Wolin | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Wolin | |
| Coordinates:53°50′35″N14°36′45″E / 53.84306°N 14.61250°E /53.84306; 14.61250 | |
| Country |  Poland |
| Voivodeship |  West Pomeranian |
| County |  Kamień |
| Gmina |  Wolin |
| Area | |
• Total | 14.41 km2 (5.56 sq mi) |
| Population (2006) | |
• Total | 4,878 |
| • Density | 338.5/km2 (876.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 72-510 |
| Vehicle registration | ZKA |
| Climate | Cfb |
Wolin ([ˈvɔlin];German:Wollin) is a town inKamień County,West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwesternPoland.[1] It is the seat ofGmina Wolin. It is situated on the southern tip ofWolin island off theBaltic coast of the historic region ofWestern Pomerania. The island lies at the edge of thestrait ofDziwna.
The town, now afishing port and gateway to the island's bathing resorts, has a population of approximately 4,900. Dating from the 9th century, it has been associated with the semi-legendary settlements ofJomsburg, Jumne, Julin andVineta.[2] It played an important role in theconversion of Pomerania and in 1140 became the first see of thePomeranian diocese. Several ruins from theSlavic period occupy the area. The early medieval town fell victim to the late 12th century Danish raids, and was refounded in 1260.
The town of Wolin is located beside the S3 expressway, which is, in turn, part of theEuropean route E65 running across Europe from Sweden to Greece.
There is also a railway station.
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Theford across the river Dziwna on which Wolin is located has been used as far back as theStone Age. Archaeological excavations of soil layers indicate that there was a settlement in the area during theMigration period, at the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries. The place was then abandoned for approximately hundred years. At the end of the 8th or the beginning of the 9th century the area was leveled and a new settlement constructed. The earliest evidence of fortifications dates to the first half of the 9th century. In the second half of the 9th century there was a central fortified area and two suburbs, to the north and south of the center. These became enclosed and fortified between the end of the 9th and the 10th centuries.[3]
In the 8th century there was aWest Slavic settlement on the island.[4] The name of the local tribe was recorded as "Velunzani" (Wolinians) in the 9th century by theBavarian Geographer, and is considered a sub-tribe of both theSlavic Pomeranians and theVeleti (later Lutizians). The Wolinians are described by Jan Maria Piskorski as the most powerful Pomeranian tribe,[5] due to their control of a multi-ethnicemporium at the site of the present-day town.[6]Similar emporia were also set up elsewhere along the southern coastline of theBaltic Sea since the 8th century.
This emporium, by contemporary chronicles referred to asJumne orJulin, began to prosper in the 9th century.[7] Archaeological research has revealed seaside fortifications that have been dated back to the beginning 10th century, and also remnants of older fortifications, probably pointing to an earlierburgh with an adjacent open settlement.[8] In the 960s, the Jewish merchantIbrahim ibn Jakub described the settlement as a town with several thousand inhabitants and twelve gates.[5] Besides the Wolinians, there wereScandinavian,Saxons andRus' (people).[6] Later, the town was mentioned in the chronicles ofAdam of Bremen.[6] Adam mentioned a lighthouse, which he described as "the lamp of Vulcan".[6] All these descriptions contributed to theVineta legend.[6] Though other towns are also considered possible locations of Vineta, it is believed today to be identical with Wolin.[citation needed] The same is true forJomsborg, a stronghold set up by Danish kingHarald Bluetooth and Swedish princeStyrbjörn in the course of Harald's internal struggles with his son,Sweyn Forkbeard, in the 970s or 980s, which housed a garrison of soldiers known asJomsvikings.[citation needed]
In the late 10th century, thePolish dukesMieszko I andBolesław I Chrobry subdued most ofPomerania and also fought the Wolinians.[6] Despite a victory of Mieszko in a 967 battle, the Polish dukes, according toJan Maria Piskorski, did not succeed to subdue the area.[6][verification needed]Władysław Filipowiak however says that the battle "probably led to the establishment of the rule of the winner over the town."[9] In 1982,Joachim Herrmann suggested that Bolesław had established aViking colony underPalnatoki there to defend his realm, a thesis that in 2000 had been revisited byLeszek Słupecki who likeWładysław Duczko (2000) called for further research on resident Vikings inJomsborg/Wolin.[10] Wolin was one of five largest cities of Poland, and the largest port city on the Baltic Sea.[11] Filipowiak says that, based on the archaeological evidence, "there might actually have existed in Wolin a mercenary company placed by the Piast rulers in the unruly town, which in 1007 informed the German Emperor that Bolesław the Brave had been weaving a dangerous plot," but also points out the need for further research on this subject.[10] The meeting withHenry II, Holy Roman Emperor inRegensburg on 6 April 1007 resulted in the latter declaring war on Bolesław, after Wolinian and other delegates had reported that Bolesław was preparing for war and had sought their support by offering money and making promises.[12]Oskar Eggert and Filipowiak say that suggests that the town was independent in its policies by that time.[13] Filipowiak further says that in the 11th century, Wolin became a "save haven for Danish refugees, which in that period led to inner unrest and conflicts as well as pirate activities."[14] Much of Wolin was destroyed in 1043 by Dano-Norwegian KingMagnus the Good, who however failed to conquer its center.[15] Also in the mid-11th century, export and wealth were greatly reduced, in part due to the breakdown of the Polish market.[15] Yet the Wolinians retained their independence and continued to house refugees from the Danish opposition, causing Danish kingErik I Evergood to mount another campaign in 1098.[15]
In 1121/22, thePolish dukeBolesław III Wrymouth conquered the area along with theDuchy of Pomerania underWartislaw I.[16] Bolesław aimed atChristianizing the area and in 1122 sent the Spanisheremite Bernard on a mission to Wolin.[16] The inhabitants, reluctant to convert to a religion of a man who did not even wear shoes, beat him up badly and expelled him.[16] With the approval of bothLothair III, Holy Roman Emperor, andPope Callixtus II, Bolesław initiated another mission of SaintOtto of Bamberg in 1124.[17] When Otto, a respected and wealthy man accompanied by German and Polish clergymen and military units, arrived in Wolin, he had already successfully converted thePyrzyce andKamień areas.[18] Yet, he was met with distrust, and the town's inhabitants finally gave in to convert to Christianity only if Otto managed to convertSzczecin, which the Wolinians assumed was unachievable.[19] Yet, when Otto after two months of work and threatening with another military intervention managed to convert Szczecin, he returned to Wolin and the Wolinians accepted conversion.[19]
Otto's second mission in 1128 was initiated byHoly Roman Emperor Lothair in 1128 after a pagan reaction.[20] While this second mission was oriented more towards the more western portion of Pomerania, Otto also visited Wolin again.[20]Wartislaw I, Duke of Pomerania supported and aided both missions.[21] In 1140, Wolin was madethe first episcopal see in Pomerania:Pope Innocent II founded the diocese by apapal bull of 14 October, and made Wolin's church ofSt. Adalbert its see.[22][23][24][25] However, the see was moved toGrobe Abbey on the island ofUsedom after 1150.[26][27]
At the same time Wolin economically decayed and was devastated by Danish expeditions, which contributed to the move of the episkopal see to Grobe.[27] The Danish campaigns completely wiped out the town in the late 12th century.[28]
On the ruins of the early medieval town, a new town was founded and grantedLübeck Law. The town remained in theDuchy of Pomerania (which was a vassal ofDenmark from 1185, and afterwards was within theHoly Roman Empire since 1227), passing with the duchy to theSwedish Crown following theTreaty of Stettin (1630), thePeace of Westphalia (1648) and theTreaty of Stettin (1653). In August 1659, it was occupied by Austria afterthe city's siege.[29] Since theTreaty of Stockholm (Great Northern War) of 1720, it was incorporated into thePrussianProvince of Pomerania.
The town subsequently became part of theGerman Empire in 1871, then its successor states theWeimar Republic and theThird Reich. DuringWorld War II, the German Nazi government operated aforced labour camp forFrench andBelgian prisoners of war from theStalag II-BPOW camp.[30] During the final stages of the war, in February 1945, the German-perpetrateddeath march ofAllied prisoners-of-war from theStalag XX-B POW camp passed through the town.[31] In 1945, with the conclusion of the Second World War, Wollin was conquered by theRed Army and handed over to Poland and theGerman population was expelled in accordance to thePotsdam Agreement. The town was once again named Wolin and resettled by Poles.
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1871 | 4,978 | — |
| 1880 | 5,506 | +10.6% |
| 1890 | 4,965 | −9.8% |
| 1900 | 4,679 | −5.8% |
| 1910 | 4,537 | −3.0% |
| 1925 | 4,723 | +4.1% |
| 1939 | 4,800 | +1.6% |
| 1950 | 1,361 | −71.6% |
| 1960 | 2,435 | +78.9% |
| 2010 | 4,842 | +98.9% |
| Source:[32][33] | ||
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