Ciechanów
Encyclopedia
Ciechanów AUD is a town
in north-central Poland
with 45,900 inhabitants (2006). It is situated in Masovian Voivodeship
(since 1999). It was previously (1975–98) the capital of Ciechanów Voivodeship
.
The settlement is first mentioned in a 1065 document by Bolesław II the Bold handing the land over to the church. In 1254, Ciechanów is mentioned as the seat of a castellany
(Rethiborius Castellanus de Techanow (Racibor, Kasztelan Ciechanowa)). In 1400 Janusz I of Czersk granted Ciechanów town privileges
. The area eventually become a separate duchy with Casimir I of Warsaw using the title "dominus et heres lub dominus et princeps Ciechanoviensis." By the 14th-15th centuries, the town's population reached 5,000. In the early 20th century, there were just under 12,000 inhabitants.
Before World War II
, it was home to a large Jewish community but during the Nazi occupation, in the winter of 1942, the majority of the Jewish commuity were transported to the Red Forest north of the town and murdered by gunfire. During the war many Polish Jews and resistance fighters were executed by the Germans in the castle. The town was annexed by Nazi Germany
in 1939 and known as Zichenau in German
. It was the capital of Regierungsbezirk Zichenau
, a subdivision of the Province of East Prussia
. The territory was restored to Poland after the war.
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...
in north-central 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...
with 45,900 inhabitants (2006). It is situated in Masovian Voivodeship
Masovian Voivodeship
-Administrative division:Masovian Voivodeship is divided into 42 counties : 5 city counties and 37 "land counties"...
(since 1999). It was previously (1975–98) the capital of Ciechanów Voivodeship
Ciechanów Voivodeship
Ciechanów Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by the Masovian Voivodeship. Its capital city was Ciechanów.-Major cities and towns :* Ciechanów...
.
History
The grad numbered approximately 3,000 armed men.The settlement is first mentioned in a 1065 document by Bolesław II the Bold handing the land over to the church. In 1254, Ciechanów is mentioned as the seat 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....
(Rethiborius Castellanus de Techanow (Racibor, Kasztelan Ciechanowa)). In 1400 Janusz I of Czersk granted Ciechanów town privileges
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...
. The area eventually become a separate duchy with Casimir I of Warsaw using the title "dominus et heres lub dominus et princeps Ciechanoviensis." By the 14th-15th centuries, the town's population reached 5,000. In the early 20th century, there were just under 12,000 inhabitants.
Before 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...
, it was home to a large Jewish community but during the Nazi occupation, in the winter of 1942, the majority of the Jewish commuity were transported to the Red Forest north of the town and murdered by gunfire. During the war many Polish Jews and resistance fighters were executed by the Germans in the castle. The town was annexed 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 1939 and known as Zichenau in 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....
. It was the capital of Regierungsbezirk Zichenau
Zichenau (region)
Regierungsbezirk Zichenau was a Regierungsbezirk, or administrative region, of the Prussian Province of East Prussia from 1939-45. It is also referred to as South East Prussia...
, a subdivision of the Province of East Prussia
Province of East Prussia
The Province of East Prussia was a province of Prussia from 1773–1829 and 1878-1945. Composed of the historical region East Prussia, the province's capital was Königsberg ....
. The territory was restored to Poland after the war.
Monuments
- Castle of the Mazovian Dukes from 14th century.
- Farska Hill – fortifiled settlement from 7th century with Neo Gothic belfry from 19th century
- Parish church - Late Gothic object from 16th century.
- Former Monastery church from 16th century and 18th century
- Town Hall from 19th century
- Parish cemetery functioned since 1828.
- Hyperboloid water tower, built in 1972
Famous people
- DodaDorota RabczewskaDorota Rabczewska , more commonly known as Doda Elektroda, is a Polish musical artist, among the most successful Polish artists ever in terms of number of prizes won. She was first known as a member of the Polish rock band Virgin...
- Mieczysław Jagielski
- Maria KonopnickaMaria KonopnickaMaria Konopnicka nee Wasiłowska , was a Polish poet, novelist, writer for children and youth, a translator, journalist and critic, as well as an activist for women's rights and Polish independence.Maria Konopnicka also composed a poem about the execution of the Irish patriot, Robert...
- Zygmunt KrasińskiZygmunt KrasinskiCount Napoleon Stanisław Adam Ludwig Zygmunt Krasiński , a Polish count, is traditionally ranked with Mickiewicz and Słowacki as one of Poland's Three National Bards — the trio of great Romantic poets who influenced national consciousness during the period of Poland's political bondage.-Life and...
- Ignacy MościckiIgnacy MoscickiIgnacy Mościcki was a Polish chemist, politician, and President of Poland . He was the longest-serving President of Poland .-Life:...
- Roza RobotaRoza RobotaRoza Robota , referred to in other sources as Rojza, Rozia, or Rosa, was the leader and one of four women hanged in the Auschwitz concentration camp for their role in the Sonderkommando revolt of October 7, 1944.-Biography:Born in Ciechanów, Poland, to a middle class family, Rosa had one brother...
- Zbigniew SiemiątkowskiZbigniew SiemiatkowskiZbigniew Siemiątkowski is a Polish politician. He was Minister of Internal Affairs, 1996–97, and head of the Intelligence Agency , 2002 – April 2004.- Life :...
- Maria Skłodowska-Curie
- Aleksander ŚwiętochowskiAleksander SwietochowskiAleksander Świętochowski was a Polish writer, educator, and philosopher of the Positivist period that followed the January 1863 Uprising.He was widely regarded as the prophet of Polish Positivism, spreading in the Warsaw...
- Stefan ŻeromskiStefan ZeromskiStefan Żeromski was a Polish novelist and dramatist. He was called the "conscience of Polish literature". He also wrote under the pen names: Maurycy Zych, Józef Katerla and Stefan Iksmoreż.- Life :...
- Kasia StrussKasia StrussKasia Struss is a Polish model.-Personal Life:Struss was discovered in 2005 by a local talent scout. She went on to finish high school in home town Ciechanów before signing with an agency two years after her initial discovery...
External links
- Wojciech Górczyk, Ciechanów – zarys dziejów do XV w., Kultura i Historia, Uniwersytet Marii Curie Skłodowskiej w lublinie,19/2011, ISSN 1642-9826
- Official homepage
- Architecture of Ciechanow (only in Polish)
- Czas Ciechanowa (Local weekly magazine, local press)
- Forum of city Ciechanów
- Ciechanow website www.ciechanowonline.pl - all you need to know about Ciechanow, including a contemporary gallery of the city
- Site dedicated to preserving the memory of Ciechanów's Jewish community, including an English translation of the memorial book
- Website of Ciechanow City www.eciechanow.pl - you can find here many news from City, History of Ciechanow, Information where you can eat, sleep and dance.
- Castle of the Dukes of Mazovia in Ciechanów (en)
- Museum of the Mazovian Nobility (en)