Zwoleń
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Zwoleń ( ''Zvolin'') is a town in eastern
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 ...
, in
Masovian Voivodeship Masovian Voivodeship or Mazowieckie Province (, ) and any variation thereof, is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship (province) in east-central Poland, containing Poland's capital Warsaw. Masovian Voivodeship has an area of and had a 2019 po ...
, about east of
Radom Radom is a city in east-central Poland, located approximately south of the capital, Warsaw. It is situated on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship. Radom is the fifteenth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in its province w ...
. It is the capital of
Zwoleń County __NOTOC__ Zwoleń County () is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Masovian Voivodeship, east-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998 ...
. Population is 8,048 (2009). Zwoleń belongs to
Sandomierz Sandomierz (pronounced: ; , ) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (), situated on the Vistula River near its confluence with the San, in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy ...
Land of the historic province of
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 ...
, and is located on the Zwoleńka river.


History

The history of the town dates back to the early 15th century, when Zwoleń was founded on a privilege issued by King
Władysław II Jagiełło Jogaila (; 1 June 1434), later Władysław II Jagiełło (),Other names include (; ) (see also Names and titles of Władysław II Jagiełło) was Grand Duke of Lithuania beginning in 1377 and starting in 1386, becoming King of Poland as well. ...
. The first
wójt A wójt is the highest administrative officer of a Polish ''rural gmina'', i.e., of a commune (''gmina'') comprising only villages. (The head of a town or city is called, respectively, the ''burmistrz'' or "president".) History and etymology T ...
was Jan Cielątko. Zwoleń was a royal town of Poland, administratively located in the Radom County in the
Sandomierz Voivodeship Sandomierz Voivodeship (, ) was a unit of administration and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of the Lesser Poland region and the Lesser Poland Province. Originally Sandomier ...
in the
Lesser Poland Province of the Polish Crown Lesser Poland Province (, ) was an administrative division of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland from 1569 until 1795. It was the largest province of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, with Kraków as its capital. The province's name derives fro ...
. In the 16th century, it already was a center of local trade, located along the road from
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 ...
to
Radom Radom is a city in east-central Poland, located approximately south of the capital, Warsaw. It is situated on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship. Radom is the fifteenth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in its province w ...
and
Greater Poland Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; ), is a Polish Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest city in Poland. The bound ...
. In 1566–1575, Polish
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
poet and writer
Jan Kochanowski Jan Kochanowski (; 1530 – 22 August 1584) was a Polish Renaissance poet who wrote in Latin and Polish and established poetic patterns that would become integral to Polish literary language. He has been called the greatest Polish poet before ...
worked at a local Roman Catholic parish. Kochanowski, who died in
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 ...
, was buried in the local Holy Cross church. During the Swedish invasion known as the
Deluge A deluge is a large downpour of rain, often a flood. The Deluge refers to the flood narrative in the biblical book of Genesis. Deluge or Le Déluge may also refer to: History *Deluge (history), the Swedish and Russian invasion of the Polish-L ...
(1655-1660), Zwoleń was destroyed to such a degree that it never recovered its regional significance. In late 18th century, during
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 ...
, Zwoleń 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 ...
. Between 1807 and 1815, it was part of the French-controlled Polish
Duchy of Warsaw The Duchy of Warsaw (; ; ), also known as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and Napoleonic Poland, was a First French Empire, French client state established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars. It initially comprised the ethnical ...
, established by
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
. In 1815 it became part of
Congress Poland Congress Poland or Congress Kingdom of Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna as a semi-autonomous Polish state, a successor to Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. It was established w ...
, a protectorate of the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
. After the
January Uprising The January Uprising was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at putting an end to Russian occupation of part of Poland and regaining independence. It began on 22 January 1863 and continued until the last i ...
, in 1869, Russian authorities deprived Zwoleń of its town rights, as a punishment for residents' support of the insurgents. The village of Zwoleń stagnated for years, and did not regain its town rights until 1925, after Poland regained sovereignty in 1918. In 1921 Zwoleń had 8,544 residents, of which 3,787 were
Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
.


World War II

The Nazi German
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 ...
in 1939 was a disastrous period for the town. Almost 80% of buildings were destroyed in air attacks and artillery bombardments. Houses around the market square and the local synagogue were burned. German occupiers carried out numerous mass executions of underground resistance fighters (from
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 ...
to Bataliony Chłopskie). At the beginning of 1941, the Nazi German administration 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 ...
in the southern part of Zwoleń for local Jews as well as all transports from neighbouring villages. In March 1941, Jews from Przytyk were transferred to Zwoleń (fact disputed by some scholars claiming that by then Jews of Przytyk were already removed). On December 22, 1941 the ''Jüdischer Wohnbezirk'' was formally registered. By April 1942, the unfenced, open ghetto had some 4,500 inhabitants living in 239 houses (7 per room on average). Hundreds were homeless. On August 19–20, 1942 approximately 5,000 Jews were shipped in from Gniewoszów ghetto nearby. The Germans also brought to the ghetto Jews from other locations ( Janowice,
Pionki Pionki is a town in Radom County, Masovian Voivodeship, central Poland with 18,846 inhabitants (2016). Surrounded by the ''Kozienice'' Wilderness, Pionki is located in northern part of historic province of Lesser Poland, from Radom, and from Wa ...
, Jedlnia, Garbatka), further increasing their numbers. It is estimated that prior to mass deportations there were 6,500–10,000 Jews living there (top estimate by historian Adam Rutkowski has also been disputed). The Zwoleń ghetto was liquidated on 29 September 1942. All inmates (about 8,000 according to Daniel Blatman) were made to walk to the railway station in Garbatka. A few hundred prisoners unable to walk were shot along the way. From there, all Jews were transported in freight trains to
Treblinka extermination camp Treblinka () was the second-deadliest extermination camp to be built and operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland during World War II. It was in a forest north-east of Warsaw, south of the village of Treblinka in what is now the Mas ...
where they were immediately gassed. Around 70 Jewish
Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
survivors returned to Zwoleń after the war but soon moved on because of the hostility in post-war Poland. On April 7 and 19, 1944, the Germans carried out mass public executions of Poles. Nevertheless, the Polish resistance movement was active in the town.


Postwar development

In 1954, a new Zwoleń County of Kielce Voivodeship was created, which was a great boost to the town economy. Factories and new schools were opened including a meat plant and a branch of Radom's Łucznik Arms Factory. In 1975, after administrative reform of the communist Poland, all counties were abolished and Zwoleń became part of Radom Voivodeship. It regained its county capital status in 1999.


Transport

The town is located in southeastern corner of Mazovian Voivodeship, at the crossroads of two national roads: the 79th (
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 ...
-
Sandomierz Sandomierz (pronounced: ; , ) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (), situated on the Vistula River near its confluence with the San, in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy ...
-
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 ...
-
Bytom Bytom (Polish pronunciation: ; Silesian language, Silesian: ''Bytōm, Bytōń'', ) is a city in Upper Silesia, in southern Poland. Located in the Silesian Voivodeship, the city is 7 km northwest of Katowice, the regional capital. It is one ...
), and the 12th ( Łęknica -
Dorohusk Dorohusk (; ) is a village in Chełm County, Lublin Voivodeship, in southeastern Poland, at the border with Ukraine. It is the seat of Gmina Dorohusk (administrative district). It lies approximately east of Chełm and east of the regional capit ...
). Zwoleń does not have a rail station, but maintains bus connections with several towns and cities. The nearest airport is the Radom Airport, located about west of the town.


Culture

Every year in late June, the Pan Jan
Name Day In Christianity, a name day is a tradition in many countries of Europe and the Americas, as well as Christian communities elsewhere. It consists of celebrating a day of the year that is associated with one's baptismal name, which is normatively t ...
(''Imieniny Pana Jana'') Festival takes place there, in memory of
Jan Kochanowski Jan Kochanowski (; 1530 – 22 August 1584) was a Polish Renaissance poet who wrote in Latin and Polish and established poetic patterns that would become integral to Polish literary language. He has been called the greatest Polish poet before ...
. The poet himself is buried at the local Holy Cross Catholic Church.


Cuisine

Zwoleń County is one of the main areas of
strawberry The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown Hybrid (biology), hybrid plant cultivated worldwide for its fruit. The genus ''Fragaria'', the strawberries, is in the rose family, Rosaceae. The fruit ...
cultivation in Poland, which is one of the main strawberry producers in Europe. Zwoleń strawberries and ''konfitura truskawkowa'' (a type of traditional Polish strawberry jam) are officially protected
traditional food Traditional foods are foods and Dish (food), dishes that are passed on through generations or which have been consumed for many generations. Traditional foods and dishes are traditional in nature, and may have a historic precedent in a national ...
s of Zwoleń, as designated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland.


Sports

The town has a sports club Zwolenianka and other sports associations.


People

* Stanisław Chomętowski (1673–1728), military commander *
Jan Kochanowski Jan Kochanowski (; 1530 – 22 August 1584) was a Polish Renaissance poet who wrote in Latin and Polish and established poetic patterns that would become integral to Polish literary language. He has been called the greatest Polish poet before ...
(1530–1584), a Renaissance poet * Jan Karol Tarło (c. 1593–1645), nobleman * Stanisław Tarło (?–1601), nobleman


International relations


Twin towns — Sister cities

Zwoleń is twinned with: *
Zvolen Zvolen (; ; ) is a city in central Slovakia, situated on the confluence of Hron and Slatina rivers. It is famous for several historical and cultural attractions. It is surrounded by Poľana mountain from the East, by Kremnické vrchy from the ...
in
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 ...


References


External links


Official town webpage

Jewish Community in Zwoleń
on Virtual Shtetl {{Authority control Historic Jewish communities in Poland Cities and towns in Masovian Voivodeship Zwoleń County Holocaust locations in Poland