Kalisz
Encyclopedia
Kalisz AUD is a city
in central Poland
with 106,857 inhabitants (June 2010), the capital city
of the Kalisz Region
. Situated on the Prosna
river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship
, the city forms a conurbation
with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski
and Nowe Skalmierzyce
. See Kalisz County
for the regional administrative area (powiat
).
Kalisz is an important regional industrial and commercial centre, with many notable factories. The city is also a centre for traditional folk art
. The town was also the site of the former 'Calisia' piano
factory, until it went out of business in 2007.
because it was mentioned by Ptolemy
in the 2nd century A.D., but the claim is now doubted by some (cf. Calisia
). The location mentioned by Ptolemy was situated in the territory of the Diduni in Magna Germania
on the Amber Trail
. There are many artefacts of the Roman times in the area, pointing out that it could have been one of the stops of the Roman caravans heading for the Baltic Sea
.
The modern Kalisz was most probably founded in 9th century as a provincial capital castellany
and a minor fort. The name itself stems from the Celtic term cal which means stream
, or Slavic term kal, meaning swamp
or marsh
. In 1106 Bolesław Krzywousty captured the town and made it a part of his feudal domain. Between 1253 and 1260 the town was incorporated according to the German town law
called Środa Śląska Law after Środa Śląska
in Silesia, a local variation of the Magdeburg Law
, and soon started to grow. One of the richest towns of Greater Poland
, during the feudal fragmentation of Poland it formed a separate duchy ruled by local branch of the Piast dynasty
. After Poland was reunited, the town became a notable centre of weaving and wood production, as well as one of the cultural centres of Greater Poland. Also, Jewish
settlement of Kalisz dates back to 1139 (see: Khalyzians
).
In 1282 the city laws
were confirmed by Przemysł II of Poland and in 1314 it was made the capital of the Kalisz Land
, one of the provincial capitals Voivodeships of Poland
, by king Władysław Łokietek. A notable centre of trade, Kalisz was also located more or less in the centre of Poland back then. Because of its strategic location, in 1343 king Casimir III signed there a peace treaty with the Teutonic Order
. As a royal town, the city managed to defend much of its initial privileges and in 1426 a new town hall was built. The Polish king Mieszko the Old
was buried in Kalisz.
In 1574 the Jesuits
were brought to Kalisz and in 1584 they opened a Jesuit College there, one of the most notable centres of education in Poland back then. However, with time the importance of Kalisz declined and its place was taken by nearby Poznań
.
The economic development of the area was aided by a large number of Protestant Czech Brothers
, who settled in and around Kalisz after being expelled from Bohemia
in 1620.
In 1792, fire destroyed much of the city centre. The following year, in the second partition of Poland
, the Kingdom of Prussia
absorbed the city, called "Kalisch" in German. In 1801, Wojciech Bogusławski set up one of the first permanent theatre troupes in Kalisz.
In 1806 Kalisz became a provincial capital within the Duchy of Warsaw
. During Napoleon's invasion of Russia
, following Yorck's Convention of Tauroggen
of 1812, von Stein's Treaty of Kalisz
was signed between Russia and Prussia in 1813, confirming that Prussia now was on the side of the Allies.
After the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte
, Kalisz became a provincial
capital of Congress Poland
and then the capital of a province
of the Russian Empire
. The proximity to the Prussian border accelerated economic development
of the city and Kalisz ("Калиш" in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet
) started to attract many settlers, not only from other regions of Poland and other provinces of the Russian empire but also from German states. In 1902, a new railway linked Kalisz to Warsaw
and Łódź.
After the outbreak of World War I
, the proximity of the border proved disastrous for Kalisz, as it was one of the first cities destroyed in 1914. The German
artillery shelled Kalisz. Between August 7 and August 22, 1914, Kalisz was destroyed
almost completely after the entry of the German units led by Hermann Preusker
. 800 men were arrested and then several of them slaughtered, while the city was set on fire and the remaining inhabitants were expelled. Out of roughly 68,000 citizens in 1914, only 5,000 remained in Kalisz a year later. However, by the end of the Great War much of the city centre was more or less rebuilt and many of the former inhabitants were allowed to return.
After the war Kalisz became part of the newly-independent Poland
. The reconstruction continued and in 1925 a new city hall was opened. In 1939 the population of Kalisz was approximately 89,000. After the German invasion of Poland in 1939, the proximity of the border proved once again disastrous. Kalisz was captured by the Wehrmacht
almost instantly and without much fighting, and the city was annexed by Nazi Germany
. By the end of World War II approximately 30,000 local Jews had been murdered. An additional 20,000 local Catholics were either murdered or expelled to the German-occupied territories (General Government
) or to Germany as slave workers
. In 1945 the population of the city was only 43,000, approximately half of the pre-war population.
In 1975, after Edward Gierek
's reform of the administrative division of Poland
, Kalisz again became the capital of a province - Kalisz Voivodeship
. The Kalisz province was abolished in 1998 and since then Kalisz has been a county seat separate powiat
within the Greater Poland Voivodeship
. In 1991 the city festival was inaugurated on June 11 to commemorate the confirmation of the incorporation of the city in 1282. In 1992, Kalisz became a seat of a separate diocese
of the Catholic Church.
, and one Orthodox Church in Kalisz.
, fifteen middle/junior high school
s, and five high schools. Seven colleges and a dozen or so vocational schools are located there. The city is also home to branches of Poznań University, Poznań University of Economy
, and Poznań University of Science and Technology
, as well as several other institutions of higher education.
within the city limits, Kalisz is home to several of large enterprises. It is notable for the Calisia piano factory and for the Winiary and Ziołopex food processing plants (the former is now part of the Nestlé
group), the Big Star jeans factory, and the Hellena, Jutrzenka, and Kaliszanka soft-drink
production plants. Two plane engines production factories, WSK-Kalisz and Pratt & Whitney
Kalisz (a branch of Pratt & Whitney Canada
), are located in Kalisz.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in 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 106,857 inhabitants (June 2010), the capital city
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of the Kalisz Region
Kalisz Region
Kalisz Region is a historical and ethnographical area of Poland, located in central Poland mainly in the Greater Poland Lakes Area and South Greater Poland Plain. It forms the eastern part of Greater Poland proper....
. Situated on the Prosna
Prosna
The Prosna is a river in central Poland, a tributary of the Warta river , with a length of 217 kilometres and the basin area of 4,925 km2 .-Towns:*Gorzów Śląski*Praszka*Wieruszów*Grabów nad Prosną*Kalisz...
river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship
Greater Poland Voivodeship
Wielkopolska Voivodeship , or Greater Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, or province, in west-central Poland. It was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Poznań, Kalisz, Konin, Piła and Leszno Voivodeships, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998...
, the city forms a conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski is a town in central Poland with 72,360 inhabitants , situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; the seat of Ostrów Wielkopolski County.-History:Recently, a small fortified dwelling dating from the 10th century was discovered on the north-east side of...
and Nowe Skalmierzyce
Nowe Skalmierzyce
Nowe Skalmierzyce is a town and its surrounding municipality in Ostrów Wielkopolski County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. The town has a population of 5,093 , while the municipality, Gmina Nowe Skalmierzyce, which is a mixed urban-rural gmina that includes the town, has a...
. See Kalisz County
Kalisz County
Kalisz County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the city of Kalisz, although the city...
for the regional administrative area (powiat
Powiat
A powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...
).
Kalisz is an important regional industrial and commercial centre, with many notable factories. The city is also a centre for traditional folk art
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
. The town was also the site of the former 'Calisia' piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
factory, until it went out of business in 2007.
History
Kalisz has long been considered the oldest city of PolandPoland
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...
because it was mentioned by Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
in the 2nd century A.D., but the claim is now doubted by some (cf. Calisia
Calisia
Calisia was a "station" on so-called "Amber Road", mentioned by Ptolemy, formerly universally identified with Kalisz in Poland. Besides the similarity of the names, the identification was supported by the closeness between the latitude given by Ptolemy and the actual latitude of Kalisz .The...
). The location mentioned by Ptolemy was situated in the territory of the Diduni in Magna Germania
Germania
Germania was the Greek and Roman geographical term for the geographical regions inhabited by mainly by peoples considered to be Germani. It was most often used to refer especially to the east of the Rhine and north of the Danube...
on the Amber Trail
Amber Road
The Amber Road was an ancient trade route for the transfer of amber. As one of the waterways and ancient highways, for centuries the road led from Europe to Asia and back, and from northern Africa to the Baltic Sea....
. There are many artefacts of the Roman times in the area, pointing out that it could have been one of the stops of the Roman caravans heading for the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
.
The modern Kalisz was most probably founded in 9th century as a provincial capital 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....
and a minor fort. The name itself stems from the Celtic term cal which means stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
, or Slavic term kal, meaning swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
or marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
. In 1106 Bolesław Krzywousty captured the town and made it a part of his feudal domain. Between 1253 and 1260 the town was incorporated according to the German town law
German town law
German town law or German municipal concerns concerns town privileges used by many cities, towns, and villages throughout Central and Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.- Town law in Germany :...
called Środa Śląska Law after Środa Śląska
Sroda Slaska
Środa Śląska is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Środa Śląska County, and of the smaller administrative district called Gmina Środa Śląska. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...
in Silesia, a local variation of the Magdeburg Law
Magdeburg rights
Magdeburg Rights or Magdeburg Law were a set of German town laws regulating the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages granted by a local ruler. Modelled and named after the laws of the German city of Magdeburg and developed during many centuries of the Holy Roman Empire, it was...
, and soon started to grow. One of the richest towns 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...
, during the feudal fragmentation of Poland it formed a separate duchy ruled by local branch of the Piast dynasty
Piast dynasty
The Piast dynasty was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. It began with the semi-legendary Piast Kołodziej . The first historical ruler was Duke Mieszko I . The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir the Great...
. After Poland was reunited, the town became a notable centre of weaving and wood production, as well as one of the cultural centres of Greater Poland. Also, Jewish
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
settlement of Kalisz dates back to 1139 (see: Khalyzians
Khalyzians
The Chalyzians or Khalyzians or Khalis or Khwalis The Chalyzians or Khalyzians or Khalis or Khwalis The Chalyzians or Khalyzians or Khalis or Khwalis (Arabic: Khwarezmian, Byzantine Greek: Χαλίσιοι, Khalisioi, Magyar: Kaliz were a people mentioned by the 12th-century Byzantine historian John...
).
In 1282 the city laws
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...
were confirmed by Przemysł II of Poland and in 1314 it was made the capital of the Kalisz Land
Kalisz Region
Kalisz Region is a historical and ethnographical area of Poland, located in central Poland mainly in the Greater Poland Lakes Area and South Greater Poland Plain. It forms the eastern part of Greater Poland proper....
, one of the provincial capitals Voivodeships of Poland
Voivodeships of Poland
The voivodeship, or province, called in Polish województwo , has been a high-level administrative subdivision of Poland since the 14th century....
, by king Władysław Łokietek. A notable centre of trade, Kalisz was also located more or less in the centre of Poland back then. Because of its strategic location, in 1343 king Casimir III signed there a peace treaty with the Teutonic Order
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...
. As a royal town, the city managed to defend much of its initial privileges and in 1426 a new town hall was built. The Polish king Mieszko the Old
Mieszko III the Old
Mieszko III the Old , of the royal Piast dynasty, was Duke of Greater Poland from 1138 and High Duke of Poland, with interruptions, from 1173 until his death....
was buried in Kalisz.
In 1574 the Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
were brought to Kalisz and in 1584 they opened a Jesuit College there, one of the most notable centres of education in Poland back then. However, with time the importance of Kalisz declined and its place was taken by nearby 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...
.
The economic development of the area was aided by a large number of Protestant Czech Brothers
Unity of the Brethren
The Unity of the Brethren is a Christian denomination whose roots are in the pre-reformation work of priest and philosopher Jan Hus, who was martyred in 1415.-History in Bohemia:...
, who settled in and around Kalisz after being expelled from Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
in 1620.
In 1792, fire destroyed much of the city centre. The following year, in the second partition of Poland
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
, 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...
absorbed the city, called "Kalisch" in German. In 1801, Wojciech Bogusławski set up one of the first permanent theatre troupes in Kalisz.
In 1806 Kalisz became a provincial capital within 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...
. During Napoleon's invasion of Russia
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
, following Yorck's Convention of Tauroggen
Convention of Tauroggen
The Convention of Tauroggen was a truce signed 30 December 1812 at Tauroggen , between Generalleutnant Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg on behalf of his Prussian troops, and by General Hans Karl von Diebitsch of the Russian Army...
of 1812, von Stein's Treaty of Kalisz
Treaty of Kalisz (1813)
The Treaty of Kalisz was signed in Kalisz on 28 February 1813, between Russia and Prussia against Napoleon I. The events that led to this alliance date back to 30 December 1812, at Tauroggen when Lieutenant-General Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg, on behalf of his Prussian troops, and General Hans Karl...
was signed between Russia and Prussia in 1813, confirming that Prussia now was on the side of the Allies.
After the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, Kalisz became a provincial
Kalisz Voivodeship
-Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998:Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998 was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Kalisz...
capital of Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
and then the capital of a province
Kalisz Governorate
Kalisz Governorate was an administrative unit of the Kingdom of Poland.-History:It was created in 1837 from the Kalisz Voivodeship, and had the same borders and centre as the voivodeship....
of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. The proximity to the Prussian border accelerated economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
of the city and Kalisz ("Калиш" in the Russian Cyrillic alphabet
Cyrillic alphabet
The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
) started to attract many settlers, not only from other regions of Poland and other provinces of the Russian empire but also from German states. In 1902, a new railway linked Kalisz to 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...
and Łódź.
After the outbreak of 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...
, the proximity of the border proved disastrous for Kalisz, as it was one of the first cities destroyed in 1914. The German
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
artillery shelled Kalisz. Between August 7 and August 22, 1914, Kalisz was destroyed
Destruction of Kalisz
The destruction and sacking of the city of Kalisz occurred in August 1914. It was perpetrated by the German Empire troops. From August 2 until August 22, 1914 at the beginning of World War I, one of the oldest towns in Poland , was shelled, bombed and burned down...
almost completely after the entry of the German units led by Hermann Preusker
Hermann Preusker
Hans Rudolf Hermann Preusker was a Major, the commander of the second battalion of 155 infantry regiment in the Imperial German army. He is notable for the destruction he brought to the Polish city of Kalisz during the Great War. He is known in Poland for his savage acts during this time...
. 800 men were arrested and then several of them slaughtered, while the city was set on fire and the remaining inhabitants were expelled. Out of roughly 68,000 citizens in 1914, only 5,000 remained in Kalisz a year later. However, by the end of the Great War much of the city centre was more or less rebuilt and many of the former inhabitants were allowed to return.
After the war Kalisz became part of the newly-independent Poland
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
. The reconstruction continued and in 1925 a new city hall was opened. In 1939 the population of Kalisz was approximately 89,000. After the German invasion of Poland in 1939, the proximity of the border proved once again disastrous. Kalisz was captured 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:...
almost instantly and without much fighting, and the city 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...
. By the end of World War II approximately 30,000 local Jews had been murdered. An additional 20,000 local Catholics were either murdered or expelled to the German-occupied territories (General Government
General Government
The General Government was an area of Second Republic of Poland under Nazi German rule during World War II; designated as a separate region of the Third Reich between 1939–1945...
) or to Germany as slave workers
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. In 1945 the population of the city was only 43,000, approximately half of the pre-war population.
In 1975, after Edward Gierek
Edward Gierek
Edward Gierek was a Polish communist politician.He was born in Porąbka, outside of Sosnowiec. He lost his father to a mining accident in a pit at the age of four. His mother married again and emigrated to northern France, where he was raised. He joined the French Communist Party in 1931 and was...
's reform of the administrative division of Poland
Administrative divisions of Poland
The administrative division of Poland since 1999 has been based on three levels of subdivision. The territory of Poland is divided into voivodeships ; these are further divided into powiats , and these in turn are divided into gminas . Major cities normally have the status of both gmina and powiat...
, Kalisz again became the capital of a province - Kalisz Voivodeship
Kalisz Voivodeship
-Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998:Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998 was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Kalisz...
. The Kalisz province was abolished in 1998 and since then Kalisz has been a county seat separate powiat
Kalisz County
Kalisz County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the city of Kalisz, although the city...
within the Greater Poland Voivodeship
Greater Poland Voivodeship
Wielkopolska Voivodeship , or Greater Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, or province, in west-central Poland. It was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Poznań, Kalisz, Konin, Piła and Leszno Voivodeships, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998...
. In 1991 the city festival was inaugurated on June 11 to commemorate the confirmation of the incorporation of the city in 1282. In 1992, Kalisz became a seat of a separate diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Catholic Church.
Religion
There are 19 Catholic Churches, 5 Protestant ChurchesProtestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, and one Orthodox Church in Kalisz.
Education
Kalisz is a notable centre of education in the region. It is home to 29 elementary schools, primary schoolsPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, fifteen middle/junior high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s, and five high schools. Seven colleges and a dozen or so vocational schools are located there. The city is also home to branches of Poznań University, Poznań University of Economy
Poznan University of Economy
Poznań University of Economy is a University in Kalisz, Poland. It specialises in the science of economics....
, and Poznań University of Science and Technology
Poznan University of Science and Technology
Poznań University of Science and Technology is a University in Kalisz, Poland. It specialises in science, technology and related fields....
, as well as several other institutions of higher education.
Economy
Although there is little heavy industryHeavy industry
Heavy industry does not have a single fixed meaning as compared to light industry. It can mean production of products which are either heavy in weight or in the processes leading to their production. In general, it is a popular term used within the name of many Japanese and Korean firms, meaning...
within the city limits, Kalisz is home to several of large enterprises. It is notable for the Calisia piano factory and for the Winiary and Ziołopex food processing plants (the former is now part of the Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
group), the Big Star jeans factory, and the Hellena, Jutrzenka, and Kaliszanka soft-drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
production plants. Two plane engines production factories, WSK-Kalisz and Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
Kalisz (a branch of Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada is a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer. PWC's headquarters are in Longueuil, Quebec, just outside Montreal. It is a division of the larger US-based Pratt & Whitney , itself a business unit of United Technologies...
), are located in Kalisz.
Sports
- SSK Calisia KaliszWiniary KaliszSSK Calisia Kalisz is a Polish women's volleyball team, based in Kalisz, playing in the Liga Siatkówki Kobiet -Honours:* Polish Championship** 1st place*** 1996/1997, 1997/1998, 2004/2005, 2006/2007...
- women'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 Champions of Poland,2nd place in 2003/2004 season and 1st place in 2004/2005 season. - Calisia Kalisz - men's soccer teamFootball teamA football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
playing in Polish 2 League Soccer League.
Notable people from Kalisz
- Avraham GombinerAvraham GombinerAbraham Abele Gombiner , known as the Magen Avraham, born in Gąbin , Poland, was a rabbi, Talmudist and a leading religious authority in the Jewish community of Kalish, Poland during the seventeenth century. His full name is Avraham Avli ben Chaim HaLevi from the town of Gombin...
1633 Jewish rabbi and scholar - Wojciech Bogusławski 1757 playwright and director playwright
- Cyprian GodebskiCyprian GodebskiCyprian Godebski was a Polish poet, novelist, father of Franciszek Ksawery. An outstanding poet of the so-called "Legions Poetry".-Life:...
1765 freedom fighter and a poet - Dawid Flamm 1793 gynecologist
- Karl Heinrich Hermes 1800-1856 journalist
- Thekla von Gunkert 1810 author
- Agaton GillerAgaton GillerAgaton Giller was a Polish historian, journalist and politician. He and his brother Stefan Giller played notable roles in the Polish independence movement and in the January 1863 Uprising.-Life:During the January 1863 Uprising, Agaton Giller was a member of the National Government...
- (*1831 in OpatówekOpatówekOpatówek is a village of 3,800 inhabitants situated 10 km southeast from Kalisz, county of Kalisz County in the province of Wielkopolska, Poland. The commune of Opatówek, including the village of Opatówek and 26 other villages, has about 10,000 inhabitants and is an agricultural and industrial...
, Poland - +1887 in Stanisławów) - patriotic activist - Stefan GillerStefan GillerStefan Giller was born in Opatówek, Congress Poland, Russian Empire. With his elder brother, Agaton Giller, Stefan played an active role in the Polish independence movement and in the January 1863 Uprising.-Life:...
- (*1833 in OpatowekOpatówekOpatówek is a village of 3,800 inhabitants situated 10 km southeast from Kalisz, county of Kalisz County in the province of Wielkopolska, Poland. The commune of Opatówek, including the village of Opatówek and 26 other villages, has about 10,000 inhabitants and is an agricultural and industrial...
, PolandPolandPoland , 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...
- +1918) - poet, an epigone of the Polish RomanticismRomanticism in PolandRomanticism in Poland was a literary, artistic and intellectual period in the evolution of Polish culture that began around 1820, coinciding with the publication of Adam Mickiewicz's first poems in 1822. It ended with the suppression of the January 1863 Uprising against the Russian Empire in 1864. ... - Adam AsnykAdam AsnykAdam Asnyk , was a Polish poet and dramatist. Born September 11, 1838 in Kalisz to a szlachta family, he was educated for an heir of his family's estate. As such he received education at the Institute of Agriculture and Forestry in Marymont and then the Medical Surgeon School in Warsaw. He...
1838 poet - Ludwig Adolf Neugebauer 1856 gynecologist
- Juliusz BurscheJuliusz BurscheJuliusz Bursche was a bishop of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland. A vocal opponent of Nazi Germany, after the German invasion of Poland in 1939 he was arrested by the Germans, tortured, and sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp where he died.- Youth :Bursche was born as the first child...
1862 bishop - Jerzy ŚwirskiJerzy SwirskiJerzy Świrski was a Polish vice admiral and officer in the Russian Navy and Polish Navy....
1882 - Vice-Admiral - Maria DąbrowskaMaria DabrowskaMaria Dąbrowska was a Polish writer.Dąbrowska was a member of the impoverished landed gentry. Interested both in literature and politics, she set herself up to help people born into poor circumstances. She studied sociology, philosophy, and natural sciences in Lausanne and Brussels and moved to...
1889 writer - Theodor MeronTheodor MeronTheodor Meron was the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia until 2005, and now serves as a judge on the Appeals Chambers of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the ICTY. On October 19, 2011, he was elected to a second two-year term as President...
1930 president of the (ICTY) and judge in the International Criminal Tribunal for RwandaInternational Criminal Tribunal for RwandaThe International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 955 in order to judge people responsible for the Rwandan Genocide and other serious violations of international law in Rwanda, or by Rwandan... - Stanisław Barcikowski, painter
- Boleslaus the Pious, duke of Greater Poland
- Bolesław III the Generous, duke of SilesiaDukes of SilesiaThe Dukes of Silesia were the sons and descendants of the Polish Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth. In accordance with the last will and testament of Bolesław, upon his death his lands were divided into 4-5 hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, and a royal province of Kraków reserved for the...
- Izabela Cywińska, director
- Augustyn KordeckiAugustyn KordeckiAbbot Augustyn, or Abbot Augustyn Kordecki real name: Klemens Kordecki Ślepowron Coat of Arms was a prior of the Jasna Góra Monastery, Poland....
, prior of the Jasna Góra MonasteryJasna Góra MonasteryThe Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland is the most famous shrine to the Virgin Mary in Poland and the country's greatest place of pilgrimage - for many its spiritual capital. The image of Black Madonna of Częstochowa, to which miraculous powers are attributed, is Jasna Góra's most...
and hero of The Deluge - Yehiel Krize, painter
- Jerzy KryszakJerzy KryszakJerzy Kryszak is a Polish comedian.-References:...
, actor - Tadeusz Kulisiewicz, artist
- Bonawentura NiemojowskiBonawentura NiemojowskiBonawentura Niemojowski was a Polish lawyer, writer and politician. He was one of the leaders of Polish National Government during the November Uprising.-Biography:...
, journalist - Wincenty NiemojowskiWincenty NiemojowskiWincenty Niemojowski was a Polish political activist in Congress Poland. Member of the Kalisz Opposition, later joined the revolutionary government during the November Uprising.-References:...
, journalist - Alfons Parczewski, lawyer, rector of the Wilno UniversityVilnius UniversityVilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. It is also the largest university in Lithuania....
- Wlasyslaw Pilars de PilarPilars de PilarWładysław Baron Pilars de Pilar was a Polish poet and a literature professor at the Warsaw University. He was a son of Edward Gustaw Pilars , an accountant in Adolf Gottlieb Fiedler's cloth factory, and Ewa Grzankowska...
- poet - Wojciech SiemionWojciech SiemionWojciech Juliusz Siemion was a Polish stage and film actor.He studied law at the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin from 1947 to 1950. After graduating from the Theatre Academy in Warsaw in 1951 he began acting in several theatres and cabarets...
, actor and director - Zevi Herman Solnik, writer and Zionist
- Zdzisława Sośnicka, singer
- Stefan Szolc-RogozińskiStefan Szolc-RogozińskiStefan Szolc-Rogoziński was a Polish explorer of Africa. He was planning to create a Polish colony in Cameroon....
, traveller and explorer - Stanisław Wojciechowski, president of Poland
- Mieczysław Voigt, actor
- Alfred Wierusz-KowalskiAlfred Wierusz-KowalskiAlfred Wierusz-Kowalski was a Polish painter of the Munich school, one of the most popular among Jozef Brandt and Władysław Czachórski. Wierusz-Kowalski settled in Munich in 1873 just after his studies in Warsaw and Dresden. He studied for a year at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts and then under...
, painter - Jan Ptaszyn WróblewskiJan Ptaszyn WróblewskiJan "Ptaszyn" Wróblewski is a Polish composer and tenor saxophonist most linked to jazz.He began his musical career in 1956 at Polish festivals. He went on to tour around the world and for a decade, starting in 1958, he directed the Polish Radio Jazz Studio...
, musician - Kris Grzymski, archaeologist
- Artur Zawisza Czarny, freedom fighter
- Zvi Hirsch ChajesZvi Hirsch ChajesZvi Hirsch Chajes was one of the foremost Galician talmudic scholars. He is best known for his work Mevo Hatalmud , which serves both as commentary and introduction...
, 19th c. Talmudic scholar - Janina Davidska, 20th c Author
- Mania Zolta, 20th c Bubba
- Diana Błaszczyk, 21st c. Go Player
- Iga Wyrwał, Glamour modelGlamour photographyGlamour photography is a genre of photography whereby the subjects, usually female, are portrayed in a romantic or sexually alluring way. The subjects may be fully clothed or seminude, but glamour photography stops short of deliberately arousing the viewer and being pornographic photography.Glamour...
- Mieczysław Szcześniak, Singer, composer and lyricist
Twin towns — Sister cities
Kalisz is twinned with:| Erfurt Erfurt Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian... and Hamm Hamm Hamm is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany. It is located in the northeastern part of the Ruhr area. As of December 2003 its population was 180,849. The city is situated between the A1 motorway and A2 motorway... in 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... (since 1984 and 1991) Heerhugowaard Heerhugowaard Heerhugowaard is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.-History:... in 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... (since 1992) Hautmont Hautmont -Twin towns - sister cities:Kamianets-Podilskyi is twinned with: Kalisz in Poland -References:*... in 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... (since 1958) Kamianets-Podilskyi Kamianets-Podilskyi Kamyanets-Podilsky or Kamienets-Podolsky is a city located on the Smotrych River in western Ukraine, to the north-east of Chernivtsi... in 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... (since 1993) |
Preston and Southampton Southampton Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest... in England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... (since 1989) Martin Martin, Slovakia Martin is a city in northern Slovakia, situated on the Turiec river, between the Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, near the city of Žilina. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia... in 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... (since 1996) Tongeren in Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... Adria Adria Adria is a town and comune in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of Northern Italy, situated between the mouths of the rivers Adige and Po.... in 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... |
La Louviere La Louvière La Louvière is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. La Louvière's municipality includes the old communes of Haine-Saint-Paul, Haine-Saint-Pierre, Saint-Vaast, Trivières, Boussoit, Houdeng-Aimeries, Houdeng-Gœgnies, Maurage, and Strépy-Bracquegnies... in Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... (since 1998) Szentendre Szentendre Szentendre is a riverside town in Pest county, Hungary, near the capital city Budapest. It is known for its museums , galleries, and artists. Due to its picturesque appearance and easy rail and river access, it has become a popular destination for tourists staying in Budapest... in Hungary Hungary Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The... Minsk Minsk - Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened... (borough of Frunze) in 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 ,... |
See also
- History of the Jews in KaliszHistory of the Jews in KaliszLocated in the Poznań province west of Łódź, Kalisz was for centuries a border town between Poland and Germany. One of the oldest cities in Poland, Kalisz also played a pivotal role in Polish Jewish history: in 1264, Prince Bolesław V the Chaste, ruler of the western part of Poland , was the first...
- Kalisz DepartmentKalisz DepartmentKalisz Department was a unit of administrative division and local government in Polish Duchy of Warsaw in years 1806–1815.Its capital city was Kalisz, and the area was further subdivided onto 13 powiats....
(Polish: Departament Kaliski): 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 PolishPolandPoland , 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...
Duchy of Warsaw in years 1806-1815. - KaliszanieKaliszanieKaliszanie or Kalisz Opposition was a semi-formal political group opposed to the conservative authorities of the Kingdom of Poland in the period preceding the outbreak of the November Uprising. The circle was formed around 1820 by brothers Bonawentura and Wincenty Niemojowski, two liberal...
- KalmyksKalmyk peopleKalmyk people is the name given to the Oirats, western Mongols in Russia, whose descendants migrated from Dzhungaria in 1607. Today they form a majority in the autonomous Republic of Kalmykia on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. Kalmykia is Europe's only Buddhist government...