Wolin (town)
| Wolin | |||
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 Wolin
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| Coordinates: 53°50′29″N 14°36′41″E / 53.84139°N 14.61139°E | |||
| Country |  Poland |
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| Voivodeship | West Pomeranian | ||
| County | Kamień | ||
| Gmina | Wolin | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 14.41 km2 (5.56 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| • Total | 4,878 | ||
| • Density | 340/km2 (880/sq mi) | ||
| Postal code | 72-510 | ||
| Website | http://www.wolin.pl | ||
Wolin [ˈvɔlin] (German: Wollin) is a town situated on the southern tip of the Wolin island off the Baltic coast of Poland. The island lies at the edge of the strait of Dziwna in Kamień Pomorski County in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
The town, now a fishing port and gateway to the island's bathing resorts, has a population of approximately 4,900. Dating from the 9th century, it has been associated with the semi-legendary settlements of Jomsburg, Jumne, Julin and Vineta.[1] It played an important role in the conversion of Pomerania and in 1140 became the first see of the Pomeranian diocese. Several ruins from the Slavic period occupy the area. The early medieval town fell victim to the late 12th century Danish raids, and was refounded during the Ostsiedlung in 1260. Since 1945, the town is part of Poland.
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[edit] History
The history of the town starts with the West Slavic settlement of the island in the 8th century.[2] The local tribe was recorded as "Velunzani" (Wolinians) in the 9th century by the Bavarian Geographer, and is considered a sub-tribe of both the Slavic Pomeranians and the Veleti (later Lutizians).[3] Compared to other tribes of these groups, the Wolinian tribal territory was relatively small, but densely settled: In the 11th century, there was one settlement per four square kilometers.[4] The Wolinians are described by Jan Maria Piskorski as the most powerful Pomeranian tribe.[3] This position resulted from the multi-ethnic emporium at the site of the present-day town.[4] Similar emporia were also set up elsewhere along the southern coastline of the Baltic Sea since the 8th century.
This emporium, by contemporary chronicles referred to as Jumne or Julin, began to prosper in the 9th century.[5] Archaeological research revealed seaside foritifications that have been dated back to the beginning 10th century, and also remnants of older fortifications, probably pointing to an earlier burgh with an adjacent open settlement.[6] In the 960s, the Jewish merchant Ibrahim ibn Jakub described the settlement as a town with several thousand inhabitants and twelve gates.[3] Besides the Wolinians, there were Scandinavian, Saxons and Rus'_(people).[4] Later, the town was mentioned in the chronicles of Adam of Bremen.[4] Adam mentioned a lighthouse, which he described as "the lamp of Vulcan".[4] All these descriptions contributed to the Vineta legend.[4] Though other towns are also considered possible locations of Vineta, it is believed today to be identical with Wollin.[7] The same is true for Jomsborg, a stronghold set up by Danish king Harald Bluetooth and Swedish prince Styrbjörn in the course of Harald's internal struggles with his son, Sweyn Forkbeard, in the 970s or 980s, which housed a garrison of soldiers known as Jomsvikings.[8]
In the late 10th century, the Polish dukes Mieszko I and Bolesław I Chrobry subdued parts of Pomerania and also fought the Wolinians.[4] Despite a victory of Mieszko in a 967 battle, the Polish dukes did not succeed to subdue the area.[4]
In 1121/22, the Polish duke Bolesław III Wrymouth conquered the area along with the Duchy of Pomerania under Wartislaw I.[9] Boleslaw aimed at Christianizing the area and in 1122 sent the Spanish eremite Bernard on a mission to Wolin.[9] The inhabitants, reluctant to convert to a religion of a man who did not even wear shoes, beat him up badly and expelled him.[9] With the approval of both Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor, and Pope Callixtus II, Boleslaw initiated another mission of Saint Otto of Bamberg in 1124.[10] When Otto, a respected and wealthy man acompagnied by German and Polish clergymen and military units, arrived in Wolin, he had already successfully converted the Pyritz and Cammin areas.[11] Yet, he was met with distrust, and the town's inhabitants finally gave in to convert to Christianity only if Otto managed to convert Stettin, which the Wolinians assumed was unachievable.[12] Yet, when Otto after two month work and threatening with another military intervention managed to convert Szczecin, he returned to Wolin and the Wolinians accepted conversion.[12]
Otto's second mission in 1128 was initiated by Holy Roman Emperor Lothair in 1128 after a pagan reaction.[13] While this second mission was oriented more towards Western Pomerania, Otto also visited Wollin again.[13] Wartislaw I, Duke of Pomerania supported and aided both missions.[14]. In 1140, Wolin was made the first episcopal see in Pomerania: Pope Innocent II founded the diocese by a papal bull of 14 October, and made Wolin's church of St. Adalbert its see.[15][16][17][18] However, the see was moved to Grobe Abbey on the island of Usedom after 1150.[19][20]
At the same time Wolin economically decayed and was devastated by Danish expeditions, which contributed to the move of the episkopal see to Grobe.[20] The Danish campaigns completely wiped out the town in the late 12th century.[21]
On the ruins of the early medieval town, a new town was founded and granted Lübeck Law during the Ostsiedlung in 1260.[22] The town remained in the Duchy of Pomerania (which was within the Holy Roman Empire since 1164/1181), passing with the Duchy of Pomerania-Stettin to the Swedish Crown following the Treaty of Stettin (1630), the Peace of Westphalia (1648) and the Treaty of Stettin (1653). Since the Treaty of Stockholm (Great Northern War) of 1720, it was incorporated into the Prussian Province of Pomerania. In 1945, with the conclusion of the Second World War, Wollin was conquered by the Red Army and handed over to Poland and the German population was expelled The town was renamed Wolin and resettled by Poles.
[edit] Gallery
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Dziwna strait (Dievenow) in Wolin
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Panorama
[edit] Twin towns
[edit] People from Wolin
- Johannes Bugenhagen (1485–1558), Protestant Reformer
- Ernst Georg Ferdinand Küster (1839–1930), surgeon
[edit] References
- ^ Johannes Hoops, Herbert Jankuhn, Heinrich Beck, Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde Band 16, 2nd edition, Walter de Gruyter, 2000, pp.120-121, ISBN 3110167824
- ^ Ole Harck, Christian Lübke, Zwischen Reric und Bornhöved: Die Beziehungen zwischen den Dänen und ihren slawischen Nachbarn vom 9. Bis ins 13. Jahrhundert: Beiträge einer internationalen Konferenz, Leipzig, 4-6 December 1997, Franz Steiner Verlag, 2001, p.15, ISBN 3515076719
- ^ a b c Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, p.30, ISBN 839061848
- ^ a b c d e f g h Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, p.31, ISBN 839061848
- ^ Ole Harck, Christian Lübke, Zwischen Reric und Bornhöved: Die Beziehungen zwischen den Dänen und ihren slawischen Nachbarn vom 9. Bis ins 13. Jahrhundert: Beiträge einer internationalen Konferenz, Leipzig, 4-6 December 1997, Franz Steiner Verlag, 2001, p.18, ISBN 3515076719
- ^ Ole Harck, Christian Lübke, Zwischen Reric und Bornhöved: Die Beziehungen zwischen den Dänen und ihren slawischen Nachbarn vom 9. Bis ins 13. Jahrhundert: Beiträge einer internationalen Konferenz, Leipzig, 4-6 December 1997, Franz Steiner Verlag, 2001, p.13, ISBN 3515076719
- ^ Heidger Brandt, Niels Lund, Haithabu und die grossen dänischen Ringburgen: Analysen und Antworten zu den offenen Fragen der Dänischen und Schleswig-holsteinischen Geschichte des 10. Jahrhunderts, Books on Demand, 2004, p.196, ISBN 383343144
- ^ Heidger Brandt, Niels Lund, Haithabu und die grossen dänischen Ringburgen: Analysen und Antworten zu den offenen Fragen der Dänischen und Schleswig-holsteinischen Geschichte des 10. Jahrhunderts, Books on Demand, 2004, pp.195,196, ISBN 383343144
- ^ a b c Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, p.36, ISBN 839061848
- ^ Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, 1999, pp.36-37, ISBN 839061848
- ^ Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, 1999, pp.37-38, ISBN 839061848
- ^ a b Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, 1999, p.39, ISBN 839061848
- ^ a b Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, 1999, p.40, ISBN 839061848
- ^ Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, 1999, pp.38,40, ISBN 839061848
- ^ PEK History (German) PEK History (Polish)
- ^ Norbert Buske, Pommern, Helms Schwerin 1997, p.14, ISBN 3-931185-07-9
- ^ Kyra T. Inachin, Die Geschichte Pommerns, Hinstorff Rostock, 2008, p.15, ISBN 978-3-356-01044-2
- ^ Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, 1999, p.47, ISBN 839061848
- ^ Norbert Buske, Pommern, Helms Schwerin 1997, p.14-15, ISBN 3-931185-07-9
- ^ a b Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, 1999, p.48, ISBN 839061848
- ^ Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, 1999, p.43, ISBN 839061848
- ^ Werner Buchholz, Pommern, Siedler, 1999, p.78, ISBN 3886802728
[edit] External links
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Coordinates: 53°50′38″N 14°36′38″E / 53.84389°N 14.61056°E
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