Olkusz

Olkusz
Olkusz
Wall tower in Olkusz

Flag

Coat of arms
Olkusz is located in Poland
Olkusz
Coordinates: 50°17′N 19°34′E / 50.283°N 19.567°E / 50.283; 19.567
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Lesser Poland
County Olkusz County
Gmina Gmina Olkusz
Government
 - Mayor Dariusz Rzepka
Area
 - Total 25.63 km2 (9.9 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 - Total 37,552
 - Density 1,465.2/km2 (3,794.7/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 32-300
Car plates KOL
Website http://www.olkusz.eu

Olkusz [ˈɔlkuʂ] is a town in south Poland with 37,696 inhabitants (2004). Situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Katowice Voivodeship (1975–1998), it is the capital of Olkusz County. From 1941 to 1945, the occupying Germans renamed the region to Ilkenau.

Contents

Surroundings

The city is on the Baba river, with a major road reaching it from Warsaw and Kraków, making it the central city of the vicinity. Tourists who wish to visit the nature and historical sites, start from here. Also, Olkusz is located on the main railroad line, which connects Upper Silesia and Zaglebie with Kielce.

According to the city website, a fable is mentioned that the city was formed by ancient Phoenicians who traveled here and found lead ore. The origin of the name is the Phoenician El-Khuds meaning to chisel.

A first written historical document from the year 1299 refers to the city of Olkusz, located in the Lesser Poland province of the Kingdom of Poland. The city was initially ruled by citizens of German descent, and the inhabitants were mostly wealthy, due to the lead mines. Silver was discovered too. Various wars crossed the path of this city, which was at its lowest at the end of the 17th century (see: The Deluge).

  • Francesco Nullo, Italian and Polish patriot buried in Olkusz
  • Antoni Kocjan, a national Polish war hero, pilot and engineer was born here.

Jewish Shoah

Rabbi Hagerman July 31, 1940

One of the most famous images of the holocaust is of Rabbi Moshe Hagerman the Dayan - Jewish municipal chief judge, dressed in his Talit and Teffilin and being abused by German soldiers. This image was later identified by people who survived the war and the incident, as an image from the 'Bloody Wednesday of Olkusz', taken on July 31, 1940.

The plight of the Jews during this year until deported, can be read online in various sites. Most of the 4097 Jews listed by the Germans, were eventually deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp and perished there in the Holocaust. About 250 Jews of Olkusz and its surroundings, survived the war.

Religions

External links

Coordinates: 50°17′N 19°34′E / 50.283°N 19.567°E / 50.283; 19.567


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Olkusz — Olkusz …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • OLKUSZ — (Heb. עלקוש), town in Kielce province, Poland. There was a Jewish settlement in Olkusz by the time of Casimir the Great (1333–70), who expropriated the gold and silver mines in Olkusz belonging to his Jewish banker Levko. In 1374, however, Olkusz …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Olkusz — Héraldique Drapeau …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Olkusz —   [ ɔlkuʃ], Kreisstadt in der Woiwodschaft Kleinpolen (bis 1998 Stadt in der aufgelösten Woiwodschaft Katowice [Kattowitz]), Polen, im Oberschlesischen Industriegebiet, 41 000 Einwohner; Emaillewarenfabrik, Zink Blei Erzgrube, Ventilatorenbau,… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Olkusz — Olkusz, 1) Kreis des russischen Gouvernements Radom (Polen), grenzt an Schlesien u. 160,000 Ew.; 2) Hauptstadt darin, mit den ergiebigsten Bleisilber u. Galmeigrubendes Königreichs, Eisengießereien u. Eisenhämmern; 1500 Ew., meist Juden …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Olkusz — Hilcus (Latin), Ilkenau (German 1942 45), Ilkusz (former Polish), Olkusch (German), Olkusz (Polish) …   Names of cities in different languages

  • Olkusz — Original name in latin Olkusz Name in other language Ol kush, Olkusa, Olkush, Olkua, ao er ku shen, Олкуш, Олькуш State code PL Continent/City Europe/Warsaw longitude 50.2813 latitude 19.56503 altitude 366 Population 37744 Date 2010 10 20 …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • Olkusz County — Powiat olkuski   County   …   Wikipedia

  • Gmina Olkusz — Olkusz Commune   Gmina   …   Wikipedia

  • Osiek, Olkusz County — For other places with the same name, see Osiek (disambiguation). Osiek   Village   …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”