Lower Silesia
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 Location of Lower Silesia in Poland | |
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| Historical capital | Wrocław |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
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Lower Silesia (Polish:Dolny Śląsk[ˈdɔlnɨˈɕlɔ̃sk];Czech:Dolní Slezsko;German:Niederschlesien[ˈniːdɐˌʃleːzi̯ən]ⓘ;Silesian:Dolny Ślōnsk;Upper Sorbian:Delnja Šleska[ˈdɛlnʲaˈʃlɛska];Lower Sorbian:Dolna Šlazyńska[ˈdɔlnaˈʃlazɨnʲska];Lower Silesian:Niederschläsing;Latin:Silesia Inferior) is a historical and geographical region mostly located inPoland with small portions in theCzech Republic andGermany. It is the western part of the region ofSilesia. Its largest city isWrocław.
The first state to have a stable hold over the territory of what will be considered Lower Silesia was the short-livedGreat Moravia in the 9th century. Afterwards, in theMiddle Ages, Lower Silesia was part ofPiast-ruled Poland. It was one of the leading regions of Poland, and its capitalWrocław was one of the main cities of the Polish Kingdom. Lower Silesia emerged as a distinctive region during the fragmentation of Poland in 1172, when the Duchies ofOpole andRacibórz, considered Upper Silesia since, were formed of the eastern part of the Duchy of Silesia, and the remaining, western part was since considered Lower Silesia. During theOstsiedlung,German settlers were invited to settle in the region, which until then had aPolish majority. As a result, the region became largelyGermanised in the following centuries. Nonetheless, it remained a pioneering center of Polish culture, where theoldest Polish writing and first Polish print were created, and the firsttown rights were granted.
In theLate Middle Ages the region fell under the overlordship of theBohemian Crown, but large parts remained under the rule of local Polish dukes of the Piast,Jagiellonian andSobieski dynasties, some up to the 17th and 18th century. Briefly under the suzerainty of theKingdom of Hungary, it fell to the AustrianHabsburg monarchy in 1526.
In 1742, Austria ceded nearly all of Lower Silesia to theKingdom of Prussia in theTreaty of Berlin, except for the southern part of theDuchy of Neisse. Within the Prussian kingdom, the region became part of theProvince of Silesia. In 1871, the Prussian-controlled portion of Lower Silesia was integrated into theGerman Empire. AfterWorld War I, Lower Silesia was divided, as small parts were reintegrated with Poland and Czechoslovakia, which both regained independence. In the interbellum, the Polish population of the region was persecuted in the German-controlled part of the region.
After Germany's defeat in World War II in 1945, most of the region became once again part of Poland, while a smaller part west of theOder-Neisse line became part ofEast Germany and Czech Lower Silesia (Jesenicko and Opavsko regions) remained as a part ofCzechoslovakia. By 1949, almost the entire pre-war German populationwas expelled in accordance with thePotsdam Agreement.[1] Poles displaced from the former Polish lands incorporated into the USSR settled in Lower Silesia after the war, as well as Polish settlers from other parts of Poland.
The region is known for an abundance of historic architecture of various styles, including many castles and palaces, well preserved or reconstructedold towns, numerousspa towns, and historic burial sites ofPolish monarchs andconsorts (in Wrocław,Legnica andTrzebnica).
Lower Silesia is located mostly in the basin of the middleOder River with its historic capital inWrocław.
The southern border of Lower Silesia is mapped by the mountain ridge of theWestern andCentralSudetes, which since theHigh Middle Ages formed the border between Polish Silesia and the historicBohemian region of the present-day Czech Republic. TheBóbr andKwisa rivers are considered being the original western border with theLusatias, however, the SilesianDuchy of Żagań reached up to theNeisse river, including two villages (Pechern and Neudorf) on the western shore, which became Silesian in 1413.
The laterSilesian Province of Prussia further comprised the adjacent lands of historicUpper Lusatia ceded by theKingdom of Saxony after theNapoleonic Wars in 1815, its westernmost point could be found as far west as the small village ofLindenau (now belonging to the German state ofBrandenburg). To the north, Lower Silesia originally stretched up toŚwiebodzin andKrosno Odrzańskie, which was acquired by theMargraves of Brandenburg in 1482. TheBarycz river forms the border with historicGreater Poland in the northeast, the Upper Silesian lands lie to the southeast.
Administratively Polish Lower Silesia is shared betweenLower Silesian Voivodeship (except for the Upper Lusatian counties ofLubań andZgorzelec, and former BohemianKłodzko), the southern part ofLubusz Voivodeship (i.e. the counties ofKrosno Odrzańskie,Nowa Sól,Świebodzin,Żagań andZielona Góra with the city ofZielona Góra, as well as westernOpole Voivodeship (the counties ofBrzeg,Namysłów andNysa).
The tiny part of the former Duchy of Żagań on the western shore of the Neisse is today part of theKrauschwitz municipality in theGörlitz district ofSaxony, the larger Upper Lusatian parts of Prussian Silesia ("Silesian Upper Lusatia") west of the Neisse comprised the town ofGörlitz and the former district ofHoyerswerda, which today forms the northern part of the Saxon Görlitz andBautzen districts as well as the southern part of theOberspreewald-Lausitz district in Brandenburg. The southern part of the former Duchy of Nysa, which remained a part of Austrian Silesia after 1742, namely theJeseník District andHeřmanovice, Mnichov and Železná, as well as parts ofVrbno pod Pradědem in theBruntál District, today belongs to theCzech Republic.
Lower Silesia is bordered byGreater Poland andLubusz Land in the north,Upper Silesia in the east,Moravia in the south-east,Bohemia andKłodzko Land in the south, andLusatia in the west.
TheSudetes are a geologically diversemountain range that stretches for 280 kilometres (170 miles) from theLusatian Highlands in the west and to theMoravian Gate in the east. They are topographically divided intoWestern,Central andEastern Sudetes.
The Lower Silesian section of the Sudetes comprises theJizera Mountains (highest peak:Wysoka Kopa, 1,126 metres or 3,694 feet), where the tripoint withUpper Lusatia andBohemia is located near theSmrk summit, along with the adjacentGiant Mountains (highest: border peak ofSněžkaŚnieżka – highest mountain of Czech Republic, 1,602 m or 5,256 ft);Rudawy Janowickie (Skalnik, 945 m or 3,100 ft);Owl Mountains (Wielka Sowa, 1,015 m or 3,330 ft);Stone Mountains (Waligóra 936 m or 3,071 ft);Wałbrzych Mountains (Borowa 853 m or 2,799 ft) and theKaczawskie Mountains (Skopiec, 724 m or 2,375 ft) withOstrzyca, 501 m or 1,644 ft - they surround theJelenia Góra valley, 420–450 m or 1,380–1,480 ft;Ślęża Massif (Mount Ślęża 718 m or 2,356 ft), massive ofOrlické hory,Králický Sněžník south ofKłodzko,Rychlebské hory andJeseníky (English:Ashes mountains;Praděd, 1,492 m or 4,895 ft).
The adjacent Silesian Lowland includes theSilesian Lowlands and theSilesian-Lusatian Lowlands. These two lowlands are separated with each other byDolina Kaczawy, and from theSudetes by a steep morphological edge located along the Sudeten Marginal Fault, extended fromBolesławiec (the Northwest) toZłoty Stok (the Southeast). The southern part of the Lowland includes TheSudeten Foreland, consisting of quite lowWzgórze Strzegomskie, 232 m or 761 ft, Grupa Ślęży (Mount Ślęża, 718 m or 2,356 ft), and Wzgórza Niemczańsko-Strzelińskie (Gromnik Mountain, 392 m or 1,286 ft). Lower hills occur also in areas of Obniżenie Sudeckie,Świdnik, andKotlina Dzierżoniowska. The eastern part of Silesian Lowland consists of the wideSilesian Lowlands, located along banks of theOder River. The eastern part includes alsoRównina Wrocławska with its surrounding lands: Równina Oleśnicka, Wysoczyzna Średzka, Równina Grodkowska and Niemodlińska. Dolina Dolnej Kaczawy (Kotlina Legnicka) separates the Silesian Lowlands from the Silesian-Lusatian Lowlands, which includes Wysoczyzna Lubińsko-Chocianowska, Dolina Szprotawy, and wide areas of Bory Dolnośląskie, located to the north from the Bolesławiec-Zgorzelec road. From the North, the lowlands are delimited by Wał Trzebnicki, consisting of hills that are 200 km (120 mi) long and over 150 m (490 ft) high, in comparison to neighboring lowlands, Kobyla Mountain, 284 m (932 ft). The range of hills includes Wzgórza Dalkowskie, Wzgórza Trzebnickie, Wzgórza Twardogórskie, and Wzgórza Ostrzeszowskie. Obniżenie Milicko-Głogowskie, with Kotlina Żmigrodzka and Milicka, is located in the northern part, within the hills.
The region of the lowlands is coated with a thick layer of glacial elements (sand,gravel,clay) that covers more diverse relief of the older ground. Generally flat and wide bottoms of the valleys are padded with river settlements. Slopes of the hills over 180–200 m (590–660 ft) are coated with fertile clays and therefore, to begin with, thePaleozoic era, they became the lands for people to settle and cultivate intensively. The later form of the economy caused almost completedeforestation of the slopes. Not only fertile grounds, but also the mild climate is conductive to the development of agriculture and market gardening. The annual average temperature of theWrocław area is 9.5 °C (49.1 °F). The average temperature of the hottest month (July) is 19 °C (66 °F), and −0.5 °C (31.1 °F) of the coldest month (January). The average amount of rainfall is 500–620millimetres (20–24inches), with its maximum in July and minimum in February. The snow layer disappears after 45 days. The winds, similar to those appearing in the West side of Poland, are West and Southwest.
Sudeten rivers are characterized by changeable water rates, and high pollution resulting from large industrialization of the area. The greatest rivers areNysa Kłodzka, which is the source of drinking water for Wrocław (the water is drawn by special channel);Stobrawa,Oława,Ślęza,Bystrzyca with its tributaries—Strzegomka andPiława;Widawa,Średzka Woda,Kaczawa withNysa Szalona andCzarna Woda. There is also the largest right-bank tributary of the area,Barycz. The other quite large rivers, Bóbr, Kwisa, and Lusatian Neisse, flow into the Oder River beyond Lower Silesian borders. The majority of the rivers is regulated and their basins are improved, which is conductive to the proper water economy. The characteristic feature of the landscape of the lowland is the lack of lakes. The region ofLegnica is the only place where a dozen or so of small lakes survived, but the majority of them is already disappearing. The largest one is Jezioro Kunickie (95 hectares or 230 acres), Jezioro Koskowickie (50 ha or 120 acres), Jezioro Jaśkowickie (24 ha or 59 acres) and Tatarak (19.5 ha or 48 acres). In contrast to the number of lakes, there are large groups of artificial ponds founded in the Barycz basin, in the Middle Ages. Their total area amounts around 80 square kilometres (31 square miles), and the largest ponds (Stary Staw, Łosiowy Staw, Staw Niezgoda, Staw Mewi Duży, and Grabownica) come to 200–300 ha (490–740 acres).
The primeval flora has been transformed significantly as a result ofdeforestation and cultivation. The largest forest complexes are Bory Dolnośląskie (3,150 km2 or 1,220 sq mi), Bory Stobrawskie inStobrawa andWidawa areas, and smaller fragments of forests inBarycz andOder River valleys. These forests are kind of multi-speciesdeciduous forests, occurring in fertile grounds. The Oder River valley is reach in groups of mixed forests (beech,oak,hornbeam,sycamore maple, andpine). These forests, with protected status, are:Zwierzyniec,Kanigóra nearOława, Dublany,Kępa Opatowicka nearWrocław,Zabór nearPrzedmoście, andLubiąż. The other forest areas are The Natural Park in Orsk, the areas of Jodłowice, Wzgórze Joanny near Milicz, and Gola near Twardogóra. Such types of forest like those which are the mainstay for wild game or nurseries, are inaccessible because of permanent fire hazard. Territories partly accessible (marked specially) are located in areas of Góra Śląska, Oborniki Śląskie, Wołowa, in the Oder River valley, and in Wzgórza Niemczańsko-Strzelińskie.
The flora of Lower Silesia is specific and different for each zone. From the bottoms to the top, plants form groups that are arranged in wide or narrow belts, called floral zones. Subsequently, these zones are divided into narrower belts, called vegetation belts.
The zone of mountain forest is divided into two belts:subalpine and lower subalpine forest. Above, there is a forestless zone divided into the subalpine belt with dwarf pine, and the alpine belt without shrubs. This vegetation isglacial; the former vegetation—from theTertiary—was destroyed by the climate of theIce Age. Along with glaciation from the North, some tundra plants appeared, for exampledowny willow (Salix lapponum) andcloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus). The flora of Lower Silesia is strongly influenced by geological and climatic history. The vegetation is formed by species deriving from various geographic regions. Particular regions are represented by:
Lower subalpine forest (Polish:Regiel Dolny), 450–1,000 m (1,480–3,280 ft), is characterized by deciduous or mixed forest. The fragments of forests similar to natural complexes ofpine-fir-beech with admixture oflarch,sycamore maple andlime occur near the Szklarski waterfall, in the Jagniątkowski complex, andChojnik Mountain. Particular species of trees have different climatic requirements. The lowest parts are covered with oak and ash, up to 500 m (1,600 ft). On the level of 500–600 m (2,000 ft) occurs pine; in the higher parts, up to 800 m (2,600 ft), there occursEuropean larch; and above 800 m, fir and beech.
Despite transformation of the basic tree vegetation, the same form of undergrowth survived. There occurs:daphne mezereum,red elderberry,hazel,platanthera bifolia,sweet woodruff,Herb Paris,cranberry,wood sorrel,chickweed wintergreen,Common Cow-wheat andlily of the valley. The parts over 800 m are mainly covered with grasses, purple small-reeds, cranberries, andwillow gentian.
In highlighted places, on meadows, and along roads, there occurs:spotted orchid,bugleweed,yellow archangel,arnica montana,sword-leaved helleborine,rosebay willowherb,groundsel, andfoxglove. Along riversides, there occurs whitebutterbur.
Pine forests are rich in spruces, which are permanently weakened by atmospheric factors. Frayed roots are easily infected by harmfulfungus andinsects. The most damaging ishoney mushroom, with ediblespecimen, which grows in pulp, between thebark andtimber, causing the death of tree. The other damaging fungus isbracket fungus, which destroys roots and trunks from the inside. The honey mushroom devastates the tree within a few months, and the bracket fungus, within a few years, as a result of mechanic changes in wood structure.
At the close of theIce Age, the first man appeared at theSilesian Lowland. In theMesolithic (7,000 years ago), the first nomadic people settled in Lower Silesia, living in caves and primitive chalets. They were collectors, hunters, and fishers, and used weapons and other tools made of stone and wood. In theUpper Paleolithic, the oldest human remains of the nomadic people, which were 40,000 years old, were found in a tomb inTyniec on the riverŚlęża.
In theNeolithic (4000–1700 BC), began the process of transformation into a settled way of life. The first rural settlements were made, as people began to farm and breed animals. Mining, pottery, and weaving are dated to this period.Serpentinite quarries came into existence, of which Silesian hatchets were made, and nearJordanów Śląski, people extracted nephrite that was transformed into diverse tools. In theBronze Age (1700–1500 BC), the evolution of different cultures developed to the existence ofUnetice culture that affected the existence ofTrzciniec culture. In the next periods sincec. 750 BC, it encompasses all of Europe.
In theLa Tène culture period, Lower Silesia was inhabited by theCelts, who had their main place of cult on theMount Ślęża. Their stony statues situated on and around this hill were later worshipped by theSlavic tribes that came here around the sixth century AD.Magna Germania (second century) records that between the Celtic and the Slavic period, Lower Silesia was inhabited by a number ofGermanic tribes. Among them, are theVandals, theLugii, and theSilingi, who might have given the Silesia region its name, though it is unclear and thus disputed. With the Germanic tribes leaving westward during theMigration Period, a number of new peoples arrived in Silesia fromSarmatia,Asia Minor, and the Asian steppes from the beginning of the sixth century.
TheBavarian Geographer (c. 845) referred to the West SlavicŚlężanie (the other possible source of the region'sŚląsk and laterSilesia name), centered onNiemcza, andDziadoszanie tribes, while a 1086 document issued by BishopJaromir of Prague listed theZlasane,Trebovane,Poborane, andDedositze. At the same time, Upper Silesia was inhabited by theOpolanie,Lupiglaa, andGolenshitse tribes. In the late 9th century, the territory was subject to theGreat Moravian realm of PrinceSvatopluk I and from about 906 came under the rule of thePřemyslid dukeSpytihnev I of Bohemia and his successorsVratislaus I, the alleged founder of Wrocław (Czech:Vratislav), andBoleslaus the Cruel.
Meanwhile, the West SlavicPolans had established the first duchy under thePiast dynasty in the adjacentGreater Polish lands in the north. About 990 Silesia was conquered and incorporated into thefirst Polish state by the Piast dukeMieszko I, who had gained the support of EmperorOtto II against the Bohemian dukeBoleslaus II.
In 1000 his son and successorBolesław I Chrobry founded theDiocese of Wrocław, which, together with theBishoprics ofKraków andKołobrzeg, was placed under theArchbishopric of Gniezno inGreater Poland, founded by EmperorOtto III at theCongress of Gniezno in the same year. The ecclesial suzerainty ofGniezno over Wrocław lasted until 1821. After a temporary shift to Bohemia in the first half of the 11th century, Lower Silesia continued to be an integral part of the Polish state until the end of its fragmentation period when all Polish claims on this land were finally renounced in favor of theBohemian kingdom in 1348.
Various Polish defensive battles against the invading Germans took place in the region in the Middle Ages, including the victorious battlesof Niemcza in 1017 andGłogów andPsie Pole in 1109. In the early 12th century,Wrocław was named one of the three major cities of thePolish Kingdom alongsideKraków andSandomierz in the oldest Polish chronicle,Gesta principum Polonorum. One of the largest battles of medieval Poland, theBattle of Legnica, during thefirst Mongol invasion of Poland was fought in the region 1241.
Also a leading region of medieval Poland. The first-ever granting oftown privileges in Polish history happened there, whenZłotoryja was granted such rights in 1211 byHenry the Bearded. Medieval municipal rights modeled afterLwówek Śląski andŚroda Śląska, both established by Henry the Bearded, became the basis of municipal form of government for several cities and towns in Poland, and two of five local Polish variants of medieval town rights. In the 13th century theBook of Henryków, a chronicle containing the oldest known text in Polish, was created in the region. In theMiddle Ages,gold (Polish:złoto) andsilver (Polish:srebro) were mined in the region, which is reflected in the names of the former mining towns ofZłotoryja,Złoty Stok andSrebrna Góra. The city ofBolesławiec is a major center ofpottery production since the Middle Ages, which the tradition of production ofBolesławiec pottery, also referred to as Polish pottery, cultivated to this day.
TheDuchy of Silesia was first split into lower and upper parts in 1172 during the period ofPoland's feudal fragmentation, when the land was divided between two sons of former High DukeWładysław II. The elderBolesław the Tall ruled over Lower Silesia with his capital in Wrocław, and youngerMieszko Tanglefoot ruled over Upper Silesia with his capital at first inRacibórz, from 1202 inOpole. Later Silesia was divided into as many as 17duchies. Main duchies of Lower Silesia:
In 1319,Duchy of Jawor, the southwesternmost duchy of Lower Silesia and fragmented Poland, under DukeHenry I of Jawor, expanded westward, reaching the towns ofZgorzelec,Zły Komorów (Senftenberg),Żytawa (Zittau) andOstrowiec (Ostritz).[2][3][4]
With the 1335Treaty of Trentschin (Trenčín) and the 1348Treaty of Namysłów, most of the Silesian duchies were ruled by theSilesian Piast dukes under the feudal overlordship of theBohemian kings, and thus became part of theCrown of Bohemia within theHoly Roman Empire, though in 1341–1356 Poland regained control of the towns ofByczyna,Kluczbork,Namysłów andWołczyn. Many duchies remained Polish-ruled under the houses of Piast,Jagiellon andSobieski, some up to the 17th and 18th century. In 1469, Lower Silesia passed toHungary, and in 1490 it fell back to Bohemia, then ruled by theJagiellonian dynasty. In 1476, the Duchy of Krosno (Crossen) became part of theMargraviate of Brandenburg, when the widow of the Piast ruler, Barbara von Brandenburg, daughter of ElectorAlbert Achilles, inherited Crossen. This made the area aroundSchwiebus (Świebodzin) anexclave separated from the rest of Silesia. Crossen remained an important center of Polish culture.[citation needed] In 1475Głogów-born Polish printerKasper Elyan [pl] founded theDrukarnia Świętokrzyska [pl] (Holy Cross Printing House) in Wrocław, which published theStatuta synodalia episcoporum Wratislaviensium [pl], the firstincunable in Lower Silesia, which also contains the first-ever text printed in thePolish language.[5]
In 1526 Silesia became part of theHabsburg monarchy when ArchdukeFerdinand I ofAustria succeeded KingLouis II of Hungary and Bohemia. Brandenburg contested the inheritance, citing a treaty made withFrederick II of Legnica, but Silesia largely remained under Habsburg control until 1742. In 1675 DukeGeorge William of Legnica died at theBrzeg Castle, as the last male member of thePiast dynasty, which founded the Polish state in the 10th century. He was buried inLegnica.
Two main routes connectingWarsaw andDresden ran through the region in the 18th century and KingsAugustus II the Strong andAugustus III of Poland often traveled that route.[6]
Most of Lower Silesia, except for the southern part of the Duchy of Nysa, became part of theKingdom of Prussia after theFirst Silesian War by the 1742Treaty of Breslau. In 1813, several battles of theWar of the Sixth Coalition were fought in the region, including theBattle of the Katzbach. In 1815, it became part of the PrussianSilesia Province, which was divided into the three Lower Silesian administrative regions (Regierungsbezirke) ofLiegnitz,Breslau andReichenbach [de], and Upper SilesianOppeln (including the Lower Silesian districts ofNeisse andGrottkau).Reichenbach, which covered the southern part of Lower Silesia, was dissolved and its territories split betweenLiegnitz andBreslau in 1820;Breslau, which thereafter covered the central part of Silesia is sometimes also referred to asMiddle Silesia. The westernLiegnitz region was enlarged by the incorporation of theUpper LusatianLandkreise (districts) ofLauban [de] (Lubań),Görlitz [de],Rothenburg and, after 1825,Hoyerswerda [de], all seized from theKingdom of Saxony after theNapoleonic Wars, as well as some small areas transferred from Crossen (Rothenburg an der Oder,Polnisch Nettkow,Drehnow); the exclave of Schwiebus in the north, as well as few other small exclaves in the west, were transferred toBrandenburg Province. The formerly BohemianCounty of Kladsko, which had been annexed along with Silesia in 1742, was attached to theReichenbach region in 1818, becoming part of the centralBreslau region uponReichenbach's dissolution in 1820.
ThePolish secret resistance movement was active in the region in the 19th century. On 5 May 1848, a convention of Polish activists from the Prussian and Austrian partitions of Poland was held in Wrocław.[7] Wrocław was the seat of a Polish uprising committee before and during theJanuary Uprising of 1863–1864 in theRussian Partition of Poland.[8] Local Poles took part in Polish national mourning after the Russian massacre of Polish protesters inWarsaw in February 1861, and also organized several patriotic Polish church services throughout 1861.[9] Secret Polish correspondence, weapons, gunpowder and insurgents were transported through the region.[10] In June 1863 Wrocław was officially confirmed as the seat of secret Polish insurgent authorities.[11] The Prussian police arrested a number of members of the Polish insurgent movement.[12]
From 1871, Lower Silesia was part of theGerman Empire. As a result of long lastingGerman colonization andGermanisation, by the beginning of the 20th century Lower Silesia had a majority German-speaking population, with the exception of a smallPolish-speaking area in the northeastern part of the district ofNamslau (Namysłów),Groß Wartenberg (Syców) andMilitsch (Milicz) and a Czech-speaking minority in the rural area aroundStrehlen (Strzelin). There were also Polish communities in large cities such as Breslau (Wrocław) andGrünberg (Zielona Góra). DuringWorld War I, the Germans operated at least 24 forced labour camps forAlliedprisoners of war in the region.[13]
After the war, the bulk of Lower Silesia remained within Germany, the Bohemian part was included withinCzechoslovakia, and a small part withRychtal was reintegrated withPoland, which just regained independence. The German part was re-organized into theProvince of Lower Silesia of theFree State of Prussia consisting of theBreslau andLiegnitz regions. In theinterwar period, there were multiple instances ofanti-Polish violence in the German part, and already in 1920 a Polish consulate in Wrocław was attacked and demolished by German nationalists.[14] In the 1930s Poles and Jews were increasingly persecuted in the German-controlled part of the region. Many place names were Germanized in order to erase traces of Polish origin, even streets, squares, buildings and enterprises with the namePiast were forced to change their names (including the Piast castles inBrzeg andWołów).[15]
In September 1939, at the start ofWorld War II, Germany invaded andoccupied the Polish part of the region. Already in 1939, the Germans carried out the firstexpulsions of Poles, and some died during their deportation to the more-eastern part of German-occupied Poland.[16]
During the war, the Germans established theGross-Rosen concentration camp with around 100subcamps in the region, in which around 125,000 people of various nationalities, among them mostlyJews,Poles and citizens of theSoviet Union, were imprisoned, and around 40,000 died.[17] Also severalGerman prisoner-of-war camps, includingStalag VIII-A,Stalag VIII-C,Stalag VIII-E,Stalag Luft III, Oflag VIII-A, Oflag VIII-B,[18] Oflag VIII-C,Oflag VIII-F, with numerousforced labour subcamps were located in the region, as well as various subcamps of theStalag VIII-B/344 POW camp. POWs of various nationalities were held in those camps, including Poles,Frenchmen,Belgians,Britons,Italians,Canadians,Americans,Greeks,Yugoslavians,Russians,Australians,New Zealanders,South Africans,Norwegians,Lithuanians,Slovaks, etc. There were also several Nazi prisons, other forced labour camps and a camp for kidnapped Polish children up to 5 years of age, who were deemed "racially worthless" inWąsosz, where many died.[19]Kamieniec Ząbkowicki was the place ofAktion T4 murders of mentally ill children byinvoluntary euthanasia. TheProject Riese construction project, which cost the lives of many forced laborers of various nationalities, was conducted by Germany in the region.
ThePolish resistance movement was active in the region, including theHome Army andOlimp organization.
In the final stages of the war it was the site of severaldeath marches perpetrated by Nazi Germany.
In view of Polish claims to the area, a memorandum prepared by theUnited States Department of State in May 1945 recommended that the area stay with Germany because there was "no historic or ethnic justification" for granting this land to Poland.[20]
However, according to Soviet insistence at thePotsdam Agreement, in which theSoviet Union annexed eastern Poland, Lower Silesia went to theRepublic of Poland. These border shifts were agreed on pending a final peace conference with Germany which eventually never took place.[21] Germany retained the small portion of the former PrussianProvince of Lower Silesia to the west of theOder-Neisse line.
The remainingGerman populationwas expelled from the bulk of Lower Silesia east of the Neisse in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement.Poles from Central Poland and thePolish areas annexed by the Soviet Union came to the region.
From 1945 to 1975 Lower Silesia was administered within theWrocław Voivodeship. As a result of the Local Government Reorganisation Act (1975), Poland's administration was reorganized into 49voivodeships, four of them in Lower Silesia:Jelenia Góra,Legnica,Wałbrzych, andWrocław Voivodeships (1975–1998). As a result of the Local Government Reorganisation Act of 1998, these four provinces were joined into theLower Silesian Voivodeship (effective 1 January 1999), whose capital is Wrocław.
Following theKorean War, in 1953–1959, Poland admitted 1,000 North Korean orphans in the region.[22]
The region has been hit by the1997 Central European flood.
At the close of theclassical period the region was inhabited byGermanic Tribes, who during theMigration Period moved westward to the lands of modern Germany and France and were replaced in Lower Silesia byLechitic tribes. Centuries later, German settlers came to Lower Silesia during the Late Middle Ages,[23] attracted by newly founded towns to develop the region. Over time, the autochthonous Polish population became partlyGermanised and took up the German language as well, however, notable Polish communities survived, especially in northern Lower Silesia, and in larger cities. In year1819, the Breslau Regency had 833,253 inhabitants, the majority of whom—755,553 (90%)—were German-speakers; with a Polish-speaking minority numbering 66,500 (8%); as well as 3,900 Czechs (1%) and 7,300 Jews (1%).[24] U.S. Immigration Commission in 1911 classified Polish-speaking Silesians as ethnic Poles.[25] After World War II, German inhabitants that had not fled the area due to the war, were expelled in accordance with thePotsdam Agreement, and the region was resettled by Poles from former eastern Poland, which wasannexed by the Soviet Union, as well as from other regions, making Polish minority majority again. In 1948–1954Greeks andMacedonians,refugees of the Greek Civil War, came to Lower Silesia.[26] They were temporarily admitted in five towns and villages in the region and afterwards finally settled in various cities and counties, although in the next decades some returned toGreece, and some emigrated to other countries.[27] The largest Greek-Macedonian communities were located inZgorzelec, Wrocław,Świdnica andWałbrzych.[28]
Cities and towns with over 20,000 inhabitants:
Eastern parts ofUpper Lusatia also formed part of Silesia in the early 14th century, as part of theDuchy of Jawor of fragmented Poland,[29] and again from 1815 to 1945, when the area was annexed fromSaxony byPrussia and included within theProvince of Silesia and later ofLower Silesia. During this time Silesian culture and theSilesian German dialect spread into this region with its centreGörlitz. The expulsion of the Germans from the east of the Oder-Neisse line led to an additional settlement of German Silesians in this region.
Due to these facts, some of the inhabitants of this region still consider themselvesSilesian and cultivate Silesian customs. One of their special privileges is the right to use the Lower Silesian flag and coat of arms which is guaranteed to them by the Saxon Constitution of 1992. TheEvangelical Church of Silesia in Upper Lusatia, meanwhile, merged with the one of Berlin and Brandenburg to form theEvangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia.
The main cities within the former province of Lower Silesia west of theOder-Neisse line are (Upper Sorbian names in italics):
The main Lusatian cities within the former Duchy of Jawor and province of Lower Silesia east of Lusatian Neisse, now withinLower Silesian Voivodship are:
The international airport is located inWrocław –Wrocław Airport.
TheA4 motorway,A18 motorway andS3 expressway run through Lower Silesia.
Lower Silesia is one of the most visited regions in Poland. It is famous for a large number of castles and palaces (more than 100), inter alia:Książ Castle,Czocha Castle,Grodziec Castle,Gola Dzierżoniowska Castle,Oleśnica Castle,Kamieniec Ząbkowicki Palace. There is also a lot in theJelenia Góra valley.
The most widely visited city isWrocław where theFestival of Good Beer is held every year on the second weekend of June.
Lower Silesia boasts threeWorld Heritage Sites and 21Historic Monuments of Poland:
There are several burial sites of Polish monarchs and dukes from thePiast dynasty, including atBrzeg,Henryków,Lubiąż,Nysa,Trzebnica,Żagań, and several inLegnica and Wrocław. TheBasilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary inKrzeszów andChurch of St. John the Baptist inLegnica contain entire Baroque mausoleums of the Piast dukes from the Świdnica and Legnica lines, respectively.
Other rather unique historic structures include theSkull Chapel inKudowa-Zdrój and theVang Stave Church inKarpacz. TheDucal Tower inSiedlęcin contains one of the best preserved medieval frescos in Poland, and the world's onlyin situ depiction ofSir Lancelot.
Other landmarks include:Kłodzko Fortress,Wambierzyce,Oleśnica Mała,Mount Ślęża,Table Mountains,Owl Mountains,Karkonosze,Main Sudetes Trail (440 km fromŚwieradów Zdrój toPrudnik),Barycz Valley Landscape Park.
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There are various museums, including the majorNational Museum in Wrocław with the branchRacławice Panorama Museum, and the Archdiocese Museum in Wrocław, which contains theBook of Henryków. Wrocław also hosts the Post and Telecommunications Museum, Poland's chief museum dedicated to postal history. The Regional Museum inŚroda Śląska holds theŚroda Treasure, containing medieval gold and silver coins, jewellery and royalregalia, considered one of the most precious archaeological findings of 20th-century Europe. TheOssolineum in Wrocław is a National Institute and Library of great importance, and the Pan Tadeusz Museum, containing the manuscript of the Polish national epos,Pan Tadeusz byAdam Mickiewicz, serves as its branch.Bolesławiec, center of pottery production since the Middle Ages, hosts the Museum of Ceramics. The former gold mines inZłoty Stok andZłotoryja,tin andcobalt mine inKrobica, coal mine inNowa Ruda anduranium ore mine inKowary are available for tourists.
World War II sites include the museums at the former Nazi GermanGross-Rosen concentration camp andStalag VIII-C andStalag Luft IIIprisoner-of-war camps, and memorials at the sites of other Nazi camps and prisons and to thePolish resistance movement, etc. A portion of the underground structures built as part of the unfinished Nazi GermanProject Riese is available for tourists.
The garrison town ofŻagań hosts Poland's oldest monument ofWojtek, the soldier bear of thePolish II Corps,[32] whereasŚwiebodzin hosts theChrist the King Statue, one of the world's tallest Christ statues.
In addition to traditional nationwidePolish cuisine, Lower Silesia has its own regional and localtraditional foods and beverages, which include especially various meat products (incl. various types ofkiełbasa),cheeses,honeys, beverages and various dishes and meals, officially protected by theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland.
Notable centers of traditional meat production include theGiant Mountains andSudetes Foothills, the towns ofNiemcza,Sława andRychtal, and villages aroundNowe Miasteczko andŻagań, whereas centers of traditional cheese andquark production include theCentral Sudetes,Siedlisko,Kamienna Góra andZgorzelec.
A plethora of traditional Polish honey is produced in various places, especially in theSudetes,Sudetes Foothills,Barycz River Valley,Lower Silesian and Stobrawa forests andSulechów-Zielona Góra region.
There is a rich variety of breads, pastries and cakes, and additionally traditional local types ofgingerbread are baked inOleśnica,Przemków and Zielona Góra.
Lower Silesia is one of the wine growing regions of Poland, with one of the leading centers ofPolish wine production being Zielona Góra. Other recognized traditional beverages include the KarkonoskiLiqueur from theGiant Mountains, TrzebnickiCider from theTrzebnickie Hills, Jarzębiak, a Polish fruitvodka made fromrowan berries and other fruit ingredients, produced in Zielona Góra, andbeer fromLwówek Śląski and Zielona Góra.
The village ofGościęcice has one of the largestsweet chestnut crops in Poland.[33] Their cultivation dates back to theMiddle Ages, when localCatholic monks used these chestnuts for medical purposes.[33]
Among the most accomplished sports clubs in Lower Silesia are football clubsŚląsk Wrocław,Zagłębie Lubin andMiedź Legnica,speedway clubsFalubaz Zielona Góra andSparta Wrocław, basketball clubsŚląsk Wrocław,Basket Zielona Góra,Górnik Wałbrzych and handball clubŚląsk Wrocław.
Every year in September,Wrocław Marathon is organized.
Various major international sports competitions were held in the region, including theEuroBasket 1963,EuroBasket 2009,2009 Women's European Volleyball Championship,2010 Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships,UEFA Euro 2012,2014 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship,2016 European Men's Handball Championship,2017 World Games.
The most common statistic has been around 12 million Germans, more than one-quarter of them from Silesia. Regardless of the precise numbers, the scale is certain. In Lower Silesia, virtually the entire pre-war population was gone by 1949, and much of the architectural and artistic heritage had been damaged. ... Taking these facts into account, the border and population shifts of 1945–1949 represent the most dramatic caesura in Silesia's history.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Nationalverschiedenheit 1819
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