Kolo
Encyclopedia
Koło ' is a town on the Warta River
in central Poland
with 23,101 inhabitants (2006). It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodship (since 1999), having previously been in Konin Voivodship (1975–1998), and it is the capital of Koło County.
. It was situated in a safe place near the royal castle, on the island in the branches of the Warta River; the town had no walls but only two gates. It was a royal city and the seat of a land county (starostwo niegrodowe).
In 1410 Koło was a gathering place of the Greater Poland nobility, which called for a war with the Teutonic Order (see Battle of Grunwald
). In 1452 the Royal Castle in Koło was the place of meeting between King Casimir the Jagiellonian and the representatives of the Prussian Union
(see: the Thirteen Years' War).
From the early 15th century until 1716, Koło was the meeting place of the Provincial Parliament (Sejmik Generalny) for Greater Poland
, comprising the Poznań Voivodship, Kalisz Voivodship, Sieradz Voivodeship
, Łęczyca Voivodeship
, Brześć Kujawski Voivodeship
and Inowrocław Voivodeship)
The town evolved as a regional centre of trade and crafts, especially in metals and textiles, and in the 16th century a suburb of Zduny consisting mainly of potters developed on the right bank of the Warta river, receiving separate municipal autonomy in 1559. Koło was destroyed twice, once in 1622 by the Lisowski forces, and in 1655 by the Swedes
; the economy managed to revive only at the end of the 17th century.
Until 1793 Koło belonged to Konin County
of Kalisz Voivodeship
, and in the years 1793-1806 it was occupied by Prussia
, but during the Kościuszko insurrection
in 1794 it was temporarily liberated by the insurgents. In the years 1807-1815 it belonged to the Duchy of Warsaw
and later to Congress Poland
.
In 1729 the Jewish community was asked to pay 150 gold coins as an annual poll tax, and in 1738 this sum was increased to 300 gold coins.
In 1775 the Polish parliament imposed a special duty on books written in Hebrew and Yiddish, requiring each book to be stamped by the municipality. Despite heavy penalties imposed on owners of unstamped books, many books were concealed and unstamped.
In December 1940, the Jews were rounded up in a ghetto, which was liquidated the following year, in December 1941. The remaining Jews were deported to Chełmno nad Nerem, where they were shot or gassed to death and buried in mass graves. Kolo remained a transfer point for Jews deported to Łódź, and Nazi officials, including Heinrich Himmler
, visited the town.
Warta River
The Warta is a river in western-central Poland, a tributary of the Oder river. With a length of approximately it is the country's third longest river. The Warta has a basin area of 54,529 square kilometers...
in central Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
with 23,101 inhabitants (2006). It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodship (since 1999), having previously been in Konin Voivodship (1975–1998), and it is the capital of Koło County.
Early history
Koło (Colo) was granted town status in 1362 by King Casimir IIICasimir III of Poland
Casimir III the Great , last King of Poland from the Piast dynasty , was the son of King Władysław I the Elbow-high and Hedwig of Kalisz.-Biography:...
. It was situated in a safe place near the royal castle, on the island in the branches of the Warta River; the town had no walls but only two gates. It was a royal city and the seat of a land county (starostwo niegrodowe).
In 1410 Koło was a gathering place of the Greater Poland nobility, which called for a war with the Teutonic Order (see Battle of Grunwald
Battle of Grunwald
The Battle of Grunwald or 1st Battle of Tannenberg was fought on 15 July 1410, during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. The alliance of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respectively by King Jogaila and Grand Duke Vytautas , decisively defeated the Teutonic Knights, led...
). In 1452 the Royal Castle in Koło was the place of meeting between King Casimir the Jagiellonian and the representatives of the Prussian Union
Prussian Confederation
The Prussian Confederation was an organization formed in 1440 by a group of 53 gentry and clergy and 19 cities in Prussia to oppose the monastic state of the Teutonic Knights. It was based on the basis of an earlier similar organization, the Lizard Union...
(see: the Thirteen Years' War).
From the early 15th century until 1716, Koło was the meeting place of the Provincial Parliament (Sejmik Generalny) for Greater Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
, comprising the Poznań Voivodship, Kalisz Voivodship, Sieradz Voivodeship
Sieradz Voivodeship
Sieradz Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by Łódź Voivodeship.-1975-1998:Capital city: SieradzMajor cities and towns: :* Zduńska Wola ;...
, Łęczyca Voivodeship
Łęczyca Voivodeship
Łęczyca Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from the 14th century until the partitions of Poland in 1772-1795...
, Brześć Kujawski Voivodeship
Brzesc Kujawski Voivodeship
Brześć Kujawski Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795...
and Inowrocław Voivodeship)
The town evolved as a regional centre of trade and crafts, especially in metals and textiles, and in the 16th century a suburb of Zduny consisting mainly of potters developed on the right bank of the Warta river, receiving separate municipal autonomy in 1559. Koło was destroyed twice, once in 1622 by the Lisowski forces, and in 1655 by the Swedes
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
; the economy managed to revive only at the end of the 17th century.
Until 1793 Koło belonged to Konin County
Konin County
Konin County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the city of Konin, although the city...
of Kalisz Voivodeship
Kalisz Voivodeship
-Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998:Kalisz Voivodeship 1975–1998 was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Greater Poland Voivodeship.Capital city: Kalisz...
, and in the years 1793-1806 it was occupied by Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, but during the Kościuszko insurrection
Kosciuszko Uprising
The Kościuszko Uprising was an uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in Poland, Belarus and Lithuania in 1794...
in 1794 it was temporarily liberated by the insurgents. In the years 1807-1815 it belonged to the Duchy of Warsaw
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw was a Polish state established by Napoleon I in 1807 from the Polish lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit. The duchy was held in personal union by one of Napoleon's allies, King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony...
and later to Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
.
Taxation of the Jews of Koło
In 1571 a contract was drafted with regard to the status of the Jews in Koło, in which the city's Christians have undertaken to provide protection to the Jews, in return for which the Jews were required pay a special annual municipal tax.In 1729 the Jewish community was asked to pay 150 gold coins as an annual poll tax, and in 1738 this sum was increased to 300 gold coins.
In 1775 the Polish parliament imposed a special duty on books written in Hebrew and Yiddish, requiring each book to be stamped by the municipality. Despite heavy penalties imposed on owners of unstamped books, many books were concealed and unstamped.
Modern era
In the early 20th century, the Jewish population of Kolo made up almost 50 percent of the total population. When the Nazis occupied Poland, they captured Koło on September 18, 1939. On September 19, all Jewish males over the age of 14 were sent to forced labor. The Jewish synagogue was set on fire the following day.In December 1940, the Jews were rounded up in a ghetto, which was liquidated the following year, in December 1941. The remaining Jews were deported to Chełmno nad Nerem, where they were shot or gassed to death and buried in mass graves. Kolo remained a transfer point for Jews deported to Łódź, and Nazi officials, including Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
, visited the town.
Notable residents
- Franciszek Ksawery Dmochowski - novelist, poet, translator, publisher, critic, and satirist
- Tomasz KosTomasz KosTomasz Kos is a Polish former footballer who spent his career playing mostly with German clubs 1. FC Nuremberg and FC Erzgebirge Aue.-References:*...
- football player (FC Erzgebirge AueFC Erzgebirge AueFC Erzgebirge Aue is a German football club based in Aue, Saxony. The former East German side was a charter member of the 3. Liga in 2008–09, after being relegated from the 2. Bundesliga in 2007–08. The city of Aue has a population of about 18,000 making it one of the smallest cities to ever...
) - Jan PustyJan PustyJan Pusty is a retired male hurdler from Poland. His personal best was 13.53 seconds on the 110m hurdles.He won a silver medal at the 1978 European Championships in Athletics, and finished fifth at the 1980 Olympics.-Achievements:...
- retired hurdler - Aron BrandAron BrandAron Brand-Auraban , born in Ozorków, Poland, was an Israeli pediatric cardiologist. He served as chairman of the Israel Medical Association in Jerusalem, Israel, and founded the Jerusalem Academy of Medicine....
- pediatric cardiologist - Jacques Roston