Działdowo

Działdowo
Town view
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Warmian-Masurian
County	Działdowo County
Gmina	Działdowo (urban gmina)
Established	14th century
Town rights	1344
Government
• Mayor	Bronisław Mazurkiewicz
Area
• Total	13.35 km2 (5.15 sq mi)
Population  (2006)
• Total	20,824
• Density	1,600/km2 (4,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	13-200
Area code	+48 23
Car plates	NDZ
Website	http://www.dzialdowo.pl

Działdowo [Polish pronunciation: [dź] ] (German: Soldau) is a town in north-central Poland with 24,830 inhabitants (2006), the capital of Działdowo County. Situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (since 1999), Działdowo previously belonged to Ciechanów Voivodeship (1975-1998).

History

The first settlement in the vicinity was by a tribe of Old Prussians known as Sassen in German and Sasinowie in Polish. The Teutonic Knights conquered the region and built a castle named Soldau, a wing of which still remains. Grand Master Ludolf König granted the settlement near the castle Kulm law town privileges in 1344. It was then also known in Polish as Soldov. By 1920, the keep was stripped of all interior finishing, flooring, and stone carvings to the state of an empty shell. A major reconstruction is underway.

Within the Duchy of Prussia the settlement converted to Lutheranism during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, according to the choice of its Prince. The following communes belonged to the Evangelical parish of Soldau: Amalienhof, Borowo, Bursch, Cämmersdorf, Gajowken, Hohendorf, Kyschienen, Königshagen, Kurkau, Niederhof, Pierlawken, Pruschinowo, and Rudolfsfelde.

Within the Kingdom of Prussia and later German Empire, the settlement developed into an important Prussian Eastern Railway junction in the second half of the 19th century. At the same time Prussian authorities were hostile to local population due to its Polish pro-independence activity during November and January Uprisings. During January Uprising an ammo depot and contact point was established in secret by local people trying to help fellow Poles in their struggle against Russian Empire. Prussian authorities arressted several locals and harassed the local population which tried to form military units to aid the Uprising[1]. The settlement remained Polish despite attempts of Germanisation. In 1815 79% of local population were Poles, and only 21% Germans. In 1837 74 % were Poles and 26% Germans. In the second half of XIX century 87 % of the districts population were Poles. With the increase of Germanisation effeort In 1910 the whole district population was divided among 57 % of Poles, 42 % Germans and 1% of Jews according to official German statistics[2]. Since 1912 Germans ordered to stop using term Pole and Polish language in census in the area and instead to choose Masurs and Masurian language[3].

It was part of Neidenburg District in East Prussia; Soldau was the southernmost town in the province.

Despite protests of the local German population and the German Government[4] Soldau together with a few neighboring villages was transferred after World War I by the Treaty of Versailles from Weimar Germany to the Second Polish Republic on January 17, 1920 without plebiscite. While the East Prussian plebiscite in the neighboring areas of Masuria resulted 98 % of votes to remain in Germany such a plebiscite was denied for the area as the rail connection through provided needed link between Warsaw and Gdańsk[5]. Działdowo's rail connections to towns in Germany such as Deutsch Eylau, Osterode, and Neidenburg in East Prussia were broken by the border changes. After the town was ceded to Poland a large part of German minority left the area. Although they were no elections to in 1920 to Sejm in Poland, a German book makes claim that book but the candidate of the German Party, Ernst Barczewski, was elected to the Sejm with 74,6 % of votes on May 2, 1920, despite no elections taking place.In 1921 the Polish census gave the following data regarding ethnic composition of the district , Poles: 15496, Germans: 8187, others 44[6].

During the Polish-Soviet War, Działdowo was briefly occupied by the Red Army before being recovered by the Polish Army.

After the invasion of Poland beginning World War II in 1939, the town was annexed by Nazi Germany back into Neidenburg District. German minority in the town formed Selbstschutz formations that captured and tortured Polish leaders and political and cultural elites, before murdering them [7].The Soldau concentration camp was built nearby, at which 13,000 out of 30,000 prisoners were murdered. Działdowo was heavily damaged during fighting on the Eastern Front. The destroyed town was restored to Poland after the war. German-speakers remaining in the town were subsequently expelled westward after the war ended.

Notable residents

• Kasia Stankiewicz (born 1977), singer

References

• Template:German
• Andreas Kossert, "Masuren -Ostpreussens vergessener Süden", 2006, p.284

External links

• Official town webpage Template:Pl icon

53°14′N 20°11′E