Wołomin

Wołomin
Statue of John Paul II in Wołomin
Coat of arms
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Masovian
County	Wołomin County
Gmina	Gmina Wołomin
Established	15th century
Town rights	1919
Government
• Mayor	Ryszard Madziar
Area
• Total	17.32 km2 (6.69 sq mi)
Population  (2006)
• Total	36,711
• Density	2,100/km2 (5,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	05-200
Area code	+48 022
Car plates	WWL
Website	http://www.um.wolomin.pl

Wołomin [vɔˈwɔmin] is the main town of Wołomin County situated in the Masovian Voivodship. Wołomin is located approximately 20 km (12 mi) east of Warsaw, the capital of Poland, near the railway to Białystok. It has approximately 36,000 inhabitants and covers an area of 14 km².

History

Wołomin was first mentioned in chronicles from the 15th century. It remained a small village in central Masovia without much significance. Since 19th century, and especially after the foundation of the railway in 1862, Wołomin became a summer holiday destination for Warsaw citizens. The Wołomin glassworks were founded in the beginning of the 20th century.

Wołomin was declared a town in 1919. In 1920 the Polish counter-attack in the Battle of Warsaw was conducted near Wołomin. In the interbellum Wołomin retained its status as a multinational town. There was a big Jewish and Russian minority.

Polish writer Zofia Nałkowska had a house in Wołomin, which became an inspiration for her 1925 book House over meadows (Polish: Dom nad łąkami). During World War II Jews from Wołomin were moved to the Warsaw Ghetto and exterminated by the Germans. Most of the Russian community has escaped westwards before the arrival of the Red Army.

In 1944 a substantial battle was fought near the town between Soviet armoured units and German 39th Panzer Corps. Soviet losses were high and the Red Army was forced to retreat.

After the war, Wołomin became a capital of the powiat of Wołomin and started to grow rapidly. The window assembly plant was founded and Wołomin soon became a suburb of Warsaw. Even today most of the town's inhabitants commute to Warsaw on a daily basis.

After 1989 Wołomin's glassworks were shut down in the big recession slowdown. However, the technology of production of temperature resist glass, invented in the facility, allowed the factory to continue production and recover under new ownership.

Sport

• BS Sure Shot Wołomin - women basketball team, 10th place in Sharp Torell Basket Liga in 2003/2004 season, will play in the 1st League.

International relations

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

Twin towns — Sister cities

Wołomin is twinned with: Salerno, Italy

External links

• Wolomin County page
• City Council (Polish)
• Huta Szkła "WOŁOMIN" (WOŁOMIN Glassworks)
• Jewish Community in Wołomin on Virtual Shtetl