Elbląg 9857 move=:edit= 226082562 2008-07-16T19:19:57Z 83.220.102.44 /* Nazi Germany */ removed part not related to Elbing {{Infobox Settlement | name = Elbląg | image_skyline = Elbląg 2.JPG | imagesize = 250px | image_caption = Elblag River and the Old Town | image_flag = POL Elbląg flag.svg | image_shield = POL Elbląg COA.svg | pushpin_map = Poland | pushpin_label_position = bottom | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{POL}} | subdivision_type1 = [[Voivodeships of Poland|Voivodeship]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship|Warmian-Masurian]] | subdivision_type2 = [[Powiat|County]] | subdivision_name2 = ''city county'' | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Henryk Słonina | established_title = Established | established_date = 1237 | established_title3 = City rights | established_date3 = 1246 | area_total_km2 = 80 | population_as_of = 2006 | population_total = 127055 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]] | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]] | utc_offset_DST = +2 | latd = 54 | latm = 5 | lats = 40 | latNS = N | longd = 19 | longm = 24 | longs = 15 | longEW = E | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 82-300 to 82-315 | area_code = +48 055 | blank_name = [[Polish car number plates|Car plates]] | blank_info = NE | website = http://www.umelblag.pl }} '''Elbląg''' {{Audio-IPA-pl|Elblag.ogg|'|e|l|b|l|o|n|k}} ({{lang-de|Elbing}}{{Audlisten|Elbing.ogg}}; {{lang-la|Elbinga}}) is a [[city]] in northern [[Poland]] with 127,892 inhabitants (2006). It is the capital of [[Elbląg County]] and has been assigned to the [[Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship]] since 1999. Before then it was the capital of [[Elbląg Voivodeship]] (1975–1998) and a county seat in [[Gdańsk Voivodeship]] (1945–1975). The city is a [[port]] on the [[Elbląg River]] which flows into the [[Vistula Lagoon]] about 10 km to the north, thus giving the city access to the [[Baltic Sea]] via the Russian-controlled [[Strait of Baltiysk]]. It was first mentioned as "Ilfing" in [[Wikisource:Bright's Anglo-Saxon Reader/The Voyages of Ohthere and Wulfstan|''The Voyages of Ohthere and Wulfstan'']] which was written in [[Anglo-Saxon language|Anglo-Saxon]] in [[King Alfred]]'s reign using information from a Viking who had visited the area. During the Middle Ages, the [[Old Prussians|Old Prussian]] settlement of [[Truso]] was located at [[Drużno|Lake Drużno]] near the current site of Elbląg in historical [[Pogesania]]; the settlement burned down in the 10th century.<ref>According to the Elbląg museum</ref> The [[Teutonic Knights]] conquered the region and the inhabitants dispersed in the process. The Teutonic Order built a castle and founded Elbing at the lake with a population mostly from [[Lübeck]]; today the much smaller lake does not reach the city any more. After the defeat of the Teutonic Knights and the destruction of the castle by the inhabitants, the city successively was under the sovereignty of the Polish crown (1466), the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] (1772), and [[Germany]] (1871). Elbing was heavily damaged in [[World War II]], its German citizens [[Expulsion of Germans after World War II|were expelled]] upon the war's end. The city became part of Poland in 1945 and was repopulated with Polish citizens. ==Geography== The Old City ({{lang-pl|Stare Miasto}}) is located on the [[Elbląg River]] connecting Lake [[Drużno]] to the [[Vistula Lagoon]], about 10 km from the lagoon and 80 km from [[Gdańsk]]. The city was heavily damaged (65%) at the end of [[World War II]] and thereafter almost totally destroyed, when many of the buildings still standing were taken down by the communists for bricks to be used for rebuilding destroyed Gdańsk and [[Warsaw]]. The new inhabitants of the city eventually succeeded in being able to rebuild parts of the inner city and ca. 2000 rebuilding was started in a style emulating the previous architecture, in many cases over the same foundations and utilising the old bricks and portions of the same walls. However, the western bank part of the city is completely gone after the war. The modern city covers over 50% of the distance between Lake Drużno and Elbląg Bay (''Zatoka Elbląska''), an arm of the [[Vistula Lagoon]], and extends on either side of the river, but especially to the east. On the east is the Elbląg Upland (''Wysoczyzna Elbląska''), a dome pushed up by glacial compression, 390 square km in diameter and 200 m high at its greatest elevation.<ref>[http://academic.emporia.edu/aberjame/ice/lec14/lec14.htm#n_poland REGIONAL GLACIATION OF SOUTHERN & EASTERN BALTIC], Emporia State University Lecture #14, by James S. Aber.</ref> It gives the appearance of ridges and parkland. Elbląg is situated in flat land extending to the west in the Vistula Delta (''Żuławy Wiślane'') used mainly for agricultural purposes. Views to the west show flat fields extending to the horizon, while to the south are the marshes and swamps of Drużno. The Elbląg River has been left in a more natural state through the city, but elsewhere it is a controlled channel with branches. One of them, the [[Jagielonski Channel]] (''Kanał Jagieloński''), leads to the [[Nogat]] River, along which navigation to Gdańsk is common. The [[Elbląg Canal]] (''Kanał Elbląski'') connecting Lake Drużno with [[Drwęca]] River and Lake [[Jeziorak]] is a popular tourist site. Elbląg is not a deep-water port. The draft of vessels using its waterways must be no greater than 1.5 m by law. The turning area at Elbląg is 120 m diameter and a pilot is required for large vessels.<ref>[http://www.polfracht.pl/polfracht/psal/localinf/elb/portelb1.htm Port Elbląg], site maintained by Polfracht Shipping Agency Ltd.</ref> Deep water vessels cannot maneuver; in that sense, Elbląg has become a subsidiary port of Gdańsk. <!--This does not square with any source and is self-contradictory as well as in poor English: Traffic of smaller vessels at Elbląg is within the river and very marginal, while larger vessels cannot reach the open Baltic Sea due to the fact that the channel, once built in East-Prussia to go through the peninsula, belongs to Russia since 1945. The river has become almost stagnant and its banks are overgrown with waterlilies and tulies.--> The city features three quay complexes, movable cranes, and railways. One of its specialities is heavy machinery. <gallery> Image:6 Elblag 93.jpg| St. Nicolaus Church Image:Elblag Merian 1626.jpg|The Old City of 1626. The view toward Lake Drużno (''{{lang-de|Drausen}}'') in the south Image:Starówka w Elblągu 4.JPG|Reconstructed buildings in the Old City Image:Elblag1.jpg|Market Gate, Old City </gallery> ==Names== === Etymology === ''Elbląg'' is the [[Polish language|Polish]] [[Corruption (grammar)|derivative]] of the [[German language|German]] name ''Elbing'', which was assigned by the [[Teutonic Knights]] to the citadel and subsequent town placed by them in 1237 next to the river. The purpose of the citadel was to prevent the [[Old Prussians|Old Prussian]] settlement of Truso from being reoccupied, as the German crusaders were at war with the pagan Prussians. The citadel was named after the river, itself of uncertain etymology. One traditional etymology connects it to the name of the [[Helveconae]], a Germanic tribe mentioned in [[Ancient Greek]] and [[Latin]] sources, but the etymology or language of the tribal name is not known. === Historical names === Early sources: river ''Ilfing'' (890), ''Castrum de Elbingo quod a nomine fluminis Elbingum appellavit'' (1237 &mdash; [[Peter of Dusburg]], [[Chronicon terrae Prussiae]]), ''in Elbingo'' (1239), ''in Elbing'' (1242), ''in Elbinge ... fluvium Elbinc'' (1246, city charter), ''de Elbingo'' (1250), ''in Elbyngo'' (1258), ''vitra Elbingum'' (1263), ''Elvingo'' (1293), ''in Elbingo'' (1300), ''in Elvingo'' (1389), ''czum Elbinge'' (1392), ''czu Elbing'' (1403), ''Elwing'' (1410), ''czum Elwinge'' (1412), ''Elbing'' (1414&ndash;1438), ''Elbyang'' (before 1454), ''Elbing'' (1508), ''ku Elbiągowi'' (1634), ''w Elblągu'' (1661), ''w Elblągu'' (1661).<ref>''Elbląg'', in: Kazimierz Rymut, ''Nazwy Miast Polski'', [[Ossolineum]], Wrocław 1987</ref><ref>Hubert Gurnowicz, ''Elbląg'', in: ''Nazwy miast Pomorza Gdańskiego'', Ossolineum, Wrocław 1978</ref> ==History== ===Old Prussian Truso=== {{main|Truso}} [[Image:Elbląg 1.JPG|thumb|left|Elbląg River today]] The seaport of '''Truso''' was first mentioned ca. 890 by [[Wulfstan of Hedeby]], an [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] sailor, travelling on the south coast of the [[Baltic Sea]] at the behest of King [[Alfred the Great]] of [[England]]. The exact location of Truso was not known for a long time, as the seashore has significantly changed, but most historians trace the settlement inside or near to modern Elbląg on Lake [[Drużno]]. Truso was located at territory already known to the [[Roman Empire]] and earlier. It was an important seaport serving the [[Vistula]] River bay on the early medieval Baltic Sea trade routes which led from [[Birka]] in the north to the island of [[Gotland]] and to [[Visby]] in the Baltic Sea. From there, traders continued further south to [[Carnuntum]] along the [[Amber Road]]. The ancient Amber Road led further southwest and southeast to the [[Black Sea]] and eventually to [[Asia]]. The east-west trade route went from Truso, along the Baltic Sea to [[Jutland]], and from there inland by river to [[Hedeby]], a large trading center in Jutland. The main goods of Truso were [[amber]], furs, and slaves. Archaeological finds in 1897 and diggings in the 1920s placed Truso at Gut Hansdorf. A large burial field was also found at Elbing. Artifacts were placed in the Elbing Museum. Recent Polish diggings show burned beams and ashes and many 1000 year old artifacts on an area about 20 [[hectares]]. === Prussian Crusade === [[Image:Poland Elblag - St.Nicolaus church.jpg|thumb|right|Old town and St. Nicholas Cathedral]] {{main|Prussian Crusade}} The attempts at conquest of Prussian land began in [[997]], when [[Boleslaw I Chrobry]] sent his soldiers with [[Adalbert of Prague]], in order to conquer and convert the pagan Prussian. They came up to the Baltic Sea coast, converted a number of Prussians in the area of today's Gdansk and went all along the coast to Sambia. Starting 1209 a number of crusades were called for by [[Konrad of Masovia]], who again sought to conquer Prussian territory and continued with wars that led to the loss of Old Prussian sovereignty began with the preaching of a crusade against them in 1217 and 1218 by [[Pope Honorius III]]. The Prussians were bordered by the [[Slavic peoples|Slavic]] [[Pomeranians]], who also had to fight off conquest attempts by Polish rulers many times and in the south by the Duchy of [[Masovia]], both by then [[Christianity|Christian]]ised peoples. The crusade came in 1223, but was soundly defeated by the Prussians. They besieged the Polish forces in [[Chełmno]], the seat of [[Christian of Oliva]], the first Bishop of Prussia, and attacked [[Pomerania]] and Masovia. In 1226 Duke [[Konrad I of Masovia]] summoned the [[Teutonic Knights]] for assistance; by 1230 they had secured [[Chełmno]] (Culm) and begun claiming conquered territories for themselves under the authority of the [[Holy Roman Empire]], although these claims were rejected by the Poles, who had several times tried to conquer Prussia. The Teutonic Order's strategy was to move down the Vistula and secure the delta, establishing a barrier between the Prussians and Gdańsk. Next in order was Pomesania, containing Truso. The [[Chronicon terrae Prussiae]]<ref>3.14</ref> describes the conflict in the vicinity of Lake Drusen (now Drużno) shortly before the founding of Elbing: :''Omnia propugnacula, que habebant in illo loco, qui dicitur (list) ... circa stagnum Drusine ... occisis et captiis infidelibus, potenter expugnavit, et in cinerem redigendo terre alteri coequavit." :"All the little redoubts that they had in that place, which are said to be (list) ... and around the Drusine marsh ... he (frater Hermannus magister) assaulted and levelled by rendering them into ash, after the infidels had been killed or captured." Truso did not disappear suddenly to be replaced with the citadel and town of Elbing during the Prussian Crusade. Truso was burned down already in the tenth century. Population was dispersed in the area. === Foundation of Elbing === The [[Chronicon terrae Prussiae]]<ref>3.15</ref> describes the founding of Elbing under the leadership of [[Hermann Balk]]. After building two ships, the Pilgerim (Pilgrim) and the Vridelant (Friedland), with the assistance of [[Henry III, Margrave of Meissen]], the Teutonic Knights used them to clear the Vistula Lagoon (''Frisches Haff'') and the [[Vistula Spit]] of Prussians: :... ''et recens mare purgatum fuit ab insultu infidelium'' ... :... "and the Vistula Spit was purged of the insult of the infidels..." Apparently the river was in [[Pomesania]], which the knights had just finished clearing, but the bay was in [[Pogesania]]. The first Elbing was placed in Pogesania: :''Magister ... venit ad terram Pogesanie, ad insulam illam ... que est in media fluminis Elbingi, in illo loco, ubi Elbingus intrat recens mare et erexit ibi castrum, quod a nomine fluminis Elbingum appellavit, anno dominice incarnacionis MCCXXXVII. Aliqui referunt, quod idem castrum postea ab infidelibus fuerit expugnatum, et tunc ad eum locum, ubi nunc situm est, translatum, et circa ipsum civitas collocata.''<ref>Notes on the passage. Medieval Latin often used e for ae: Pogesanie for Pogesaniae, que for quae, etc. Recens mare is "the fresh-water sea". [[Castrum]] is citadel, not yet of brick.</ref> :"The master ... came to the region of Pogesania, to that island which is in the middle of the Elbing river, in that place where the Elbing enters the Vistula Lagoon, and built there a fort, which he called by the name of the Elbing River, in the year of the incarnation of the Lord, 1237. Others report that the same fort was attacked by the infidels and then was moved to the place where it is now situated, and the city gathered around it." Both landings were amphibious operations conducted from the ships. The ''Chronicon'' relates that they were in use for many years and then were sunk in Lake Drusen. In 1238 the [[Dominican Order]] was invited to build a monastery on a grant of land. Pomesania was not secured, however, and from 1240-1242 the order began building a brick castle on the south side of the settlement, where archaeologists now believe Truso had been. It may be significant that Elbing's first industry was the same as Truso's had been: manufacture of amber and bone artifacts for export. In 1243 [[William of Modena]] created the Diocese of Pomesania and three others. They were at first only ideological constructs, but the tides of time turned them into reality in that same century. The foundation of Elbing was perhaps not the end of the Old Prussian story in the region. In 1825 a manuscript listing a vocabulary of the [[Baltic languages|Baltic]] [[Old Prussian language]], named the Elbing-Prussian Dictionary ({{lang-de|Elbing-Preußisches Wörterbuch}}), or more commonly in English just Elbing Vocabulary, was found among some manuscripts from a merchant's house. It contained 802 words in a dialect now termed Pomesanian with their equivalents in an early form of German. The origin of the vocabulary remains unknown. Its format is like that of modern travel dictionaries; i.e., it may have been used by German speakers to communicate with Old Prussians, but the specific circumstances are only speculative. The manuscript became the Codex Neumannianus. It disappeared after a British bombing raid destroyed the library at Elbing but before then facsimiles had been made. The date of the MSS was estimated at ca. 1400, but it was a copy. There is no evidence concerning the provenance of the original, except that it must have been in Pomesanian. ===Hanseatic Elbing=== [[Image:Siegel Elbing 1350.jpg|thumb|right|Seal of the city of Elbing from 1350, ''Sigillum civitatis Elbingensis'']] In 1246 the town was granted a constitution under [[Lübeck law]], used in maritime circumstances, instead of [[Magdeburg rights]] common in other cities in Central Europe. This decision of the Order was in keeping with its general strategy of espousing the trade association that in 1358 would become the [[Hanseatic League]]. The Order seized on this association early and used it to establish bases throughout the Baltic. The Order's involvement in the League was somewhat contradictory. In whatever cities they founded the ultimate authority was the commander of the town, who kept office in the citadel, typically used as a prison. Lübeck law, on the other hand, provided for self-government of the town. Membership in the Hanseatic League meant having important trading contacts with [[England]], [[Flanders]], [[France]], and the [[Netherlands]]. The city received numerous merchant privileges from the rulers of England, Poland, Pomerania, and the Teutonic Order. For instance, the privilege of the Old Town ({{lang-de|Altstadt}}, {{lang-pl|Stare Miasto}}) was upgraded in 1343, while in 1393 it was granted an emporium privilege for grains, metals, and forest products. Except for the citadel and churches, Elbing at the time was more of a small village by modern standards. Its area was 300 m by 500 m. It featured a wharf, a marketplace and five streets, as well as a number of churches. The castle was completed in 1251. In 1288 fire destroyed the entire settlement except for the churches, which were of brick. A new circuit wall was started immediately. From 1315 to 1340 Elbląg was rebuilt. A separate settlement called New Town ({{lang-de|Neustadt}}) was founded ca. 1337 and received [[Lübeck rights]] in 1347. In 1349 the [[Black Death]] struck the town, toward the end of the European plague. After the population recovered it continued building up the city and in 1364 a [[crane (machine)|crane]] was built for the port. The German-language ''Elbinger Rechtsbuch'',<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?lr=&as_brr=0&q=%22Elbinger+Rechtsbuch%22&btnG=Search+Books]</ref> written in Elbing, Prussia documented among other laws for the first time Polish common law. The German-language Polish laws are based on the [[Sachsenspiegel]] [http://books.google.com/books?id=8NYNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA337&dq=elbing+vocabular#PPA337,M1] and were written down to aid the judges. It is thus the oldest source for documented Polish [[common law]] and is in Polish referred to as the ''Księga Elbląska'' (Book of Elbląg<ref>Towarzystwo Naukowe Warszawskie: The Journal of Juristic Papyrology, 1946 [http://books.google.com/books?lr=&as_brr=0&q=%22Book+of+Elbing%22&btnG=Search+Books]</ref>). It was written down in the second half of the 13th century. ===Kingdom of Poland=== In 1440 several western and eastern Prussian towns formed the [[Prussian Confederation]], which led the revolt of Prussia against the rule of the Teutonic Knights in 1454. The burghers destroyed the Teutonic Order castle.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} For assistance against the Order, the Confederation asked for help from King [[Casimir IV of Poland]]; Casimir's subsequent claiming of Prussia led to the [[Thirteen Years' War]]. After the Section of Prussians and Polish victory over the Teutonic Order, the city became part of the autonomous province of [[Royal Prussia]] under the suzerainty of the Polish crown in the [[Second Peace of Thorn (1466)|Second Peace of Thorn]]. The city was known to the Polish crown by its Polish name '''Elbląg'''. With the creation of the [[Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]] in 1569, the city was brought under direct control of the Polish crown. With the 16th century [[Protestant Reformation]] the burghers became [[Protestantism|Protestants]] and the first Protestant [[Gymnasium (school)|Gymnasium]] was established in Elbląg in 1535. From 1579 Elbląg had close trade relations with [[England]], to which the city accorded free trade. English, [[Scotland|Scottish]], and [[Ireland|Irish]] merchants settled in the city. They formed the [[Scottish Reformed Church of Elbląg]] and became Elbing citizens, aiding Protestant [[Swedish Empire|Sweden]] in the [[Thirty Years' War]]. The rivalry of nearby Danzig interrupted trading links several times. By 1618 Elbląg had left the Hanseatic League owing to its close business dealings with England. Famous inhabitants of the city at that time included native sons [[Hans von Bodeck]] and [[Samuel Hartlib]]. During the [[Thirty Years' War]], Swedish Chancellor [[Axel Oxenstierna]] brought the Moravian Brethren refugee John Amos [[Comenius]] to Elbląg for six years (1642-48). In 1642 [[Johann Stobäus]], who composed with [[Johann Eccard]], published the '' Preussische Fest-Lieder'', a number of evangelical Prussian songs. In 1646 the city recorder Daniel Barholz noted that the city council employed ''Bernsteindreher'', or ''Paternostermacher'', licensed and guilded amber craftsmen who worked on prayer beads, [[rosary|rosaries]], and many other items made of amber. Members of the Barholz family became mayors and councillors. During the [[Thirty Years' War]], the Vistula Lagoon was the main southern Baltic base of King [[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden]], who was hailed as the protector of the Protestants. By 1660 the Vistula Lagoon had gone to Elector [[Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg|Frederick William]] of [[Brandenburg-Prussia]], but was returned in 1700. The poet [[Christian Wernicke]] was born in 1661 in Elbląg, while [[Gottfried Achenwall]] became famous for his teachings in natural law and human rights law. In 1700-1710 it was occupied by Swedish troops. In 1709 it was besieged, taken by storm on February 2nd, 1710 by Russian troops with support of Prussian artillery. Handed over to Polish King Augustus II in 1712. The [[Holy Roman Empire|Imperial]] cartographer [[Johann Friedrich Endersch]] completed a map of [[Warmia]] ({{lang-de|Karte des Ermlandes}}) in 1755 and also made a [[copper]] [[etching]] of the galley named "The City of Elbląg" ({{lang-de|Die Stadt Elbing}}) . During the [[War of the Polish Succession]] in 1734, Elbląg and Danzig ([[Gdańsk]]) were placed under military occupation by [[Russian Empire|Russia]] and [[Saxony]].<ref>''{{de icon}} Book: Merian-Chronik, Cöln 1737/8: Elbingische Geschichte Zu gleicher Zeit Danzigs Belagerung 1734... Ordentliches Tage-Register von den Unternehmungen der Russen und Sachsen by der Belagerung der Stadt Dantzig. Nachricht, Wie viele Personen das 1734te Jahr durch in der Stadt Dantzig getauffet/verehelichet und begraben worden...''</ref> The town came again under occupation by Russia from 1758-1762 during the [[Seven Years' War]]. ===Hohenzollern Prussia=== During the [[Partitions of Poland|First Partition of Poland]] in 1772, the city state was annexed by King [[Frederick II of Prussia|Frederick the Great]] of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]]. Elbing became part of the new Prussian Province of [[West Prussia]] in 1773. In the 1815 provincial reorganization following the [[Napoleonic Wars]], Elbing and its [[Landkreis Elbing|hinterland]] were included within [[Regierungsbezirk Danzig]] in West Prussia. Elbing [[industrialisation|industrialized]] under the sovereignty of the [[House of Hohenzollern|Hohenzollern]] kings in [[Berlin]]. In 1828 the first steamship was built by Ignatz Grunau. In 1837 [[Ferdinand Schichau]] started the [[F. Schichau]] company in Elbing as well as another shipyard in Danzig later on. Schichau constructed the ''Borussia'', the first [[Propeller#Marine|screw-vessel]] in Germany. F. Schichau built [[hydraulic]] machinery, ships, [[steam engine]]s, and [[torpedo]]es. After the inauguration of the railway to [[Königsberg]] in 1853, Elbing's industry began to grow. Schichau worked together with his son-in-law Carl H. Zise, who continued the industrial complex after Schichau's death. Schichau erected large complexes for his many thousands of workers. [[Georg Steenke]], an engineer from Königsberg, connected Elbing near the Baltic Sea with the southern part of Prussia by building the Oberländischer Kanal ([[Elbląg Canal]]). Elbing became part of the Prussian-led [[German Empire]] in 1871 during the [[unification of Germany]]. As Elbing became an industrial city, the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (SPD) frequently received the majority of votes; in the 1912 [[Reichstag (institution)|Reichstag]] elections the SPD received 51% of the vote. After [[World War I]], most of West Prussia became part of the [[Second Polish Republic]]. Elbing was joined to German [[East Prussia]], and was separated from [[Weimar Republic|Weimar Germany]] by the [[Polish Corridor]]. [[Mormons]] started [[Photographic film|filming]] the church records of Elbing's citizens in ''Kirchenbücher''. Records dating from 1577 to 1890 are available. ===Nazi Germany=== During the time of [[Nazi Germany]] (1933-1945), the Nazi Party enjoyed particular popularity and support among the town's population. Three subcamps of the [[Stutthof concentration camp]] were located near the town: ''Elbing'', ''Elbing (Org. Todt)'', and ''Elbing (Schinau)''. This however soon ended when a large number of the German inhabitants of Elbing [[Evacuation of East Prussia|fled]] before the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Red Army]] approached the city during [[World War II]]. During the siege of February 1945 the city infrastructure was 65% destroyed, including most of the historical city center. Almost all Germans who returned or remained were [[Expulsion of Germans after World War II|expelled]] as the city was annexed by the [[Soviet Union]] and ceded to Poland in spring 1945, a decision by Stalin with full consent of the western [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] in the [[Potsdam Conference]]. ===History after 1945=== After the [[ethnic cleansing]], with a part of the German population deported to [[soviet]] forced labour camps in [[siberia]] <ref name = "ptgkes"/>, the city was repopulated and became known under the Polish name ''Elbląg''. 98% of the new inhabitants were [[Poles]] expelled from [[Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union]] or Polish peasants from overpopulated villages in central Poland. Some of the damaged historical city center was completely demolished and the bricks were used to rebuild [[Warsaw]] and [[Gdańsk]]. The [[People's Republic of Poland|Communist authorities]] planned that the Old Town, utterly destroyed in 1945, be rebuilt with blocks of flats. However, economic difficulties thwarted this plan. Two [[church]]es were reconstructed and the remaining ruins of the old town were torn down in the 1960s. Elbląg was the scene of one of the riots in the coastal cities in 1970 together with [[Tricity]] and [[Szczecin]] (see also [[coastal cities events]]). Since 1990 there has been an emergence of a German minority group, ''Elbinger Minderheit'', counting around 100 persons. Restoration of the Old Town began after 1989. Since the beginning of the restoration, an extensive archaeological programme has been carried out. Most of the city's heritage was destroyed during the construction of basements in the 19th century or during World War II, but the backyards and [[latrine]]s of the houses were not changed and provide information on the city's history. On some occasions the private investors incorporated parts of preserved stonework into new architecture. Approximately 75% of the Old Town has been reconstructed as of 2006. The city museum presents many pieces of art and utilities of everyday use, including the only 15th century [[binoculars]] preserved in Europe. ==Tourist attractions== Until World War II there were many Gothic, renaissance and baroque houses in Elbląg's Old Town; some of them are reconstructed. Other preserved buildings are: *[[St. Nicholas Cathedral, Elbląg|St. Nicholas Cathedral]] - a monumental 13th century Gothic church (cathedral only from 1992, before it was a parochial church), damaged by fire in the late 18th century, then destroyed in World War II and reconstructed *city gate (''Brama Targowa'') - erected in 1319 *[[St. Mary's Church, Elbląg|St. Mary's Church]] - former Dominican church, erected in the 13th century, rebuilt in the 14th and 16th centuries; damaged in World War II and reconstructed in 1961 as an art gallery; remnants of cloister are partially preserved *Holy Ghost church with hospital, from the 14th century *Corpus Christi church from the 14th century ==Elbląg Institutions of Higher Education== * Elbląg Higher School of Arts and Economics ({{lang-pl|Elbląska Uczelnia Humanistyczno-Ekonomiczna}}) [http://euhe.edu.pl/] ** Faculty of Pedagogy ** Faculty of Administration ** Faculty of Health Sciences ** Faculty of Economics and Politics * Elbląg Higher State College of Vocational Education (''Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa'') [http://www.pwsz.elblag.pl/] ** Faculty of Pedagogy nad Foreign Languages ** Faculty of Economics ** Faculty of Applied Computer Science ** Faculty of Technical Sciences * Bogdan Jański Higher School, Faculty in Elbląg (''Szkoła Wyższa im. Bogdana Jańskiego'') [http://www.janski.pl/uczelnia/wydzial.html] ** Faculty of Management and Land Management * Elbląg Diocese Theological Seminary (''Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne Diecezji Elbląskiej'') [http://www.seminarium.elblag.opoka.org.pl/] * Regent College - Foreign Language Teacher Training College (''Regent College - Nauczycielskie Kolegium Języków Obcych'') [http://www.anglistyka.edu.pl/] ** Faculty of English Studies ==Sports== * [[EB Start Elbląg]] - women's [[Handball in Poland|handball]] team playing in [[Polish Ekstraklasa Women's Handball League]]: 5th place in 2003/2004 season. * [[Olimpia Elbląg]] - men's football club ==Politics== ===Elbląg constituency=== Members of Parliament ([[Sejm]]) elected from Elbląg constituency * [[Jan Antochowski]], [[Democratic Left Alliance|SLD]]-[[Labour Union (Poland)|UP]] * [[Danuta Ciborowska]], SLD-UP * [[Witold Gintowt-Dziewałtowski]], SLD-UP * [[Stanisław Gorczyca]], [[Platforma Obywatelska|PO]] * [[Jerzy Müller]], SLD-UP * [[Adam Ołdakowski]], [[Samoobrona]] * [[Andrzej Umiński]], SLD-UP * [[Stanisław Żelichowski]], [[Polish People's Party|PSL]] <!-- ===Municipal politics=== to be written yet--> ===City partnerships=== Elbląg has partnerships with the following cities: * {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Leer]] ([[Germany]]) * {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Kaliningrad]] ([[Russia]]) * {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Baltiysk]] ([[Russia]]) * {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Ronneby]] ([[Sweden]]) * {{flagicon|Lithuania}} [[Druskininkai]] ([[Lithuania]]) * {{flagicon|Latvia}} [[Liepāja]] ([[Latvia]]) * {{flagicon|Belarus}} [[Navahradak]] ([[Belarus]]) * {{flagicon|Ukraine}} [[Ternopil]] ([[Ukraine]]) * {{flagicon|France}} [[Compiègne]] ([[France]]) * {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Trowbridge]] ([[United Kingdom]]) * {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Coquimbo]] ([[Chile]]) * {{flagicon|People's Republic of China}} [[Baoji]] ([[People's Republic of China|China]]) * {{flagicon|Republic of China}} [[Tainan]] ([[Republic of China|Taiwan]]) * {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Liverpool]] ([[United Kingdom]]) ==Notable residents== * [[Georg Kleefeld]] (1522-1576), mayor of Danzig * [[Hans von Bodeck]] (1582-1658), diplomat and Chancellor of Brandenburg * [[John Amos Comenius]] (1592-1670), educator * [[Daniel Bärholz]] (1641-1688), councillor and poet * [[Samuel Hartlib]] (ca. 1600-1662), teacher and scientist * [[Christian Wernicke]] (1661-1725), epigrammist and diplomat * [[Johann Friedrich Endersch]] (1705-1769), mathematician geographer * [[Gottfried Achenwall]] (1719-1772), statistician * [[Johann Heinrich Ammelung]] (1746-?), historian * [[Wilhelm Baum (doctor)|Wilhelm Baum]] (1799-?), doctor of medicine, first honorary burgher of Danzig * [[Wilhelm Eduard Albrecht]] (1800-1876), lawyer, member of [[Göttinger Sieben]] * [[Bruno Erhard Abegg]] (1803-1848), statesman of [[Königsberg]] * [[Hieronymus Truhn]] (1811-1886), composer * [[Ferdinand Schichau]] (1814-1896), founder of the ''Schichau-Werke'' in Elbing and [[Gdańsk|Danzig]] * [[Johann Ludwig Hinrichs]] (1818-1901), co-founder of the German [[Baptists]] * [[John Prince-Smith]] (1809-1874), liberal economist and politician in Germany * [[Hugo Weiss]] (1842-?), theologian * [[Johannes Kohtz]] (1843-1918), German chess player * [[Albrecht Wernich]] (1843-?), doctor of medicine * [[Hermann Baumgart]] (1846-?), literary historian * [[Franz Komnick]] (1857-?), founder of Komnick Maschine-, Automobile- and Agriculture Machine Companies in Elbing * [[Max Georg Zimmermann]] (1861-?), art historian * [[Georg Bessau]] (1884-?), doctor of medicine * [[Paul Pulewka]] (1896-1989) German [[pharmacologist]] * [[Max Reimann]] (1898-1977), president of the [[Communist Party of Germany]] * [[Lutz Weltmann]] (1901-1967), journalist, director of the Jewish Culture Foundation * [[Erich Brost]] (1903-1995) publisher * [[Hellmut Drews-Tychsen]] (1904-1973), author * [[Ursula Karusseit]] (born 1939), actress * [[Bernd Neumann]] (born 1942), Minister of Culture of [[Germany]] since 2005 * [[Ortwin Runde]] (born 1944), mayor of [[Hamburg]] from 1997 to 2001. * [[Marie-Louise Salden]] (born 1939) German artist * [[Andrzej Sakson]] (born 1950), sociologist and director of the [[Western Institute]] * [[Ewa Białołęcka]] (born 1967), fantasy writer ==Notes== {{reflist|2}} ==See also== * [[EB (beer)|EB]] - Polish beer produced by the Elbrewery Company * [[List of cities and towns in East Prussia]] ==External links== {{Commons|Elbląg}} === Government websites === * [http://www.umelblag.pl/en/ Municipal website] * [http://www.gminaelblag.pl/ Gmina of Elbląg] {{pl icon}} * [http://www.powiat.elblag.pl/ Elbląg County] {{pl icon}} === Tourism and historical sites === * [http://www.castlesofpoland.com/prusy/elblag_en.htm CastlesOfPoland.com] *[http://www.domwarminski.pl/images/stories/warmia_regionem/mapy_historyczne_tabula_geografica_w.jpg Map of Warmia with Elbing from 1755] * [http://plan.elblag.com.pl/ Interactive map of Elbląg] {{pl icon}} * [http://www.it.elblag.com.pl/index.php?new_lang=en Tourism information] * [http://donelaitis.vdu.lt/prussian/Elbin.pdf Elbing Vocabulary], presentation by Dr. Letis Palmaitis * [http://www.polfracht.pl/polfracht/psal/localinf/elb/portelb2.htm Elbląg at Polfracht Shipping Agency Ltd.] * [http://www.elbing.de/english.htm Elbing.de] === Web portals === * [http://www.elblag.pl/ Wirtualny Elbląg - portal] {{pl icon}} * [http://www.portel.pl/ Elbląska Gazeta Internetowa - portal] {{pl icon}} * [http://www.elblag24.pl/ Elblag24 - portal] {{pl icon}} * [http://info.elblag.pl/ info.elblag.pl - portal] {{pl icon}} * [http://www.nocnyelblag.pl/ Nocny Elbląg - portal] {{pl icon}} * [http://www.wm.pl/index.php?ct=elblag Dziennik Elbląski newspaper] {{pl icon}} {{Hanseatic League}} {{Baltic emporia}} {{Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship|state=autocollapse}} {{Elbląg County|state=autocollapse}} {{coor title dm|54|10|N|19|24|E|}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Elblag}} [[Category:Elbląg| ]] [[Category:City counties of Poland]] [[Category:Cities and towns in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship]] [[Category:Imperial free cities]] [[cs:Elbląg]] [[co:Elbląg]] [[da:Elbląg]] [[de:Elbląg]] [[et:Elbląg]] [[es:Elbląg]] [[eo:Elbląg]] [[fr:Elbląg]] [[id:Elbląg]] [[it:Elbląg]] [[jv:Elbląg]] [[la:Elbinga]] [[lv:Elblonga]] [[hu:Elbląg]] [[na:Elblag]] [[nl:Elbląg (stad)]] [[no:Elbląg]] [[nn:Elbląg]] [[nds:Elbing]] [[pl:Elbląg]] [[pt:Elbląg]] [[ro:Elbląg]] [[qu:Elbląg]] [[ru:Эльблонг]] [[simple:Elblag]] [[fi:Elbląg]] [[sv:Elbląg]]