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Oława

Coordinates:50°56′N17°18′E/ 50.933°N 17.300°E/50.933; 17.300
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(Redirected fromOhlau)
"Ohlau" redirects here. For other uses, seeOhlau (disambiguation).
Oława
Castle Square in Oława with the Sobieski Castle
Castle Square in Oława with theSobieski Castle
Flag of Oława
Flag
Coat of arms of Oława
Coat of arms
Oława is located in Poland
Oława
Oława
Oława is located in Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Oława
Oława
Coordinates:50°56′N17°18′E/ 50.933°N 17.300°E/50.933; 17.300
CountryPoland
VoivodeshipLower Silesian
CountyOława
GminaOława(urban gmina)
Established11th or 12th century
First mentioned1149
Town rights1234
Government
• MayorTomasz Frischmann
Area
• Total27.34 km2(10.56 sq mi)
Elevation
122 m (400 ft)
Population
(2019-06-30[1])
• Total33,029
• Density1,194.2/km2(3,093/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
Postal code
55-200
Car platesDOA
Websitehttp://www.um.olawa.pl

Oława(Polish pronunciation:[ɔˈwava]ⓘ,German:Ohlau,[ˈoːlaʊ]ⓘ,Silesian:Oława) is a historic town in south-westernPolandwith 33,029 inhabitants (2019). It is situated inLower Silesian Voivodeship,within theWrocław metropolitan area.It is the seat ofOława Countyand of the smaller administrative district ofGmina Oława(although it is not part of the territory of the latter, as the town is an urbangminain its own right).

Etymology

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The name of the city comes from the Polish word root el-, ol-, which in Polish lands took also the form of oła-, meaning "water". The association with water refers to the location of the settlement between two rivers: the Oder and the Oława, which are close to each other, but only connect in Wrocław, which is 27 km away. The location of the city between rivers, pools and forests, and at the same time in the place of crossing the Oder River, favored the creation of a market settlement of Ślęża, and later a stronghold, a town.

The locality was mentioned in the Old Polish, Latinized form of Oleva in a Latin document issued on August 12, 1201, by the chancellery ofPope Innocent IIIinSegni.In a document written in Latin byHenry I the Beardedfrom 1214, the city is mentioned under the name Olaua in the fragment Olauam et Odriczam. In a Latin document issued in Wrocław in 1269, signed by the Silesian duke Władysław of Wrocław, the town is mentioned under two names: Olawa oraz Olauia. Latin language contain much less lettres and sounds that Polish, that's why many distorted versions of Polish, Slavic words, toponyms across Europe in various documents. In the Latin book Liber fundationis episcopatus Vratislaviensis (Polish Book of Emoluments of the Bishopric of Wrocław) written in the times of Bishop Henry of Wierzbno in the years 1295–1305, the town is mentioned in the Latinized form Olavia. The town was mentioned in a Latin document from 1310, where the town was recorded as "civitati Olavia versus Nyzam". In 1613, the Polish regionalist from the region of Silesia and historian Mikołaj Henel mentioned the town in his Latin work on the geography of Śląsk (also known by the Latinized as "Silesia" ), entitled Silesiographia giving two names Olavia and Olawa/Olaw.

History

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Oława began to develop during the 11th or early 12th century at a site that was protected by the riversOderandOława,when it was part of thePiast-ruledKingdom of Poland.It was first mentioned asOlouain a document of 1149 confirmingPiotr Włostowic's donation to the abbey of St. Vincent inWrocław.[2]In 1206 Oława became one of the residential towns of the dukes of the Silesian branch of thePiast dynasty,who also granted Oława the status of a town in 1234. As a result of the fragmentation of Poland, Oława at various times formed part of the duchies ofSilesia,LegnicaandBrzeg.

TheSobieski Castlein the 18th century

During its history Oława was destroyed completely three times. In 1241 it was destroyed during thefirst Mongol invasion of Poland,in 1448 by theHussites,and again in 1634 during theThirty Years' War.After the Polish KingCasimir IIIhad renounced his rights onSilesiawith theTreaty of Trenčínin 1335, Silesia became until 1806 a part of theHoly Roman Empireas aBohemianfief, although the town remained under the rule of the PolishPiast dynastyas part of theDuchy of Legnicauntil 1675. In 1526, when theHabsburgsgained theBohemiancrown, Silesia came underAustriansuzerainty. In 1527 with theReformationHigh German language came in use and with it the first usage of the version of the town's nameOhlauis reported. Following the death of the last Silesian Piast dukeGeorge IV William of Legnicain 1675, Oława ceased to be a residence town. In spite of Habsburg political influence, in the 17th century, the town was still part of the territory dominated by thePolish language.[3]Oława found itself again under Polish rule, when Polish princeJames Louis Sobieski,son of KingJohn III Sobieski,became duke of Oława in years 1691–1737. Together with most of Silesia, the town became part of theKingdom of Prussiain 1742.

The 18th and 19th centuries were a period of economic growth and Oława (then asOhlau) became well known as a centre of tobacco-growing. In 1842 a railroad between Ohlau andWrocław,the first in Silesia, was opened. Ethnic Polish traditions and population remained strong in the area. Poles smuggled large amounts of gunpowder through the town to theRussian Partitionof Poland during theJanuary Uprisingin 1863.[4]FolkoristJulius Rogernoted local Polish folk songs in his 1863 work,[5]and a substantial concentration of Poles in and around the town was still noted in 1896.[6]

The historic town of Ohlau did not suffer any damage duringWorld War I,however, inWorld War IIabout 60% of the buildings were destroyed. On 2 September 1939, a PolishPZL.23 Karaśbomber (scout) plane bombed a German factory in the city in the first attack on German territory after the Germaninvasion of Polandand the outbreak of World War II the day before. During the war, the Germans established and operated two labour subcamps of theStalag VIII-B/344prisoner-of-war campin the town.[7]At least fivePolish resistancemembers were sentenced to death in the city by a German court in 1942.[8]AfterNazi Germany's defeat in the war, the town became again part of Poland. After the war, a sizeable group ofPolish Armeniansdisplaced fromSoviet-annexed eastern Polandsettled in the town, and the first post-war mayor was Polish-Armenian Jakub Axentowicz.[9]Oława also became a garrison town of the SovietRed ArmyNorthern Group of Forcesand remained so until 1992.

From 1975 to 1998, it was administratively located in theWrocław Voivodeship.

Flag and coat of arms

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Town hall in Oława

The flag of Oława presents the coat of arms of Oława, on a diagonally divided white-red background.[10]

The coat of arms presents a whiteroosteron a red-shield background, looking to the left. There are two traditional hypotheses for the origin of the coat of arms:

  1. The symbol links in withWalloonianweavers;historically located in Oława's land - and the coat of arms ofWallonia- a redroosteron a yellow background.
  2. The shield originates from the town coat of arms of theCzechknight family of Olav.[2]

Neither hypothesis explains the look of the coat of arms in relation to Oława. The coat of arms of Oława is identical on the basis and content of theKur coat of arms.[2]

On the basis that the coat of arms of Oława is in relation to theKur coat of arms,such hypothesis can be deemed highly agreeable. The Kur coat of arms can be linked to Jan of Kur, a knight ofKonrad I of Głogów,being the owner of the village ofKurów Wielkiin 1266, in thePolkowice County.The coat of arms can also be also traced back to the personage of Szyban von Der - the courtadjudicatorofHenry III of Głogów- erroneously equated to Szaban Tader, acastellanof theŚwiny Castle,mentioned in Franciszek Piekosiński's book -Heraldyka polska wieków średnich- (Heraldry of Polish Middle Ages) published inKraków,in 1899;[11]where the document is sealed with the town's coat of arms from 1300.[2]

Economy

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Ergis S.A.
Oława city budget income sources as of 2015.

Oława is the centre for industry and production in theOława County.The town's industries include the production of electronics (namely Electrolux Poland and Nardi Appliances), furniture and car parts.[12]

Largest industries include:

  • Zm Silesia SA (formerly Huta Oława S.A.) – production ofzinc oxide,lead oxideandcadmium oxide
  • SCA Hygiene Products – production ofnappiesfor toddlers and adults
  • DS Smith – packaging production
  • Autoliv Poland – production ofseat beltsand carairbags
  • Centrozłom Wrocław PPZM – branch of metal recycling
  • The Lorenz Bahlsen Snack-World Sp. z o.o. – food production
  • Ergis SA– packaging production
  • MetalErg – processing of metals and plastics
  • Tabex – car parts production
  • ZNTK Oława Sp. z o.o. – train repair department
  • Zakpol –architraveproduction
  • Marco –plasticmaterials production
  • Formtech – plastic materials production
  • Rotex – plastic materials production
  • Atex Sp. z o.o. –mufflerandpetroltank production
  • Electrolux Poland – electronics
  • Nardi Appliances Poland – electronics
  • Standis Polska Sp. z o.o. - shop furniture production
  • Bama Europa Sp. z o.o. -confectioneryproduction
Saints Peter and Paul church and monument ofPope John Paul II

Sports

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The localfootballteam isMoto Jelcz Oława[pl].It competes in the lower leagues.

Notable people

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TheOława Castlewas the residence of localPiastandSobieskidukes
Registry office

Twin towns – sister cities

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See also:List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Oława istwinnedwith:[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Population. Size and structure and vital statistics in Poland by territorial division in 2019. As of 30th June".stat.gov.pl.Statistics Poland. 2019-10-15.Retrieved2020-02-14.
  2. ^abcd"Historia Miasta Oława".Oława 24.Archived fromthe originalon 26 May 2015.Retrieved29 April2015.
  3. ^Dorota Borowicz,Mapy narodowościowe Górnego Śląska od połowy XIX wieku do II Wojny Światowej,Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, Wrocław, 2004, p. 33
  4. ^Pater, Mieczysław (1963). "Wrocławskie echa powstania styczniowego".Śląski Kwartalnik Historyczny Sobótka(in Polish) (4): 418.
  5. ^Roger, Julius(1863).Pieśni ludu polskiego w Górnym Szląsku(in Polish). Wrocław. pp. 166–167.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^Partsch, Joseph(1896).Schlesien. Eine Landeskunde für das deutsche Volk(in German). Vol. I. p. 364.
  7. ^"Working Parties".Lamsdorf: Stalag VIIIB 344 Prisoner of War Camp 1940 - 1945.Retrieved22 November2020.
  8. ^Encyklopedia konspiracji Wielkopolskiej 1939–1945(in Polish). Poznań: Instytut Zachodni. 1998. pp. 184, 517, 583, 599, 655.ISBN83-85003-97-5.
  9. ^"Etnolodzy w Oławie".Awedis(in Polish). No. 36. 2018. p. 2.
  10. ^"Index".Urząd Miasta Oława.Archived fromthe originalon 3 May 2013.Retrieved29 April2015.
  11. ^"Heraldyka polska wieków średnich".Wielkopolska Bibloteka Cyfrowa.Retrieved29 April2015.
  12. ^"Oława » mapy, nieruchomości, GUS, szkoły, kody pocztowe, wynagrodzenie, bezrobocie, zarobki, edukacja, tabele".www.polskawliczbach.pl(in Polish).Retrieved30 January2017.
  13. ^"Miasta partnerskie".um.olawa.pl(in Polish). Oława.Retrieved2020-02-03.
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