Otmuchów

Otmuchów
Town hall
Coat of arms
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Opole
County	Nysa
Gmina	Otmuchów
Government
• Mayor	Jan Woźniak
Area
• Total	27.83 km2 (10.75 sq mi)
Elevation	220 m (720 ft)
Population  (2006)
• Total	5,261
• Density	190/km2 (490/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	48-385
Car plates	ONY
Website	http://www.otmuchow.pl

Otmuchów [ɔtˈmuxuf] (German: Ottmachau) is a town in Nysa County, Opole Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,317 inhabitants (2004).

During the Second World War a Prisoner of War working party (E276) was based here, at a sugar beet factory. The working party came under the administration of Stalag VIIIB/344 at Lamsdorf (Łambinowice)a camp for English-speaking prisoners of war. In 1944 the men were transferred to the oil refinery at Trzebinia (E738).

Etymology

The city was mentioned for the first time as "Otemochow" in 1155. The name Othmuchow was also listed in the Chronicles of the Kingdom of Poland written in the years 1455-1480 by Jan Długosz.

In 1613 the Silesian regionalist and historian Nicholas Henkel stated in his own work entitled Fri Silesiographia two names in Latin, Otmuchovia and Othmuchaw.

In 1945 the city's name was changed from Ottmachau to Otmuchów.

History

The first mentioning of the town comes from 1155. During the 14th century the city was surrounded by walls. Establishment of the coat of arms of the city dates back to 1347. The coat of arms is an open city gate in white on a blue field. From the 14th century it was used as the town seal.

Destroyed by many wars throughout history, the town lost its importance due to a nearby developing city of Nysa, which was the capital of the principality of the bishop.

Sights

• 
  Church. St. Nicholas and St. Francis
• 
  Otmuchów Palace
• 
  Urząd Miasta
• 
  Otmuchów Castle
• 
  Podzamcze (Castle)
• 
  Market Square
• 
  Tenements on the Market Square
• 
  Panorama
• 
  Post Office
• 
  Nyska Wieża Wróbla (Defense tower, part of the city walls)

International relations

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

Twin towns – Sister cities

Otmuchów is twinned with:

• Bernkastel-Kues, Germany

External links

• Jewish Community in Otmuchów on Virtual Shtetl