Halemba is a
district in the south-west of
Ruda Śląska,
Silesian Voivodeship, southern
Poland. It lies on the river
Kłodnica, right tritubary of
Odra Odra may refer to:
Rivers
* Odra (Poland), also known as Oder, a river in Czech Republic, Poland and Germany
* Odra (Kupa), a river in Croatia
* Odra (Spain), a river in Spain
Populated places
* Odra, Silesian Voivodeship, a village in southern ...
. It has an area of 19.6 km
2 and in 2006 it was inhabited by 26,080 people.
History
The area encompasses three historically different settlements:
* Halemba (proper)
* Kłodnica (german: Klodnitz)
* Stara Kuźnica (german: Althammer)
The first settlements appeared in the 15th century, when the area north of the river
Kłodnica belonged to
Kochłowice. A smithery was established here, and the settlement, which grew around it, was named ''Halemba'' after one the smiths. It was first mentioned in 1451.
Another settlement, ''Stara Kuźnica'', commenced somewhat after 1394, when the forests laying south of
Kłodnica were bestowed upon a smith ''Henryk'', who was to establish another smithery. During the political upheaval caused by
Matthias Corvinus the land around
Pszczyna was overtaken by
Casimir II, Duke of Cieszyn
Casimir II of Cieszyn ( pl, Kazimierz, cs, Kazimír; – 13 December 1528) was a Duke of Cieszyn since 1477, ruler over Koźle during 1479–1509, since 1493 ruler over Wołów, over Pszczyna during 1498–1517, from 1506 over Opava, Duke of Gł ...
, who sold it in 1517 to the Hungarian
magnate
The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders, or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...
s of the
Thurzó family, forming the
Pless
Pleß or Pless may refer to:
Places
*Pleß, a municipality in the district of Unterallgäu in Bavaria, Germany
* Pszczyna (German: Pleß), a town in southern Poland
** Duchy of Pless, a historic territory in Silesia
* Pleß (mountain), a mounta ...
state country
State country (german: Freie Standesherrschaft; cs, stavovské panství; pl, państwo stanowe) was a unit of administrative and territorial division in the Bohemian crown lands of Silesia and Upper Lusatia, existing from 15th to 18th centuries. T ...
. In the accompanying sales document issued on 21 February 1517 the village was mentioned as ''Kuznicze Nykowa''.
The third settlement, ''Kłodnica'', named after the river, developed alongside ''Stara Kuźnica'', although across the river, which also constituted a border between different duchies and later
state countries.
After
World War I in the
Upper Silesia plebiscite 458 out of 521 voters in Stara Kuźnica voted in favour of joining Poland, against 63 opting for staying in Germany. In Halemba it was 759 (out of 916) against 155 (additionally 70 out of 92 against 21 in manor goods) and in Kłodnica 228 (out of 251) against 22. All the three settlements became a part of
Silesian Voivodeship,
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 1918 and 1939. The state was established on 6 November 1918, before the end of ...
. They were then annexed by
Nazi Germany at the beginning of
World War II. In 1942 both the local
coal mine and
power station commenced to be built. After the war it was restored to Poland.
Kuźnica, Stara Kuźnica and Kłodnica were joined and merged into
Nowy Bytom
Nowy Bytom (german: Friedenshütte) is a district serving as administrative centre of Ruda Śląska, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. In 2006 it had an area of 4.6 km2 and was inhabited by 12,058 people. On January 12, 2006 a part of it ...
in 1951, and as part of Nowy Bytom was amalgamated with
Ruda to form Ruda Śląska on December 31, 1958.
Gallery
File:Ruda Śląska-Halemba II noc.jpg, Housing estates in Halemba
File:2022 Ruda Donnersmarck palace.jpg, Donnersmarck palace
See also
*
Halemba Coal Mine
The Halemba coal mine is a large mine in the south of Poland in Halemba district of Ruda Śląska, Silesian Voivodeship, 273 km south-west of the capital, Warsaw. Halemba represents one of the largest coal reserves in Poland, having estimat ...
*
Halemba Power Station
Halemba Power Station ( pl, Elektrownia Halemba) is a coal-fueled power plant in Halemba district of Ruda Śląska, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland.
The construction of the plant begun in 1943, organized by Nazi German administration of occupied Pol ...
References
Districts of Ruda Śląska
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