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Śrem (german: Schrimm) is a town on the Warta river in central
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 ...
. It has been in the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999. From 1975 to 1998 it was part of the
Poznań Voivodeship Poznań Voivodeship was the name of several former administrative regions (''województwo'', rendered as ''voivodeship'' and usually translated as "province") in Poland, centered on the city of Poznań, although the exact boundaries changed over t ...
. As of 1995, the population of Śrem was 29,800. Śrem is to the south of
Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John ...
, a local road junction on the road from Poznań to Rawicz; other roads lead from the town to
Września Września (german: Wreschen) is a town in west-central Poland with 28,600 inhabitants (1995). It is situated in the Września County, Greater Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Poznań Voivodeship (1975–1998), on the Wrześnica Riv ...
,
Leszno Leszno (german: Lissa, 1800–1918 ''Lissa in Posen'') is a historic city in western Poland, within the Greater Poland Voivodeship. It is the seventh-largest city in the province with an estimated population of 62,200, as of 2021. Previously, it ...
and Głuchowo. The Śrem District has a population of 39,672, of which about 31,000 live in the town of Śrem.


History

Śrem was founded in the second half of the 10th century in the cradle of the emerging Polish state, when a fortified settlement, which protected the ford across the Warta on an important trade route from
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 ...
to Poznań, was erected on the right bank of the Warta river, and soon a trade settlement developed on the left bank. It is numbered among the oldest Lechitic settlements. Śrem received municipal rights from dukes
Bolesław the Pious Bolesław the Pious (1224/27 – 14 April 1279) was a Duke of Greater Poland during 1239–1247 (according to some historians during 1239–1241 sole Duke of Ujście), Duke of Kalisz during 1247–1249, Duke of Gniezno during 1249–1250, Duke o ...
and Przemysł I of Greater Poland in 1253, the same year as Poznań. Śrem developed rapidly and in the 14th century, it became a royal town of the Polish Crown and the seat of local royal officials (''
starosta The starosta or starost (Cyrillic: ''старост/а'', Latin: ''capitaneus'', german: link=no, Starost, Hauptmann) is a term of Slavic origin denoting a community elder whose role was to administer the assets of a clan or family estates. Th ...
''). Administratively it was located in the
Poznań Voivodeship Poznań Voivodeship was the name of several former administrative regions (''województwo'', rendered as ''voivodeship'' and usually translated as "province") in Poland, centered on the city of Poznań, although the exact boundaries changed over t ...
in the
Greater Poland Province of the Polish Crown , subdivision = Province , nation = Poland , year_start = , event_end = Third Partition of Poland , year_end = , image_map = Prowincje I RP.svg , image_map_capt ...
. Its heyday was in the first half of the 15th century and the second half of the 16th century. Later, lengthy wars, epidemics and natural catastrophes caused Śrem to decline, like many other towns in the
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 ...
region. In the late 18th century, Józef Wybicki, Polish jurist, poet, political and military activist, best known as the author of the lyrics of the
Polish national anthem ( " Dąbrowski's Mazurka"), in English officially known by its incipit Poland Is Not Yet Lost, is the national anthem of the Republic of Poland. The original lyrics were written by Józef Wybicki in Reggio Emilia, in Northern Italy, be ...
, settled in nearby Manieczki, and in 1791 became a burgher and honorary citizen of Śrem. The town was annexed by
Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
in the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, regained by
Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Ce ...
and included in the short-lived Duchy of Warsaw in 1807, re-annexed by Prussia in 1815, and from 1871 it was part of
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. Despite the influx of
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 ...
officials, Śrem remained a typical Polish town. During the Greater Poland uprising (1848), a hospital for Polish insurgents was established in the town, and in the following decades the town remained a center of Polish resistance, and Poles established various organizations and enterprises. After
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Poland regained independence in November 1918, and the
Greater Poland uprising (1918–19) Greater Poland Uprising (also Wielkopolska Uprising or Great Poland Uprising) may refer to a number of armed rebellions in the region of Greater Poland: * Greater Poland Uprising (1794) * Greater Poland Uprising (1806) * Greater Poland Uprising ( ...
broke out, during which in December 1918, the local German garrison surrendered without resistance and the town was finally restored to the
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 ...
. In the interbellum new factories were opened and new housing districts were built. Śrem was bombed by Germany on September 1, 1939, the first day of the
invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week aft ...
, which began
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. During the
German occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...
, the Polish population was subjected to mass arrests, imprisonment, executions, expulsions, and deportations to
Nazi concentration camps From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany operated more than a thousand concentration camps, (officially) or (more commonly). The Nazi concentration camps are distinguished from other types of Nazi camps such as forced-labor camps, as well as concen ...
. In September 1939, the '' Einsatzgruppe VI'' carried out mass arrests of Poles, many of whom were immediately murdered. The ''Einsatzgruppe VI'' carried out public executions of Poles from Śrem and nearby villages on September 20 and October 20, 1939, killing 20 and 19 people respectively, including former Polish insurgents of 1918–1919, local administration and court officials, merchants, and landowners. 12 Poles arrested in Śrem were also executed in the nearby village of Zbrudzewo on November 8, 1939. Further mass arrests of 45 Poles, mostly teachers, were carried out in May 1940, and most were then deported to the
Mauthausen Mauthausen was a Nazi concentration camp on a hill above the market town of Mauthausen (roughly east of Linz), Upper Austria. It was the main camp of a group with nearly 100 further subcamps located throughout Austria and southern German ...
and
Dachau , , commandant = List of commandants , known for = , location = Upper Bavaria, Southern Germany , built by = Germany , operated by = ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) , original use = Political prison , construction ...
concentration camps, and murdered there. In 1939 and 1940, the Germans expelled hundreds of Poles to the
General Government The General Government (german: Generalgouvernement, pl, Generalne Gubernatorstwo, uk, Генеральна губернія), also referred to as the General Governorate for the Occupied Polish Region (german: Generalgouvernement für die be ...
, whose houses were then handed over to German colonists as part of the ''
Lebensraum (, ''living space'') is a German concept of settler colonialism, the philosophy and policies of which were common to German politics from the 1890s to the 1940s. First popularized around 1901, '' lso in:' became a geopolitical goal of Imperi ...
'' policy.Maria Wardzyńska, ''Wysiedlenia ludności polskiej z okupowanych ziem polskich włączonych do III Rzeszy w latach 1939-1945'', IPN, Warszawa, 2017, p. 153, 195 (in Polish)


Economy

At present, the town has a population of about 30,000, with a fast-developing economy. It is the seat of many firms with private and foreign capital, which have invested in metallurgy, furniture production, transport, window and door production, textiles and food processing. The Śrem Iron Foundry is the biggest plant in Śrem and Śrem County. Business activity in the area is supported by such institutions as the Craftsmen's Guild, the Śrem Centre for Support of Small Business, and the County Branch of the Wielkopolska Chamber of Industry and Commerce.


Attractions

For attractions, promoters cite the scenery, palaces and manors with surrounding parks, domestic and religious architecture, as well as nature sanctuaries. Infrastructure includes accommodation, restaurants, and sports and leisure facilities (see below). Śrem is also the seat of education facilities: vocational and secondary schools as well as a branch of Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań. The branch offers Bachelor of Science courses in material chemistry and tourism. In addition, there are cultural institutions such as the Śrem Museum, the public library, the Culture Centre, and local media including the press, television. There are also monuments to notable people connected with Śrem, including Józef Wybicki and
Piotr Wawrzyniak Piotr Wawrzyniak (30 January 1849 in Wyrzeka – 9 November 1910 in Poznań) was a Polish priest, economic and educational activist, patron of the Union of the Earnings and Economic Societies (Związek Spółek Zarobkowych i Gospodarczych). Ref ...
, and memorials to the
Greater Poland uprising (1918–19) Greater Poland Uprising (also Wielkopolska Uprising or Great Poland Uprising) may refer to a number of armed rebellions in the region of Greater Poland: * Greater Poland Uprising (1794) * Greater Poland Uprising (1806) * Greater Poland Uprising ( ...
participants and the victims of World War II. File:Śrem wieża.jpg, Water tower File:Śrem ratusz 2009.jpg, Town hall File:Śrem ławka drogowskaz.JPG, Market Square File:Śrem-LO1.jpg, High School File:2427A (6).jpg,
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
Church of St. Mary File:Józef Wybicki popiersie Śrem.jpg, Józef Wybicki monument


Sports

There are multiple sports facilities in Śrem: pitches, a stadium, a swimming pool, bowling alleys, gyms, and a yacht club with a landing stage on Lake Grzymisławskie. Śrem is the starting point of almost all major marked cycling routes in the region. The local
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club is . It competes in the lower leagues.


Notable people

* Julius Schreiber (1848–1932), internist *
Piotr Wawrzyniak Piotr Wawrzyniak (30 January 1849 in Wyrzeka – 9 November 1910 in Poznań) was a Polish priest, economic and educational activist, patron of the Union of the Earnings and Economic Societies (Związek Spółek Zarobkowych i Gospodarczych). Ref ...
(1849–1910), priest, economic and educational activist * Francis J. Borchardt (1849–1915), member of the
Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...
* (1851–1919), composer, conductor, historian * (1854–1892), painter *
Teodor Jeske-Choiński Teodor Jeske-Choiński (27 February 1854 – 14 April 1920) was a Polish intellectual, writer and historian, literature critic. He was a friend as well as an opponent of Henryk Sienkiewicz. Sienkiewicz' novels were focused rather on Polish histo ...
(1854–1920), Polish intellectual, writer and historian, attended school in Śrem * Ludwik Mycielski (1854–1926), Polish politician, attended school in Śrem * (1854–1923), gynecologist and philanthropist * Eugen Mittwoch (1876-1942), rabbi *
Hermann Schreiber Hermann Schreiber (21 August 1882 in Schrimm, Prussian Posen province, German Empire – 27 September 1954 in West Berlin, Allied-occupied Berlin) was a German doctor of philosophy, rabbi and journalist. Youth Hermann Schreiber descended f ...
(1882-1954), rabbi, philosopher and journalist *
Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (11 March 1913 – 23 March 1944) was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 162 enemy aircraft shot down in 732 combat missions. He claimed the majority of his victories over the ...
(1913–1944),
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
pilot *
Włodzimierz Kolanowski Włodzimierz Adam Kolanowski (11 August 1913 – 31 March 1944) was a Polish Vickers Wellington bomber "Observer and Captain" flying from England when he was taken prisoner during the Second World War. He took part in the 'Great Escape' from ...
(1913–1944),
Polish Air Force The Polish Air Force ( pl, Siły Powietrzne, , Air Forces) is the aerial warfare branch of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as ''Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej'' (). In 2014 it consisted of roughly 16,425 mil ...
officer, who co-organized the Great Escape from the
Stalag Luft III , partof = ''Luftwaffe'' , location = Sagan, Lower Silesia, Nazi Germany (now Żagań, Poland) , image = , caption = Model of the set used to film the movie ''The Great Escape.'' It depicts a smaller version of a single compound in ''Stalag ...
POW camp, attended school in Śrem * (1940–2009), painter and
crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an elastic launching device consisting of a bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar fashion to the stock of a long fi ...
designer * Krzysztof Budzyń (born 1957), entrepreneur and amateur historian *
Zenon Jaskuła Zenon Jaskuła (born 4 June 1962) is a Polish former professional racing cyclist from Śrem, who was active in the 1990s. He won stage 16 and finished third overall in the 1993 Tour de France. He competed in the team time trial at the 1988 Summ ...
(born 1962), Olympic medalist and pro cyclist * Patrycja Wyciszkiewicz (born 1994), Olympic sprinter *
Dawid Kurminowski Dawid Kurminowski (born 24 February 1999) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ekstraklasa club Zagłębie Lubin, on loan from Danish Superliga club AGF. In the 2020–21 season, he became a top scorer of Slovak leagu ...
(born 1999), footballer


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Srem Cities and towns in Greater Poland Voivodeship Śrem County Poznań Voivodeship (1921–1939) 10th-century establishments in Poland Populated places established in the 10th century