Świebodzice

Świebodzice
Coat of arms
Świebodzice
Coordinates: 50°52′N 16°20′E
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Lower Silesian
County	Świdnica
Gmina	Świebodzice (urban gmina)
Government
• Mayor	Bogdan Korzuchowicz
Area
• Total	30.45 km2 (11.8 sq mi)
Population (2006)
• Total	23,126
• Density	759.5/km2 (1,967/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	58-160 do 58-163
Car plates	DSW
Website	http://www.swiebodzice.pl

Świebodzice [ɕfjɛbɔˈd​͡ʑit​͡sɛ] (German: Freiburg in Schlesien) is a town in south-western Poland with 23,126 inhabitants (as of 2006). It is situated in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship (from 1975–1998 it was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship).

The town is situated close to Książ Castle, which during World War II, together with the underground cave complex, was expanded to create private quarters for Adolf Hitler.

The region passed to Poland from Germany in 1945, as a result of decisions confirmed at the Potsdam Conference. For more information about the general history of the region, see Silesia.

Old fortifications from around 1279, the year the town was founded, still remain.

Notable residents

• Hartmut Kilger (born 1943), President of the German Lawyer's Association (2003–2009)
• Martin Kirschner (1842–1912), Mayor of Berlin
• Emil Krebs (1867–1930), scientist
• Wilhelm Niepelt (1862–1936), scientist
• Marcin Dabrowsky (born 1982), Founder and President of cUFOrt (Center for UFO Related Topics), Illinois state section director (Cook County) for MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) (2004-2008).

External links

• Jewish Community in Świebodzice on Virtual Shtetl