Rejowiec, Lublin Voivodeship

For other places with the same name, see Rejowiec.

Rejowiec
Village
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Lublin
County	Chełm County
Gmina	Rejowiec
Population	2,114

Rejowiec [rɛˈjɔvjɛt͡s] is a village in Chełm County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Rejowiec. It lies approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) south-west of Chełm and 52 km (32 mi) east of the regional capital Lublin.

The village has a population of 2,114.

History

Rejowiec is located about 40 km south of Lublin, close to an intersection of railroads and roads. The village was established in the 16th century by a family of noblemen named Rej, who were active in spreading the Calvinist religion, and established a religious college in the village.

In 1547, Rejowiec received acknowledgement (and privileges) as a city, from King Sigismund I the Old, including the right to hold two annual fairs, and an exemption from taxes for 10 years. In the 17th century the owners of Rejowiec changed, a number of times, and the Calvinist College closed. In the 18th century, when the Catholic reaction grew, the remaining Calvinists were repressed.

In the second half of the 19th century, a copper casting factory and two tanneries were established in Rejowiec. The biggest industrial factory in Rejowiec (until 1939) was the glass factory that employed 180 workers. Another large factory, for cement, carried on working even after the world war ended and became one of the biggest cement factories in Poland.