Pszczyna

:"Pless redirects here. For the former Principality or Duchy of Pless, see that article.

Infobox Settlement
name = Pszczyna

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image_caption = Lutheran church and town hall in Pszczyna
image_shield = Pszczyna_herb.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Silesian
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Pszczyna County
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Gmina Pszczyna
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Krystian Szostak
area_total_km2 = 21.86
population_as_of = 2007
population_total = 33654
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 49 | latm = 59 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 18 | longm = 57 | longs = | longEW = E
elevation_m = 262
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 43-200
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = SPS
website = http://www.pszczyna.pl

Pszczyna [IPA-pl|'|p|sz|cz|y|n|a] ( _cz. Pštína, _de. Pleß) is a town in southern Poland with 26,827 inhabitants (2003) within the immediate "gmina" rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the "powiat", which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzeźce (1041), Czarków (1852), Ćwiklice (2569), Jankowice (2591), Łąka (2729), Piasek (3252), Poręba (924), Rudołtowice (1111), Studzionka (2176), Studzienice (1612), Wisła Mała (1323) and Wisła Wielka (2114).

Situated in the Silesian Voivodship (since 1999), previously in Katowice Voivodship (1975–1998).

The total area of 174.09 km² includes 94.66 km² of farmland (67.99 km² of arable land, 1.51 km² of orchards, 16.11 km² of meadows, 9.05 km² of pasture) and 51.27 km² of forest grounds (49.71 km² of forests and forest landasy, 1.56 km² of tree-planted and shrub-planted land). ("Pszczyna in figures, 2003")

Etymology

The origins of name Pszczyna are explained in different ways by different historians. Ezechiel Zivier (1868-1925) hypothesized that the land was first owned by Pleszko (alternatively Leszko, or possibly Leszek, Duke of Racibórz). Polish scholar Aleksander Brückner in turn, explained the name based on its old spelling "Plszczyna", from the ancient Polish word "pło" or "pleso" meaning a lake or a place by the lake – thus suggesting that the name "Plszczyna" as well as its German equivalent "Pleß" had similar background. The version by Brückner, suggesting a lakeside rich with marshlands, based on a Proto-Slavic word "plszczyna", is generally accepted in literature. Yet another version belongs to Prof. Jan Miodek from Wrocław University, who derived the name from a nearby river Blszczyna.

History

The history of Pszczyna is intertwined with the history of the Polish Piasts dynasty and their local residence, the 12th century castle palace [http://www.pszczyna.pl/xs/index2.php?akcja=pokaztekst&id=89] now a site of the Muzeum Zamkowe ("Castle Museum") at the main square.

The city is first mentioned in a document from 1327, as most probably founded in the late 13th century on the trade route from Kraków to Cieszyn. The city was famed for its fish, mostly carp, exported to Kraków and beyond, due to many streams and swamps in the area. During the Middle Ages the region became part of the Duchies of Silesia known as the Duchy of Pszczyna. Pszczyna and the surrounding area got populated by German settlers during Medieval Ostsiedlung, but from the 16th century on it was predominantly Polish again.Lothar Hoffmann-Erbrecht, [http://www.kulturwerk-schlesien.de/kulturspiegel/staedte/portraits/art77,209.html?fCMS=ec36489537b499d60b010580537bf226 Pleß] , Kulturwerk Schlesien ] Frederick II of Prussia conquered the Duchy from its Habsburg rule in the War of the Austrian Succession, encompassing most of Silesia.

In the beginning of the 19th century, small-scale industrialisation started with factories manufacturing garters. The first newspaper in all of Upper Silesia was founded here. In 1868 the railroad to Czechowice-Dziedzice arrived. Because of the Germanisation under Prussian rule the German share of the population increased. For example, in 1829, 94,3% of the population in Pszczyna county declared themselves Polish, [http://www.slawistyka.ath.bielsko.pl/historia/regionalne01.html] , but according to the 1900 census this number had decreased to 86,6%. [ [http://www.geschichte-on-demand.de/fremdspr_krei.html#polnisch Geschichte der fremdsprachigen Minderheiten in Deutschland 1871 - 1945 ] ] [http://books.google.com/books?id=a0a6ErPvxWAC&hl=de ] In 1910 census 105,744 citizens spoke Polish (86,0%), 16,464 German, 447 Polish and German and 242 another language. [cite web|url=http://quellen.herder-institut.de/M01/quellen/plebiszite.pdf |publisher=Główny Urząd Statystyczny Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej GUS, Annual ("Main Statistical Office of the Republic of Poland") |title=Rocznik statystyki Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej|date=1920/1922, part II |accessdate=2008-01-23 |format=pdf, 623 KB] In the city itself there was traditionally a higher percentage of Germans, who soon formed the majority (for instance 67% in 1910).

One of the Silesian Uprisings, led by Albert or Wojciech Korfanty, started in the city on August 16 1919. In 1922, the city was officially joined with Poland, although in March 1921 at Silesian plebiscite 2,843, or 75% of Pszczyna City citizens casted their vote for remaining in Germany. But in entire (rural, mostly Polish inhabited) Pszczyna county 53,378 votes (74%) were for Poland and 18,676 (26%) for Germany.pl icon Results of a plebiscite in three Polish districts conducted between July 1920, and March 1921. Powiat Pszczyna (total): votes cast for Poland 53,378, for Germany 18,675. Polish speaking population: 105,744, German: 16,464. cite web|url=http://quellen.herder-institut.de/M01/quellen/plebiszite.pdf |publisher=Główny Urząd Statystyczny Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej GUS, Annual ("Main Statistical Office of the Republic of Poland") |title=Rocznik statystyki Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej|date=1920/1922, part II |accessdate=2008-01-23 |format=pdf, 623 KB] [ [http://oberschlesiende.h619444.serverkompetenz.net/oberschlesien/Abstimmung/pless.html Unbenannt ] ]

During the Invasion of Poland the Wehrmacht marching into Pszczyna in September 1939 was met with fierce resistance. On 14th September 14 several Polish soldiers were killed by Germans invading the county [Szymon Datner "55 dni Wehrmachtu w Polsce" page 389] . In the winter of 1944-1945, death marches from the Auschwitz concentration camp passed through the city.

Duchy of Pszczyna

Early in the 12th century, Pszczyna laid within the territory of the Polish Piast dynasty. The city belonged to Lesser Poland ("Malopolska") until 1177, when it became part of the Duchy of Racibórz. From this time on, it was also a part of the Kraków bishopric.

In 1336, the main line of the dukes of Racibórz died out and the Duchy was ruled by the Czech Přemyslid dynasty. From 1412 until 1452, Countess Helena, sister of Jogaila, ruled the Duchy. After her stepdaughter governed from 1452 until 1462, the Podebradies took over. The Thurzó family acquired the Duchy and sold it, with the approval of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1548 to the Promnitz family, who ruled the Duchy until 1765; it was inherited from them by the Dukes of Anhalt-Cöthen-Pless, and in 1846 by the Counts of Hochberg.

People

*Georg Philipp Telemann, a Baroque composer, once a kapellmeister in the city
*August Kiß (1802–1865), sculptor
*Max Friedländer (1829–1872), journalist see
*Daisy, Princess of Pless (1873-1943)
*Otto Lasch (1893–1971), military officer
*Johnny Friedlaender (1912–1992), artist
*Alicja Janosz, 1985- the winner of the 2002 Polish Idol contest, was born in Pszczyna.

Sources

* en icon de icon [http://www.pszczyna.pl/ Official Website]
* en icon [http://www.pszczyna.info.pl/ Pszczyna Information Office]
* [http://www.zamek-pszczyna.pl/ Pszczyna Muzeum]
* [http://www.pszczyna.pl/xs/index2.php?akcja=pokaztekst&id=89 Name of town] derived from the word "plszczyna", describing the area.

References

External links

* [http://www.pszczyna.pl/xs/index2.php?akcja=pokaztekst&id=127 Pszczyna in figures]
* [http://www.pszczyna.info.pl/eng/ Tourist Information Centre website]