Przedmoście, and
Lubiąż
Lubiąż (; german: Leubus) is a village (former city) on the east bank of the Odra (Oder) River, in the administrative district of Gmina Wołów, within Wołów County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It lies approximately s ...
. The other forest areas are The Natural Park in Orsk, the areas of Jodłowice, Wzgórze Joanny near Milicz, and Gola near Twardogóra. Such types of forest like those which are the mainstay for wild game or nurseries, are inaccessible because of permanent fire hazard. Territories partly accessible (marked specially) are located in areas of Góra Śląska, Oborniki Śląskie, Wołowa, in the Oder River valley, and in Wzgórza Niemczańsko-Strzelińskie.
Flora
The flora of Lower Silesia is specific and different for each zone. From the bottoms to the top, plants form groups that are arranged in wide or narrow belts, called floral zones. Subsequently, these zones are divided into narrower belts, called vegetation belts.
The zone of mountain forest is divided into two belts:
subalpine
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...
and lower subalpine forest. Above, there is a forestless zone divided into the subalpine belt with dwarf pine, and the alpine belt without shrubs. This vegetation is
glacial
A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betw ...
; the former vegetation—from the
Tertiary
Tertiary ( ) is a widely used but obsolete term for the geologic period from 66 million to 2.6 million years ago.
The period began with the demise of the non-avian dinosaurs in the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, at the start ...
—was destroyed by the climate of the
Ice Age
An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...
. Along with glaciation from the North, some tundra plants appeared, for example
downy willow (''Salix lapponum'') and
cloudberry
''Rubus chamaemorus'' is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae, native to cool temperate regions, alpine and arctic tundra and boreal forest. This herbaceous perennial produces amber-colored edible fruit similar to the blackbe ...
(Rubus chamaemorus).
The flora of Lower Silesia is strongly influenced by geological and climatic history. The vegetation is formed by species deriving from various geographic regions. Particular regions are represented by:
* Central European species:
fir
Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family (biology), family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North America, North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The ...
(
Abies alba
''Abies alba'', the European silver fir or silver fir, is a fir native to the mountains of Europe, from the Pyrenees north to Normandy, east to the Alps and the Carpathians, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and sou ...
),
beech
Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...
(Fagus silvatica),
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
(
Quercus petraea
''Quercus petraea'', commonly known as the sessile oak, Cornish oak, Irish Oak or durmast oak, is a species of oak tree native to most of Europe and into Anatolia and Iran. The sessile oak is the national tree of Ireland, and an unofficial emble ...
), maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)
* European Syberian species: European spindle-tree (Evonymus europaea), Alnus glutinosa, alder (Alnus glutinosa), wicker (Salix purpurea)
* Boreal-Sub arctic species: Cardamine pratensis, cress (Cardamine pratensis), Caltha palustris, yellow marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), Hepatica nobilis, liverleaf (Hepatica nobilis)
* Boreal-Arctic species: bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), dwarf willow (Salix herbacea), black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum), Sudetic Lousewort (Pedicularis sudetica), Micranthes nivalis, alpine saxifrage (Micranthes nivalis),
cloudberry
''Rubus chamaemorus'' is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae, native to cool temperate regions, alpine and arctic tundra and boreal forest. This herbaceous perennial produces amber-colored edible fruit similar to the blackbe ...
(Rubus chamaemorus), lake quillwort (Isoëtes lacustris)
* Alpine species: Alpine bastard toadflax (Thesium alpinium), Alpine coltsfoot (Homogyne alpina), geum montanum, mountain avens (Geum montanum), mountain pine (Pinus mugo)
* Sudetic and Sudetic-Carpathian species: mossy saxifrage (Saxifraga moschata ssp. Basaltica), Pedicularis sudetica, Sudetic lousewort (Pedicularis sudetica)
Lower subalpine forest
Lower subalpine forest ( pl, Regiel Dolny), , is characterized by deciduous or mixed forest. The fragments of forests similar to natural complexes of
pine
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
-
fir
Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family (biology), family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North America, North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The ...
-
beech
Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...
with admixture of larch,
sycamore maple
''Acer pseudoplatanus'', known as the sycamore in the British Isles and as the sycamore maple in the United States, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is a large deciduous, broad-leaved tree, tol ...
and Lime (fruit), lime occur near the Szklarski waterfall, in the Jagniątkowski complex, and Chojnik Mountain. Particular species of trees have different climatic requirements. The lowest parts are covered with oak and ash, up to . On the level of 500– occurs pine; in the higher parts, up to , there occurs European larch; and above 800 m, fir and beech.
Despite transformation of the basic tree vegetation, the same form of undergrowth survived. There occurs: daphne mezereum, red elderberry, hazel, platanthera bifolia, sweet woodruff, Herb Paris, cranberry, wood sorrel, chickweed wintergreen, Common Cow-wheat and lily of the valley. The parts over 800 m are mainly covered with grasses, purple small-reeds, cranberries, and willow gentian.
In highlighted places, on meadows, and along roads, there occurs: spotted orchid, Ajuga, bugleweed, yellow archangel, arnica montana, sword-leaved helleborine, rosebay willowherb, Senecio vulgaris, groundsel, and foxglove. Along riversides, there occurs white butterbur.
Pine forests are rich in spruces, which are permanently weakened by atmospheric factors. Frayed roots are easily infected by harmful fungus and insects. The most damaging is honey mushroom, with edible Biological specimen, specimen, which grows in pulp, between the Bark (botany), bark and timber, causing the death of tree. The other damaging fungus is bracket fungus, which destroys roots and trunks from the inside. The honey mushroom devastates the tree within a few months, and the bracket fungus, within a few years, as a result of mechanic changes in wood structure.
History
Ancient history
At the close of the
Ice Age
An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gree ...
, the first man appeared at the Silesian Lowland. In the Mesolithic (7,000 years ago), the first nomadic people settled in Lower Silesia, living in caves and primitive chalets. They were collectors, hunters, and fishers, and used weapons and other tools made of stone and wood. In the Upper Paleolithic, the oldest human remains of the nomadic people, which were 40,000 years old, were found in a tomb in Tyniec on the river Ślęża.
In the Neolithic (4000–1700 BC), began the process of transformation into a settled way of life. The first rural settlements were made, as people began to farm and breed animals. Mining, pottery, and weaving are dated to this period. Serpentinite quarries came into existence, of which Silesian hatchets were made, and near Jordanów Śląski, people extracted nephrite that was transformed into diverse tools. In the Bronze Age (1700–1500 BC), the evolution of different cultures developed to the existence of Unetice culture that affected the existence of Trzciniec culture. In the next periods since , it encompasses all of Europe.
Early history
In the La Tène culture period, Lower Silesia was inhabited by the Celts, who had their main place of cult on the
Mount Ślęża
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, ...
. Their stony statues situated on and around this hill were later worshipped by the Slavic tribes that came here around the sixth century AD. ''Magna Germania'' (second century) records that between the Celtic and the Slavic period, Lower Silesia was inhabited by a number of Germanic tribes. Among them, are the Vandals, the Lugii, and the Silingi, who might have given the Silesia region its name, though it is unclear and thus disputed. With the Germanic tribes leaving westward during the Migration Period, a number of new peoples arrived in Silesia from Sarmatia, Asia Minor, and the Asian steppes from the beginning of the sixth century.
The Bavarian Geographer () referred to the West Slavic Ślężanie (the other possible source of the region's ''Śląsk'' and later ''Silesia'' name), centered on Niemcza, and Dziadoszanie tribes, while a 1086 document issued by Bishop Jaromir (Bishop of Prague), Jaromir of Prague listed the Zlasane, Trebovane, Poborane, and Dedositze. At the same time, Upper Silesia was inhabited by the Opolanie, Lupiglaa, and Golenshitse tribes. In the late 9th century, the territory was subject to the Great Moravian realm of Prince Svatopluk I and from about 906 came under the rule of the Přemyslid dynasty, Přemyslid duke Spytihnev I, Duke of Bohemia, Spytihnev I of Bohemia and his successors Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia, Vratislaus I, the alleged founder of Wrocław ( cs, Vratislav), and Boleslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, Boleslaus the Cruel.
Piast Kingdom of Poland
Meanwhile, the West Slavic Polans (western), Polans had established the first duchy under the Piast dynasty in the adjacent Greater Poland, Greater Polish lands in the north. About 990 Silesia was conquered and incorporated into the History of Poland (966–1385), first Polish state by the Piast duke Mieszko I of Poland, Mieszko I, who had gained the support of Emperor Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto II against the Bohemian duke Boleslaus II, Duke of Bohemia, Boleslaus II.
In 1000 his son and successor Bolesław I Chrobry founded the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wrocław, Diocese of Wrocław, which, together with the Diocese, Bishoprics of Bishopric of Kraków, Kraków and Bishopric of Kołobrzeg, Kołobrzeg, was placed under the Archbishopric of Gniezno in
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed ...
, founded by Emperor Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto III at the Congress of Gniezno in the same year. The ecclesial suzerainty of Gniezno over Wrocław lasted until 1821. After a temporary shift to Bohemia in the first half of the 11th century, Lower Silesia continued to be an integral part of the Polish state until the end of its fragmentation period when all Polish claims on this land were finally renounced in favor of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Bohemian kingdom in 1348.
Various Polish defensive battles against the invading Germans took place in the region in the Middle Ages, including the victorious battles Siege of Niemcza, of Niemcza in 1017 and Siege of Głogów, Głogów and Battle of Hundsfeld, Psie Pole in 1109. In the early 12th century,
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
was named one of the three major cities of the Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385), Polish Kingdom alongside Kraków and Sandomierz in the oldest Polish chronicle, ''Gesta principum Polonorum''. One of the largest battles of medieval Poland, the Battle of Legnica, during the first Mongol invasion of Poland was fought in the region 1241.
Also a leading region of medieval Poland. The first-ever granting of town privileges in Polish history, happened there, when Złotoryja was granted such rights in 1211 by Henry the Bearded, and in the 13th century the ''Book of Henryków'', a chronicle containing the oldest known text in Polish, was created in the region.
The Duchy of Silesia was first split into lower and upper parts in 1172 during the period of Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty, Poland's feudal fragmentation, when the land was divided between two sons of former High Duke Władysław II the Exile, Władysław II. The elder Bolesław the Tall ruled over Lower Silesia with his capital in Wrocław (then known as Vratislav, Wrotizla, or Prezla), and younger Mieszko IV Tanglefoot, Mieszko Tanglefoot ruled over Upper Silesia with his capital at first in Racibórz, from 1202 in Opole. Later Silesia was divided into as many as 17 duchies. Main duchies of Lower Silesia:
* Duchy of Silesia, Silesia–Wrocław
** Duchy of Legnica, Legnica, split off in 1248
*** Duchy of Brzeg, Brzeg, split off from Legnica in 1311
*** Świdnica-Duchy of Jawor, Jawor, split off from Legnica in 1274
**** Duchy of Münsterberg (Ziębice), Ziębice, split off from Świdnica in 1321
** Duchy of Głogów, Głogów, split off from Legnica in 1251
*** Duchy of Żagań, Żagań, split off from Głogów in 1274/1278
*** Duchy of Oleśnica, Oleśnica, split off from Głogów in 1313
**** Duchy of Bernstadt, Bierutów, split off from Oleśnica in 1412
*** Krosno Odrzańskie, Krosno-Ścinawa
** Duchy of Nysa, Nysa, established in 1290
Polish duchies, Bohemian Crown, Hungary, Austria, and Prussia
With the 1335 Treaty of Trentschin (Trenčín) and the 1348 Treaty of Namysłów, most of the Silesian duchies were ruled by the Silesian Piast dukes under the feudal overlordship of the Kings of Bohemia, Bohemian kings, and thus became part of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown, Crown of Bohemia within the Holy Roman Empire. Many duchies remained Polish-ruled under the houses of Piast, Jagiellonian dynasty, Jagiellon and House of Sobieski, Sobieski, some up to the 17th and 18th century. In 1469, Lower Silesia passed to Kingdom of Hungary, Hungary, and in 1490 it fell back to Bohemia, then ruled by the Jagiellonian dynasty. In 1476, the Crossen district became part of the Margraviate of Brandenburg, when the widow of the Piast ruler, Barbara von Brandenburg, daughter of Elector Albert Achilles, inherited Crossen. It remained an important center of Polish culture. In 1475 Głogów-born Polish printer founded the (''Holy Cross Printing House'') in Wrocław, which published the ', the first incunable in Lower Silesia, which also contains the first-ever text printed in the Polish language.
In 1526 Silesia was acquired by Austria's
Habsburg monarchy
The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...
after the death of King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia, Louis II of Bohemia. Brandenburg contested the inheritance, citing a treaty made with Frederick II of Legnica, but Silesia largely remained under Habsburg control until 1742. In 1675 Duke George William, Duke of Legnica, George William of Legnica died at the Brzeg Castle, as the last male member of the Piast dynasty, which founded the Polish state in the 10th century. He was buried in
Legnica
Legnica (Polish: ; german: Liegnitz, szl, Lignica, cz, Lehnice, la, Lignitium) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River (left tributary of the Oder) and the Czarna Woda (Kaczawa), Czarna Woda ...
.
Most of Lower Silesia, except for the southern part of the Duchy of Nysa, became part of the
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia (german: Königreich Preußen, ) was a German kingdom that constituted the state of Prussia between 1701 and 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Re ...
after the Silesian Wars, First Silesian War by the 1742 Treaty of Breslau. In 1815, it became part of the Prussian Province of Silesia, Silesia Province, which was divided into the two Lower Silesian administrative regions (''Regierungsbezirke'') of ''Legnica, Liegnitz'' and ''Breslau'' (sometimes also referred to as Middle Silesia), and Upper Silesian ''Opole, Oppeln'' (including the Lower Silesian districts of Nysa, Poland, Neisse and Grodków, Grottkau). The western ''Liegnitz'' region had been enlarged by the incorporation of the
Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia (german: Oberlausitz ; hsb, Hornja Łužica ; dsb, Górna Łužyca; szl, Gōrnŏ Łużyca; pl, Łużyce Górne or ''Milsko''; cz, Horní Lužice) is a historical region in Germany and Poland. Along with Lower Lusatia to the ...
n districts of Lubań, Lauban,
Görlitz
Görlitz (; pl, Zgorzelec, hsb, Zhorjelc, cz, Zhořelec, :de:Ostlausitzer Mundart, East Lusatian dialect: ''Gerlz'', ''Gerltz'', ''Gerltsch'') is a town in the Germany, German state of Saxony. It is located on the Lusatian Neisse River, and ...
, Rothenburg, Oberlausitz, Rothenburg and
Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda () or Wojerecy () is a major district town in the district of Bautzen in the German state of Saxony. It is located in the Sorbian settlement area of Upper Lusatia, a region where some people speak the Sorbian language in addition to G ...
, all seized from the
Kingdom of Saxony
The Kingdom of Saxony (german: Königreich Sachsen), lasting from 1806 to 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. The kingdom was formed from the Electorate of Saxon ...
after the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
. From 1871, Lower Silesia was part of the
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
.
As a result of long lasting Ostsiedlung, German colonization and Germanisation, by the beginning of the 20th century Lower Silesia had a majority German-speaking population, with the exception of a small Polish language, Polish-speaking area in the northeastern part of the district of Namysłów, Namslau (Namysłów), Syców, Groß Wartenberg (Syców) and Milicz, Militsch (Milicz) and a Czech-speaking minority in the rural area around Strzelin, Strehlen (Strzelin). There were also Polish communities in large cities such as Breslau (Wrocław) and Zielona Góra, Grünberg (Zielona Góra). After the First World War, the bulk of Lower Silesia remained within Germany, the Bohemian part was included within
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
, and a small part was reintegrated with Second Polish Republic, Poland, which just regained independence. The German part was re-organized into the Province of Lower Silesia of the Free State of Prussia consisting of the ''Breslau'' and ''Liegnitz'' regions. In the interwar period, there were multiple instances of Anti-Polish sentiment, anti-Polish violence in the German part, and already in 1920 a Polish consulate in Wrocław was attacked and demolished by German nationalists. In the 1930s Poles and Jews were increasingly persecuted in the German-controlled part of the region.
World War II
During World War II the Germans established the Gross-Rosen concentration camp with around 100 List of subcamps of Gross-Rosen, subcamps in the region, in which around 125,000 people of various nationalities, among them mostly Jews, Poles and citizens of the Soviet Union, were imprisoned, and around 40,000 died. Also several German prisoner-of-war camps, including Stalag VIII-A, Stalag VIII-C, Stalag VIII-E, Stalag Luft III, Oflag VIII-B, Oflag VIII-F, with numerous Forced labour under German rule during World War II, forced labour subcamps were located in the region, as well as various subcamps of the Stalag VIII-B, Stalag VIII-B/344 POW camp. POWs of various nationalities were held in those camps, including Poles, French people, Frenchmen, Belgians, Britons, Italians, Canadians, Americans, Greeks, Yugoslavians, Russians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Norwegians, Lithuanians, Slovaks, etc. In the final stages of the war it was the site of several The March (1945), death marches perpetrated by Nazi Germany.
In view of Polish claims to the area, a memorandum prepared by the United States Department of State in May 1945 recommended that the area stay with Germany because there was "no historic or ethnic justification" for granting this land to Poland.
However, according to Soviet insistence at the Potsdam Agreement, in which the Soviet Union annexed most of the eastern Poland, Lower Silesia went to the
Republic of Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
. These border shifts were agreed on pending a final peace conference with Germany which eventually never took place. Germany retained the small portion of the former Prussian Province of Lower Silesia to the west of the
Oder-Neisse line.
Modern Poland
The remaining
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
population Expulsion of Germans after World War II, was expelled from the bulk of Lower Silesia east of the Neisse in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement. Poles from Central Poland and the Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union came to the region.
From 1945 to 1975 Lower Silesia was administered within the Wrocław Voivodeship. As a result of the Local Government Reorganisation Act (1975), Poland's administration was reorganized into 49 voivodeships, four of them in Lower Silesia: Jelenia Góra Voivodeship, Jelenia Góra, Legnica Voivodeship, Legnica, Wałbrzych Voivodeship, Wałbrzych, and Wrocław Voivodeships (1975–1998). As a result of the Local Government Reorganisation Act of 1998, these four provinces were joined into the
Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Lower Silesian Voivodeship, or Lower Silesia Province, in southwestern Poland, is one of the 16 voivodeships (provinces) into which Poland is divided. The voivodeship was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Wrocław, Legnica, Wałbrz ...
(effective 1 January 1999), whose capital is Wrocław.
Population
At the close of the classical antiquity, classical period the region was inhabited by Germanic Tribes, who during the Migration Period moved westward to the lands of modern Germany and France and were replaced in Lower Silesia by Lechites, Lechitic tribes. Centuries later, German settlers came to Lower Silesia during the Late Middle Ages, attracted by newly founded towns to develop the region. Over time, the autochthonous Polish population became partly
Germanised
Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, people and culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nationalism went hand in hand. In ling ...
and took up the German language as well, however, notable Polish communities survived, especially in northern Lower Silesia, and in larger cities. In year 1819, the Breslau Regency had 833,253 inhabitants, the majority of whom—755,553 (90%)—were German-speakers; with a Polish-speaking minority numbering 66,500 (8%); as well as 3,900 Czechs (1%) and 7,300 Jews (1%).
U.S. Immigration Commission in 1911 classified Polish-speaking Silesians as ethnic Poles. After World War II, German inhabitants that had not fled the area due to the war, were expelled, and the region was resettled by Poles from former eastern Poland, which was Territories of Poland annexed by the Soviet Union, annexed by the Soviet Union, as well as from other regions, making Polish minority majority again. In 1948–1954 Greeks and Macedonians (ethnic group), Macedonians, refugees of the Greek Civil War, came to Lower Silesia. They were temporarily admitted in five towns and villages in the region and afterwards finally settled in various cities and counties, although in the next decades some returned to Greece, and some emigrated to other countries. The largest Greek-Macedonian communities were located in Zgorzelec, Wrocław, Świdnica and Wałbrzych.
Cities and towns
Towns with over 20,000 inhabitants:
*
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
*
Zielona Góra
Zielona Góra is the largest city in Lubusz Voivodeship, located in western Poland, with 140,403 inhabitants (2021). Zielona Góra has a favourable geographical position, being close to the Polish-German border and on several international road ...
* Wałbrzych
*
Legnica
Legnica (Polish: ; german: Liegnitz, szl, Lignica, cz, Lehnice, la, Lignitium) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River (left tributary of the Oder) and the Czarna Woda (Kaczawa), Czarna Woda ...
* Jelenia Góra
* Lubin
* Głogów
* Świdnica
*
Bolesławiec
Bolesławiec (pronounced , szl, Bolesławiec, german: Bunzlau) is a historic city situated on the Bóbr River in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in western Poland. It is the administrative seat of Bolesławiec County, and of Gmina Bolesławiec ...
* Nowa Sól
* Oleśnica
* Brzeg
* Dzierżoniów
*
Oława
Oława (pronounced , , szl, Oława) is a historic town in south-western Poland with 33,029 inhabitants (2019). It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship (from 1975–1998 it was in the former Wrocław Voivodeship), within the Wrocław me ...
* Bielawa
* Żagań
* Jawor
* Świebodzice
* Polkowice
* Nowa Ruda
*
Świebodzin
Świebodzin (; szl, Świybodzin; german: Schwiebus) is a town in western Poland with 21,736 inhabitants (2019). It is the capital of Świebodzin County. Since the Local Government Reorganization Act of 1998, Świebodzin has been part of Lubusz V ...
* Jelcz-Laskowice
Silesian traditions in Upper Lusatia
Eastern parts of
Upper Lusatia
Upper Lusatia (german: Oberlausitz ; hsb, Hornja Łužica ; dsb, Górna Łužyca; szl, Gōrnŏ Łużyca; pl, Łużyce Górne or ''Milsko''; cz, Horní Lužice) is a historical region in Germany and Poland. Along with Lower Lusatia to the ...
also formed part of Silesia in the early 14th century, as part of the Duchy of Jawor of fragmented Poland,
[Gustav Köhler, ''Der Bund der Sechsstädte in der Ober-Lausitz: Eine Jubelschrift'', G. Heinze & Comp., Görlitz, 1846, p. 11] and again from 1815 to 1945, when the area was annexed from Kingdom of Saxony, Saxony by Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia and included within the
Province of Silesia
The Province of Silesia (german: Provinz Schlesien; pl, Prowincja Śląska; szl, Prowincyjŏ Ślōnskŏ) was a province of Prussia from 1815 to 1919. The Silesia region was part of the Prussian realm since 1740 and established as an official p ...
and later of Province of Lower Silesia, Lower Silesia. During this time Silesian culture and the
Silesian German
Silesian (Silesian: ', german: Schlesisch), Silesian German or Lower Silesian is a nearly extinct German dialect spoken in Silesia. It is part of the East Central German language area with some West Slavic and Lechitic influences. Silesian Ge ...
dialect spread into this region with its centre
Görlitz
Görlitz (; pl, Zgorzelec, hsb, Zhorjelc, cz, Zhořelec, :de:Ostlausitzer Mundart, East Lusatian dialect: ''Gerlz'', ''Gerltz'', ''Gerltsch'') is a town in the Germany, German state of Saxony. It is located on the Lusatian Neisse River, and ...
. The expulsion of the Germans from the east of the Oder-Neisse line led to an additional settlement of German Silesians in this region.
Due to these facts, some of the inhabitants of this region still consider themselves
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
n and cultivate Silesian customs. One of their special privileges is the right to use the Lower Silesian flag and coat of arms which is guaranteed to them by the Saxon Constitution of 1992. The Evangelical Church of Silesia in Upper Lusatia, meanwhile, merged with the one of Berlin and Brandenburg to form the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia.
Towns
The main cities within the former province of Lower Silesia west of the
Oder-Neisse line are (Upper Sorbian names in italics):
*
Görlitz
Görlitz (; pl, Zgorzelec, hsb, Zhorjelc, cz, Zhořelec, :de:Ostlausitzer Mundart, East Lusatian dialect: ''Gerlz'', ''Gerltz'', ''Gerltsch'') is a town in the Germany, German state of Saxony. It is located on the Lusatian Neisse River, and ...
(Zhorjelc)
*
Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda () or Wojerecy () is a major district town in the district of Bautzen in the German state of Saxony. It is located in the Sorbian settlement area of Upper Lusatia, a region where some people speak the Sorbian language in addition to G ...
(Wojerecy)
* Weißwasser/O.L. (Běła Woda)
* Niesky (Niska)
The main Lusatian cities within the former Duchy of Jawor and province of Lower Silesia east of Lusatian Neisse, now within Lower Silesian Voivodship are:
* Zgorzelec (formerly part of Görlitz)
* Lubań
* Bogatynia
Tourism
The international airport is located in
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
– Wrocław – Copernicus Airport.
The A4 autostrada (Poland), A4 motorway and A18 autostrada (Poland), A18 motorway run through Lower Silesia.
Lower Silesia is one of the most visited regions in Poland. It is famous for a large number of castles and palaces (more than 100), inter alia: Książ Castle, Czocha Castle, Grodziec Castle, Gola Dzierżoniowska Castle, Oleśnica Castle, Kamieniec Ząbkowicki Palace. There is also a lot in the List of castles and palaces in Jelenia Góra valley, Jelenia Góra valley.
The most widely visited city is
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
where the Festival of Good Beer is held every year on the second weekend of June.
Other highlights:
Kłodzko Fortress, Srebrna Góra, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Fort Srebrna Góra, Project Riese, Wambierzyce, Legnickie Pole, Oleśnica Mała, Lubiąż Abbey, Grüssau Abbey, Krzeszów, Henryków, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Henryków, Vang Stave Church, Churches of Peace,
Mount Ślęża
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, ...
, Table Mountains,
Owl Mountains
The Owl Mountains ( pl, Góry Sowie, cs, Soví hory, german: Eulengebirge) are a mountain range of the Central Sudetes in southwestern Poland. It includes a protected area called Owl Mountains Landscape Park.
Geography
The Owl Mountains cover ...
, Krkonoše, Karkonosze, Główny Szlak Sudecki, Main Sudetes Trail (440 km from Świeradów Zdrój to Prudnik), Barycz (river), Barycz Valley Landscape Park.
Sport
Among the most accomplished sports clubs in Lower Silesia are football clubs Śląsk Wrocław and Zagłębie Lubin, Motorcycle speedway, speedway clubs Falubaz Zielona Góra and Sparta Wrocław, basketball clubs Śląsk Wrocław (basketball), Śląsk Wrocław, Basket Zielona Góra, Górnik Wałbrzych (basketball), Górnik Wałbrzych and handball club Śląsk Wrocław (handball), Śląsk Wrocław.
Every year in September,
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
Marathon is organized.
See also
* Koleje Dolnośląskie
* Izera railway
* Silesia Walls
* Chrobry fortified village in Szprotawa
* Project Riese
References
Sources
* Urbanek M., (2003), Dolny Śląsk. Siedem stron świata., MAK publishing, Wrocław, p. 240 + CD-ROM
* Śląsk na weekend – touristic guide, Pascal publishing
External links
Lower Silesian Voivodeship WebsiteLower Silesian official website for tourist information
{{authority control
Geography of Lower Silesian Voivodeship, *
Czech geographic history
Historical regions in Poland
Lower Silesia,