Wolów
Encyclopedia
Wołów ' is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship
in south-western Poland
. It is the seat of Wołów County, and of the smaller administrative district (gmina
) called Gmina Wołów. It lies approximately 38 kilometres (24 mi) north-west of the regional capital Wrocław. As at 2006, the town has a population of 12,286.
about 1285; a Vogt
is mentioned in 1288.
At that time Wołów belonged to the Duchy of Głogów, after 1312 to the Duchy of Oels
. With the duchy it passed to Bohemia
in 1328. In 1517 Johann Thurzo
received Wołów. From shortly before, 1473, dates the oldest known seal of the town, which already shows an ox, as do all later seals. The town's name is derived from the Polish
word wół ("ox"). In 1523 the town passed to the Duchy of Legnica
and remained there until the dukes of Liegnica-Brzeg
-Wołów died out in 1675.
The Protestant Reformation
was introduced to the town in 1522 by duke Frederick II. After the extinction of the local Piasts the duchy passed to the House of Habsburg, which opposed the Protestant denomination in the town, as part of the Counter-Reformation
. In 1682 the town's parish church was closed and given to the Catholics. According to the Treaty of Altranstädt
the church however was already returned to the Protestants in 1707 and stayed Protestant until 1945. The small Catholic minority in return received a Josephinian curacy.
In 1742 Wohlau was annexed by Prussia. The duchy was divided into two districts and the town became county seat of one of the districts. The structure of the town was, until 1700, defined by craft, especially clothiers. As the seat of a duchy and a district administrative function however became more and more important. The industrialization played only a minor role and mostly affected smaller companies of the timber industry.
In January 1945 – just before town was taken by the Red Army
– the Wehrmacht
evacuated the German population westwards. In the May of 1945, Poles – expelled by the Soviets from the eastern part of pre-war Poland – started to settle in Wołów and Lower Silesia.
Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Lower Silesian Voivodeship, or Lower Silesia Province , is one of the 16 voivodeships into which Poland is currently divided. It lies in southwestern Poland...
in south-western 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...
. It is the seat of Wołów County, and of the smaller administrative district (gmina
Gmina
The gmina is the principal unit of administrative division of Poland at its lowest uniform level. It is often translated as "commune" or "municipality." As of 2010 there were 2,479 gminas throughout the country...
) called Gmina Wołów. It lies approximately 38 kilometres (24 mi) north-west of the regional capital Wrocław. As at 2006, the town has a population of 12,286.
History
The area around Wołów was settled since prehistoric times. In 1157 a wooden castle founded by Senior Duke of Poland Władysław II the Exile is mentioned, which developed into a castle complex, which was again mentioned in 1202. Two villages developed near the castle, one of them called Wołowo. Probably in the second half of the 13th century the town was founded near Wołowo and partially on the soil of the second village. Wołów received German town lawGerman town law
German town law or German municipal concerns concerns town privileges used by many cities, towns, and villages throughout Central and Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.- Town law in Germany :...
about 1285; a Vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
is mentioned in 1288.
At that time Wołów belonged to the Duchy of Głogów, after 1312 to the Duchy of Oels
Duchy of Oels
The Duchy of Oels or Duchy of Oleśnica was one of the duchies of Silesia, with the capital in Oleśnica, Poland.Initially part of the Piast Duchy of Wrocław, the Oleśnica area became part of the Duchy of Głogów in 1294, following an armed conflict between Duke Henry III and Henry V the Fat, Duke of...
. With the duchy it passed to Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
in 1328. In 1517 Johann Thurzo
Thurzo
Thurzo or Turzo was a Hungarian noble family from the 15th century to the first half of the 17th century.The ancestors of the Thurzo family came to the Kingdom of Hungary from Lower Austria....
received Wołów. From shortly before, 1473, dates the oldest known seal of the town, which already shows an ox, as do all later seals. The town's name is derived from the Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
word wół ("ox"). In 1523 the town passed to the Duchy of Legnica
Duchy of Legnica
The Duchy of Legnica or Duchy of Liegnitz was one of the Duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Legnica in Lower Silesia....
and remained there until the dukes of Liegnica-Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
-Wołów died out in 1675.
The Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
was introduced to the town in 1522 by duke Frederick II. After the extinction of the local Piasts the duchy passed to the House of Habsburg, which opposed the Protestant denomination in the town, as part of the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
. In 1682 the town's parish church was closed and given to the Catholics. According to the Treaty of Altranstädt
Treaty of Altranstädt
Treaty of Altranstädt may refer to*Treaty of Altranstädt , a peace treaty between Saxony, Poland-Lithuania and Sweden, including the abdication of Augustus the Strong...
the church however was already returned to the Protestants in 1707 and stayed Protestant until 1945. The small Catholic minority in return received a Josephinian curacy.
In 1742 Wohlau was annexed by Prussia. The duchy was divided into two districts and the town became county seat of one of the districts. The structure of the town was, until 1700, defined by craft, especially clothiers. As the seat of a duchy and a district administrative function however became more and more important. The industrialization played only a minor role and mostly affected smaller companies of the timber industry.
In January 1945 – just before town was taken by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
– the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
evacuated the German population westwards. In the May of 1945, Poles – expelled by the Soviets from the eastern part of pre-war Poland – started to settle in Wołów and Lower Silesia.
