Rzeszów Irish Red And White Setter 1pl
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Rzeszów ( , ) is the largest city in southeastern
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
. It is located on both sides of the
Wisłok River Wisłok is a river in south-eastern Poland, a tributary of the San River, with a length of 220 kilometres and a basin area of 3,538 km2 (all in Poland). The root of the name ''Vis-lok'' is Indo-European or pre-Indo-European. The first met ...
in the heartland of the
Sandomierz Basin Sandomierz Basin () is a lowland, located in southeastern Poland, between the Lesser Poland Upland, Lublin Upland and the Western Carpathians. Its name comes from the historical city of Sandomierz, and the basin has a triangular shape with the s ...
. Rzeszów is the capital of the
Subcarpathian Voivodeship Subcarpathian Voivodeship is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship, or province, in the southeastern corner of Poland. Its administrative capital and largest city is Rzeszów. Along with the Marshal, it is governed by the Subcarpathian Regional As ...
and the
seat A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but may also refer to concentrations of power in a wider sense (i.e " seat (legal entity)"). See disambiguation. Types of seat The ...
of
Rzeszów County __NOTOC__ Rzeszów County () is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Subcarpathian Voivodeship, south-eastern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed ...
. The history of Rzeszów dates back to the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
. It received city rights and privileges from King
Casimir III the Great Casimir III the Great (; 30 April 1310 – 5 November 1370) reigned as the King of Poland from 1333 to 1370. He also later became King of Ruthenia in 1340, retaining the title throughout the Galicia–Volhynia Wars. He was the last Polish king fr ...
in 1354. Local trade routes connecting Europe with the Middle East and the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
resulted in the city's early prosperity and development. In the 16th century, Rzeszów had a connection with
Gdańsk Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...
and the
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
. It also experienced growth in commerce and craftsmanship, especially under local rulers and noblemen. Following the
Partitions of Poland The Partitions of Poland were three partition (politics), partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place between 1772 and 1795, toward the end of the 18th century. They ended the existence of the state, resulting in the eli ...
, Rzeszów was annexed by the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...
and did not regain its position until it returned to Poland after
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Rzeszów has found its place in the group of the most elite cities in Poland, with a growing number of investments, rapid progress and a high
standard of living Standard of living is the level of income, comforts and services available to an individual, community or society. A contributing factor to an individual's quality of life, standard of living is generally concerned with objective metrics outsid ...
. In 2011
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
awarded Rzeszów with the second place in the ranking of the most attractive semi-large cities for business. Moreover, the city is home to a number of higher education schools and foreign consulates. Rzeszów is also developing as a regional
tourist destination A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beau ...
; its Old Town, Main Market Square, churches and synagogues are among the best preserved in the country. In recent years, the population of Rzeszów has grown from 159,000 (2005) to over 301,000 (2022), mainly owing to an influx of Ukrainian
refugees A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...
after the
Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
. Further plans for extending the city's borders include incorporating surrounding counties to strengthen its function as a metropolitan center in southeastern Poland. Rzeszów is served by an
international airport An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports, and feature longer runways and have faciliti ...
and is a member of
Eurocities Eurocities is a network of large cities in Europe, established in 1986 by the mayors of six large cities: Barcelona, Birmingham, Frankfurt, Lyon, Milan, and Rotterdam. Today, Eurocities members include over 200 of Europe's major cities from 38 c ...
.


History

In the area of Rzeszów, the first
early European modern humans Cro-Magnons or European early modern humans (EEMH) were the first early modern humans (''Homo sapiens'') to settle in Europe, migrating from western Asia, continuously occupying the continent possibly from as early as 56,800 years ago. They in ...
appeared in the late Paleolithic Age; archaeologists have excavated a tool made in that period at site Rzeszów 25. In the mid-6th century BC, the first farmers came to the area of the city, most likely through the
Moravian Gate The Moravian Gate (, , , ) is a geomorphological feature in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic and the Upper Silesia region in Poland. It is formed by the depression between the Carpathian Mountains in the east and the Sudetes in the west. ...
. Later on, Rzeszów was a settlement of the
Lusatian culture The Lusatian culture existed in the later Bronze Age and early Iron Age (1300–500 ) in most of what is now Poland and parts of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, eastern Germany and western Ukraine. It covers the Periods Montelius III (e ...
, which was followed by the
Przeworsk culture The Przeworsk culture () was an Iron Age material culture in the region of what is now Poland, that dates from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD. It takes its name from the town Przeworsk, near the village where the first artifacts we ...
. In the 7th century, the first
Slavs The Slavs or Slavic people are groups of people who speak Slavic languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout the northern parts of Eurasia; they predominantly inhabit Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, and ...
appeared in the area, which is confirmed by numerous archaeological findings. Most probably, Rzeszów was then inhabited by the
Vistulans The Vistulans, or Vistulanians (), were an early medieval Lechitic tribe inhabiting the western part of modern Lesser Poland. Etymology Their name derives from the hydronym of the river Vistula, meaning "inhabitants of Vistula"; the region is m ...
. In the 10th century, it became part of the emerging
Duchy of Poland Civitas Schinesghe (; ), also known as the Duchy of Poland or the Principality of Poland, is the historiographical name given to a polity in Central Europe, which existed during the medieval period and was the predecessor state of the Kingdom of ...
. Sometime between 11th and 13th century the town was conquered and subsequently annexed by the East Slavic
Ruthenians A ''Ruthenian'' and ''Ruthene'' are exonyms of Latin language, Latin origin, formerly used in Eastern and Central Europe as common Ethnonym, ethnonyms for East Slavs, particularly during the late medieval and early modern periods. The Latin term ...
from the weakened and fragmented Polish state (see
Testament of Bolesław III Wrymouth The last will and testament of the Piast duke Bolesław III Wrymouth of Poland, established rules for governance of the Polish kingdom by his four surviving sons after his death. By issuing it, Bolesław planned to guarantee that his heirs woul ...
). Polish rulers of the
Piast dynasty The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented List of Polish monarchs, Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I of Poland, Mieszko I (–992). The Poland during the Piast dynasty, Piasts' royal rule in Pol ...
recaptured Rzeszów in 1264. In
Tarnów Tarnów () is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It is a major rail junction, located on the strategic east– ...
, there was a meeting of Prince
Bolesław V the Chaste Bolesław V the Chaste (; 21 June 1226 – 7 December 1279) was Duke of Sandomierz in Lesser Poland from 1232 and High Duke of Poland from 1243 until his death, as the last male representative of the Lesser Polish branch of Piasts. Birth and n ...
, and Prince
Daniel Daniel commonly refers to: * Daniel (given name), a masculine given name and a surname * List of people named Daniel * List of people with surname Daniel * Daniel (biblical figure) * Book of Daniel, a biblical apocalypse, "an account of the acti ...
of
Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia The Principality or, from 1253, Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, also known as the Kingdom of Ruthenia, Kingdom of Rus', or Kingdom of Russia, also Halych–Volhynian Kingdom was a medieval state in Eastern Europe which existed from 1199 to 1349. I ...
, during which both sides agreed that the border would go between Rzeszów and
Czudec Czudec is a village (formerly a town) in Strzyżów County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Czudec. It lies in Lesser Poland, approximately north-east of St ...
(Rzeszów belonged to
Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia The Principality or, from 1253, Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, also known as the Kingdom of Ruthenia, Kingdom of Rus', or Kingdom of Russia, also Halych–Volhynian Kingdom was a medieval state in Eastern Europe which existed from 1199 to 1349. I ...
, while Czudec and
Strzyżów Strzyżów is a town in Strzyżów County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland, along the Wisłok river valley. Strzyżów is one of the towns within the Strzyżowsko-Dynowskie Foothill, located south-east of Kraków and 30 km from Rzeszó ...
to
Lesser Poland Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name ''Małopolska'' (; ), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a separate cult ...
). After the reunification of Poland following the fragmentation period, Rzeszów remained in Ruthenian hands until 1340, when King
Casimir III the Great Casimir III the Great (; 30 April 1310 – 5 November 1370) reigned as the King of Poland from 1333 to 1370. He also later became King of Ruthenia in 1340, retaining the title throughout the Galicia–Volhynia Wars. He was the last Polish king fr ...
eventually recaptured the area, inviting his knights to govern the re-acquired land. According to some sources, at that time Rzeszów was inhabited by the
Walddeutsche (lit. "Forest Germans" or – "Deaf Germans"; – "deaf Germans") was the name for a group of German-speaking people, originally used in the 16th century for two language islands around Łańcut and Krosno, in southeastern Poland. Both of th ...
, and was called Rishof (during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the Germans renamed it ''Reichshof''). The town was granted
Magdeburg rights Magdeburg rights (, , ; also called Magdeburg Law) were a set of town privileges first developed by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (936–973) and based on the Flemish Law, which regulated the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages gr ...
, it had a parish church, a market place and a cemetery, and its total area was some 1,5 km2. Magdeburg rights entitled Rzeszów's local authorities to punish criminals, build fortifications and tax merchants. In 1458 Rzeszów was burned by the
Vlachs Vlach ( ), also Wallachian and many other variants, is a term and exonym used from the Middle Ages until the Modern Era to designate speakers of Eastern Romance languages living in Southeast Europe—south of the Danube (the Balkan peninsula ...
and the
Tatars Tatars ( )Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary
are a group of Turkic peoples across Eas ...
. In 1502 the Tatars destroyed it again. Earlier, in 1427, Rzeszów had burned to the ground in a big fire, but the town recovered after these events, thanks to its favorable location on the main West – East (
Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
Lwów Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...
) and North – South (
Lublin Lublin is List of cities and towns in Poland, the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the centre of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin i ...
Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
) trade routes. In the 15th century the first
Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...
s settled in Rzeszów. The 16th century was the time of prosperity for the town, especially when Rzeszów belonged to Mikołaj Spytek Ligęza (since the 1580s), who invested in infrastructure, building a castle, a Bernardine church and a monastery. Rzeszów then had some 2,500 inhabitants, with a rapidly growing Jewish community. The town was granted several royal rights, including the privilege to organise several markets a year. At that time, Rzeszów finally grew beyond its medieval borders, marked by fortifications. In 1638 Rzeszów passed into the hands of the powerful and wealthy
Lubomirski family The House of Lubomirski is a Polish princely family. The Lubomirski family's coat of arms is the Drużyna coat of arms, which is similar to the Szreniawa coat of arms but without a cross. Origin and the coat of arms The Lubomirski f ...
, becoming the center of its vast properties. At first, the town prospered and in 1658, the first college was opened there, which now operates as High School Nr 1. The period of prosperity ended, and furthermore, there were several fires and wars, which destroyed the town. Rzeszów was first captured by the Swedes during The Deluge, then by the troops of
George II Rákóczi George II Rákóczi (30 January 1621 – 7 June 1660), was a Hungarian nobleman, Prince of Transylvania (1648-1660), the eldest son of George I and Zsuzsanna Lorántffy. Early life He was elected Prince of Transylvania during his father' ...
leading to the
Treaty of Radnot Treaty of Radnot was a treaty signed during the Second Northern War in Radnot in Transylvania (now Iernut in Romania) on 6 December 1656. The treaty divided the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth between the signing parties. According to the treaty ...
. During the
Great Northern War In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
, the Swedes again captured Rzeszów, in 1702, then several different armies occupied the town, ransacking it and destroying houses. In the mid-eighteenth century, the town's population was composed of Poles (Roman Catholics) and Yiddish Jews in almost equal numbers (50.1% and 49.8%, respectively).


Rzeszów under Austrian rule

In 1772, following the
First Partition of Poland The First Partition of Poland took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that eventually ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. The growth of power in the Russian Empire threatened the Kingdom of Prussia an ...
, Rzeszów became part of the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...
, to which it belonged for 146 years. In the late 18th century, Rzeszów had 3,000 inhabitants. By the mid-19th century, the population grew to around 7,500, with 40% of them Jewish. In 1858, the
Galician Railway of Archduke Charles Louis The Imperial and Royal privileged Galician Railway of Archduke Charles Louis (, ) was a privately owned railway company in the Austro-Hungarian province of Galicia operating during the time of the partitions of Poland in the second half of the 1 ...
reached Rzeszów, which resulted in further development of the town. In 1888 the first telephone lines were opened, in 1900 – gas street lamps, and in 1911 – a power plant and water system. The population grew to 23,000, with half of the inhabitants being Jews. A number of modern buildings were constructed, most of them in
Secession Secession is the formal withdrawal of a group from a Polity, political entity. The process begins once a group proclaims an act of secession (such as a declaration of independence). A secession attempt might be violent or peaceful, but the goal i ...
style. During
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, several battles took place near the town. Rzeszów was home to a large garrison of the
Austro-Hungarian Army The Austro-Hungarian Army, also known as the Imperial and Royal Army,; was the principal ground force of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918. It consisted of three organisations: the Common Army (, recruited from all parts of Austria-Hungary), ...
, and in the city of
Przemyśl Przemyśl () is a city in southeastern Poland with 56,466 inhabitants, as of December 2023. Data for territorial unit 1862000. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Subcarpathian Voivodeship. It was previously the capital of Prz ...
, located nearby, there was a major fortress. During the
Battle of Galicia The Battle of Galicia, also known as the Great Battle of Galicia, was a major battle between Russia and Austria-Hungary during the early stages of World War I in 1914. In the course of the battle, the Austro-Hungarian armies were severely def ...
in the late summer of 1914, Russian troops moved towards Rzeszów, and on 21 September, they captured it. The first Russian occupation lasted only 16 days, ending after an attack by the Austrians, on 4 October. Under Russian pressure, the Austrians were unable to keep the town, and on 7 November, the Russians again appeared in Rzeszów. In the late fall of 1914, the front line was established between Tarnów and
Gorlice Gorlice () is a town and an urban municipality ("gmina") in south-eastern Poland with around 29,500 inhabitants (2008). It is situated south east of Kraków and south of Tarnów between Jasło and Nowy Sącz in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (sinc ...
, and Rzeszów became an important center of the
Imperial Russian Army The Imperial Russian Army () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...
, with large magazines of food and ammunition located there. The Russian occupation lasted until May 1915. After the Russians were pushed out of Galicia, Rzeszów remained outside the area of military activity. The Austrian administration returned, but wartime reality and damage to the town had a negative effect on the population, and the quality of life deteriorated.


Interwar period

On 12 October 1918, Rzeszów's mayor, together with the town council, sent a message to
Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
, announcing loyalty to the independent
Second Polish Republic The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 7 October 1918 and 6 October 1939. The state was established in the final stage of World War I ...
. On November 1, after clashes with German and Austrian troops, Rzeszów was liberated, and the next day, mayor Roman Krogulski took a pledge of allegiance to the reborn Polish state. During World War I some 200 residents of Rzeszów died, rail infrastructure was destroyed, as well as approximately 60 houses. In 1920, Rzeszów became capital of a county in the
Lwów Voivodeship Lwów Voivodeship () was an administrative unit of interwar Poland (1918–1939). Because of the Nazi invasion of Poland in accordance with the secret Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, it became occupied by both the Wehrmacht and the Red Army in Septem ...
. The town grew, and the creation of the Central Industrial Region had an enormous impact on Rzeszów. It became a major center of the defense industry, with
PZL PZL, may refer to: Places * PZL, an IATA airport code for Phinda Airfield in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa * PZL, a location code for the Złotów County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, in the system of the vehicle registration plates of Polan ...
Rzeszów opening there in 1937. It was also home to a large garrison of the Polish Army, with the 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade stationed there. In 1939, Rzeszów had 40,000 inhabitants, but its dynamic growth was stopped by the
Invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Second Polish Republic, Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak R ...
and outbreak of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


Second World War

On 6–8 September 1939, Rzeszów was bombed by the
Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
. The town was defended by the 10th Cavalry Brigade and 24th Uhlan Regiment from
Kraśnik Kraśnik is a town in southeastern Poland with 35,602 inhabitants (2012), situated in the Lublin Voivodeship, historic Lesser Poland. It is the seat of Kraśnik County. The town of Kraśnik as it is known today was created in 1975, after the mer ...
. The German attack began on 8 September in the afternoon, and the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
entered Rzeszów the next morning. The ''
Einsatzgruppe I (, ; also 'task forces') were (SS) paramilitary death squads of Nazi Germany that were responsible for mass murder, primarily by shooting, during World War II (1939–1945) in German-occupied Europe. The had an integral role in the impl ...
'' entered the city to commit crimes against the population, and its members co-formed the local German police. Under German occupation, Rzeszów, renamed into ''Reichshof'', became part of the
General Government The General Government (, ; ; ), formally the General Governorate for the Occupied Polish Region (), was a German zone of occupation established after the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany, Slovak Republic (1939–1945), Slovakia and the Soviet ...
. The occupiers established a Nazi prison, in which they imprisoned over 1,100 Poles, especially the
intelligentsia The intelligentsia is a status class composed of the university-educated people of a society who engage in the complex mental labours by which they critique, shape, and lead in the politics, policies, and culture of their society; as such, the i ...
, arrested in the region between October 1939 and June 1940, during the ''
Intelligenzaktion The ''Intelligenzaktion'' (), or the Intelligentsia mass shootings, was a series of mass murders committed against the Polish people, Polish intelligentsia (teachers, priests, physicians, and other prominent members of Polish society) during the ...
''.Wardzyńska, p. 257 Some people were eventually released, some were deported to prisons in
Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
and
Tarnów Tarnów () is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It is a major rail junction, located on the strategic east– ...
, while many were executed at the prison yard. On 2 November 1939, the Germans carried out mass arrests of local priests and Bernardine friars, and afterwards, they also carried out executions of Polish intelligentsia at the local Bernardine monastery. Persecution of Polish intelligentsia was continued with the ''
AB-Aktion The ''AB-Aktion'' ( , ) was the second stage of the Nazi German campaign of violence in Poland early in World War II, taking place between March and September 1940. As with the previous ''Intelligenzaktion'', during the 1939 invasion of Poland, i ...
'', and on 27 June 1940, 104 Poles from the local prison were exterminated in the forest of Lubzina. In 1941, the Germans established a
ghetto A ghetto is a part of a city in which members of a minority group are concentrated, especially as a result of political, social, legal, religious, environmental or economic pressure. Ghettos are often known for being more impoverished than other ...
, whose Jewish inhabitants were later murdered in
Bełżec extermination camp Belzec (English: or , Polish: , approximately ) was a Nazi German extermination camp in occupied Poland. It was built by the SS for the purpose of implementing the secretive Operation Reinhard, the plan to murder all Polish Jews, a major ...
(for more information see ''The Holocaust'' below). During the war, Rzeszów was a main center of the
Polish Underground State The Polish Underground State (, also known as the Polish Secret State) was a single political and military entity formed by the union of resistance organizations in occupied Poland that were loyal to the Government of the Republic of Poland ...
, with the Rzeszów Inspectorate of the
Home Army The Home Army (, ; abbreviated AK) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) established in the ...
covering several counties. On 25 May, during Action Kosba, Home Army soldiers killed the
Gestapo The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...
henchmen Friederich Pottenbaum and Hans Flaschke on a Rzeszów street. In the summer of 1944, during
Operation Tempest file:Akcja_burza_1944.png, 210px, right Operation Tempest or Operation Burza (, sometimes referred to in English as "Operation Storm") was a series of uprisings conducted during World War II against occupying German forces by the Polish Home Arm ...
, units of the Home Army attacked German positions in the town, and on 2 August, Rzeszów was in the hands of the Home Army. Polish authorities loyal to the
Polish government-in-exile The Polish government-in-exile, officially known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in exile (), was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent Occupation ...
tried to negotiate with the Soviets, but without success. The
NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...
immediately opened a prison in the cellars of the Rzeszów Castle, sending there a number of Home Army soldiers. On the night of 7/9 October 1944, a Home Army unit under
Łukasz Ciepliński Łukasz Ciepliński (; 26 November 1913 – 1 March 1951) was a Polish soldier who fought in the Polish anti-Nazi and anti-communist resistance movements. He used various aliases: ''Pług'', ''Ostrowski'', ''Ludwik'', ''Grzmot'', and ''Bogdan' ...
attacked the castle, trying to release 400 inmates kept there. The attack failed, and Ciepliński was captured and subsequently executed in 1951.


The Holocaust

Before the outbreak of World War II, the Jews of Rzeszów numbered 14,000, more than one-third of the total population. The town was occupied by the German Army on 10 September 1939 and was renamed "Reichshof". German
persecution of the Jews The persecution of Jews has been a major event in Jewish history prompting shifting waves of refugees and the formation of diaspora communities. As early as 605 BC, Jews who lived in the Neo-Babylonian Empire were persecuted and deported. Antis ...
began almost immediately. By the end of 1939, there were 10
forced labour Forced labour, or unfree labour, is any work relation, especially in modern or early modern history, in which people are employed against their will with the threat of destitution, detention, or violence, including death or other forms of ...
camps in the Rzeszów region and many Jews became
slave labour Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
ers. Jews were forced to live in the
Gestapo The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...
-controlled
ghetto A ghetto is a part of a city in which members of a minority group are concentrated, especially as a result of political, social, legal, religious, environmental or economic pressure. Ghettos are often known for being more impoverished than other ...
. Many Jews managed to flee to Soviet-occupied eastern Poland. By June 1940, the number of Jews in Rzeszów had decreased to 11,800, of whom 7,800 were pre-war residents of the city; the rest were from the surrounding villages. As in all
Jewish ghettos in German-occupied Poland Ghettos were established by Nazi Germany in hundreds of locations across occupied Poland after the German invasion of Poland.Yitzhak Arad, ''Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka.'' Indiana University Press, Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1987.''Biuletyn G ...
, life in the ghetto was impossible and hundreds died of malnutrition and disease. During the war, some 20,000 Jews were murdered in the ghetto in Rzeszów. This number includes thousands who were sent to Rzeszów only to be deported or murdered soon after arrival. In the summer of 1942, hundreds were murdered in forests near Rzeszów. Hundreds more were sent to Belzec to be immediately gassed. Later in 1942, another round up sent nearly 1,500 children to their deaths and their parents to labor camps. In final " Aktions" in the fall of 1943, most Jewish slave labour was transported in
Holocaust trains Holocaust trains were railway transports run by the ''Deutsche Reichsbahn'' and other European railways under the control of Nazi Germany and its allies, for the purpose of forcible deportation of the Jews, as well as other victims of the Holo ...
to the newly reopened
Szebnie concentration camp Szebnie was a forced-labor camp established during World War II by Nazi Germany in the General Government in the south-eastern part of occupied Poland. It was located near the town of Szebnie approximately east of Jasło and south-west of Rzes ...
. A month later, on 5 November 1943, some 2,800 Jews were deported to
Auschwitz Auschwitz, or Oświęcim, was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It consisted of Auschw ...
and murdered. Most of those who had been sent to labor camps were eventually murdered there or in an extermination camp. Of Rzeszów's 14,000 Jews, only 100 survived the war, whether in Rzeszów itself, hiding all over Poland, or in various camps. The secret Polish Council to Aid Jews, "Żegota", established by the Polish resistance movement, operated in the region. Cases are also known of local Poles who were captured and either executed or sent to concentration camps for rescuing and aiding Jews. Poles who saved Jews in other places in the region were also temporarily imprisoned in the local castle or sentenced to death by the local German court. After the war, an additional 600 Rzeszów Jews returned from the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. Almost all of them subsequently left Rzeszów and Poland.


People's Republic and present times

After rumors of the murder of a Christian girl in the city surfaced, on 1 June 1945, or after the mutilated body of 9-year-old Bronisława Mendoń was found in the basement of a tenement building largely inhabited by Holocaust survivors on 11 June 1945, the Polish Communist Citizens' Militia arrested all of Rzeszów's remaining Jews, or the Jewish inhabitants of the area and some Jews transiting through the railway station, and led them through the city amidst an angry crowd, while at the same time looting the homes of the arrested Jews. All of the arrested people were released the same day, but the main suspect, who was linked to the crime through a sheet of paper from Mendoń's notebook and bloodstains in his flat, was arrested on June 14 and held until September. As a result, more than 200 Jews fled Rzeszów, so that a restoration of Jewish life in the city after 1945 failed to materialize. On 7 July 1945, Rzeszów became capital of the newly created Rzeszów Voivodeship, which consisted of western counties of prewar Lwów Voivodeship, and several counties of prewar Kraków Voivodeship. This decision had a major impact on the city, as it quickly grew. New offices of the regional government were built, and in 1951, several neighbouring villages were included within the city limits of Rzeszów, and the area of the city grew to 39 km2. Before the
Polish People's Republic The Polish People's Republic (1952–1989), formerly the Republic of Poland (1947–1952), and also often simply known as Poland, was a country in Central Europe that existed as the predecessor of the modern-day democratic Republic of Poland. ...
deported
ethnic Ukrainians Ukrainians (, ) are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. Their native tongue is Ukrainian, and the majority adhere to Eastern Orthodoxy, forming the second largest ethno-linguistic community. At around 46 million worldwide, Ukr ...
to the western "
Recovered Territories The Recovered Territories or Regained Lands () are the lands east of the Oder–Neisse line, Oder-Neisse line that over the centuries were gradually lost by Poland and colonized by the Germans, and that returned to Poland after World War II. T ...
" in Operation Vistula, the city was a major base of support for the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists during the Anti-communist resistance in Poland (1944–1953), Polish anti-communist resistance. In 1971 and 1977, further villages were included within the city limits. In early 1981, Rzeszów was a main center of Rural Solidarity#Creation of the organization, farmer protests, who occupied local offices for fifty days, which resulted in the signing of the Rural Solidarity#Rzeszów-Ustrzyki Agreement, Rzeszów – Ustrzyki Agreement, and the creation of Rural Solidarity. On 1 January 1999, the city became the capital of Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Its population grew to 170,000, and area to 91,43 km2. In 2004, Rzeszów hosted the Central European Olympiad in Informatics (CEOI). In 2017–2021, Rzeszów's city limits were greatly expanded by including the villages of Bzianka, Rzeszów County, Bzianka, Miłocin, Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Miłocin and Pogwizdów Nowy. The area of Rzeszów increased to over 120 square kilometres and more than 188,000 inhabitants. In 2022 following the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian invasion of Ukraine, Rzeszów became a "main artery" and hub for resupply of military material being transshipped to Ukraine from a number of countries of the Western alliance, including Sweden, Turkey, Germany, the U.S., and the Czech Republic. In June 2022, Rzeszów formed a partnership agreement with Chernihiv, Chernihiv, Ukraine to become sister cities.


Papal visit

In 1991 Pope John Paul II visited Rzeszów. During the celebrations in which nearly 1,000,000 people participated, the pope beatified Bishop Józef Sebastian Pelczar, former bishop of
Przemyśl Przemyśl () is a city in southeastern Poland with 56,466 inhabitants, as of December 2023. Data for territorial unit 1862000. In 1999, it became part of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Subcarpathian Voivodeship. It was previously the capital of Prz ...
. On 25 March 1992 Pope John Paul II established the new Diocese of Rzeszów. The city of Rzeszów became the administrative center of the new Diocese and the Church of the Sacred Heart became the new city cathedral.


Demographics


Geography


Climate

Rzeszów lies in the Temperateness, north temperate zone and has a continental climate with four distinct seasons. It is characterised by a significant variation between hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Average temperatures in summer range from and in winter from . The average annual temperature is . In summer temperatures often exceed , and sometimes even . In winter the temperature drops to at night and about at day. During very cold nights the temperature drops to . With Rzeszów being near the Carpathian Mountains, there is sometimes a halnyA note attempting to provide the English comprehension of ''halny'', which lacks a one-word translation: ''Halny'' is a singular masculine noun in Polish (plural: ''halne'') when denoting the wind. Wind is of masculine gender in Polish: ''wiatr''. The terms ''halny'' and ''wiatr halny'' are synonymous. ''Halny'' is also a general masculine adjective derived from the feminine noun ''hala'', a grassy meadow typical of the higher elevations of the Carpathian Mountains and the Alps. The feminine singular adjective is ''halna'', while the neuter singular and the plural for all three genders of the adjective is ''halne''. – a foehn wind, föhn wind, when the temperature can rise rapidly.


Main sights

* The Main Square *Rzeszów Town Hall, built in 1591, later remodelled in Neogothic and Renaissance Revival architecture, Renaissance Revival styles * Saint Adalbert and Saint Stanislaus Church, built in 15th century in Gothic style * Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Bernardine monastery), built in 17th century in Baroque style * Regional Museum, located in the former 17th century Piarists monastery * Old Town (17th century) and New Town (18th century, restored 1954–63) Synagogues * Rzeszów Castle, rebuilt in 17th century * Lubomirski Summer Palace, rebuilt in 18th century in Rococo style * Wanda Siemaszkowa Theatre - former Sokol houses, built 1890-1900 * PKO Bank Building, built 1906–07 in Renaissance Revival architecture, Renaissance Revival style * Socialist realist buildings of the Rzeszów Court of Appeals (former regional headquarters of the Polish United Workers' Party) and of the Music Institute * Modernist building of the Subcarpathian Philharmonic * Monument to The Revolutionary Action, erected in 1974 * Olszynki Park - high skyscraper * ''Podziemia'', Tunnels File:Ratusz-POL, Rzeszów.jpg, City Hall File:Rzeszów, zamek, 1600, 1903-1906 danz 009.jpg, Rzeszów Castle File:Rzeszów - Letni Pałac Lubomirskich.jpg, Lubomirski Summer Palace File:Rzeszów, kościół farny p.w. śś. Stanisława i Wojciecha, 1434, 1623, 1754 danz 004.jpg, Saint Adalbert and Saint Stanislaus Church File:Zielono mi, czyli eko Rzeszów....JPG, Basilica of the Assumption File:4 Rzeszów, zespół klasztorny pijarów, 1642-1646, 1703-1707.JPG, Regional Museum in Rzeszów File:SynagogaNowomiejska-POL, Rzeszów.jpg, New Town Synagogue File:Rzeszów, gmach PKO, 1906 danz.jpg, PKO Bank Building File:Rzeszów, Sąd Apelacyjny.jpg, Rzeszów Court of Appeals File:Rzeszów - Filharmonia Podkarpacka.jpg, Subcarpathian Philharmonic File:Rzeszów Pomnik Czynu Rewolucyjnego.jpg, Revolution Monument File:Kościół Świętej Trójcy w Rzeszowie (front).jpg, Greek Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity File:Kościół parafialny Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa w Rzeszowie4.jpg, Rzeszów Cathedral File:Olszynki Park - Rzeszow.jpg, Olszynki Park skyscraper


Demographics

According to Główny Urząd Statystyczny, GUS data, as of 30 June 2020, Rzeszów had 196 821 inhabitants. In contrast to other cities close to the size of Rzeszów in
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, the population is growing. Rzeszów is the 17th largest Polish city in terms of population and the 20th largest city in terms of area.


Culture


Theatres

* Wanda Siemaszkowa Theatre (est. 1944) * Maska Theatre * Rzeszów Dance Theatre


Museums

* Ethnographic Museum * Museum of the City of Rzeszów * Diocesan Museum * Rzeszów Castle


Art galleries

* "Szajna" gallery * "Pod Ratuszem" gallery * "z Podwórza" gallery * OPe Photo Gallery


Libraries

* Provincial and City Public Library in Rzeszów * Rzeszów University Library * Rzeszów University of Technology Library


Other

* Podpromie Hall * Artur Malawski Philharmonic Hall


Sports


Economy and infrastructure


Industry

*Asseco Poland SA (earlier Comp Rzeszów S.A.) – the largest computer software company in Poland *Eastern IT Cluster grouping several IT companies is headquartered in Rzeszów *FIBRAIN – manufacturer in the field of Information and communications technology, ICT systems *G2A, G2A.COM Limited - a global digital marketplace which specializes in gaming products *Goodrich Corporation opened a manufacturing facility near Rzeszów in November 2010 *Novartis International AG (NYSE:NVS) Rzeszów – Gerber Products Company Food industry, food production facilities *Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE:SNY) *United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX) Pratt & Whitney division (acquired WSK-PZL Rzeszów) – Aerospace engineering including one of the world's two F-16 engine manufacturers *Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE:VRX) Rzeszów (formerly ICN Polfa Rzeszów) * – household equipment At Widełka substation, situated approximately north-northeast of Rzeszów, the Rzeszów–Khmelnytskyi powerline, the only 750 kV powerline in Poland, ends.


Media


Radio

* Radio Rzeszów * Radio Eska Rzeszów * Akademickie Radio Centrum * Katolickie Radio Via * Radio RES


Press

* Gazeta Codzienna NOWINY * Super Nowości * Nasz Dom * Gazeta Wyborcza Rzeszów


Television

*Telewizja Polska, Polish Television (TVP) branch in Rzeszów * Rzeszów municipal television


Internet

* Rzeszow-Info.pl


Transport


Transit

Rzeszów is located on the main European route E40, West-East European E40 Highway, which goes from Calais in France via Belgium, across Germany,
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, Ukraine and onto Russia and Kazakhstan. Within
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
the European route E40, E40 follows the A4 autostrada (Poland), A4 Highway, passing through Wrocław, Katowice,
Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
and Korczowa. The Expressway S19 (Poland), S19 Expressway connects Rzeszów with Belarus and Slovakia as part of planned Via Carpathia route from the Baltic to the Black Sea. In recent years, communication has been improved by a modernization of the roads within the city. Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System, SCATS traffic system has been implemented. The A4 highway and S19 expressway act as bypass of the city, running through the northern and eastern districts of Rzeszów.


Airport

Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport (Port Lotniczy Rzeszów-Jasionka) is located in the village of Jasionka north of the city. As of June 2015 scheduled passenger services are offered by Ryanair, LOT Polish Airlines, and Lufthansa. This is supplemented seasonally by tourist charter flights to typical summer leisure destinations.


Buses

The city operates 49 bus lines including night and airport buses. Rzeszów is also a gateway to the Bieszczady Mountains, Bieszczady mountains, with many buses heading for Sanok.


Railways

Rzeszów is an important rail hub is on the main west–east rail route; . This runs from Silesia and
Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, Transport in Kraków#Kraków Central station, Kraków Main station ''(Kraków Główny)'' – Medyka on the Polish eastern border. This line then continues on to Ukraine. Its Rzeszów Main Station, main railway station was established in the 19th century and apart from it, there are five additional stations in the city: ''Rzeszów Staroniwa'', ''Rzeszów Zwięczyca'', ''Rzeszów Osiedle'', ''Rzeszów Załęże'' and ''Rzeszów Zachodni'' (freight only). There are also two non-electrified lines stemming from Rzeszów – to Jasło and to Tarnobrzeg.


Education

Universities: *Rzeszów University (established in 2001 from a number of smaller schools) *Rzeszów University of Technology (formed from The Higher Engineering School in 1974) * Rzeszów University of Technology University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów (established in 1996) ** Branches in Dębica, Krosno and Nisko * Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania * WSPiA Rzeszów School of Higher Education (established in 1995) Notable high schools: *Konarski Secondary School in Rzeszów, Konarski's Number 1 High School in Rzeszów *John Paul II High School


International relations


Consulates

There are honorary consulates of the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary and
Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
in Rzeszów.


Twin towns – sister cities

Rzeszów is Sister city, twinned with: * Bielefeld, Germany * Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, United States * Chernihiv, Ukraine * Fangchenggang, China * Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville, United States * Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine * Klagenfurt, Austria * Košice, Slovakia * Lamia (city), Lamia, Greece * Lutsk, Ukraine * Lviv, Ukraine * Nyíregyháza, Hungary * Rushmoor, England, United Kingdom * Satu Mare, Romania * Split, Croatia, Split, Croatia * Truskavets, Ukraine


Notable people

*Maurycy Allerhand (1868–1942), lawyer *Jan Wojciech Balicki (1869–1948), Roman Catholic priest *Aleksander Bobko (born 1952), politician *Stan Borys (born 1941), singer *Amalia Carneri (1875–1942), opera singer *Aleksander Cichoń (born 1958), wrestler *Łukasz Ciepliński, Lukasz Cieplinski (1913–1951), anti-Nazi and anti-Soviet resistance hero *Jan Domarski (born 1946), footballer *Tadeusz Ferenc (1940-2022), politician *Wanda Gołkowska (1925–2013), artist *Jerzy Grotowski (1933–1999), theatre director and theorist *Hermann Horner (1892–1942), Austrian-Hungarian operatic bass-baritone *Rafał Jonkisz (born 1997), male model *Juliusz Kaden-Bandrowski (1885–1944), journalist and novelist *Dawid Kostecki (1981–2019), boxer *Paweł Kowal (born 1975), politician *Dawid Lampart (born 1990), motorcycle speedway rider *Joanna Lech (born 1984), poet *Saul Lowenstam (1717–1790), Dutch rabbi and talmudist. *Hieronim Augustyn Lubomirski (1648–1706), nobleman and military commander *Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski (1642–1702), nobleman and politician *Łukasz Łuczaj (born 1972), botanist *Łukasz Różański (born 1986), professional boxer *Anja Rubik (born 1983), supermodel and philanthropist *Władysław Sikorski (1881–1943), military and political leader, statesman *Mieczysław Boruta-Spiechowicz (1894–1985), military officer *Tomasz Stańko (1942–2018), jazz musician and composer *Justyna Steczkowska (born 1972), singer and songwriter *Józef Szajna (1922–2008), set designer and painter *Rich Szaro (1948–2015), Polish-born American football player *Andrzej Szlachta (born 1947), politician *Łukasz Trałka (born 1984), football pundit, commentator and former player *Stanisław Wisłocki (1921–1998), conductor *Konrad Wysocki (born 1982), Polish-German basketball player *Józef Zając (1891–1963), general and pilot *Oscar Zehngut (born 1874), violinist *Fred Zinnemann (1907–1997), film director


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * * Moshe Yaari-Wald (ed.), Sefer Zikkaron li-Kehillat Risha (Heb., some Yid. and Eng., 1967).


External links

* *
Gallery

Rzeszów City DepartmentWelcome to Rzeszów!Best infoblog in Rzeszów
* {{Authority control Rzeszów, City counties of Poland Cities and towns in Subcarpathian Voivodeship Rzeszów County, * Populated riverside places in Poland Holocaust locations in Poland