Kudowa-Zdrój
Encyclopedia
Kudowa-Zdrój k is a town situated in the foothills of the Stołowe Mountains in the southwestern part of Poland
, in Kłodzko County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship
, about 400 m above sea level. It has a population of about 10,000. It is located right at the Polish-Czech border, just across from the Czech town of Náchod
, and some 40 km west of Kłodzko.
Kudowa-Zdrój is a historic spa town where heart and circulation system diseases were cured. In the downtown area, there is a park, styled on 17th century revival, with exotic plants and a mineral water pump room. Due to its location, the town is a used as a place for tourism, walking, biking, and as the departure point for trips. Among notable locations of the region is The Chapel of Skulls and The Moving Nativity Scene in Czermna, The Basilica in Wambierzyce
, The Bear Cave in Kletno
or the heritage park in Pstrążna
as well the natural surroundings of the nearby Table Mountains. It is situated 3 kilometers from the centre of the town to the Czech border and about 140 kilometers to Praha, the capital of the Czech Republic
.
Czech king George of Podebrady
. The original name of the village was Lipolitov, but in the mid-16th century it was changed to Chudoba, later on Kudoba (Cudoba in 19th century), Bad Kudowa and in 1945 into Kudowa-Zdrój.
The oldest part of Kudowa is Czermna, dating back to the 16th century. The first record of a mineral waters in the area comes from 1580 from the chronicles of Louis of Náchod, under the name Cermenske Lazne.
In 1625 (or, as some sources say, as early as 1621), G. Aelurius, a Protestant Lutheran monk in his work "Glaciografia" writes about the great taste of the mineral waters from Kudowa, how healthy they were and that they were used for winemaking.
The first owner of the spa was a former military commander from Thirty Years War Albrecht von Wallenstein
(1583–1634), and after him his brother-in-law Count A. E. Terzky from Nachod
in Bohemia
.
Devices for healing baths were known from 1630, and made from wood. A scholary description of Kudowa's waters was made by doctor Kramer in scientific work from 1694. In 1777 a publishing company from Breslau „Kornów” printed a Polish guide describing Kudowa, written by Daniel Vogl.
In 1847 Kudowa was visited by 300 patients. In 1850 A. Duflos made a chemical analysis of the local waters and claimed they have healing traits. Local doctor J. Jacob, helped in establishing the thesis that Kudowa is a spa helping of heart related diseases, which made significant impact of the number of people visiting the town. In 1900 the number of people who visited was 4,150. A famous visitor of the town was Helmut von Moltke together with his family. Thanks to development of business organizations, a railway line to Glatz and a local power plant the spa grew and in 1906 8.000 visitors attended its facilities. Among the guests one of the more famous people was Winston Churchill
. In 1920 the Gebrüder Martin und Paul Polka O.H.G. company bought the largest spa resort of the town. From 1911 to 1931 Raphael Friedeberg
worked as a physician in the Spa.
In 1871-1945 Bad Kudowa in the county of Glatz was part of the state of Germany
as Bad Kudowa in the province of Lower Silesia
. After 1945 most German inhabitants were forcibly expelled
and replaced by Polish settlers
. After becoming part of Poland it received city rights for the first time in its history. Before 1945 a minority of ethnic Czechs
lived in Kudowa-Zdrój (then Bad Kudowa). Small groups of Germans and Czechs continued to live in Kudowa until 1960, and a German school and a Czech-speaking school existed in the town from 1951–1960 and from 1947-1955.
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...
, in Kłodzko County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Lower Silesian Voivodeship, or Lower Silesia Province , is one of the 16 voivodeships into which Poland is currently divided. It lies in southwestern Poland...
, about 400 m above sea level. It has a population of about 10,000. It is located right at the Polish-Czech border, just across from the Czech town of Náchod
Náchod
Náchod -History:Náchod was founded in 14th century by knight Hron of Načeradice, who founded a castle on a strategical place, where local trade road reaches the defile called Branka. The first written note dates back to 1254.-Castle:...
, and some 40 km west of Kłodzko.
Kudowa-Zdrój is a historic spa town where heart and circulation system diseases were cured. In the downtown area, there is a park, styled on 17th century revival, with exotic plants and a mineral water pump room. Due to its location, the town is a used as a place for tourism, walking, biking, and as the departure point for trips. Among notable locations of the region is The Chapel of Skulls and The Moving Nativity Scene in Czermna, The Basilica in Wambierzyce
Wambierzyce
Wambierzyce , the "Silesian Jerusalem", is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in southern Poland. The village is situated at an altitude of 370–410 m in the picturesque Cedron valley on the eastern slopes of the Table Mountains in Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
, The Bear Cave in Kletno
Kletno
Kletno is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Stronie Śląskie, within Kłodzko County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany....
or the heritage park in Pstrążna
Pstrazna
Pstrążna is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Lyski, within Rybnik County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately west of Rybnik and west of the regional capital Katowice.-References:...
as well the natural surroundings of the nearby Table Mountains. It is situated 3 kilometers from the centre of the town to the Czech border and about 140 kilometers to Praha, the capital of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
History
Kudowa-Zdrój is one of the oldest spa resorts in Poland and Europe. It is first mentioned in a document by Henry the Older, son of the HussiteHussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
Czech king George of Podebrady
George of Podebrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...
. The original name of the village was Lipolitov, but in the mid-16th century it was changed to Chudoba, later on Kudoba (Cudoba in 19th century), Bad Kudowa and in 1945 into Kudowa-Zdrój.
The oldest part of Kudowa is Czermna, dating back to the 16th century. The first record of a mineral waters in the area comes from 1580 from the chronicles of Louis of Náchod, under the name Cermenske Lazne.
In 1625 (or, as some sources say, as early as 1621), G. Aelurius, a Protestant Lutheran monk in his work "Glaciografia" writes about the great taste of the mineral waters from Kudowa, how healthy they were and that they were used for winemaking.
The first owner of the spa was a former military commander from Thirty Years War Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
(1583–1634), and after him his brother-in-law Count A. E. Terzky from Nachod
Náchod
Náchod -History:Náchod was founded in 14th century by knight Hron of Načeradice, who founded a castle on a strategical place, where local trade road reaches the defile called Branka. The first written note dates back to 1254.-Castle:...
in 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...
.
Devices for healing baths were known from 1630, and made from wood. A scholary description of Kudowa's waters was made by doctor Kramer in scientific work from 1694. In 1777 a publishing company from Breslau „Kornów” printed a Polish guide describing Kudowa, written by Daniel Vogl.
In 1847 Kudowa was visited by 300 patients. In 1850 A. Duflos made a chemical analysis of the local waters and claimed they have healing traits. Local doctor J. Jacob, helped in establishing the thesis that Kudowa is a spa helping of heart related diseases, which made significant impact of the number of people visiting the town. In 1900 the number of people who visited was 4,150. A famous visitor of the town was Helmut von Moltke together with his family. Thanks to development of business organizations, a railway line to Glatz and a local power plant the spa grew and in 1906 8.000 visitors attended its facilities. Among the guests one of the more famous people was Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
. In 1920 the Gebrüder Martin und Paul Polka O.H.G. company bought the largest spa resort of the town. From 1911 to 1931 Raphael Friedeberg
Raphael Friedeberg
Raphael Friedeberg was a German physician, socialist, and later anarchist.- Early life :Friedeberg was born in Tilsit, East Prussia, today's Sovetsk, Russia, to Salomon, a Rabbi, and Rebekka Friedeberg née Levy...
worked as a physician in the Spa.
In 1871-1945 Bad Kudowa in the county of Glatz was part of the state of 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...
as Bad Kudowa in the province of Lower Silesia
Province of Lower Silesia
The Province of Lower Silesia was a province of the Free State of Prussia from 1919 to 1945. Between 1938 and 1941 it was reunited with Upper Silesia as the Silesia Province. The capital of Lower Silesia was Breslau...
. After 1945 most German inhabitants were forcibly expelled
Expulsion of Germans after World War II
The later stages of World War II, and the period after the end of that war, saw the forced migration of millions of German nationals and ethnic Germans from various European states and territories, mostly into the areas which would become post-war Germany and post-war Austria...
and replaced by Polish settlers
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...
. After becoming part of Poland it received city rights for the first time in its history. Before 1945 a minority of ethnic Czechs
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
lived in Kudowa-Zdrój (then Bad Kudowa). Small groups of Germans and Czechs continued to live in Kudowa until 1960, and a German school and a Czech-speaking school existed in the town from 1951–1960 and from 1947-1955.
Subdivisions
(with German names)- Brzozowie (Brzesowie, 1924–45: Birkhagen)
- Bukowina Kłodzka (Bukowine, 1937–45: Tannhübel)
- Czermna (Tscherbeney, 1937–45: Grenzeck)
- Jakubowice (Jakobowitz, 1937–45: Wachtgrund)
- Pstrążna (Straußeney, 1937–45: Straußdörfel)
- Słone (Schlaney, 1937–45: Schnellau)
- Zakrze (Sackisch)