Skoczów
Encyclopedia
Skoczów AUD is a town and the seat of Gmina Skoczów
in Cieszyn County
, Silesian Voivodeship
, southern Poland
with 14,783 inhabitants (2004). It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia
.
The town is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship
since 1999, and was previously a part of the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998.
river. The very first settlement had been established in a place called grodzisko ("gord") about 2 km (1.24 mi) south-east of the town centre. The gord was set up around the 5th century, and was inhabited until the 9th century. Settlement was situated at first on a naturally defensive hill over the valley of the river Bładnica. Later on, the settlement was surrounded by an earth bank and moat. The settlement was destroyed in the end of the 9th century by Great Moravia
n Prince Svatopluk II
and was not rebuilt again.
The current location of the town was set during the reign of Mieszko I (1290–1315) because of his effort in the newly established Duchy of Cieszyn
. But the first written record of the town's name dates back to 1232. The next mention of it is from 1327 when Duke Casimir I became a vassal of the King of Bohemia
. At that time the wooden castle had been built. In the beginning Skoczów had been mainly an agricultural, craft and trade settlement. In 1470 Skoczów was destroyed by fire, which destroyed all chartered privileges and other documents. The same year, the Duke of Cieszyn renewed and extended all civic privileges. A school and hospital with a chapel are recorded in a document from 1482.
According to the Austrian
census of 1910 the town had 3,744 inhabitants, 3,705 of whom had permanent residence there. The census asked people their native language, and results show that 1,803 (48.6%) were German-speaking and 1,794 (48.4%) were Polish-speaking. Jews
were not allowed to declare Yiddish
. Most of them thus declared the German language as their native. The dominant religious groups were Roman Catholics with 2,443 (65.2%), followed by Protestants with 1,042 (27.8%) and the Jews
with 247 (6.6%).
Kaplicówka Hill which overlooks the town is dominated by a chapel and a large cross. Pope John Paul II
visited Skoczów in 1995, holding a mass attended by 200,000 people. The cross on Kaplicówka was erected to commemorate the visit.
The town holds a market on Thursdays, situated next to the Vistula
river.
with:
Gmina Skoczów
Gmina Skoczów is an urban-rural gmina in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland, in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia...
in Cieszyn County
Cieszyn County
Cieszyn County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Czech and Slovak border. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998...
, Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian Voivodeship, or Silesia Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland, centering on the historic region known as Upper Silesia...
, southern 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 14,783 inhabitants (2004). It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia or Těšín Silesia or Teschen Silesia is a historical region in south-eastern Silesia, centered around the towns of Cieszyn and Český Těšín and bisected by the Olza River. Since 1920 it has been divided between Poland and Czechoslovakia, and later the Czech Republic...
.
The town is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian Voivodeship, or Silesia Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland, centering on the historic region known as Upper Silesia...
since 1999, and was previously a part of the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998.
History
Skoczów is the oldest town in the area of the upper VistulaVistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
river. The very first settlement had been established in a place called grodzisko ("gord") about 2 km (1.24 mi) south-east of the town centre. The gord was set up around the 5th century, and was inhabited until the 9th century. Settlement was situated at first on a naturally defensive hill over the valley of the river Bładnica. Later on, the settlement was surrounded by an earth bank and moat. The settlement was destroyed in the end of the 9th century by Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
n Prince Svatopluk II
Svatopluk II
Svatopluk II ruled the Principality of Nitra from 894 to 906 and strove to control all of Great Moravia.Svatopluk II was a younger son of Svatopluk I. As Prince of Nitra, Svatopluk II was subordinated to his older brother Mojmír II, the King of Great Moravia which contained the principality as its...
and was not rebuilt again.
The current location of the town was set during the reign of Mieszko I (1290–1315) because of his effort in the newly established Duchy of Cieszyn
Duchy of Cieszyn
The Duchy of Cieszyn or Duchy of Teschen or Duchy of Těšín was an autonomous Silesian duchy centered on Teschen in Upper Silesia. After the feudal division of Poland it was split off in 1281 and ruled by Silesian dukes from the Piast dynasty since 1290...
. But the first written record of the town's name dates back to 1232. The next mention of it is from 1327 when Duke Casimir I became a vassal of the King of Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
. At that time the wooden castle had been built. In the beginning Skoczów had been mainly an agricultural, craft and trade settlement. In 1470 Skoczów was destroyed by fire, which destroyed all chartered privileges and other documents. The same year, the Duke of Cieszyn renewed and extended all civic privileges. A school and hospital with a chapel are recorded in a document from 1482.
According to the Austrian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
census of 1910 the town had 3,744 inhabitants, 3,705 of whom had permanent residence there. The census asked people their native language, and results show that 1,803 (48.6%) were German-speaking and 1,794 (48.4%) were Polish-speaking. Jews
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...
were not allowed to declare Yiddish
Yiddish language
Yiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
. Most of them thus declared the German language as their native. The dominant religious groups were Roman Catholics with 2,443 (65.2%), followed by Protestants with 1,042 (27.8%) and the Jews
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...
with 247 (6.6%).
Kaplicówka Hill which overlooks the town is dominated by a chapel and a large cross. Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
visited Skoczów in 1995, holding a mass attended by 200,000 people. The cross on Kaplicówka was erected to commemorate the visit.
The town holds a market on Thursdays, situated next to the Vistula
Vistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
river.
Famous people from Skoczów
- Gustaw MorcinekGustaw MorcinekGustaw Morcinek was a Polish writer, educator and later member of Sejm from 1952 to 1957. He is considered one of the most important writers from Silesia....
- a famous writer commonly associated with SilesiaSilesiaSilesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, teacher, activist and Member of Parliament of the People's Republic of PolandPeople's Republic of PolandThe People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
. - St. Jan SarkanderJohn SarkanderSaint John Sarkander was a Polish and Moravian priest.Sarkander studied since 1597 at the University of Olomouc and then since 1600 at the Charles University, where he became doctor of philosophy. Later, he studied theology at University of Graz. He was ordained in 1609 and worked in Holešov from...
- a priest and martyr, born in Skoczów on 20 December 1576. - Professor Paul Tendera - a distinguished expert in accounting, a professor and Vice-Rector of the Academy of Economics in Katowice.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Skoczów is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
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