Choszczno
Encyclopedia
Choszczno AUD is a town
(population around 16.173) in West Pomeranian Voivodeship
, Poland
. The town is located in a marshy district between the river Stobnica (German
: Stüdnitz) and Klukom lake (German
: Klückensee), 32 km (19.9 mi) southwest of Stargard Szczeciński
and on the main railway line between Szczecin
and Poznań
. Besides the Gothic
church, there are a number of historical buildings from the 19th century industrial period namely, a gasification plant and a water pressure tower which dominates the town's skyline
.
Choszczno is the administrative centre of Choszczno County
.
The town was badly affected by the Second World War: 80% of its buildings were damaged or destroyed. The town was rebuilt and is now a center for local government of the Choszczno commune . Due to its microclimate
the town has become a rehabilitation center for convalescing patients. The close proximity of the lakes has made it a tourist destination
for water sports. Other tourist attractions are 'Wodny Raj' aqua park and Drawieński National Park
, located 20 km (12.4 mi) to the east near the town of Drawno
.
Choszczno has a strong military tradition and is the home base for the 2nd Artillery Regiment which is part of the 12th Mechanised Division headquartered in Szczecin.
The town's industries include: machinery, and the manufacture of clothing, animal feeds and starch.
and Kingdom of Prussia
until 1938, when due to its close proximity to the new Polish border, it was added to the German border region Grenzmark Posen-West Prussia
in the Province of Pomerania until 1945.
The name Arnswalde was first mentioned in the written chronicles in 1269. The Cistercian Order gave up the lands around Arnswalde (Choszczno) probably in 1283. The Margrave of Brandenburg
founded the town of Arnswalde at its present location. The Brandenburg red eagle coat of arms attests to Arnswalde's Brandenburg history. In 1289 Arnswalde is described as a town. In 1402 the town become a center of central European politics when the Brandenburg Neumark (New March) signed a vassal
treaty
with the Teutonic Order. The Teutonic Order's influence in the region lasted for 50 years. As the town was on the side of the Teutonic Order in the war with Poland
it was invaded and pillaged by the Polish side a number of times.
Due to the nature of the Teutonic Order's policies towards its vassals the citizens of Arnswalde rebelled in 1443 and were finally successful in gaining special privileges in 1445. The town got stronger economically due its location, becoming a regional market town. Its strategic importance as a crossing of two tracks - from Stettin to Posen (Szczecin
to Poznań
) and from Landsberg towards Thorn (Gorzów Wielkopolski
towards Toruń
), was recognised and the city was fortified. This did not help as the town was ravaged by the 30 years war from 1618 to 1648.
Stability occurred once Arnswalde become part of the Kingdom of Prussia
, and to signify its importance a permanent garrison
was stationed in the town from 1719. In this period the town advanced economically and socially with the establishment of a new postal route to Stargard
. The 18th century again brought difficulties and the town experienced a number of tragedies caused by the plague, the worst
one occurred in 1800 when 65 children perished.
19th century was a great time for the development of Arnswalde.
It was linked by railway with Stettin and Posen (Szczecin and Poznań) in 1848 and later with Berlin
, also in the Brandenburg region
. Since now mass public transportation could be realized at lower costs, a new tourist industry was established in the town. The microclimate
in the region drew in weekend tourists from as far as Berlin
and Brandenburg whilst the new hospital next to the lake catered for convalescing patients. The railway was also a catalyst for the local manufacturing industry as it provided an affordable transport of goods to the Port of Stettin (Szczecin), because of this a brewery and a textile industry flourished.
In 1905 a new hospital
was opened and was situated on the bank of lake Klückensee (since 1945 called Lake Klukom). The First World War had little effect on Arnswalde but the post-war German
depression damaged the tourist economy. In the framework of the demilitarisation
of post-war Germany the garrison was disbanded, but in 1938 it was reinstated.
In 1939, short after the beginning of Second World War, the prisoner of war camp
Oflag II B was established on the outskirt of the town. At the beginning, the majority of the prisoners were Polish
and French
. With the collapse of the German eastern front throughout the Red Army
Vistula-Oder Offensive
of 1945, Arnswalde was on the front line. Because of the town's strategic position of protecting Stargard and Stettin (Szczecin) seaport, a strong German garrison had been concentrated within the town to defend it. During the Russian offensive bitter fighting occurred, which resulted in almost 80% damage of the towns infrastructure. After the German resistance stopped in spring of 1945, Arnswalde was handed over to the Poles for administration as a part of the so-called Recovered Territories
(when in fact it had been a German-speaking city since its foundation) and renamed Choszczno.
The German inhabitants, who composed almost 99% of the town population, either fled westwards or were expelled, usually forcibly, by the new local Polish administration. The town was mainly repopulated by Polish immigrants from the Polish territories now part of Lithuania
, Belarus
, and Ukraine
- the so-called Kresy
, lands eastern to the Curzon Line
which Poland lost as a result of World War II
to the USSR at the Yalta Conference
and the agreements between the USSR, United Kingdom, and the USA. Authorised by the allied powers, this expulsion from the Soviet Union was called repatriation by Poland's new Communist government. Poles born in the Kresy, who refused to accept a new nationality, were deported to German lands (Recovered Territories
) and told they had returned to their Motherland.
. In 1946 the first Polish education institution the "Bolesław Krzywousty" high school was opened. Due to the damage sustained by the town, the majority of the burnt out buildings were dismantled and the reclaimed bricks were sent for the rebuilding of Warsaw
. This short-sighted policy of 'cannibalisation' was created by the unknown legal status of the newly acquired territories. Only after 1956, when the territory situation seemed to be clarified, the process of rebuilding started properly and investment by the Polish government begun. Due to the population growth the local government invested in new housing, and in 1959 the first newly built housing block was completed. The rebuilding continued and the majority of the architecture is now post 1950s. In 1990s the local government started investing in sporting facilities (an indoor swimming pool, sports arena, tennis courts) to promote active tourism.
Starting with its partnership with Fürstenwalde in 1978, the local government has been active in fostering foreign co-operation and the creation of links with different sister cities.
In 1984 Choszczno celebrated 700 years since its foundation. The traditional annual Days of Choszczno festival is held during the first weekend of June.
with: Alytus
, Lithuania
Wolvega, Netherlands
Fürstenwalde, Germany
Spišská Belá
, Slovakia
Wunstorf
, Germany
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
(population around 16.173) in West Pomeranian Voivodeship
West Pomeranian Voivodeship
West Pomeranian Voivodeship, , is a voivodeship in northwestern Poland. It borders on Pomeranian Voivodeship to the east, Greater Poland Voivodeship to the southeast, Lubusz Voivodeship to the south, the German federal-state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania to the west, and the Baltic Sea to the north...
, Poland
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...
. The town is located in a marshy district between the river Stobnica (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Stüdnitz) and Klukom lake (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Klückensee), 32 km (19.9 mi) southwest of Stargard Szczeciński
Stargard Szczecinski
Stargard Szczeciński is a city in northwestern Poland, with a population of 71,017 . Situated on the Ina River it is the capital of Stargard County and since 1999 has been in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship; prior to that it was in the Szczecin Voivodeship...
and on the main railway line between Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
and Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. Besides the Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
church, there are a number of historical buildings from the 19th century industrial period namely, a gasification plant and a water pressure tower which dominates the town's skyline
Skyline
A skyline is the overall or partial view of a city's tall buildings and structures consisting of many skyscrapers in front of the sky in the background. It can also be described as the artificial horizon that a city's overall structure creates. Skylines serve as a kind of fingerprint of a city, as...
.
Choszczno is the administrative centre of Choszczno County
Choszczno County
Choszczno County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in West Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-western Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Choszczno,...
.
The town was badly affected by the Second World War: 80% of its buildings were damaged or destroyed. The town was rebuilt and is now a center for local government of the Choszczno commune . Due to its microclimate
Microclimate
A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
the town has become a rehabilitation center for convalescing patients. The close proximity of the lakes has made it a tourist destination
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
for water sports. Other tourist attractions are 'Wodny Raj' aqua park and Drawieński National Park
Drawienski National Park
Drawa National Park is located in north-western Poland, on the border of Greater Poland, Lubusz and West Pomeranian Voivodeships. The park is a part of the huge Drawsko Forest , which lies on the vast Drawsko Plain. It takes its name from the River Drawa. It was created in 1990 and initially...
, located 20 km (12.4 mi) to the east near the town of Drawno
Drawno
Drawno is a town in Choszczno County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,425 inhabitants . The headquarters of the Drawa National Park are located here.-External links:*...
.
Choszczno has a strong military tradition and is the home base for the 2nd Artillery Regiment which is part of the 12th Mechanised Division headquartered in Szczecin.
The town's industries include: machinery, and the manufacture of clothing, animal feeds and starch.
History
Arnswalde was since its foundation in the 13th century situated initially in BrandenburgBrandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
and 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...
until 1938, when due to its close proximity to the new Polish border, it was added to the German border region Grenzmark Posen-West Prussia
Posen-West Prussia
The border province of historical period Posen-West Prussia was a province of the Free State of Prussia. The capital was Schneidemühl . The province had an area of 7,695 km², and was located within present-day Poland....
in the Province of Pomerania until 1945.
The name Arnswalde was first mentioned in the written chronicles in 1269. The Cistercian Order gave up the lands around Arnswalde (Choszczno) probably in 1283. The Margrave of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
founded the town of Arnswalde at its present location. The Brandenburg red eagle coat of arms attests to Arnswalde's Brandenburg history. In 1289 Arnswalde is described as a town. In 1402 the town become a center of central European politics when the Brandenburg Neumark (New March) signed a vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
treaty
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
with the Teutonic Order. The Teutonic Order's influence in the region lasted for 50 years. As the town was on the side of the Teutonic Order in the war with Poland
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...
it was invaded and pillaged by the Polish side a number of times.
Due to the nature of the Teutonic Order's policies towards its vassals the citizens of Arnswalde rebelled in 1443 and were finally successful in gaining special privileges in 1445. The town got stronger economically due its location, becoming a regional market town. Its strategic importance as a crossing of two tracks - from Stettin to Posen (Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
to Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
) and from Landsberg towards Thorn (Gorzów Wielkopolski
Gorzów Wielkopolski
Gorzów Wielkopolski is a city in western Poland, on the Warta river. It is the biggest city in the Lubusz Voivodeship with 125,149 inhabitants...
towards 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....
), was recognised and the city was fortified. This did not help as the town was ravaged by the 30 years war from 1618 to 1648.
Stability occurred once Arnswalde become part of 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...
, and to signify its importance a permanent garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
was stationed in the town from 1719. In this period the town advanced economically and socially with the establishment of a new postal route to Stargard
Stargard Szczecinski
Stargard Szczeciński is a city in northwestern Poland, with a population of 71,017 . Situated on the Ina River it is the capital of Stargard County and since 1999 has been in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship; prior to that it was in the Szczecin Voivodeship...
. The 18th century again brought difficulties and the town experienced a number of tragedies caused by the plague, the worst
one occurred in 1800 when 65 children perished.
19th century was a great time for the development of Arnswalde.
It was linked by railway with Stettin and Posen (Szczecin and Poznań) in 1848 and later with Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, also in the Brandenburg region
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
. Since now mass public transportation could be realized at lower costs, a new tourist industry was established in the town. The microclimate
Microclimate
A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
in the region drew in weekend tourists from as far as Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Brandenburg whilst the new hospital next to the lake catered for convalescing patients. The railway was also a catalyst for the local manufacturing industry as it provided an affordable transport of goods to the Port of Stettin (Szczecin), because of this a brewery and a textile industry flourished.
In 1905 a new hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
was opened and was situated on the bank of lake Klückensee (since 1945 called Lake Klukom). The First World War had little effect on Arnswalde but the post-war German
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...
depression damaged the tourist economy. In the framework of the demilitarisation
Demilitarisation
Demilitarisation or demilitarization is the reduction of a nation's army, weapons, or military vehicles to an agreed minimum. Demilitarisation is usually the result of a peace treaty ending a war or a major conflict....
of post-war Germany the garrison was disbanded, but in 1938 it was reinstated.
In 1939, short after the beginning of Second World War, the prisoner of war camp
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
Oflag II B was established on the outskirt of the town. At the beginning, the majority of the prisoners were Polish
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...
and French
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...
. With the collapse of the German eastern front throughout the Red 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...
Vistula-Oder Offensive
Vistula-Oder Offensive
The Vistula–Oder Offensive was a successful Red Army operation on the Eastern Front in the European Theatre of World War II; it took place between 12 January and 2 February 1945...
of 1945, Arnswalde was on the front line. Because of the town's strategic position of protecting Stargard and Stettin (Szczecin) seaport, a strong German garrison had been concentrated within the town to defend it. During the Russian offensive bitter fighting occurred, which resulted in almost 80% damage of the towns infrastructure. After the German resistance stopped in spring of 1945, Arnswalde was handed over to the Poles for administration as a part of the so-called Recovered Territories
Recovered Territories
Recovered or Regained Territories was an official term used by the People's Republic of Poland to describe those parts of pre-war Germany that became part of Poland after World War II...
(when in fact it had been a German-speaking city since its foundation) and renamed Choszczno.
The German inhabitants, who composed almost 99% of the town population, either fled westwards or were expelled, usually forcibly, by the new local Polish administration. The town was mainly repopulated by Polish immigrants from the Polish territories now part of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, and 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...
- the so-called Kresy
Kresy
The Polish term Kresy refers to a land considered by Poles as historical eastern provinces of their country. Today, it makes western Ukraine, western Belarus, as well as eastern Lithuania, with such major cities, as Lviv, Vilnius, and Hrodna. This territory belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian...
, lands eastern to the Curzon Line
Curzon Line
The Curzon Line was put forward by the Allied Supreme Council after World War I as a demarcation line between the Second Polish Republic and Bolshevik Russia and was supposed to serve as the basis for a future border. In the wake of World War I, which catalysed the Russian Revolution of 1917, the...
which Poland lost as a result of 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...
to the USSR at the Yalta Conference
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference, sometimes called the Crimea Conference and codenamed the Argonaut Conference, held February 4–11, 1945, was the wartime meeting of the heads of government of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, represented by President Franklin D...
and the agreements between the USSR, United Kingdom, and the USA. Authorised by the allied powers, this expulsion from the Soviet Union was called repatriation by Poland's new Communist government. Poles born in the Kresy, who refused to accept a new nationality, were deported to German lands (Recovered Territories
Recovered Territories
Recovered or Regained Territories was an official term used by the People's Republic of Poland to describe those parts of pre-war Germany that became part of Poland after World War II...
) and told they had returned to their Motherland.
After 1945
The first Polish institution to send its representatives to the "recovered" town was the Polish Railways (PKP)Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
. In 1946 the first Polish education institution the "Bolesław Krzywousty" high school was opened. Due to the damage sustained by the town, the majority of the burnt out buildings were dismantled and the reclaimed bricks were sent for the rebuilding of Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. This short-sighted policy of 'cannibalisation' was created by the unknown legal status of the newly acquired territories. Only after 1956, when the territory situation seemed to be clarified, the process of rebuilding started properly and investment by the Polish government begun. Due to the population growth the local government invested in new housing, and in 1959 the first newly built housing block was completed. The rebuilding continued and the majority of the architecture is now post 1950s. In 1990s the local government started investing in sporting facilities (an indoor swimming pool, sports arena, tennis courts) to promote active tourism.
Starting with its partnership with Fürstenwalde in 1978, the local government has been active in fostering foreign co-operation and the creation of links with different sister cities.
In 1984 Choszczno celebrated 700 years since its foundation. The traditional annual Days of Choszczno festival is held during the first weekend of June.
Population numbers in years
- 1750: 1.910
- 1850: 2.440
- 1850: 5.450 (in 1953: 11 Catholics, 89 Jews)
- 1875: 6.853
- 1880: 7.358
- 1890: 7.507 (97 Cath., 191 Jews)
- 1925: 10.911 (10.450 Protestants, 300 Cath., 11 others, 97 Jews)
- 1933: 11.786 (11.268 Protestants, 303 Cath., 3 others, 121 Jews)
- 1939: 12.725 (11.943 Protestants, 465 Cath., 99 others, 12 Jews)
Notable residents
- Wilhelm FliessWilhelm FliessWilhelm Fliess was a German Jewish otolaryngologist who practised in Berlin. On Josef Breuer's suggestion, Fliess attended several "conferences" with Sigmund Freud beginning in 1887 in Vienna, and the two soon formed a strong friendship...
(1858-1928), otolaryngologist - Mortimer von KesselMortimer von KesselMortimer von Kessel was a Panzer General in the German army during World War II.He joined the Imperial German Army as an officer cadet in 1914 and was commissioned as a leutnant in the 12th Hussar Regiment on 22 March 1915 and was awarded the Iron Cross first and second class in World War I...
(1893–1981), general - Robert Ferdinand WilmsRobert Ferdinand WilmsRobert Friedrich Wilms was a German surgeon who was a native of Arnswalde. He studied medicine in Berlin, and in 1848 became an assistant at the Bethanien Hospital in Berlin...
(1824–1880), surgeon
Twin towns — sister cities
Choszczno 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: Alytus
Alytus
Alytus is a city with municipal rights in southern Lithuania. It is the capital of Alytus County. Its population in 2007 was 68,835. Alytus is the historical centre of the Dzūkija region. The city lies on the banks of the Nemunas River. The major highways linking Vilnius, Kaunas, Lazdijai, and...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
Wolvega, 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...
Fürstenwalde, 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...
Spišská Belá
Spišská Belá
Spišská Belá is a town in the Kežmarok District in the Prešov Region in Spiš in northern Slovakia.-History:The town was first mentioned in historical records in 1263. The town received town rights in 1271. Scientist and inventor Joseph Petzval was born here in 1807. The town center has been...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
Wunstorf
Wunstorf
Wunstorf is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the city of Wunstorf: Blumenau , Bokeloh, Grossenheidorn, Idensen , Klein Heidorn, Kolenfeld, Luthe, Mesmerode, Steinhude, Wunstorf....
, 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...