Pszczyna
Encyclopedia
Pszczyna ' is a town in southern Poland
with 26,827 inhabitants (2003) within the immediate gmina
rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the powiat
, which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzeźce
(1041), Czarków
(1852), Ćwiklice
(2569), Jankowice (2591), Łąka (2729), Piasek
(3252), Poręba (924), Rudołtowice (1111), Studzionka
(2176), Studzienice (1612), Wisła Mała (1323) and Wisła Wielka (2114). Pszczyna County is the capital of Pszczyna County
in the Silesian Voivodship. Previously it was in Katowice Voivodship (1975–1998).
The total area of 174.09 km² includes 94.66 km² of farmland (67.99 km² of arable land
, 1.51 km² of orchard
s, 16.11 km² of meadow
s, 9.05 km² of pasture
) and 51.27 km² of forest grounds (49.71 km² of forests and forest landasy, 1.56 km² of tree-planted and shrub-planted land). (Pszczyna in figures, 2003)
). Polish scholar Aleksander Brückner
in turn, explained the name based on its old spelling Plszczyna, from the ancient Polish word pło or pleso meaning a lake or a place by the lake – thus suggesting that the name Plszczyna as well as its German equivalent Pleß had similar background. The version by Brückner, suggesting a lakeside rich with marshlands, based on a Proto-Slavic
word plszczyna, is generally accepted in literature. Yet another version belongs to Prof. Jan Miodek from Wrocław University, who derived the name from a nearby river Blszczyna.
and their local residence, the 12th century castle palace
http://www.pszczyna.pl/xs/index2.php?akcja=pokaztekst&id=89 now a site of the Muzeum Zamkowe (Castle Museum) at the main square.
Early in the 12th century, Pszczyna laid within the territory of the Polish Piast dynasty. The city belonged to Lesser Poland
(Małopolska) until 1177, when it became part of the Duchy of Racibórz
. From this time on, it was also a part of the Kraków bishopric.
In 1336, the main line of the dukes of Racibórz
died out and the Duchy was ruled by the Czech Přemyslid dynasty
. From 1412 until 1452, Countess Helena, sister of Jogaila
, ruled the Duchy. After her stepdaughter governed from 1452 until 1462, the Podebradies
took over. The Thurzó
family acquired the Duchy and sold it, with the approval of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
, in 1548 to the Promnitz family, who ruled the Duchy until 1765; it was inherited from them by the Dukes of Anhalt-Köthen-Pless, and in 1846 by the Counts of Hochberg.
The city is first mentioned in a document from 1327, as most probably founded in the late 13th century on the trade route from Kraków
to Cieszyn
. The city was famed for its fish, mostly carp
, exported to Kraków and beyond, due to many streams and swamps in the area. During the Middle Ages the region became part of the Duchies of Silesia
known as the Duchy of Pszczyna. Pszczyna and the surrounding area was populated by German settlers during Medieval Ostsiedlung
, but from the 16th century on it was predominantly Polish again. Frederick II of Prussia
conquered the Duchy from its Habsburg rule in the War of the Austrian Succession
, encompassing most of Silesia.
In the beginning of the 19th century, small-scale industrialisation started with factories manufacturing garters. The first Polish newspaper
in all of Upper Silesia
, Tygodnik Poświęcony Włościanom was printed here in 1843 by Kristian Schemmel. In 1868 the railroad to Czechowice-Dziedzice
arrived.
Because of the Germanisation
under Prussian rule the German share of the population increased. For example, in 1829, 94,3% of the population in Pszczyna county declared themselves Polish,http://www.slawistyka.ath.bielsko.pl/historia/regionalne01.html, but according to the 1900 census this number had decreased to 86,6%. In 1910 census 105,744 citizens spoke Polish (86,0%), 16,464 German, 447 Polish and German and 242 another language. In the city itself there was traditionally a higher percentage of Germans, who soon formed the majority (for instance 67% in 1910).
One of the Silesian Uprisings
, led by Wojciech Korfanty
, started in the city on August 16, 1919. In 1922, the city was officially joined with Poland. Pn March 1921 at Silesian plebiscite 2,843, or 75% of Pszczyna City citizens casted their vote for remaining in Germany while in the entire (rural, mostly Polish inhabited) Pszczyna county 53,378 votes (74%) were for Poland and 18,676 (26%) for Germany.
During the Invasion of Poland
the Wehrmacht
marching into Pszczyna in September 1939 was met with fierce resistance. On 14 September, 14 Poles were murdered by Germans invading the county. In the winter of 1944-1945, death march
es from the Auschwitz concentration camp
passed through the city.
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 26,827 inhabitants (2003) within the immediate gmina
Gmina
The gmina is the principal unit of administrative division of Poland at its lowest uniform level. It is often translated as "commune" or "municipality." As of 2010 there were 2,479 gminas throughout the country...
rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the 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...
, which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzeźce
Brzezce
Brzeźce is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately west of Pszczyna and south-west of the regional capital Katowice....
(1041), Czarków
Czarków
Czarków is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Pszczyna and south of the regional capital Katowice....
(1852), Ćwiklice
Cwiklice
Ćwiklice is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately east of Pszczyna and south of the regional capital Katowice....
(2569), Jankowice (2591), Łąka (2729), Piasek
Piasek
Piasek is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately north of Pszczyna and south of the regional capital Katowice....
(3252), Poręba (924), Rudołtowice (1111), Studzionka
Studzionka
Studzionka is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately west of Pszczyna and south-west of the regional capital Katowice....
(2176), Studzienice (1612), Wisła Mała (1323) and Wisła Wielka (2114). Pszczyna County is the capital of Pszczyna County
Pszczyna County
Pszczyna County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern 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 only town is Pszczyna, which lies south of...
in the Silesian Voivodship. Previously it was in Katowice Voivodship (1975–1998).
The total area of 174.09 km² includes 94.66 km² of farmland (67.99 km² of arable land
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
, 1.51 km² of orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s, 16.11 km² of meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
s, 9.05 km² of pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
) and 51.27 km² of forest grounds (49.71 km² of forests and forest landasy, 1.56 km² of tree-planted and shrub-planted land). (Pszczyna in figures, 2003)
Etymology
The origins of name Pszczyna are explained in different ways by different historians. Ezechiel Zivier (1868–1925) hypothesized that the land was first owned by Pleszko (alternatively Leszko, or possibly Leszek, Duke of RacibórzRacibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
). Polish scholar Aleksander Brückner
Aleksander Brückner
Aleksander Brückner was a Polish scholar of Slavic languages and literatures , philologist, lexicographer and historian of literature. He is among the most notable Slavicists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the first to prepare complete monographs on the history of Polish language...
in turn, explained the name based on its old spelling Plszczyna, from the ancient Polish word pło or pleso meaning a lake or a place by the lake – thus suggesting that the name Plszczyna as well as its German equivalent Pleß had similar background. The version by Brückner, suggesting a lakeside rich with marshlands, based on a Proto-Slavic
Proto-Slavic language
Proto-Slavic is the proto-language from which Slavic languages later emerged. It was spoken before the seventh century AD. As with most other proto-languages, no attested writings have been found; the language has been reconstructed by applying the comparative method to all the attested Slavic...
word plszczyna, is generally accepted in literature. Yet another version belongs to Prof. Jan Miodek from Wrocław University, who derived the name from a nearby river Blszczyna.
History
The history of Pszczyna is intertwined with the history of the Polish Piast dynastyPiast 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...
and their local residence, the 12th century castle palace
Castle in Pszczyna
Castle in Pszczyna is a classical-style palace in Pszczyna. Constructed as a castle in 13th century or earlier, in a gothic style, it was rebuilt in renaissance style in 17th century, in baroque in 18th century and classicist in 19th century; the classicist modernization transformed the castle...
http://www.pszczyna.pl/xs/index2.php?akcja=pokaztekst&id=89 now a site of the Muzeum Zamkowe (Castle Museum) at the main square.
Early in the 12th century, Pszczyna laid within the territory of the Polish Piast dynasty. The city belonged to Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland is one of the historical regions of Poland, with its capital in the city of Kraków. It forms the southeastern corner of the country, and should not be confused with the modern Lesser Poland Voivodeship, which covers only a small, southern part of Lesser Poland...
(Małopolska) until 1177, when it became part of the Duchy of Racibórz
Duchy of Racibórz
Duchy of Racibórz was one of the duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Racibórz in Upper Silesia.-History:After Bolesław I the Tall and his younger brother Mieszko I Tanglefoot backed by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa had retained their Silesian heritage in 1163, the Duchy of Racibórz was formed in...
. From this time on, it was also a part of the Kraków bishopric.
In 1336, the main line of the dukes of Racibórz
Racibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
died out and the Duchy was ruled by the Czech Přemyslid dynasty
Premyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
. From 1412 until 1452, Countess Helena, sister of Jogaila
Jogaila
Jogaila, later 'He is known under a number of names: ; ; . See also: Jogaila : names and titles. was Grand Duke of Lithuania , king consort of Kingdom of Poland , and sole King of Poland . He ruled in Lithuania from 1377, at first with his uncle Kęstutis...
, ruled the Duchy. After her stepdaughter governed from 1452 until 1462, the Podebradies
George of Podebrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...
took over. The Thurzó
Thurzo
Thurzo or Turzo was a Hungarian noble family from the 15th century to the first half of the 17th century.The ancestors of the Thurzo family came to the Kingdom of Hungary from Lower Austria....
family acquired the Duchy and sold it, with the approval of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
, in 1548 to the Promnitz family, who ruled the Duchy until 1765; it was inherited from them by the Dukes of Anhalt-Köthen-Pless, and in 1846 by the Counts of Hochberg.
The city is first mentioned in a document from 1327, as most probably founded in the late 13th century on the trade route from Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
to Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
. The city was famed for its fish, mostly carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
, exported to Kraków and beyond, due to many streams and swamps in the area. During the Middle Ages the region became part of the Duchies of Silesia
Duchies of Silesia
The Duchies of Silesia resulted from divisions of the original Duchy of Silesia after 1138.In accordance with the last will and testament of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, the Kingdom of Poland was, upon his death in 1138, divided into five hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, including...
known as the Duchy of Pszczyna. Pszczyna and the surrounding area was populated by German settlers during Medieval Ostsiedlung
Ostsiedlung
Ostsiedlung , also called German eastward expansion, was the medieval eastward migration and settlement of Germans from modern day western and central Germany into less-populated regions and countries of eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The affected area roughly stretched from Slovenia...
, but from the 16th century on it was predominantly Polish again. Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
conquered the Duchy from its Habsburg rule in the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, encompassing most of Silesia.
In the beginning of the 19th century, small-scale industrialisation started with factories manufacturing garters. The first Polish newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in all of Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
, Tygodnik Poświęcony Włościanom was printed here in 1843 by Kristian Schemmel. In 1868 the railroad to Czechowice-Dziedzice
Czechowice-Dziedzice
Czechowice-Dziedzice is a town in Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 34,867 inhabitants . It lies on the northeastern edge of the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia...
arrived.
Because of the Germanisation
Germanisation
Germanisation is both the spread of the German language, people and culture either by force or assimilation, and the adaptation of a foreign word to the German language in linguistics, much like the Romanisation of many languages which do not use the Latin alphabet...
under Prussian rule the German share of the population increased. For example, in 1829, 94,3% of the population in Pszczyna county declared themselves Polish,http://www.slawistyka.ath.bielsko.pl/historia/regionalne01.html, but according to the 1900 census this number had decreased to 86,6%. In 1910 census 105,744 citizens spoke Polish (86,0%), 16,464 German, 447 Polish and German and 242 another language. In the city itself there was traditionally a higher percentage of Germans, who soon formed the majority (for instance 67% in 1910).
One of the Silesian Uprisings
Silesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed uprisings of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919–1921, against German rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I...
, led by Wojciech Korfanty
Wojciech Korfanty
Wojciech Korfanty , born Adalbert Korfanty, was a Polish nationalist activist, journalist and politician, serving as member of the German parliaments Reichstag and Prussian Landtag, and later on, in the Polish Sejm...
, started in the city on August 16, 1919. In 1922, the city was officially joined with Poland. Pn March 1921 at Silesian plebiscite 2,843, or 75% of Pszczyna City citizens casted their vote for remaining in Germany while in the entire (rural, mostly Polish inhabited) Pszczyna county 53,378 votes (74%) were for Poland and 18,676 (26%) for Germany.
During the Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
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:...
marching into Pszczyna in September 1939 was met with fierce resistance. On 14 September, 14 Poles were murdered by Germans invading the county. In the winter of 1944-1945, death march
Death march
A death march is a forced march of prisoners of war or other captives or deportees. Those marching must walk over long distances for an extremely long period of time and are not supplied with food or water...
es from the Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
passed through the city.
People
- Georg Philipp TelemannGeorg Philipp TelemannGeorg Philipp Telemann was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hildesheim, Telemann entered the University of Leipzig to study law, but eventually...
, a Baroque composer, once a kapellmeister in the city - Frederick Ferdinand, Duke of Anhalt-KöthenFrederick Ferdinand, Duke of Anhalt-KöthenFrederick Ferdinand of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless, and from 1818 ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen....
(1769–1830), Prussian general - Louis, Prince of Anhalt-PlessLouis, Prince of Anhalt-PlessLouis of Anhalt-Pless , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless....
(1783-1841) - August Kiß (1802–1865), sculptor
- Wilhelm EngerthWilhelm EngerthWilhelm Freiherr von Engerth was an Austrian architect and engineer, known for being the designer of the first practical mountain locomotive. For his services he was elevated in 1875 to the baronetcy.-Life and work:...
(1814–1884), architect - Max FriedländerMax Friedländer (journalist)Max Friedländer was a German-Austrian journalist.After studying law like his cousin Ferdinand Lasalle at the universities of Berlin, Breslau, and Heidelberg, he became assessor at the city court of Breslau, and while holding this position he published his book on copyright, Der Ausländische und...
(1829–1872), Jewish journalist - Daisy, Princess of PlessDaisy, Princess of PlessDaisy, Princess of Pless , was a noted society beauty in the Edwardian period.- Early life :...
(1873–1943) - Bruno ChrobekBruno ChrobekBruno Chrobek was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
(1895-1942) WehrmachtWehrmachtThe 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:...
general - Otto LaschOtto LaschOtto Lasch was a German general in the Wehrmacht.Otto Lasch was born in Pleß as son of the high master forrester of the Prince of Pless in Silesia. Lasch after graduation took part in World War I in the Jäger-Battalion „Fürst Bismarck“ Nr. 2 in Kulm . After 1918 he joined the police and in 1935...
(1893–1971), WehrmachtWehrmachtThe 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:...
general - Johnny FriedlaenderJohnny FriedlaenderJohnny Friedlaender was a leading 20th century artist, whose works have been exhibited in Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Japan and the United States. He has been influential upon other notable artists, who were students in his Paris gallery...
(1912–1992), Jewish artist - Alicja JanoszAlicja JanoszAlicja Janosz was the winner of Polish Idol in 2002. She also appeared in World Idol, where she sang "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar...
(born 1985), the winner of the 2002 Polish IdolIdol (Polish TV series)Idol is a television show on the Polish television network Polsat, based on the popular British show Pop Idol. The show is a contest to determine the best young singer in Poland. It is hosted by Maciej Rock....
contest, was born in Pszczyna. - Karl Hoefer (1862-1939), Prussian general
- Przemysław Pitry
- Tomasz TomczykiewiczTomasz TomczykiewiczTomasz Kazimierz Tomczykiewicz is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 22221 votes in 27 Bielsko-Biała district, candidating from Platforma Obywatelska list....
- Joanna WorekJoanna WorekJoanna Worek is a polish chess player holding the title of Woman International Master.In 2001 she won the bronze medal at the World Youth Chess Championship in the U16 category. She played twice in the Polish Women chess championship finishing 5th in 2002.-References:...