Namyslów
Encyclopedia
Namysłów n is a town
in Poland
, in Opole Voivodeship
. Located along the Widawa
River, it is the capital of Namysłów County. Its population was 18,985 in 2007.
. It was refounded by Duke Bolesław II the Bald in 1249. As Namslau, it was colonized by Germans
during the medieval Ostsiedlung
. Until 1294 it was part of the Duchy of Breslau, and from 1312–23 it was briefly the seat of an eponymous duchy. A castle, first documented in 1312, was a residence of King Casimir III of Poland
in 1341. The Treaty of Namslau
, in which Casimir renounced his claims on Silesia
to King Charles IV of Bohemia
, was signed in the town in 1348.
Namslau was briefly an independent city
during the 14th century and was enriched by the trade route from Breslau (Wrocław) to Kraków
, especially with linen
. The town was unsuccessfully besieged by Hussites in 1428. A privileged rifleman's guild was established in Namslau in 1434. Besides Breslau, Namslau was the only Silesian town which refused to pay homage to Ladislaus the Posthumous in 1453. As part of the Bohemian crown, the town passed to the Habsburg Monarchy
of Austria
in 1526.
After a lengthy siege, Namslau was sacked by Swedish
troops during the Thirty Years' War
. In 1703 Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
, granted the castle to the Teutonic Knights
, who subsequently created a komturei.
Namslau passed to the Kingdom of Prussia
in the 1742 Treaty of Breslau
. During the Seven Years' War
, it was occupied by Austrian and Russian
troops. The town was occupied by French
troops from 1806–07 during the Napoleonic Wars
; the castle was secularized in 1810. Namslau became part of the new Prussian Province of Silesia
in 1815 and was administered within Kreis Namslau, Regierungsbezirk Breslau. The town became part of the German Empire
in 1871 during the unification of Germany
.
Namslau began to develop rapidly during the 19th century. The first newspaper within the town was founded in 1846, and Namslau was connected with Breslau by telegraph in 1862. It was connected by railway to Breslau and Kreuzburg (Kluczbork)
by 1868 and to Oppeln (Opole)
by 1899. One of the most well-known companies in the town was Brauerei Haselbach. In 1862 the brewer August Haselbach acquired the castle brewery, built in 1538; he purchased the castle in 1895. The industrial brewery was used as the model for other Haselbach breweries throughout Germany.
During World War II
, the Nazis erected a subcamp of Gross-Rosen concentration camp
near Namslau. On 21 January 1945 the town was conquered by the Red Army
, leaving most of the buildings destroyed. As Namysłów, the town was placed under Polish administration on 30 April, which was confirmed by the post-war Potsdam Agreement
. Germans remaining in the town were expelled
and replaced with Poles
, many themselves refugees from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union
. Reconstruction of the old town began after the war, but the Protestant
church, completed in 1789, was leveled in 1963.
of Namsłów depicted a black eagle on a yellow field, with an escutcheon of three red roses; the eagle's tail ended in a red star. These arms were similar to those now used by Namysłów County. With the town's transfer to Poland in 1945, its arms were changed to depict the top half of a Silesian eagle above a red star on a yellow field.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in 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 Opole Voivodeship
Opole Voivodeship
- Administrative division :Opole Voivodeship is divided into 12 counties : 1 city county and 11 land counties. These are further divided into 71 gminas.The counties are listed in the following table .- Economy :...
. Located along the Widawa
Widawa
The Widawa is a river in Poland, a right-bank tributary of the Oder River. Towns along the Widawa include Namysłów, Bierutów, and Psie Pole....
River, it is the capital of Namysłów County. Its population was 18,985 in 2007.
History
The town began to develop during the 13th century, but was destroyed in 1241 during the Mongol invasion of EuropeMongol invasion of Europe
The resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked medieval Rus' principalities and the powers of Poland and Hungary, was marked by the Mongol invasion of Rus starting in 21 December 1237...
. It was refounded by Duke Bolesław II the Bald in 1249. As Namslau, it was colonized by Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
during the 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...
. Until 1294 it was part of the Duchy of Breslau, and from 1312–23 it was briefly the seat of an eponymous duchy. A castle, first documented in 1312, was a residence of King Casimir III of Poland
Casimir III of Poland
Casimir III the Great , last King of Poland from the Piast dynasty , was the son of King Władysław I the Elbow-high and Hedwig of Kalisz.-Biography:...
in 1341. The Treaty of Namslau
Treaty of Namslau
The Treaty of Namslau or Namysłów, also known as the Peace of Namslau, was a peace treaty between King Charles IV of Bohemia and King Casimir III of Poland...
, in which Casimir renounced his claims on Silesia
Silesia
Silesia 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...
to King Charles IV of Bohemia
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
, was signed in the town in 1348.
Namslau was briefly an independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
during the 14th century and was enriched by the trade route from Breslau (Wrocław) to 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...
, especially with linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
. The town was unsuccessfully besieged by Hussites in 1428. A privileged rifleman's guild was established in Namslau in 1434. Besides Breslau, Namslau was the only Silesian town which refused to pay homage to Ladislaus the Posthumous in 1453. As part of the Bohemian crown, the town passed to the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
of Austria
Archduchy of Austria
The Archduchy of Austria , one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire, was the nucleus of the Habsburg Monarchy and the predecessor of the Austrian Empire...
in 1526.
After a lengthy siege, Namslau was sacked by Swedish
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
troops during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. In 1703 Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
, granted the castle to the Teutonic Knights
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...
, who subsequently created a komturei.
Namslau passed to 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...
in the 1742 Treaty of Breslau
Treaty of Breslau
The Treaty of Breslau was a preliminary peace agreement signed on 11 June 1742 following long negotiations at the Silesian capital Wrocław by emissaries of Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria and King Frederick II of Prussia ending the First Silesian War....
. During the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, it was occupied by Austrian and Russian
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...
troops. The town was occupied by French
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
troops from 1806–07 during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
; the castle was secularized in 1810. Namslau became part of the new Prussian Province of Silesia
Province of Silesia
The Province of Silesia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1919.-Geography:The territory comprised the bulk of the former Bohemian crown land of Silesia and the County of Kladsko, which King Frederick the Great had conquered from the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy in the 18th...
in 1815 and was administered within Kreis Namslau, Regierungsbezirk Breslau. The town 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 during the unification of Germany
Unification of Germany
The formal unification of Germany into a politically and administratively integrated nation state officially occurred on 18 January 1871 at the Versailles Palace's Hall of Mirrors in France. Princes of the German states gathered there to proclaim Wilhelm of Prussia as Emperor Wilhelm of the German...
.
Namslau began to develop rapidly during the 19th century. The first newspaper within the town was founded in 1846, and Namslau was connected with Breslau by telegraph in 1862. It was connected by railway to Breslau and Kreuzburg (Kluczbork)
Kluczbork
Kluczbork is a town in southwestern Poland with 26,670 inhabitants , situated in the Opole Voivodeship. It is the capital of Kluczbork County and an important railroad junction. In Kluczbork the major rail line from Katowice splits into two directions - westwards to Wroclaw and northwards to Poznań...
by 1868 and to Oppeln (Opole)
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
by 1899. One of the most well-known companies in the town was Brauerei Haselbach. In 1862 the brewer August Haselbach acquired the castle brewery, built in 1538; he purchased the castle in 1895. The industrial brewery was used as the model for other Haselbach breweries throughout Germany.
During 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 Nazis erected a subcamp of Gross-Rosen concentration camp
Gross-Rosen concentration camp
KL Gross-Rosen was a German concentration camp, located in Gross-Rosen, Lower Silesia . It was located directly on the rail line between Jauer and Striegau .-The camp:...
near Namslau. On 21 January 1945 the town was conquered by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, leaving most of the buildings destroyed. As Namysłów, the town was placed under Polish administration on 30 April, which was confirmed by the post-war Potsdam Agreement
Potsdam Agreement
The Potsdam Agreement was the Allied plan of tripartite military occupation and reconstruction of Germany—referring to the German Reich with its pre-war 1937 borders including the former eastern territories—and the entire European Theatre of War territory...
. Germans remaining in the town were 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 with Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, many themselves refugees from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union
Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union
Immediately after the German invasion of Poland in 1939, which marked the beginning of World War II, the Soviet Union invaded the eastern regions of the Second Polish Republic, which Poles referred to as the "Kresy," and annexed territories totaling 201,015 km² with a population of 13,299,000...
. Reconstruction of the old town began after the war, but the Protestant
Protestantism
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...
church, completed in 1789, was leveled in 1963.
Coat of arms
The coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Namsłów depicted a black eagle on a yellow field, with an escutcheon of three red roses; the eagle's tail ended in a red star. These arms were similar to those now used by Namysłów County. With the town's transfer to Poland in 1945, its arms were changed to depict the top half of a Silesian eagle above a red star on a yellow field.
People
- Felix LiebrechtFelix LiebrechtFelix Liebrecht was a German folklorist.Liebrecht was born in Namslau, Prussian Silesia. He studied philology at the universities of Breslau, Munich, and Berlin, and in 1849 became professor of the German language at the Athénée Royal at Liège, Belgium. He resigned his chair and retired into...
(1812-1890), folklorist - Albert BielschowskyAlbert BielschowskyAlbert Bielschowsky was a German literary historian . He is known for his writings concerning Johann Wolfgang von Goethe....
(1847-1902), historian - Alfred BielschowskyAlfred BielschowskyAlfred Bielschowsky was a German ophthalmologist. His specialty was physiology and pathology of the eye, particularly in regards to research of eye movement, space perception and diagnosis of oculomotor anomalies....
(1871-1940), ophthalmologist - Andrzej MarkowiakAndrzej MarkowiakAndrzej Markowiak is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 10539 votes in 30 Rybnik district, candidating from Platforma Obywatelska list.He was also a member of Sejm 2001-2005....
(born 1951), politician - Teresa Ceglecka-ZielonkaTeresa Ceglecka-ZielonkaTeresa Ceglecka-Zielonka is a Polish politician. She was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 5280 votes in 21 Opole district, candidating from Prawo i Sprawiedliwość list.-External links:...
(born 1957), politician - Janusz TrzepizurJanusz TrzepizurJanusz Trzepizur is a retired high jumper from Poland. He won a silver medal at the 1982 European Indoor Championships and the 1982 European Championships, both times finishing behind Dietmar Mögenburg of West Germany....
(born 1959), high jumper - Krystian BrzozowskiKrystian BrzozowskiKrystian Brzozowski is a male freestyle wrestler from Poland.He participated in Men's freestyle 74 kg at 2008 Summer Olympics. He was eliminated in the 1/16 of final losing with Arsen Gitinov....
(born 1982) , sport wrestler
External links
- Portal Namyslowianie.pl Local News Service in Namyslow.
- Map, via mapa.szukacz.pl