Chełmża

Coordinates: 53°11′5″N 18°36′15″E / 53.18472°N 18.60417°E / 53.18472; 18.60417
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Chełmża
Chełmża market square
Chełmża market square
Kuyavian-Pomeranian
CountyToruń
GminaChełmża (urban gmina)
Town rights1251
Government
 • MayorJerzy Tadeusz Czerwiński
Area
 • Total7.84 km2 (3.03 sq mi)
Population
 (31 December 2021[1])
 • Total14,181
 • Density1,800/km2 (4,700/sq mi)
Postal code
87-140
Area code+48 56
Vehicle registrationCTR
Websitehttp://www.chelmza.pl

Chełmża

Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is located at around 53°11′5″N 18°36′15″E / 53.18472°N 18.60417°E / 53.18472; 18.60417. It is one of the historic centers of Chełmno Land
.

Geography

The town Chełmża is placed at the lake named Jezioro Chełmżyńskie (area 2.71 km2), earlier the lake itself was named Culmsee[3] and therefore eponym of the town, that earlier had the name Culmsee, too (see History).

Demographics

Number of inhabitants by year

Historical population
YearPop.±%
192110,698—    
193111,098+3.7%
199515,292+37.8%
200015,312+0.1%
200515,310−0.0%
201015,267−0.3%
201514,854−2.7%
202014,362−3.3%
Source: [4][1]

History

The first signs of settlement date to 10,000

North Germany. Visible signs of existence of the Old Prussians also exist. Around the 7th century the Slavic Lechitic tribe of Goplans arrived in the area.[5]

In the time of first

Teutonic Knights were granted local lands to support the bishop by military means.[5] However, in time the knights took over the possession of Christian's diocese, dividing the area into four dioceses in 1243, including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chełmno. At the end of 1245 Heidenreich of the Diocese of Chełmno (Culm) became the bishop of diocese. He picked Łoza as place of his stay. It was during that time that Łoza received its new name Culmense and became part of the residence of the bishop who resided and governed in Warmia from 1245 to 1263. In 1251 (before July 22) Bishop Heidenreich bestowed city rights to Łoza and renamed it Culmsee (Kulmsee).[6][7]

Chełmża Co-Cathedral overlooking the Old Town

On July 22, the bishop also founded the cathedral which was built starting in 1254. Bishop Heidenreich received permissions for his undertakings directly from the pope[citation needed]. Later, in 1255 the four dioceses of Prussia, including the Bishopric of Culm were put under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Riga as metropolitan[citation needed].

In the 1250s Jutta von Sangerhausen came to live in the region and settled at Bielczyny.[citation needed] In 1256 she founded the St. George church. It was her wish to be interred at the town's cathedral-church and upon her death in 1260 her wish was granted.[citation needed] The 5 May is her memorial day. The nearby village of Bielczyny and the cathedral soon became a destination for pilgrims to her shrine.[citation needed]

The town witnessed many wars and uprisings. The nearby Old Prussians besieged the town in 1268 and 1273.

Archdiocese of Gniezno. Chełmno diocese was enlarged on that occasion (Górzno, Krajna and Działdowo). In 1621 and 1627 the town hosted the court of Polish King Sigismund III Vasa along with Prince Władysław.[citation needed
]

Renaissance tombstone of Bishop Piotr Kostka in the Co-Cathedral

The Swedish invasions of Poland of 1626–29 and 1655–60 brought devastation to the town.[5] In the beginning of the 18th-century Russian, Saxon, Swedish armies went through the area along with supporters of Stanisław Leszczyński. The constant warfare led to the fall of the city, and its breaking point was reached due a plague that happened in years 1708–1710.[5] A next series of wars in 1733–1735 and in 1756–1763 along with fire in 1762 almost completely destroyed the city.[5]

After the First Partition of Poland on 15 September 1772 Chełmża was taken over by the Kingdom of Prussia. At that time it counted only 600 inhabitants.[5] From 1807 to 1815 it was part of the Polish Duchy of Warsaw only to be taken over by Prussia again after 1815 and Congress of Vienna. The town's population in 1831 counted 1,200 people and in 1871 3,000.[5] Its economic situation improved as it became an economic center for local villages benefited with good soil. During the

Spring of Nations in 1848 Polish patriotism reinvigorated. Circle of Polish League was established and Polish newspaper "Biedaczek" is being distributed in the years 1849–1850 by Julian Prejs.[5]

In 1866 "Towarzystwo Rolniczo-Przemysłowe" is created, an association dealing in industry and agriculture. In 1879 a regional court is established in Chełmża. Two banks and school are established as well. Jews, who made up 8% of local population, built in the 1880s a synagogue.[5] The industrial development was increased and agricultural manufacturing plant and railway terminal were completed in 1882. The population rose as well from 3,400 in 1880, 8,987 in 1900,[2] and 10,600 in 1910.[5] In 1869 a local church choir "Cecylia" was founded, which exists to this day. Around 1900, the town formed a language island of Swabian German.[10]

Mass grave of Polish civilians killed by the German Grenzschutz in 1919

The development of the town was stopped due to the

First World War. The living conditions declined and street riots became widespread. Poles rose up against Germanisation and protests were made against forced teaching in schools in German language.[5] In November 1918 Poland regained independence, and on 8 January 1919 local Poles attacked a Grenzschutz unit but were repelled. In revenge the Germans shelled the town by artillery, and seven civilians, including two boys aged 8 and 12, were killed. Additionally the Germans arrested several people upon suspicion of leading the protests.[5]

On 21 January[

National Democrats and at the second place socialists led by Stanisław Nehring became the main parties in Chełmża.[5] "Gazeta Chełmżyńska" and "Głos Chełmżyński" were two papers distributed in the city. The mayor of the city was Bronisław Kurzętkowski from 1920 to 1933 and Wiktor Barwicki
from 1933 till 1939.

Memorial to local Poles murdered by the Germans and Russians during World War II

After the joint German-Soviet

Volksliste. In early 1945, in Chełmża, Polish forced labourers evacuated from Jajkowo were forcibly conscripted by the Germans to the Organisation Todt, however, some managed to escape.[13] By the end of the war in 1945, the population of the town had declined to 10,000.[5]

In January 1945 the

Soviet repressions followed and 600 people of German descent were deported to Siberia. The losses inflicted by German occupation regarding the population were gradually reversed and in 1980 Chełmża counted 15,000 inhabitants.[5]

Sports

The most notable sports clubs of the town are football club Legia Chełmża [pl] and rowing club Chełmżyńskie Towarzystwo Wioślarskie 1927 [pl].

Famous residents

Memorial plaque at the birthplace of Stefan Wincenty Frelichowski

Gallery

  • Holy Trinity Co-Cathedral in Chełmża
    Holy Trinity Co-Cathedral in Chełmża
  • Gothic Saint Nicholas Church, built 13th–14th century
    Gothic Saint Nicholas Church, built 13th–14th century
  • Town hall
    Town hall
  • Rynek ("Market Square")
    Rynek ("Market Square")
  • Ulica Kopernika ("Copernicus Street")
    Ulica Kopernika ("Copernicus Street")
  • Water tower
    Water tower

References

  • Preussische Regesten, Ann.Thor.Chron.terre Pruss. Ss.r.Pr. III 59 468
  • Urkundenbuch des Bisthums Culm, Latin: (Document record of Bishopric Culm/Kulm)
Notes
  1. ^ a b "Local Data Bank". Statistics Poland. Retrieved 2 June 2022. Data for territorial unit 0415011.
  2. ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Kulmsee" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 944.
  3. ^ Topographische Karte 2877 Culmsee 1:25000 Messtischblatt Deutsches Reich; Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie
  4. ^ Wiadomości Statystyczne Głównego Urzędu Statystycznego (in Polish). Vol. X. Warszawa: Główny Urząd Statystyczny. 1932. p. 140.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Historia Chełmży". Chełmża Urząd Miasta (in Polish). Archived from the original on 19 December 2008.
  6. ^ Max Perlbach, Preussische Regesten [Prussian Documents: Ann. Thor. Chron. terre Pruss. Ss.r.Pr. III 59, 468)
  7. ^ Urkundenbuch des Bisthums Culm
  8. ^ a b c d Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom I (in Polish). Warszawa. 1880. p. 569.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. ^ Górski, Karol (1949). Związek Pruski i poddanie się Prus Polsce: zbiór tekstów źródłowych (in Polish). Poznań: Instytut Zachodni. pp. 54, 88.
  10. ^ Elard Hugo Meyer. Deutsche Volkskunde. BoD – Books on Demand. p. 303.
  11. ^ The Pomeranian Crime 1939. Warsaw: IPN. 2018. p. 40.
  12. ^ Wardzyńska, Maria (2009). Był rok 1939. Operacja niemieckiej policji bezpieczeństwa w Polsce. Intelligenzaktion (in Polish). Warszawa: IPN. pp. 162–163.
  13. ISSN 1641-9561
    .
  14. ^ "Michał Czajkowski – ks.prof. Biblista, TW "Jankowski", powracający publicysta". 2 January 2009.

External links

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