Malbork

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For the village of the same name, see Malbork, Kartuzy County.
Malbork
City of Malbork, as seen from Malbork Castle tower

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Coat of arms
Malbork is located in Poland
Malbork
Malbork
Coordinates: 54°2′N 19°2′E / 54.033°N 19.033°E / 54.033; 19.033
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Pomeranian
County Malbork County
Gmina Malbork (urban gmina)
Town rights 1286
Government
 - Mayor Andrzej Rychłowski
Area
 - Total 17.15 km2 (6.6 sq mi)
Highest elevation 30 m (98 ft)
Lowest elevation 6 m (20 ft)
Population (2006)
 - Total 38,478
 - Density 2,243.6/km2 (5,810.9/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 82-200 to 82-210
Area code(s) +48 055
Car plates GMB
Website http://www.malbork.pl

Malbork [ˈmalbɔrk] ( listen) (German: Marienburg in Westpreußen (Image:Ltspkr.png listen); Latin: Civitas Beatae Virginis) is a town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region, with 41,000 inhabitants (2001). Situated in the Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously assigned to Elbląg Voivodeship (1975-1998). It is the capital of Malbork County.

Founded in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights, the town is noted for the Gothic Marienburg Castle, one of the most striking in Europe.

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[edit] History of the castle

Main article: Malbork Castle
View across the river Nogat

The town was built in Prussia around the fortress Ordensburg Marienburg which was founded in 1274 on the east bank of the river Nogat by the Teutonic Knights. Both the castle and the town of Marienburg (rendered in Polish as Malborg or Malbork) were named for their patron saint, the Virgin Mary. This fortified castle became the seat of the Teutonic Order and Europe's largest Gothic fortress. During the Thirteen Years War, the castle of Marienburg was pawned by the Teutonic Order to their imperial soldiers from Bohemia. They sold the castle in 1457 to King Casimir IV of Poland in lieu of their pay. This separated the castle from the city in political terms, as the citizens resisted take-over by Poland[1], [2].

Under continuous construction for nearly 230 years, the castle complex is actually three castles nested in one another. A classic example of a medieval fortress, it is the world’s largest brick castle and one of the most impressive of its kind in Europe. The castle was in the process of being restored when World War II broke out. During the war, the castle was over 50% destroyed. Restoration has been ongoing since the war. However, the main cathedral in the castle, fully restored just prior to war and destroyed during the war, remains in its ruined state. The castle and its museum are listed as UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

[edit] History of the town

The town of Marienburg grew in the vicinity of the castle. The river Nogat and flat terrain allowed easy access for barges a hundred kilometers from the sea. During Prussia's government by the Teutonic Knights, they collected tolls on river traffic and imposed a monopoly of the amber trade. The town later became a member of the Hanseatic League, and many Hanseatic meetings were held there.

When during the Thirteen Years' War the castle was pawned to imperial Bohemian soldiers, they sold it to the king of Poland in 1457. The Teutonic Knights left the castle. The town of Marienburg under Mayor Bartholomäus Blume and others resisted the Poles for three further years. When the Poles finally took control, Blume was hanged and quartered, fourteen officer and three knights with retainers were thrown into dungeons, where they met with a miserable end.[1]. A monument to him was erected in 1864.[3]

The town became part of the Polish province Royal Prussia after the Second Peace of Thorn (1466).[4] It was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in the First Partition of Poland in 1772 and made part of the Province of West Prussia the following year. Marienburg became part of the German Empire in 1871.

Marienburg in West Prussia, map of 1896

According to the Treaty of Versailles after World War I the inhabitants were asked whether they want to remain in Germany or join the Second Polish Republic by the East Prussian plebiscite on July 11, 1920. In the town of Marienburg 9.641 votes were given to "East Prussia", 165 votes for Poland[5]. Based on that result Marienburg was included in the Regierungsbezirk Marienwerder within the German Province of East Prussia.

The town was hit by economic crisis following end of the WW1. After a brief recovery the Great depression was particularly severe in East Prussia. In 1933 the Nazi Party gained power in Germany and persecutions of Jews started (54% of voting for Nazi party in elections 1933 [6]). After the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 leaders of the Polish minority were arrested and sent to concentration camps.

In the end of World War II Marienburg was declared a Festung, most of the civilian population fled or was evacuated, except some 4000 people. In early 1945 the town was the scene of fierce battles and almost completely destroyed. The battle lasted until March 9, 1945[7] and following the military capture by the Red Army the remaining civilian population disappeared - 1840 persons were lost. In June 1945 the town was passed to Polish authorities that came to the town already in April.

After 178 corpses had been found in a massgrave in 1996 and another 123 in 2005[8], in October 2008 a grave of 2,505 Germans[9] who remained in the city was found[10][11], all of them were buried naked[12] and without metal dental fillings[13]. Between "several dozen"[10] and about 10 percent [14] were found to have been shot in the head. The identity of the people; women, children and men, and the exact cause of their death remains unknown although it is believed to be the work of the Soviet Red Army. When forensic scientist have completed their study, the bones will be reburied with dignity[15]. The Polish Institute of National Remembrance is currently investigating the evidence of the massacre.[16]

The town was populated with Poles; many themselves expellees from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union. In February 1946 population of the town reached 10.017 people.

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] Twin Towns

Malbork is twinned with:

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b W.J. Watt The History of Prussia, pg 184-191
  2. ^ Weber:Preussen in Ostmitteleuropa: Town of Marienburg resistence against Polish take-over
  3. ^ Weber:Preussen in Ostmitteleuropa: Geschehensgeschichte und Verstehensgeschichte, 2003
  4. ^ Stephen R. Turnbull, Peter Dennis, Crusader Castles of the Teutonic Knights, Osprey Publishing, 2003, p. 58, ISBN 1841765570, 9781841765570 Google Books
  5. ^ marienburg.de
  6. ^ "Deutsche Verwaltungsgeschichte Westpreußen, Kreis Marienburg". Verwaltungsgeschichte.de. http://www.verwaltungsgeschichte.de/marienburg_op.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-05. 
  7. ^ Berliner Zeitung 17 January 2009 "Das rätselhafte Massengrab"
  8. ^ Der Spiegel "Mystery Surrounds Mass Graves in Polish City"
  9. ^ German Wargrave Commission
  10. ^ a b NY Times Facing German Suffering, and Not Looking Away
  11. ^ Associated Press Poland: Workers find WWII mass grave of Germans http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090112/ap_on_re_eu/eu_poland_germany_wwii_remains
  12. ^ "Kim byli ci, których kości znaleziono w Malborku? - Gdańsk". Gdansk.naszemiasto.pl. http://gdansk.naszemiasto.pl/wydarzenia/945349.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-05. 
  13. ^ "Kroppar i massgrav i Polen antas vara tyska civila" (in (Swedish)). DN.se. 2009-01-17. http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=3561&a=874811. Retrieved on 2009-05-05. 
  14. ^ World War II Mass Grave Unearthed in Poland
  15. ^ Der Spiegel SPIEGEL ONLINE International: World War II Mass Grave Unearthed in Poland
  16. ^ IPN, PRZEGLĄD MEDIÓW – 6 stycznia 2009, [1] and PRZEGLĄD MEDIÓW – 15 stycznia 2009, [2]

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 54°02′N 19°03′E / 54.033°N 19.05°E / 54.033; 19.05

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Gminas of Malbork County
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Malbork (urban gmina)
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Gmina Malbork
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Malbork
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