Jonkowo

Jonkowo
Village
Jonkowo
Coordinates: 53°49′32″N 20°18′29″E
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Warmian-Masurian
County	Olsztyn County
Gmina	Jonkowo
Population	1,500

Battle of Jonkowo 1807

Jonkowo [jɔnˈkɔvɔ] (German: Jonkendorf) is a village in Olsztyn County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Jonkowo. It lies approximately 14 km (9 mi) west of the regional capital Olsztyn.

The village has a population of 1,500.

History

The village established its town rights in 1345 by the Warmian bishop Herman of Prague. The founder was Jonekon. Jonkowo was founded on the Prussian territory called Gudikus at the Mosenbruch. The name of the village comes from the name of the first Prus village administrator, Jonekony (Joneko) from the village of Bartołty (now Bartołty Wielkie). In the founding act of the village, 6 fibers (village leader dragons, tax-free) and another 6 fibers for horse service (in case of war) were allocated to the village administrator. The village administrator also received a permit to run an inn with a beer tavern and the right to fish in the lake called Rauthschoys and to hunt in the surrounding forests (for their own needs). Five fibers were allocated to the endowment of the parish. The first church was built in the years 1350–1375 and it was wooden. In 1356, the bishop of Warmia, Jan Stryprock, enrolled Jonkowo in the collegiate chapter in Dobre Miasto. During the Polish-Teutonic war in 1414, Jonkowo was burnt down and plundered. Another location act for the re-settlement of Jonkowo was issued by the bishop of Warmia, Jan Abezier in 1421. The location privilege was issued for Jacob Knosl and Bartusch Prus.

Jonkowo was burnt again during the Thirteen Years' War (1454–1466), this time by the Teutonic army. Jonkowo was settled by new settlers in the years 1516, 1518 and 1521 as the administrator of the Warmia Chapter property. Copernicus was in Jonkowo twice.

The parish in Jonkowo appeared on the list of Warmian parishes at the end of the 15th century, and at the beginning of the 16th century. On September 18, 1580, the church was built at the end of the 14th century, it was consecrated by Bishop Marcin Kromer in honor of St. John the Baptist.

In 1656 there were two village leaders in Jonkowo, two free farmers, 14 peasants (peasants) and one inn.

After the Swedish army entered Warmia in 1703, Jonkowo (as well as other nearby towns) was burdened with a high contribution, which led to its ruin. 124 inhabitants died in Jonkowo during the plague epidemic in 1710. After the epidemic in Warmia ceased, when the cult of St. Roch, the patron of the plague, Jonkowo was visited by numerous Warmian pilgrimages. At that time, the village leaders in Jonkowo were Marcin Barczewski and Jan Lewandowski. In 1714, the church was extended on the north and south sides. On June 14, 1715, the church was consecrated again by the suffragan of Warmia, Jan Franciszek Kurdwanowski, in honor of St. John the Baptist and St. Roch. After another reconstruction, the church in Jonkowo was re-consecrated by bishop Ignacy Krasicki on October 28, 1789. Bishop Krasicki encouraged the local population to maintain a newly built school, to which the Prussian government donated 100 thalers. At that time, the school teacher was Józef Bolewski.

On February 3, 1807, near Jonkowo, a clash known as the Battle of Olsztyn or the Battle of Jonkowo took place. At that time, the Emperor of the French Napoleon Bonaparte, who commanded the battles with the Russians, stayed in Olsztyn, Gutków and Jonkowo (with his troops).

At the beginning of the 19th century, about 286 people lived in the village. In the mid-nineteenth century, slow economic emigration to Germany began. In 1914, another expansion of the church took place.

Until 1954, Jonkowo was the seat of the Wrzesina commune.