Świdnica

Świdnica (in German Schweidnitz, in Czech Svídnice) is a city in the voïvodie of Low-Silesia in the South-west of the Poland. It is with approximately 50 kilometers in the south-west of Wrocław in a fertile valley between the mount Ślęża and the Eulengebirge on the Bystrzyca. Świdnica is the old capital of the Duché of Schweidnitz-Jauer, one finds there the church of the peace which since 2001 is on the Liste of the world heritage of UNESCO. Since 2004 it is the seat of a catholic diocese.

History

The first documentary mention some goes back to 1249 with a document concerning the foundation of a church about Franciscains; another mention, more dubious, figure in a document of 1243. The oldest document, where Schweidnitz was described as city, goes back to 1267. From 1291 to 1392 it was the seat of the duchy of Schweidnitz-Jauer, controlled by a branch junior by Piasts of Silesia. Anna de Schweidnitz-Jauer, niece and heiress of Bolko II († 1368), the last of Piasts de Schweidnitz, having married Charles IV of the house of Luxembourg, the city and the duchy returned definitively in 1392 to the crown of Bohemia when Agnès died, the widow of Bolko. She still remained there like hereditary principality, when after the death of Louis II in Mohács (1526) Habsbourgs inherited the crown of Bohemia, until the moment when she passed to Prussia into 1741/63. The prosperity and the importance of the locality increased quickly, and Schweidnitz became after Wrocław the most important city of Silesia. The 30 year old war with its terrible consequences put an end to this situation.

It was conquered in 1632 by the Swedes under the orders of Torstensson and in 1741 by the Prussians; it was taken again in 1757 by the Austrians ordered by Nádasdy. Reconquered the following year by the Prussians, before an Austrian knack took it again in 1761. Recovery still by the Prussians in 1762 after a baited defense, it remained in their capacity and was reinforced considerably by four advanced forts. In 1807 the French seized and shaved the outer works them. Returned to the Prussians after the fall of Napoleon, it found his fortifications in 1816.

The industrialization of the city started in 1844 after the opening of the railway line towards Breslau, and made of Schweidnitz the second town of Silesia for the richness after Wrocław. The old strengthened works were destroyed as from 1868 and were transformed into green areas surrounding the city. After April 1st, 1899 Schweidnitz constituted a city-circle while remaining the seat of Schweidnitz-countryside. October 1st, 1938, the territory of the city was increased by the integration of part of the communes of Kroischwitz, Nieder-Bögendorf and Schönbrunn pertaining until there to Schweidnitz-countryside. In 1945 about intact city left by the second world war was placed under Polish administration, and the German population was driven out for the greatest part.

Schweidnitz had before 1945 two Protestant churches and two Catholic churches, an old Town hall and (in 1885) 23.669 inhabitants, including 8852 catholics and 358 Jews. In 1939 it counted (with the garrison) approximately 39.000 inhabitants.

The Protestant church of the peace of Świdnica, dedicated to the Polish Holy Trinity (Kościół Pokoju pw. Świętej Trójcy), belonged to the most remarkable places of Silesia. It was registered in 2001 on the list of the world heritage of UNESCO and is regarded as the largest church out of wooden of Europe.

The Świdnica March 25th, 2004 became seat of one évêché suffragan of the archbishop's palace of Wrocław, and downtown the parish church Saint-Wenzel was promoted cathedral.

Economy

Schweidnitz German was as of the 19th century a considerable industrial town. The building firm of Schlag organ and wire, from which the reputation extended far, there had its seat; it is it which, inter alia, built in 1888 the organ of the old philharmonic society of Berlin. Today, it is initially the electrotechnical industry which prevails (measuring devices, electric meters). Moreover there exist specialized companies in the technique of the scaffolding and the scales, the manufacture of the pieces of furniture, the treatment of leather, the impression and textile industry. After 1990, the foreign investors also created companies of subcontracting for the industry of car (car-electric equipment, fabrics of coating).

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