Szczypiorno
Encyclopedia
Szczypiorno sz is a municipal neighbourhood
of the city of Kalisz
, Poland
. Formerly until 1976 a separate village at the outskirts of the city, it is best known as a seat of a World War I
and Polish-Bolshevist War prisoner of war
camp and the name-sake for szczypiorniak, the Polish language
name for the game of handball
.
The borough is located along the National Road 25 linking Kalisz with Ostrów Wielkopolski
. There is a Kalisz Szczypiorno railway station located in the neighbourhood. During World War I the village housed a German-built prisoner of war camp for soldiers of the Polish Legions
following their internment in the aftermath of the so-called Oath crisis
. It was there that the internees first started playing a game of handball
, that later became popular with the re-born Polish Army and general population. Because of that the game is still commonly referred to as szczypiorniak in Polish.
After World War I the camp remained operational for internees from Germany and Bolshevist Russia. Disbanded some time in early 1920s, it was turned into a Central School of Prison Service, still operational. During World War II
the village was occupied by Nazi Germany
and renamed, first to Friedersbrunn and then to Deutschehren
In 1976 the village was incorporated into the city of Kalisz.
Neighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
of the city of Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
, 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...
. Formerly until 1976 a separate village at the outskirts of the city, it is best known as a seat of a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and Polish-Bolshevist War prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp and the name-sake for szczypiorniak, the Polish language
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
name for the game of handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
.
The borough is located along the National Road 25 linking Kalisz with Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski is a town in central Poland with 72,360 inhabitants , situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; the seat of Ostrów Wielkopolski County.-History:Recently, a small fortified dwelling dating from the 10th century was discovered on the north-east side of...
. There is a Kalisz Szczypiorno railway station located in the neighbourhood. During World War I the village housed a German-built prisoner of war camp for soldiers of the Polish Legions
Polish Legions in World War I
Polish Legions was the name of Polish armed forces created in August 1914 in Galicia. Thanks to the efforts of KSSN and the Polish members of the Austrian parliament, the unit became an independent formation of the Austro-Hungarian Army...
following their internment in the aftermath of the so-called Oath crisis
Oath crisis
The Oath crisis was a World War I political conflict between the Imperial German Army command and the Józef Piłsudski-led Polish Legions.Initially supporting the Central Powers against Imperial Russia, Piłsudski wanted to defeat one of the partitioning powers with the hands of the two remaining...
. It was there that the internees first started playing a game of handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, that later became popular with the re-born Polish Army and general population. Because of that the game is still commonly referred to as szczypiorniak in Polish.
After World War I the camp remained operational for internees from Germany and Bolshevist Russia. Disbanded some time in early 1920s, it was turned into a Central School of Prison Service, still operational. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the village was occupied by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and renamed, first to Friedersbrunn and then to Deutschehren
In 1976 the village was incorporated into the city of Kalisz.