute, translate it as "Unité urbaine" which means continuous...
with more than 460,000 inhabitants, Bydgoszcz is the 8th-largest city in Poland. It has been the seat of Bydgoszcz County
Bydgoszcz County
Bydgoszcz County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-central Poland. It was created on 1 January 1999 as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the city of Bydgoszcz, although...
and the co-capital, with Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
, of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
-Transportation:Transportation infrastructure is of critical importance to the voivodeship's economy. Kuyavia-Pomerania is a major node point in the Polish transportation system. Railway lines from the South and East pass through Bydgoszcz in order to reach the major ports on the Baltic Sea...
since 1999. Prior to this, between 1947 and 1998, it was the capital of the Bydgoszcz Voivodeship
Bydgoszcz Voivodeship
Bydgoszcz Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. Capital city: Bydgoszcz Area: Statistics : Population: inhabitants...
, and before that, of the Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship, or Pomerania Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in north-central Poland. It comprises most of Pomerelia , as well as an area east of the Vistula River...
between 1945 and 1947.
Bydgoszcz is part of the metroplex Bydgoszcz-Toruń
Bydgoszcz-Torun
Bydgoszcz–Toruń metropolitan area is the name of the bi-polar agglomeration in the middle of the Vistula river created by 2 cities: Bydgoszcz and Toruń. The distance between the built-up areas of the cities is about 30 km...
, which totals over 850,000 inhabitants. Bydgoszcz is the seat of Casimir the Great University
Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz
Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz is a university in Bydgoszcz, Poland. It was named after Casimir III the Great , the King of Poland who granted the city municipal rights for Bydgoszcz on 19 April 1346.- School Authorities :* Rector Magnificus: Prof...
, University of Technology and Life Sciences and a conservatory, as well as a Collegium Medicum of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń is located in Toruń, Poland. It was named after Nicolaus Copernicus who was born in this town in 1473.-The beginnings of higher education in Toruń:...
. Bydgoszcz hosts the Filharmonia Pomorska concert hall, the Opera Nova opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
, and the Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport
Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport
Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport is a Polish regional airport in the city of Bydgoszcz, Poland. It lies only from the city center. It is the tenth airport in Poland in terms of passenger traffic. Currently the airport features one passenger terminal and four runways, the main being 08/26...
. Due to its location between the Vistula and Odra rivers, and the water course of the Bydgoszcz Canal
Bydgoszcz Canal
Bydgoszcz Canal - a canal, 24.7 km long, between the cities of Bydgoszcz and Nakło in Poland, connecting Vistula river with Oder river, through Brda and Noteć rivers . The level difference along the canal is regulated with usage of 6 locks...
, the city forms part of a water system connected via the Noteć, Warta, Odra, and Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
with the Rhine and Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. Bydgoszcz was a candidate for the title of European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....
in 2016.
Etymology
Bydgoszcz, originally Bydgoszcza (feminine gender word), is created as a pronoun name, the second part of which – goszcz comes from gost-jь possibly or gost-ja an old Slavic root which refers to an urban or suburban trading settlement. Other examples of this include the German 'TrebgastTrebgast
Trebgast is a municipality in the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany.-City arrangement:Trebgast is arranged in the following boroughs:* Feuln* Lindau* Trebgast* Waizendorf...
' in Bavaria, which until 1028 was known as Trěbigost-jь, Radogost-jь, in Austria, is also a prominent example; it is today known as Ratgoz. There are also a number of other Polish place names which make use of the goszcz suffix: Małogoszcz and Skorogoszcz
Skorogoszcz
Skorogoszcz is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Lewin Brzeski, within Brzeg County, Opole Voivodeship, in south-western Poland...
. Bydgoszcz however has a long, rich history of etymological change:
- 1239, Bidgosciam
- 1242, castrum quod Budegosta vulgariter nuncupatur (castle, which is colloquially called Bydgoszcza)
- 1279, Bidgoscha
- 1558, Bydgoszcz, that is, until the 16th century, Bydgoszcza "fishing village or campsite belonging to Bydgosta"
The name Byd-gost contains archaic elements of the Proto-Slavonic root 'byd' which existed as a variant of the verb 'to raise' ( Ancient Russian vъzbydati = stimulating, Proto-Slavonic bъděti / bъd 'ǫ = no sleep, to watch), and the common Slavic root Goszcz (fireplace). Some people identify the name of the town as BUDOrgis, a name from the 2nd century which is listed next to the village Calisia on the amber route.
History
Originally a fishing settlement called Bydgozcya ("Bydgostia" in Latin), the city became a stronghold for the Vistula trade routeTrade route
A trade route is a logistical network identified as a series of pathways and stoppages used for the commercial transport of cargo. Allowing goods to reach distant markets, a single trade route contains long distance arteries which may further be connected to several smaller networks of commercial...
s. In the 13th century it was the site of a castellany
Castellany
A castellany was a district administered by a castellan.Castellanies appeared during the Middle Ages and in most current states are now replaced by a more modern type of country subdivision....
, first mentioned in 1238. The city was occupied by the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
in 1331, and incorporated into the monastic state of the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
. The city was relinquished by the Knights in 1343 with their signing of the Treaty of Kalisz
Treaty of Kalisz
The Treaty of Kalisz was a peace treaty signed by King Casimir III the Great of Poland and the Teutonic Knights on 2 June 1343 in Kalisz.It concluded the Polish-Teutonic War . The Polish king had to renounce claims to Chełmno Land and Gdańsk Pomerania . In exchange, Poland regained Kuyavia and the...
along with Dobrzyń
Dobrzyn Land
Dobrzyń Land is a historic region around the town of Dobrzyń nad Wisłą in Poland, east of the Vistula River and south of the Drwęca, where it borders on the Kulmerland...
and the remainder of Kuyavia.
King Casimir III of Poland, granted Bydgoszcz city rights
Town privileges
Town privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
(charter) on April 19, 1346. The city increasingly saw an influx of Jews after that date. In the 15th–16th centuries Bydgoszcz was a significant site for wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
trading.
The Treaty of Bydgoszcz
Treaty of Bromberg
The Treaty of Bromberg or Treaty of Bydgoszcz was a treaty between John II Casimir of Poland and Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg-Prussia, ratified at Bromberg on 6 November 1657...
agreed in 1657 by King John II Casimir Vasa of Poland and Elector Frederick William II
Frederick William II of Prussia
Frederick William II was the King of Prussia, reigning from 1786 until his death. He was in personal union the Prince-Elector of Brandenburg and the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel.-Early life:...
of Brandenburg-Prussia
Brandenburg-Prussia
Brandenburg-Prussia is the historiographic denomination for the Early Modern realm of the Brandenburgian Hohenzollerns between 1618 and 1701. Based in the Electorate of Brandenburg, the main branch of the Hohenzollern intermarried with the branch ruling the Duchy of Prussia, and secured succession...
created a military alliance between Poland and Prussia while marking the withdrawal of Prussia from its alliance with Sweden.
Bydgoszcz followed the history of Greater Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
until 1772, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
in the First Partition of Poland
First Partition of Poland
The First Partition of Poland or First Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that ended the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. Growth in the Russian Empire's power, threatening the Kingdom of Prussia and the...
and incorporated into the Netze District
Netze District
The Netze District or District of the Netze was a territory in the Kingdom of Prussia from 1772 until 1807. It included the urban centers of Bydgoszcz , Inowrocław , Piła and Wałcz and was given its name for the Noteć River that traversed it.Beside Royal Prussia, a land of the Polish Crown...
as Bromberg and, later, West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
. During this time, a canal was built from Bromberg to Nakło which connected the north-flowing Vistula River via the Brda to the west-flowing Noteć
Notec
Noteć is a river in central Poland with a length of 388 km and a basin area of 17,330 km². It is a tributary of the Warta river and lies completely within Poland....
, which in turn flowed to the Oder via the Warta.
In 1807, after the defeat of Prussia by Napoleon, and the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit, Bromberg became part of the Duchy of Warsaw
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw was a Polish state established by Napoleon I in 1807 from the Polish lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit. The duchy was held in personal union by one of Napoleon's allies, King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony...
. In 1815 it returned to Prussian rule as part of the autonomous Grand Duchy of Poznań (the Province of Posen
Province of Posen
The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....
after 1848) and the capital of the Bromberg region. After 1871 the city was part of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the Great Poland Uprising
Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919)
The Greater Poland Uprising of 1918–1919, or Wielkopolska Uprising of 1918–1919 or Posnanian War was a military insurrection of Poles in the Greater Poland region against Germany...
, Bromberg was assigned to Poland in 1919. The local populace had to acquire Polish citizenship or leave the country. This led to a significant decline of ethnic Germans, whose number within the town decreased from 74,292 in 1910 to 11,016 in 1926 and from 31,212 to 13,281 within the district. In 1938 it was made part of the Pomeranian Voivodeship
Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938
On April 1, 1938, borders of several western and central Voivodeships changed considerably. This included such Voivodeships as Pomerania, Poznan, Warsaw, Lodz, Bialystok, Lublin and Kielce. Pomerania gained most, while Bialystok lost most...
.
From 1939–45 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Bydgoszcz was retaken by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, in the Invasion of Poland and annexed to the Reichsgau Wartheland
Reichsgau Wartheland
Reichsgau Wartheland was a Nazi German Reichsgau formed from Polish territory annexed in 1939. It comprised the Greater Poland and adjacent areas, and only in part matched the area of the similarly named pre-Versailles Prussian province of Posen...
as the seat
Seat (legal entity)
In strict legal language, the term seat defines the seat of a corporation or organisation as a legal entity, indicating where the headquarters of this entity are located...
of the district or county (kreis) of Bromberg . On September 3, 1939, shortly after the war started, the Bromberg Bloody Sunday incident occurred in which numerous Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
were killed; the incident was used in Nazi propaganda and reprisals against the Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
followed after Bromberg was occupied by the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
on September 9. The city's Jewish citizens were repressed and thousands of people were sent to concentration camps and/or executed. Bromberg was the site of Bromberg-Ost
Bromberg-Ost
Bromberg-Ost or Konzentrationslager Bromberg-Ost , was the female subcamp of the German concentration camp Stutthof between 1944-1945, in the city of Bydgoszcz....
, a female subcamp of Stutthof
Stutthof concentration camp
Stutthof was the first Nazi concentration camp built outside of 1937 German borders.Completed on September 2, 1939, it was located in a secluded, wet, and wooded area west of the small town of Sztutowo . The town is located in the former territory of the Free City of Danzig, 34 km east of...
. The subcamp was staffed by several female SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
guards (Aufseherin
Female guards in Nazi concentration camps
Of the 55,000 guards who served in Nazi concentration camps, about 3,700 were women. In 1942, the first female guards arrived at Auschwitz and Majdanek from Ravensbrück...
) and was commanded by the Oberaufseherin
Female guards in Nazi concentration camps
Of the 55,000 guards who served in Nazi concentration camps, about 3,700 were women. In 1942, the first female guards arrived at Auschwitz and Majdanek from Ravensbrück...
Johanna Wisotzki and a male commandant. A deportation camp was situated in Smukała village, now part of Bydgoszcz. According to Nowa encyklopedia powszechna PWN, 37,000 citizens of the city died during the war.
In 1945 Bromberg was overrun by the Soviet army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. After the Yalta Agreement, it was assigned to Poland, which later became a soviet satellite in the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
.
In March 1981 Solidarity's activists were violently suppressed in Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz events
Bydgoszcz events refers to a turning point in the early history of the Solidarity movement. Following the registration of the Solidarity by the communist authorities of Poland in 1980, the farmers were also pushing for creation of a separate trade union, independent from the official system of power...
.
Population
- Diagram of city population since 1600
Landmarks
Definitely one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, and undoubtedly the oldest, is the Church of St Martin and Nicolaus, commonly known as Fara Church. It is a three-aisle late Gothic church, erected between 1466 and 1502, which boasts a late-Gothic painting entitled Madonna with a Roseor the Holy Virgin of Beautiful Lovefrom the 16th century. The colourful 20th-century polychrome is also worth noticing.The Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin, commonly referred to as "The Church of Poor Clares," is a famous landmark of the city. It is a small, Gothic-Renaissance (including Neo-Renaissance
Neo-Renaissance
Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
additions), single-aisle church built between 1582–1602. The interior is rather austere since the church has been stripped of most of its furnishings. Not a surprising fact, considering that in the 19th century the Prussian authorities dissolved the Order of St Clare
Order of Poor Ladies
The Poor Clares also known as the Order of Saint Clare, the Order of Poor Ladies, the Poor Clare Sisters, the Clarisse, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, and the Second Order of St. Francis, , comprise several orders of nuns in the Catholic Church...
and turned the church into a warehouse, among other uses. Nonetheless, the church is worth visiting and inspecting. In particular the original wooden polychrome ceiling dating from the 17th century draws the attention of every visitor.
Wyspa Młyńska (Mill Island) is among the most spectacular and atmospheric places in Bydgoszcz. What makes it unique is the location in the very heart of the city centre, just a few steps from the old Market Square. It was the 'industrial' centre of Bydgoszcz in the Middle Ages and for several hundred years thereafter, and it was here that the famous royal mint operated in the 17th century. Most of the buildings which can still be seen on the island date from the 19th century, but the so-called Biały Spichlerz (the White Granary) recalls the end of the 18th century. However, it is the water, footbridges, historic red-brick tenement houses reflected in the rivers, and the greenery, including old chestnut trees, that create the unique atmosphere of the island.
“Hotel pod Orłem” (Hotel Adler or The Eagle Hotel), an icon of the city’s 19th century architecture, was designed by the distinguished Bydgoszcz architect Józef Święcicki, the author of around sixty buildings in the city. Completed in 1896, it served as a hotel from the very beginning and was originally owned by Emil Bernhardt, a hotel manager educated in Switzerland. Its façade displays forms characteristic of the Neo-baroque style in architecture.
Saint Vincent de Paul’s Basilica, erected between 1925 and 1939, is the largest church in Bydgoszcz and one of the biggest in Poland. It can accommodate around 12,000 people. This monumental church, modelled after the Pantheon
Pantheon, Rome
The Pantheon ,Rarely Pantheum. This appears in Pliny's Natural History in describing this edifice: Agrippae Pantheum decoravit Diogenes Atheniensis; in columnis templi eius Caryatides probantur inter pauca operum, sicut in fastigio posita signa, sed propter altitudinem loci minus celebrata.from ,...
in Rome, was designed by the Polish architect Adam Ballenstaedt. The most characteristic element of the neo-classical temple is the reinforced concrete dome 40 metres in diameter.
The three granaries in Grodzka Street, picturesquely located on the Brda River in the immediate vicinity of the old Market Square, are the official symbol of the city. Built at the turn of the 19th century, they were originally used to store grain and similar products, but now house exhibitions of the City's Leon Wyczółkowski District Museum.
The city is mostly associated with water, sports, Art Nouveau buildings, waterfront, music, and urban greenery. It is worth noting that Bydgoszcz boasts the largest city park in Poland (830 ha). The city was also once famous for its industry.
Unfortunately, some great monuments were destroyed, for example the church in the Old Market Square and the Municipal Theatre. Additionally, the Old Town lost a few characteristic tenement houses, including the western frontage of the Market Square. The city also lost its Gothic castle and defensive walls.
In Bydgoszcz there is a great number of villas in the concept of garden suburbs
Garden city movement
The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" , containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and...
.
The most beautiful houses in the New Town (Śródmieście) were mostly designed by Polish and German architects.
Economy
In the city there are 38 banks represented through a network of 116 branches (including the headquarters of the Postal Bank), whilst 37 insurance companies also have offices in the city. JP Morgan Chase, one of the largest financial institutions in the world, has established a branch in Bydgoszcz. Most industrial complexes are scattered throughout the city, however, the 'Zachem' chemical works deserves attention, covering tens of square kilometers in the south-east of the city, the remnants of the German explosives factory built in World War II occupy an area which has its own rail lines, internal communication, housing, and large forested area.Since 2000, Bydgoszcz has been annually subjected to international 'verification' ratings. In February 2008 the Agency 'Fitch Ratings
Fitch Ratings
The Fitch Group is a majority-owned subsidiary of FIMALAC, headquartered in Paris. Fitch Ratings, Fitch Solutions and Algorithmics, are part of the Fitch Group....
', recategorised the city, increasing its rating from BBB-(stable forecast) to BBB (stable estimate).
In 2004, Bydgoszcz launched an Industrial and Technology Park of 283 hectares, an attractive place for doing business as companies which relocate there receive tax breaks, 24 hour security, access to large plots of land and to the media, the railway line Chorzów Batory – Tczew (passenger, coal), the DK5 and DK10 national roads, and future freeways S10
Expressway S10 (Poland)
Expressway S10 or express road S10 is major road in Poland which, when completed, will serve as a direct route between Szczecin and Warsaw. It has been planned to run from the junction with Motorway A6 on the eastern outskirts of Szczecin, through Bydgoszcz and Toruń, to a junction with express...
and S5
Expressway S5 (Poland)
Expressway S5 or express road S5 is major road in Poland which has been planned to run along the route Grudziądz – Bydgoszcz – Poznań – Wrocław...
. Bydgoszcz airport is also close by.
The city has, in recent years, become one of Poland's most important economic centres. This is especially true for the role the city plays in the economy of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
-Transportation:Transportation infrastructure is of critical importance to the voivodeship's economy. Kuyavia-Pomerania is a major node point in the Polish transportation system. Railway lines from the South and East pass through Bydgoszcz in order to reach the major ports on the Baltic Sea...
, of which it is, along with Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
, capital.
Major corporations
|
PESA SA PESA is a train manufacturing company based in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The company is the oldest producer of railway vehicles in Poland. It delivers vehicles to a number of customers in European countries, including Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Italy, and Poland... (PESA Rail Vehicles) |
Alcatel-Lucent Alcatel-Lucent is a global telecommunications corporation, headquartered in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France. It provides telecommunications solutions to service providers, enterprises, and governments around the world, enabling these customers to deliver voice, data, and video services... Atos Origin Atos S.A. is an international information technology corporation which operates in 42 countries worldwide, with over 78,500 employees... |
Culture
Bydgoszcz is a major cultural center in the country, especially for music. Traditions of the municipal theater dates back to the 17th century, when the Jesuit college built a theater. In 1824, a permanent theater building was erected, and this was rebuilt in 1895 in a monumental form by the Belriner architect Heinrich Seeling. The first music school was established in Bydgoszcz in 1904, it had close links to the very well known European piano factory of Bruno Sommerfeld. Numerous orchestras and choirs, both German (Gesangverein, Liedertafel) and Polish (St. Wojciech Halka, Moniuszko) have also made the city their home. Since 1974, Bydgoszcz has been home to a very prestigious Academy of Music. Bydgoszcz is also an important place for contemporary European culture; one of the most important European centers of jazz music, the Brain club was founded in Bydgoszcz by Jacek Majewski and Slawomir Janicki.Museums
Muzeum Okręgowe im. Leona Wyczółkowskiego (Leon Wyczółkowski District Museum) is a municipally-owned museum. Apart from a large collection of Leon Wyczółkowski's works, it houses permanent as well as temporary exhibitions of art. It is based in several buildings, including the old granaries on the BrdaBrda
Brda, meaning Hill, may refer to:* Brda region, Montenegro* Brda, Slovenj Gradec Slovenia* Brda, Slovenia, a municipality* Brda, a municipality in Croatia* Brda , a river in Poland*Brda, Pomeranian Voivodeship...
River and Mill Island.
In Bydgoszcz the Pomeranian Military Museum specializes in documenting the latest (19th – 20th century) Polish military history, particularly the history of the Pomeranian Military District and several other units present in the area.
The city has many art galleries, two symphony orchestras and chamber and choirs. Bydgoszcz's cultural facilities also include libraries (including the Provincial and Municipal Public Library with an extensive collection of volumes from the fifteenth to the 19th century, and old books from Germany).
Classical music
- Filharmonia Pomorska im. Ignacego Paderewskiego (Ignacy Paderewski's Concert Hall) – thanks to superbly designed acoustic qualities of the main concert hall, it is one of the best classical musicClassical musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
concert halls in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Popular music
|
|
|
Theatre
Polish Theatre in them. Jerome Konieczka of sixteenth -century tradition,Museums
Teatr Polski im. Hieronima Konieczki (Hieronim Konieczka's Polish Theatre) – despite its name, theatre offers a wide variety of shows both of national and foreign origin. It also regularly plays hosts to a large number of touring shows. Founded in 1949, since 2002 the theatre has been taken part in the "Festiwal Prapremier" where the most renowned Polish theatres stage their latest premieres. There are also a number of private theatre companies operating in Bydgoszcz.
In the years 1960–1986 there was an outdoor theater, the reactivation of which is currently being pursued by the Theatre Culture Association, "Fides" and the Acting School A. Grzymala-Siedlecki.
The Pomeranian Philharmonic named for Ignacy Jan Paderewski has existed since 1953. The concert hall, which can hold 920 people is classified, in terms of sound, as one of the best in Europe, which is confirmed by well-known artists and critics (including J. Waldorff). Due to the phenomenon of acoustics, it attracts the interest of many famous artists. Bydgoszcz's stage has been frequented by many global celebrities, including Arthur Rubinstein, Benjamin Britten, Witold Malcuzynski, Luciano Pavarotti, Shlomo Mintz, Mischa Maisky, Kevin Kenner, Kurt Masur, Kazimierz Kord, Jerzy Maksymiuk and Antoni Wit. In recent years, the city has also hosted an excellent range of bands such as the BBC Radio Symphony Orchestra, the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra and others.
The Opera Nova, in existence since 1956, started the construction of a new building in 1974 which was to consist of three main halls, situated on the Brda. The Opera Nova has become a cultural showcase of Bydgoszcz in the world. Considering the short history of the Opera, its success has been astounding; a large number of famous opera singers have performed there and theatrical troops from the Wrocław Opera, Theater of Leningrad, Moscow, Kiev, Minsk and Glubenkiana Foundation of Lisbon have also made appearances.
Cinematography
- The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography CAMERIMAGECamerimageThe International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography CAMERIMAGE is a festival dedicated to cinematography and its creators cinematographers.The first seven events were held in Toruń, Poland. The next ten events were held in Łódź...
is a festival dedicated to cinematographyCinematographyCinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
and its creators cinematographerCinematographerA cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
s.
Education
|
|
|
Transport
Railways
Bydgoszcz is one of the biggest railroad junctions in Poland, with two important lines crossing there – the east-west connection from ToruńTorun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
to Pila and the north-south line from Inowrocław to Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
(see: Polish Coal Trunk-Line
Polish Coal Trunk-Line
The Coal Trunk-Line is one of the most important rail connections in Poland.It crosses the central part of the country, from the coal mines and steelworks of Upper Silesia in the South to the Baltic Sea port of Gdynia in the North. The line is used mostly by freight trains: passenger connections...
). There are also secondary-importance lines stemming from the city, to Szubin
Szubin
Szubin is a town in Nakło County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, located southwest of Bydgoszcz. As of 12 December 2004 it had a population of 9354.-History:...
and to Chełmża.
Among rail stations located in the city, there are:
|
|
|
Buses and trams
- PKS Bydgoszcz – operates inter-city and international bus routes.
- Local buses and tramsTramways in BydgoszczTramways in Bydgoszcz exist since 1888. Currently they are operated by Miejskie Zakłady Komunikacyjne Sp. z o.o. w Bydgoszczy. There are 9 lines with a total length of 63,5 km. The tram system in Bydgoszcz uses the 1000 mm narrow gauge...
are operated by ZDMiKP Bydgoszcz.
Sports clubs
- Astoria BydgoszczAstoria BydgoszczAstoria Bydgoszcz is a Polish basketball team, based in Bydgoszcz, playing in 2. Polish League, but in the past, play in Polish Basketball League and Korać Cup-Team history:...
– men's basketballBasketball in PolandBasketball in Poland.See also* Dominet Bank Ekstraliga – Polish Men Basketball League * Polska Liga Koszykówki Kobiet – Polish Women Basketball League* Polish Cup in men basketball...
team playing in Dominet Bank Ekstraliga (formerly Era Basket Liga): 8th in 2003/2004 season, 6th in 2004/2005, 9th in 2005/2006. In 2006, due to lack of funding, the team was relegated to 3rd Polish League, now play in 2nd Polish League. - Centrostal Focus Park Bydgoszcz – women's volleyball team playing in Polish Seria A Women's Volleyball League: 2nd place in 2004/2005 season, 4th place in 2005/2006 season.
- Delecta Chemik Bydgoszcz – men's volleyballVolleyball in PolandVolleyball in Poland is a popular team sport. It is the second most popular sport after football. The Men's national team is ranked 5th and the Women's team is ranked 9th in the FIVB World Rankings...
team playing in Polish Volleyball LeaguePolish Volleyball LeagueThe Polish Volleyball League , is the highest level of men's volleyball in Poland, a professional league competition for volleyball clubs located in this country. It is overseen by Profesjonalna Liga Piłki Siatkowej S.A. . It is currently a 10 team league that plays a 18 game schedule from... - Polonia BydgoszczPolonia BydgoszczŻKS Polonia Bydgoszcz is a Polish speedway team based in Bydgoszcz who currently race in the Speedway Ekstraliga . The club has won the Polish Speedway League Championship seven times, the latest in 2002, and European Team Championship three times, the latest in 2001.- Club history :* 1920 -...
– speedwayMotorcycle speedwayMotorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
team from the Polish 1st League. The club has won Polish Speedway League 7 times (lately in 2002) and European Team Championship 3 times (lately in 2001). - Zawisza BydgoszczZawisza BydgoszczZawisza Bydgoszcz is a military-sponsored sports club from Bydgoszcz, Poland, founded in 1946. Its name commemorates a legendary Polish 15th century knight, Zawisza Czarny...
– football (soccer)Football in PolandFootball is the most popular sport in Poland. Over 400,000 Poles play football regularly, with millions more playing occasionally. The first professional clubs were founded in the early 1900s, and the Polish national football team played its first international match in 1921.There are hundreds of...
team playing in Polish 1st League. - RTW Bydgostia Bydgoszcz – Rowing (sport)Rowing (sport)Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
Bydgostia Regional Rowing Association was founded on 4 December 1928. The Club was A Team Polish Champion in the following years: 1938, 1966, 1967, 1970 and for the successive seventeen years: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Sports facilities
- Łuczniczka Sport, Show and Fair Arena
- Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium
- Polonia Stadium
- Hala TorbydHala TorbydHala Torbyd was an indoor arena in Bydgoszcz, Poland. It was primarily used for basketball and ice hockey and was the home of Polonia Bydgoszcz of the Polish ice hockey league. The arena held 10,000 spectators and opened in 1959. Eventually, the Łuczniczka was opened in 2002 to replace the Hala...
, a closed indoor arena
Sports events
- SpeedwayMotorcycle speedwayMotorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
:- Grand Prix of PolandSpeedway Grand Prix of PolandThe Speedway Grand Prix of Poland is a speedway event that is a part of the Speedway Grand Prix Series.-Winners:-See also:...
: (1998–1999, 2001–2009) - Grand Prix of EuropeSpeedway Grand Prix of EuropeThe Speedway Grand Prix of Europe is a speedway event that is a part of the Speedway Grand Prix Series.-Winners:-See also:* List of Speedway Grand Prix riders...
: (2000) - Mieczysław Połukard Criterium of Polish Speedway Leagues Aces (1951–1960, since 1982)
- Grand Prix of Poland
- Bydgoszcz was the host of the IAAFInternational Association of Athletics FederationsThe International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics2008 World Junior Championships in AthleticsThe 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2008 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Bydgoszcz in Poland at the Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium between 8 and 13 July 2008....
held July 8–13, 2008. - Eurobasket 2009EuroBasket 2009The EuroBasket 2009 was the 36th EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Poland, began on 7 September 2009 and concluded with the final on 20 September 2009...
- Women's European Volleyball Championships 20092009 Women's European Volleyball ChampionshipThe 2009 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the 26th edition of the European Volleyball Championship, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball...
- European Athletics Festival Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz constituency
Members of Polish Sejm 2007–2011 elected from Bydgoszcz constituency:
|
Tomasz Latos Tomasz Edward Latos is a Polish politician, who is a Member of the Sejm of Poland . Between 1998 and 2005 he was a Bydgoszcz City Councillor.- Early life :... , Law and Justice Law and Justice Law and Justice , abbreviated to PiS, is a right-wing, conservative political party in Poland. With 147 seats in the Sejm and 38 in the Senate, it is the second-largest party in the Polish parliament.... Wojciech Mojzesowicz Wojciech Mojzesowicz is a Polish politician. He joined Poland Comes First when that party split from Law and Justice in 2010.He was also a Member of Sejm 1989-1991, 1991-1993, and 2001-2005... , Law and Justice Teresa Piotrowska Teresa Piotrowska is a Polish politician. She was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 16716 votes in 4 Bydgoszcz district, candidating from Platforma Obywatelska list.She was also a member of Sejm 2001-2005.... , Civic Platform |
Andrzej Walkowiak Andrzej Walkowiak is a Polish politician and journalist. He is a member of the Sejm for Poland Comes First, having been a member for Law and Justice from 2005 to 2010.... , Law and Justice Janusz Zemke Janusz Zemke is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 33672 votes in 4 Bydgoszcz district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list.... , Left and Democrats |
Members of Polish Senate 2007–2011 elected from Bydgoszcz constituency:
- Zbigniew Pawłowicz, Civic Platform
- Jan RulewskiJan RulewskiJan Rulewski is a Polish politician, activist of Solidarity; a Member of the Polish Sejm and a Senator .He was in charge of the Bydgoszcz region of Solidarity...
, Civic Platform
Legends
It is also said that Pan TwardowskiPan Twardowski
Pan Twardowski , in Polish folklore and literature, is a sorcerer who entered a pact with the devil, similar to the figure of Faust in German literature. Like Faust, Pan Twardowski sold his soul in exchange for special powers – such as summoning up the spirit of Polish King Sigismund...
spent some time in the city of Bydgoszcz, where, in his memory, a figure was recently mounted in a window of a tenement, overseeing the Old Town. At 1:13 p.m. and 9:13 p.m. the window opens and Pan Twardowski appears, to the accompaniment of weird music and devilish laughter. He takes a bow, waves his hand, and then disappears. This little show gathers crowds of amused spectators.
People born in Bydgoszcz
|
Jan Krzysztof Bielecki Jan Krzysztof Bielecki is a Polish centre politician. He served as Prime Minister of Poland for most of 1991. He is a member of Civic Platform. Chairman of the Council of the Polish Institute of International Affairs.... (born 1951), Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland The Prime Minister of Poland heads the Polish Council of Ministers and directs their work, supervises territorial self-government within the guidelines and in ways described in the Constitution and other legislation, and acts as the superior for all government administration workers... Actor An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... Marian Sypniewski Marian Sypniewski is a Polish fencer. He won bronze medals in the team foil events at the 1980 and 1992 Summer Olympics.-References:... (born 1955), fencer Zbigniew Boniek Zbigniew "Zibì" Kazimierz Boniek is a former Polish footballer and coach. He first played at Zawisza Bydgoszcz and later at Widzew Łódź. Boniek was named by Pelé as one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers and by FIFA as one of the 100 best-ever players. On 12 October 2009 he received a Golden... (born 1956), football player Stefan Majewski Stefan Majewski is a retired Polish soccer player and subsequently a football manager who recently was the interim manager of the Polish national team.-Career:... (born 1956), football player Janusz Turowski Janusz Turowski is a Polish football coach and former player.- References :*... (born 1961), football coach Jacek Gollob Jacek Gollob is a Polish motorcycle speedway rider who has twice won the individual Polish Championship , and has also won the team and pairs championships several times.... (born 1969), speedway rider Katarzyna Radtke Katarzyna Radtke, née Schewe is a retired Polish race walker.-Achievements:-References:... (born 1969), race walker |
Alicja Peczak Alicja Pęczak is a retired breaststroke and medley swimmer from Poland, who has competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for her native country: in 1992 and 1996. A member of AZS-AWF Gdańsk she is best known for winning several medals at the FINA Short Course World Championships.-References:*... (born 1970), swimmer Sebastian Chmara Sebastian Chmara is a former decathlete from Poland who became world indoor champion in 1999 and European indoor champion in 1998 .-Personal bests:... (born 1971), decathlete Tomasz Gollob Tomasz Gollob is a Polish motorcycle speedway rider who has appeared in every Speedway Grand Prix series since its inaugural season in 1995. His brother Jacek is also a speedway rider.-Career summary:... (born 1971), speedway rider Vivian Schmitt Vivian Schmitt, formerly known as Anna B., is a Polish-German pornographic actress.- Career :Blonde Vivian Schmitt received the Venus for Best Newcomer in 2004. She performs straight sex, bukkake, anal sex, fisting, and double penetration... (born 1978), pornographic actress Pornographic actor A pornographic actor/actress or a porn star is a person who appears in pornographic film. Most actors appear nude in films... Sylwester Szmyd Sylwester Szmyd is a Polish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .- Major achievements :200120022003... (born 1978), cyclist (road) Paweł Wojciechowski (pole vaulter) Paweł Wojciechowski is a polish pole vaulter. His biggest achievement to date is the gold medal at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics.... (born 1989), pole vaulter Marcin Jaskulski Marcin Jaskulski is a Polish-born Australian journalist based in the North-Western NSW town of Bourke, New South Wales.He works at the regional Indigenous radio station 2CUZ FM... , journalist |
Twin towns
Bydgoszcz is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
| Cherkasy Cherkasy Cherkasy or Cherkassy , is a city in central Ukraine. It is the capital of the Cherkasy Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Cherkasky Raion within the oblast... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... Hartford Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... Kragujevac Kragujevac Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, the main city of the Šumadija region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River... , Serbia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... Kremenchuk Kremenchuk Kremenchuk is an important industrial city in the Poltava Oblast of central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Kremenchutskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located on the banks of Dnieper River.-History:Kremenchuk was... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... |
Mannheim Mannheim Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart.... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... Ningbo Ningbo Ningbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay,... , China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... Pavlodar Pavlodar Pavlodar is a city in northeastern Kazakhstan and the capital of Pavlodar Province. It is located 350 km northeast of the national capital Astana, and 400 km southeast of the Russian city of Omsk along the Irtysh River. , the city has a population of 331710... , Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe... Patras Patras Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens... , Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... (2005) |
Perth Perth, Scotland Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... Reggio Emilia Reggio Emilia Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia.... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... Wilhelmshaven Wilhelmshaven Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Friendship relations
Bydgoszcz also maintains friendship relations with these cities:| Arvika Arvika Arvika is a locality and the seat of Arvika Municipality, Värmland County, Sweden with 14,184 inhabitants in 2005.-Geography:The town of Arvika is situated at Kyrkviken, a bay of Glafsfjorden, Sweden's only inland fjord, a remnant of the time following the last ice age .The area is hilly with the... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... Eindhoven, Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... Granada Granada Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... Pitești Pitesti Pitești is a city in Romania, located on the Argeș River. The capital and largest city of Argeș County, it is an important commercial and industrial center, as well as the home of two universities. Pitești is situated on the A1 freeway connecting it directly to the national capital Bucharest,... , Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... Toulouse Toulouse Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
See also
- Bromberg-OstBromberg-OstBromberg-Ost or Konzentrationslager Bromberg-Ost , was the female subcamp of the German concentration camp Stutthof between 1944-1945, in the city of Bydgoszcz....
, a female subcamp of the GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
concentration campInternmentInternment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
StutthofStutthof concentration campStutthof was the first Nazi concentration camp built outside of 1937 German borders.Completed on September 2, 1939, it was located in a secluded, wet, and wooded area west of the small town of Sztutowo . The town is located in the former territory of the Free City of Danzig, 34 km east of...
, located in Bydgoszcz. - Bydgoszcz DepartmentBydgoszcz DepartmentBydgoszcz Department was a unit of administrative division and local government in Polish Duchy of Warsaw in years 1806-1815.Its capital city was Bydgoszcz....
, a unit of administrative divisionAdministrative divisionAn administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
and local governmentLocal governmentLocal government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
in the Duchy of WarsawDuchy of WarsawThe Duchy of Warsaw was a Polish state established by Napoleon I in 1807 from the Polish lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit. The duchy was held in personal union by one of Napoleon's allies, King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony...
from 1806–1815. - Bydgoszcz SynagogueBydgoszcz SynagogueBydgoszcz Synagogue was a synagogue in Bydgoszcz, Poland. It was built in 1884, designed by Alfred Muttrey, in the place of old wooden synagogue, on Pod Blankami Street. Until its destruction in 1939, it was one of the largest structures in Bydgoszcz. It could accommodate 500 persons. The...
, former synagogue in the city - Roman Catholic Diocese of Bydgoszcz