Gdansk
For alternative meanings of Gdansk and Danzig, see Gdansk (disambiguation) and Danzig (disambiguation)(German: Danzig) is the 6th largest city in Poland, its principal seaport, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodship.
| |||||
| Motto: Nec temere, nec timide (Neither rashly nor timidly) | |||||
| Municipal government | Rada miasta Gdańsk | ||||
| Mayor | Paweł Adamowicz; | ||||
| Area | 262 km² | ||||
| Latitude Longitude | 54°40'N 18°60'E | ||||
| Population - total 2003 - density | 461 400 1761/km² | ||||
| Founded | 997 | ||||
| Domain | gda.pl | ||||
| Area code | ++ 48 58 | ||||
| Car registration marks | GD 00001 to GD 99999 | ||||
| Twin towns | Astana, Barcelona, Bremen, Cleveland, Helsingřr, Kaliningrad, Kalmar, Marseilles, Nice, Odessa, Rotterdam, Rouen, Sefton, St. Petersburg, Turku, Vilnius | ||||
| Municipal Website | |||||
The city lies on the southern coast of the Gdansk Bay (of the Baltic Sea), in a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdynia and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the Tricity (Trójmiasto) with a population of over a million people. Gdańsk is, with a population of 460,000 (2002), the largest city in the historical province of Eastern Pomerania.
Gdańsk is situated at the mouth of the Motława; river, connected to a Leniwka, a branch in the delta of the Vistula, whose waterway system connects 60% of the area of Poland, giving the city a unique advantage as the center of Poland's sea trade. In the past, Gdańsk made the most of this advantage holding the position as Poland's largest city until 1770.
A major Polish port since the 14th century and subsequently a principal ship-building centre, today's Gdańsk remains an important industrial centre together with the developed since the 1920s of the nearby port of Gdynia. In 1970-ties the modern port (Port Polnocny) in Gdansk was developed, accessible for much bigger ships, including middle sized tankers.
The name of Gdańsk is usually interpreted as a town located on Gdania river, which is thought to be the original name of the Motława branch the city is situated on. The name of a settlement was recorded after St. Adalbert's demise in 997 A.D. as urbs Gyddanyzc and later was written as Kdanzk (1148), Gdanzc (1188), Gdansk (1236), Danzc (1263), Danczk (1311, 1399, 1410, 1414–1438), Danczik (1399, 1410, 1414), Danczig (1414), Gdansk (1454, 1468, 1484), Gdansk (1590), Gdąnsk (1636) and in Latin documents Gedanum or Dantiscum. These early recordings show the Pomeranian name Gduńsk, the Polish name Gdańsk and a simplified German name Danzig.
Alternative spellings from medieval and early modern documents are Gyddanyzc, Kdansk, Gdanzc, Dantzk, Dantzig, Dantzigk, Dantiscum and Gedanum. The official Latin name of Gedanum was used simultaneously.
The city has been known under various names during its history. The Polish name is Gdańsk and in the local Kashubian language it is known as Gduńsk. The German name, commonly used before WWII, is Danzig. The city's Latin name may be given as any of Gedania, Gedanum or Dantiscum; the variety of Latin names reflects the influence of the Polish, Kashubian, and German names.
On special occasions it is also known as The Royal Polish City of Gdansk; Polish: Królewskie Polskie Miasto Gdańsk, German: Koenigliche Polnische Stadt Danzig, Latin: Regia Civitas Polonica Gedanensis, Kashubian: Królewsczi Polsczi Gard Gduńsk.
The Kashubians prefer the name: Our Capital City Gdańsk (=Nasz Stoleczny Gard Gduńsk) or The Kashubian Capital City Gdańsk (=Stoleczny Kaszëbsczi Gard Gduńsk'').
Sources:
The city's industrial kaleidoscope is dominated by traditional lines of shipbuilding, petrochemical and chemical industry, and food processing. The share of the know-how-based sectors such as electronics, telecommunication, IT engineering, or cosmetics and pharmaceuticals is on the rise. Amber processing specific for the local economy is also prominent.
Gdansk is the starting point of the EuroVelo 9 cycle route which continues on southward through Poland, then onto the Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovenia before it finally ends on the Adriatic Sea at Pula in Croatia.
There are many popular professional sports team in the Gdansk and Tricity area. Amateur sports are played by thousands of Gdansk citizens and also in schools of all levels (elementary, secondary, university).
Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Gdansk constituency
to be written
Administrations of Danzig 1862-1945
The contemporary Gdansk is the capital of the Pomeranian province and one of the major centres of economic and administrative life in Poland. Many vital agencies of the state and local government levels have their main offices here: the Provincial Administration Office, Provincial Government, Ministerial Agency of the State Treasury, and the Agency for Consumer and Competition Protection, National Insurance regional office, Court of Appeal, and High Administrative Court.
Names
Historical documents
Alternative languages' names
Special celebration names
Economy
Main article: Economy of Gdansk Major corporations
8 out of Rzeczpospolita Top 500 Polish companies have their hedquarters in Gdansk:
See also: Ports of the Baltic Sea.Culture
Gdansk used to be an important center of culture. In the 16th century it used to host Shakespeare theater on foreign tours. Currently, there is a Fundation Theatrum Gedanensis aimed at rebuilding the Shakespeare theater building on its traditional site in Gdansk. It is expected that Gdansk will have a permanent English language theater, as at present it is only an annual event: the review of the Shakespeare theater groups from Poland and abroad.Tourism
Gdansk boasts many fine Hanseatic league buildings.Sports
Sports in Gdansk
Sports in Tricity
Politics and Local Government
Members of European Parliament (MEPs) from Gdańsk
Members of Polish Parliament (MPs) from Gdańsk
Municipal politics
Administrations of Gdańsk
Administrations of Gdansk since 1945Regional center
Gdansk Voivodship was extended in 1999 to include most of Slupsk Voivodship, western part of Elblag Voivodship and Chojnice County from Bydgoszcz Voivodship to form new Pomeranian Voivodship.
The area of the region was thus extended from 7,394 km2 to 18,293 km2 and population from 1,333,800 (1980) to 2,198,000 (2000). By 1998, Tricity or greater Gdansk, constituted an absolute majority of population; almost half of the inhabitants of the new region live in the centre.
The City of Gdansk is divided into 30 "quarters":
| nr | name | ppl | area km² | ppl/km² |
| 1 | Osowa | 8053 | 13,6 | 592 |
| 2 | Oliwa | 22431 | 18,5 | 1209 |
| 3 | Żabianka;, Jelitkowo | 23145 | 2,1 | 10923 |
| 4 | Przymorze Małe; | 18017 | 2,3 | 7786 |
| 5 | Przymorze Wielkie | 36260 | 3,3 | 10840 |
| 6 | VII Dwór | 4879 | 3,2 | 1 507 |
| 7 | Strzyża; | 6569 | 1,2 | 5 571 |
| 8 | Zaspa-Młyniec; | 16471 | 1,3 | 13144 |
| 9 | Zaspa-Rozstaje | 15118 | 1,9 | 7833 |
| 10 | Brzeźno; | 16514 | 2,7 | 6123 |
| 11 | Matarnia | 5613 | 14,9 | 376 |
| 12 | Brętowo; | 7944 | 7,4 | 1074 |
| 13 | Wrzeszcz | 65427 | 9,9 | 6622 |
| 14 | Letnica | 2024 | 4,5 | 452 |
| 15 | Nowy Port | 12913 | 2,3 | 5603 |
| 16 | Piecki-Migowo | 23593 | 3,8 | 6224 |
| 17 | Suchanino | 12937 | 1,3 | 9812 |
| 18 | Siedlce | 17584 | 2,6 | 6684 |
| 19 | Wzgórze Mickewicza | 2578 | 0,6 | 4268 |
| 20 | Aniołki; | 6774 | 2,3 | 2949 |
| 21 | Młyniska; | 4551 | 4,0 | 1136 |
| 22 | Stogi z Przeróbką | 19866 | 16,9 | 1173 |
| 23 | Śródmieście; | 39770 | 5,5 | 7219 |
| 24 | Krakowiec-Górki Zachodnie | 2301 | 8,8 | 261 |
| 25 | Wyspa Sobieszewska | 3570 | 34,3 | 104 |
| 26 | Kokoszki | 4659 | 20,0 | 233 |
| 27 | Chełm i Gdańsk Południe; | 43264 | 30,8 | 1404 |
| 28 | Orunia-Św.Wojciech-Lipce; | 20317 | 19,7 | 1032 |
| 29 | Olszynka | 3514 | 7,7 | 458 |
| 30 | Rudniki | 2104 | 14,5 | 145 |
There are 10 universities with 60,436 students, of which 10,439 are graduates (2001).
According to archeologists, the Gdańsk stronghold was constructed in the 980s, however the year 997 has in recent years been considered to be the date of the foundation of the city itself, as the year in which Saint Adalbert of Prague (sent by the Polish king Boleslav the Brave) have baptized the Gdansk inhabitants (urbs Gyddanyzc). In the folowing years Gdansk was the main centre of a Polish splinter duchy ruled by the dynasty of Dukes of Pomerania. The most famous of them, Swantipolk II, has granted local autonomy charter in ca. 1235 to the city that had some 2,000 inhabitants. Gdansk has become a flourishing trading city with some 10,000 inhanbitants by the year 1308, when it was occupied and demolished by the Teutonic Knights (the Gdańsk massacre of November 13, 1308). This lead to the city decline and to a series of wars between the rebellious Knights and the Polish kings, ended with the Peace of Kalisz in 1343 when the Knights acknowledged the Polish sovereignty over Pomerania. This permitted the foundation of the Gdansk municipality in 1343 and a flourishing development of grains exports from Poland via the Vistula river trading routes. When a new war broke out in 1409 and ended with the Battle of Grunwald (1410) Gdańsk accepted the direct overlordship of Polish kings, but with the Peace of Torun (1411) Gdańsk returned to the Teutonic Knights' administration. In 1440 Gdańsk participated in the foundation of the Prussian Union which led to the Thirteen Years War (1454-1644) and the incorporation of Gdansk Pomerania, under direct rule of the Polish Crown.
Thanks to the Royal charters granted by the king Casimir IV the Jagiellonian and the free access to all Polish markets, Gdansk became the largest and richest Polish seaport and city, responsible for 80% of Polish exports. The 16th to 17th centuries were the Golden Age of Gdansk trade and culture. Gdansk ihabitants from various ethnic groups (Poles, Germans, Jews and the Dutch being the largest) contributed to the specific Gdansk identity and richest culture of the period. The city suffered slowly economic decline becauce of the wars in the 18th century, which ended with the Partitions of Poland in 1772-1793. Gdansk citizens fought fiercefully for Polish independence, but they had to accept the city's occupation by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1793 and, again in 1815, after a short period as a Free City (1806-1815) under Napoleon. In contrast to the Polish period, under the Prussian administration Gdansk became an relatively unimportant city dominated by the military garrison and the administration officials. Despite the enforced Germanisation policies, the end of 19th century marked the revival of Polish and Kashubian organizations, publishing and culture.
After World War I, Poland became independent, and the Poles hoped to have Gdansk as 'a free access to the sea', as they had been promised by the Allies. They were very unhappy when Gdansk was not placed under full Polish sovereignty, but was made into the Free City of Danzig, formally an autonomous part of Poland and protected by the League of Nations, but in practice dominated by the local German-speaking residents. Because these authorities had obstructed Polish trade and restricted Poles from settling in the city, the Polish government decided to invest in construction of the nearby seaport of Gdynia, which in the following years had taken the majority of Polish exports. Tensions arising from quarrels between Nazi Germany and Poland over control of Gdańsk served as a pretext for the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 and the outbreak of World War II. Gdansk was occupied by the Germans, who started a programme of extermination of all Poles in the region: thousands were executed in the massacres in Zaspa and Piasnica Forest in 1939, thousands more sentenced to Stutthof concentation camp, others were expelled to the General Government.
Gdańsk was liberated by the Polish and Soviet forces on March 30, 1945 after a fierce battle with the defending Germans. 90% of the city was put to ruins, and it is estimated that 40% of the pre-war population was killed during the war. By the decision of the Allies at the Yalta Conference and the Potsdam Conference Gdańsk was ceded to full Polish sovereignty. The city was raised from ruins in the 1950s and 1960s to become a major industrial centre of communist Poland.
Gdansk was the scene of anti-government demonstrations which led to the downfall of Poland's communist leader Wladyslaw Gomulka in December 1970, and ten years later was the birthplace of the Solidarity trade union movement, whose opposition to the government led to the end of communist party rule (1989) and to the election as Polish president of its leader Lech Walesa. Today it remains a major industrial city and shipping port.
Education
History
Main article: History of Gdansk
See also: History of PomeraniaHistorical summary
Dukes of Gdansk
Famous people
Famous people born in Gdansk
Famous people living or working in Gdansk
Population
ca.1000: 1,000 inhabitants
ca.1235: 2,000 inhabitants
ca.1600: 40,000 inhabitants
ca.1650: 70,000 inhabitants
ca.1700: 50,000 inhabitants
ca.1750: 46,000 inhabitants
1793: 36,000 inhabitants
1800: 48,000 inhabitants
1825: 61,900 inhabitants
1840: 65,000 inhabitants
1852: 67,000 inhabitants
1874: 90,500 inhabitants
1880: 108,500 inhabitants
1900: 140,600 inhabitants
1910: 170,300 inhabitants
1920: city+rural areas = 360,000 inhabitants (85–90% Germans, 10–15% Poles)
1925: 210,300 inhabitants
1939: 250,000 inhabitants
1946: 118,000 inhabitants
1950: ? inhabitants
1960: 286,900 inhabitants
1970: 365,600 inhabitants
1975: 421,000 inhabitants
1980: 456,700 inhabitants
1990: ? inhabitants
1994: 464,000 inhabitants
2000: ? inhabitants
2002 : 460,000 inhabitants
See also: Population of the Tricity metropolitan area (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot).Further reading
External links
Internet directories
Poland
Voivodships of Poland
Greater Poland | Kuyavia-Pomerania | Lesser Poland | Lodz | Lower Silesia | Lublin | Lubusz | Masovia | Opole | Podlachia | Pomerania Swietokrzyskie | Silesia | Subcarpathia | Warmia and Masuria | West Pomerania
Principal cities
Warsaw | Łódź | Kraków | Wrocław; | Poznań | Gdańsk; | Szczecin | Bydgoszcz | Lublin | Katowice | Białystok; | Częstochowa; | Gdynia | Toruń Radom | Kielce | Rzeszów | Olsztyn