Żagań

Infobox Settlement
name = Żagań

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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Town centre

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image_shield = POL Żagań COA.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Lubusz
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Żagań County
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Żagań (urban gmina)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Sławomir Jan Kowal
established_title = Established
established_date = 12th century
established_title3 = Town rights
established_date3 = 1280
area_total_km2 = 39.92
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 26580
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 51 | latm = 37 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 15 | longm = 19 | longs = | longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 68-100 to 68-103
area_code = +48 68
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = FZG
website = http://www.um.zagan.pl Żagań [IPA-pl|'|ż|a|g|a|ń] (French and _de. Sagan) is a town in western Poland, with 26,665 inhabitants (2004). Historically the seat of the Silesian Dukes of Sagan, the town is the capital of Żagań County.

Previously in the Zielona Gora Voivodeship (1975-1998), Żagań has been situated in the Lubusz Voivodeship since 1999.

History

Żagań is the site of the castle of Sagan at the center of a fief that belonged to Albrecht von Wallenstein, the generalissimo of the Thirty Years' War. It then passed to the illustrious Bohemian family of Lobkowicz.

In 1786 the fief of Sagan was purchased by Peter von Biron, Duke of Courland, and eventually (1843) passed to his daughter Dorothea, the wife of Edmond de Talleyrand, a nephew of the great French diplomat Talleyrand, who came to pass her retirement years at Żagań. A patent of King Frederick William IV of Prussia on January 6, 1845 invested her as Duchess of Sagan and Napoleon III recognized the title in France, in favor of her son Louis.

In France there is a "prince" and a "duc" de Sagan. The double title, both Prussian and French, served to render the duc de Sagan a neutral party in World War II: his Château de Valençay provided a safe haven for treasures of the Louvre during the German occupation of France. During World War II, the town was the location of the infamous Stalag Luft III. The town was transferred from Germany to Poland in 1945.

Sports

* Czarni Żagań
* WKS Sobieski Żagań
* Formoza Żagań
* KS Bóbr Żagań
* UKS Orzeł Żagań

Notable residents

*Adolf Engler (1844-1930), botanist
*Wolfgang Samuel, author. He recounts his childhood flight from the invading Russians in his memoir, "German Boy".

=Twin towns=

* Duns, Scotland

Gallery

External links

* [http://www.um.zagan.pl/index.php?id=0&lng=eng Official town webpage]
* [http://mapa.szukacz.pl/?x=244269&y=422393&m=%afaga%f1&w=lubuskie&p=%bfaga%f1ski&g=%afaga%f1&z=3 Map from mapa.szukacz.pl] pl icon
* [http://perso.wanadoo.fr/courlande/sagan.htm "Le château de Sagan"] fr icon