Stargard Szczeciński

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Stargard Szczeciński

Flag
Coat of arms
Motto: Stargard - Klejnot Pomorza
Stargard - Jewel of Pomerania
Stargard Szczeciński is located in Poland
Stargard Szczeciński
Coordinates: 53°20′N 15°2′E / 53.333°N 15.033°E / 53.333; 15.033
Country  Poland
Voivodeship West Pomeranian
County Stargard
Gmina Stargard Szczeciński (urban gmina)
Established 12th century
Town rights 1243
Government
 • Mayor Sławomir Pajor
Area
 • Total 48.1 km2 (18.6 sq mi)
Elevation 20 m (70 ft)
Population (2006)
 • Total 70,534
 • Density Bad rounding here1,500/km2 (Bad rounding here3,800/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 73-110
Area code(s) +48 91
Car plates ZST
Website http://www.stargard.pl

Stargard Szczeciński [ˈstarɡart ʂt͡ʂɛˈt͡ɕiɲskʲi] ( listen) (German: Stargard in Pommern; Kashubian: Stôrgard) is a city in northwestern Poland, with a population of 71,017 (2005). Situated on the Ina River it is the capital of Stargard County and since 1999 has been in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship; prior to that it was in the Szczecin Voivodeship (1975–1998). Stargard is a major railroad junction, where the southwards connection from Szczecin splits into two directions - one towards Poznań and the other towards Gdańsk. There is also another minor line to Pyrzyce from the town.

Contents

History [edit]

Stargard, which was first mentioned in around 1140, received Magdeburg city rights in 1243 from Barnim I, Duke of Pomerania.

In 1363 the city joined the Hanseatic League and was then strongly fortified. During the 15th century the Pomeranian dukes chose it as their residence.

During the Thirty Years' War the city burnt down and in the 1648 Peace of Westphalia it was incorporated, together with the rest of Further Pomerania, into Brandenburg-Prussia. In 1701 Stargard became part of the Kingdom of Prussia and in 1818, after the Napoleonic Wars, Stargard became part of the new district Saatzig within the Province of Pomerania.

As a result of the unification of Germany in 1871 the city became part of the German Empire. On 1 April 1901 it became an independent city, separate from the Saatzig District.

During World War II the large prisoner-of-war camp Stalag II-D was located near Stargard. There were Kashubians and later thousands of Canadians captured at Dieppe imprisoned there, one of whom was Gerald MacIntosh Johnston, a Canadian actor, who was killed trying to escape.

In 1945 the city was placed under Polish administration, according to the postwar Potsdam Agreement, and since then has remained part of Poland. The German population was expelled and replaced by Poles, mainly from the eastern Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union.

In 2004 a north-western part of the town was made into an industrial park - Stargardzki Park Przemysłowy.

Landmarks and monuments [edit]

According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, "heavy bombing during World War II devastated many of its fine historical sites and destroyed 75 percent of the city; St. Mary’s Church (13th–15th century) and the 16th-century town hall have been rebuilt".[1] The newly restored buildings are on the European Route of Brick Gothic.

  • St. Mary's Church (15th century) - one of the biggest brick churches in Europe;
  • St. John's Church (15th century) with high tower (99 m);
  • mediaeval fortifications - ramparts, walls, gates (Brama Młyńska "The Mill Gate" from 15th century) and towers (13th - 16th centuries) - i.e. Red Sea Tower (Polish: Baszta Morze Czerwone) from 1513;
  • renaissance townhall from 15th - 16th centuries;
  • gothic tenement-houses;
  • granary (16th century);
  • expiatory cross (1542);
  • column of victory (1945).

Until 1998 southeast of Stargard Szczeciński, there was a facility for mediumwave broadcasting at 15°7'E and 53°18'N used for foreign broadcasting on 1503 kHz with 300 kW. The two antenna towers of the facility are meanwhile dismantled.

Sport [edit]

Demographics [edit]

Before World War II the population of Stargard in Pommern was predominantly composed of Protestants.

Brama Młyńska one of two water gates in Europe.
Number of inhabitants in years
Year Inhabitants Notes
1618 12,000
1640 1,200
1688 3,600
1720 400
1740 5,529[2]
1782 5,612 incl. 201 Jews[2]
1786 6,243
1794 5,971 incl. 204 Jews[2]
1812 8,900 incl. 199 Catholics and 180 Jews.[2]
1816 8,042 incl. 149 Catholics und 172 Jews.[2]
1831 9,907 incl. 104 Catholics and 229 Jews.[2]
1843 11,192 incl. 231 Catholics and 260 Jews.[2]
1852 12,473 incl. 276 Catholics, 378 Jews and two Mennonites.[2]
1861 14,168 incl. 267 Catholics, 436 Jews and seven German Catholics.[2]
1905 26,907 together with the military, incl. 1,387 Catholics und 410 Jews.[3]
1913 28,000
1929 34,600
1933 35,773[4]
1939 39,760
1945 2,870 after expulsion of Germans and war losses
1950 20,684
1960 33,650
1970 44,460
1980 59,227
1990 71,000
1995 72,254

Notable residents [edit]

St. Mary's Church with marketplace

International relations [edit]

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Twin towns — sister cities [edit]

Stargard Szczeciński is twinned with:

References [edit]

Literature
Notes
  1. ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/563628/Stargard-Szczecinski
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kratz (1865), p. 370
  3. ^ Meyers Konversations-Lexikon. 6th edition, vol. 18, Leipzig and Vienna 1909, p. 857.
  4. ^ Der Große Brockhaus. 15th edition, vol. 18, Leipzig 1934, p. 67.

External links (in Polish) [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Stargard Szczeciński

Coordinates: 53°20′N 15°03′E / 53.333°N 15.050°E / 53.333; 15.050
Seat: Stargard Szczeciński (urban gmina)
Urban-rural gminas
Coat of arms of Stargard County
Rural gminas
Seat (not part of the gmina)
  • Stargard Szczeciński
Coat of arms
Villages
Members of the Hanseatic League by Quarter
Wendish
Lübeck
Principle trading routes of the Hanseatic League
Saxon
Baltic
Westphalian
Kontore
Principal
Subsidiary
Other cities
  • 1 Cologne and Dortmund were both capital of the Westphalian Quarter at different times.
  • 2 Antwerp gained importance once Bruges became inaccessible due to the silting of the Zwin channel.

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