Cedynia
Encyclopedia
Cedynia c is a town in Poland
, in West Pomeranian Voivodeship
, in Gryfino County
. It lies close to the Oder River, near the border with Germany
, and is the westernmost town in Poland. (Osinów Dolny
lies 6 km even further to the west, right on the German border, but is classified as a village.) It has 1,639 inhabitants (2006).
The town is situated directly across the Oder River from the German town of Oderberg
. A Communist-era monument to first historically recorded battle of Poland
was erected in the town after Second World War.
Cedynia gives its name to the protected area
known as Cedynia Landscape Park
.
settlement came into existence in the 8th century. In the 12th/13th century it was a seat of Polish castellany
.
According to the Cedynia website, the "Name of city appears in documents under oldest written records already in the year 972 as Cidini, in 1187 as Zedin and Cedene, in 1240 as Ceden. "
In 972, the first historically recorded battle, Battle of Cedynia
, of the first duke of the Polans
took place at this location on June 24. At this battle, duke Mieszko I of Poland
and his brother Czibor defeated Hodo I, the German
margrave
of the Northern March
and Lusatia
. Information about this battle is found in the Gall Anonim Chronicle and the Thietmar
Chronicle. This was one of Mieszko's and his son Boleslaw I's numerous battles, that they took up in their conquests and conquest attempts in several neighboring countries, soon after they received positions as dukes.
Because of the victory Mieszko of the Polans gained access for the first time in 972 to the Oder River going north into the Baltic Sea
and to some parts of the land, later called Pomerania
. Under Boleslaw I the name Poland was for the first time used. Boleslaw and successors conquered Pomerania temporarily a few more times. From 1181 until 1806 Duchy of Pomerania
was an integral part of the Holy Roman Empire
. The dukes of Pomerania stood under the Margraves of Brandenburg.
In 1252 the town of became a part of the Margraviate of Brandenburg
and in 1278 the Cistercians erected a cloister for females there, which was secularized after the Reformation
. During wars in the 17th century the town was destroyed by Swedes. In 1701 it became a part of the Kingdom of Prussia
, (previously Brandenburg-Prussia), then after dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire
it became part of the German Empire
in 1871. In 1945 after World War II
the town along with all of eastern Germany including eastern Brandenburg
, was handed over to 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...
, in West Pomeranian Voivodeship
West Pomeranian Voivodeship
West Pomeranian Voivodeship, , is a voivodeship in northwestern Poland. It borders on Pomeranian Voivodeship to the east, Greater Poland Voivodeship to the southeast, Lubusz Voivodeship to the south, the German federal-state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania to the west, and the Baltic Sea to the north...
, in Gryfino County
Gryfino County
Gryfino County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in West Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-western Poland, on the German border. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest...
. It lies close to the Oder River, near the border with 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...
, and is the westernmost town in Poland. (Osinów Dolny
Osinów Dolny
Osinów Dolny is Poland's westernmost settlement, in the administrative district of Gmina Cedynia, within Gryfino County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland, on the border with Germany...
lies 6 km even further to the west, right on the German border, but is classified as a village.) It has 1,639 inhabitants (2006).
The town is situated directly across the Oder River from the German town of Oderberg
Oderberg
Oderberg is a town in the district of Barnim, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated 16 km east of Eberswalde, and 27 km southwest of Schwedt and in close vicinity of Berlin.-Overview:...
. A Communist-era monument to first historically recorded battle of Poland
Battle of Cedynia
In the Battle of Cedynia or Zehden, an army of Mieszko I of Poland defeated forces of Hodo or Odo I of Lusatia on 24 June 972, near the Oder river...
was erected in the town after Second World War.
Cedynia gives its name to the protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
known as Cedynia Landscape Park
Cedynia Landscape Park
Cedynia Landscape Park is a protected area in north-western Poland, bordering Germany. It was established on 1 April 1993, by order of the governor of the then Szczecin Voivodeship. The Park covers an area of...
.
History
The first SlavicWest Slavs
The West Slavs are Slavic peoples speaking West Slavic languages. They include Poles , Czechs, Slovaks, Lusatian Sorbs and the historical Polabians. The northern or Lechitic group includes, along with Polish, the extinct Polabian and Pomeranian languages...
settlement came into existence in the 8th century. In the 12th/13th century it was a seat of Polish 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....
.
According to the Cedynia website, the "Name of city appears in documents under oldest written records already in the year 972 as Cidini, in 1187 as Zedin and Cedene, in 1240 as Ceden. "
In 972, the first historically recorded battle, Battle of Cedynia
Battle of Cedynia
In the Battle of Cedynia or Zehden, an army of Mieszko I of Poland defeated forces of Hodo or Odo I of Lusatia on 24 June 972, near the Oder river...
, of the first duke of the Polans
Polans
Polans may refer to two Slavic tribes:* Polans , in the area of Dnieper river* Polans , in the area of Warta. The tribe unified most of the lands of present-day Poland under the Piast dynasty....
took place at this location on June 24. At this battle, duke Mieszko I of Poland
Mieszko I of Poland
Mieszko I , was a Duke of the Polans from about 960 until his death. A member of the Piast dynasty, he was son of Siemomysł; grandchild of Lestek; father of Bolesław I the Brave, the first crowned King of Poland; likely father of Świętosława , a Nordic Queen; and grandfather of her son, Cnut the...
and his brother Czibor defeated Hodo I, the German
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...
margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of the Northern March
Northern March
The Northern March or North March was created out of the division of the vast Marca Geronis in 965. It initially comprised the northern third of the Marca and was part of the territorial organisation of areas conquered from the Wends...
and Lusatia
Lusatia
Lusatia is a historical region in Central Europe. It stretches from the Bóbr and Kwisa rivers in the east to the Elbe valley in the west, today located within the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg as well as in the Lower Silesian and Lubusz voivodeships of western Poland...
. Information about this battle is found in the Gall Anonim Chronicle and the Thietmar
Thietmar
Thietmar may refer to:* Thietmar, Count of Merseburg * Thietmar, Margrave of Meissen * Thietmar of Prague , bishop* Thietmar of Merseburg , bishop and chronicler* Thietmar, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark...
Chronicle. This was one of Mieszko's and his son Boleslaw I's numerous battles, that they took up in their conquests and conquest attempts in several neighboring countries, soon after they received positions as dukes.
Because of the victory Mieszko of the Polans gained access for the first time in 972 to the Oder River going north into 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...
and to some parts of the land, later called Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
. Under Boleslaw I the name Poland was for the first time used. Boleslaw and successors conquered Pomerania temporarily a few more times. From 1181 until 1806 Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
was an integral part of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. The dukes of Pomerania stood under the Margraves of Brandenburg.
In 1252 the town of became a part of the Margraviate of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
and in 1278 the Cistercians erected a cloister for females there, which was secularized after the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. During wars in the 17th century the town was destroyed by Swedes. In 1701 it became a part of 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...
, (previously Brandenburg-Prussia), then after dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
it became part of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in 1871. In 1945 after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the town along with all of eastern Germany including eastern Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, was handed over to 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...
.