Grudziadz
Grudziądz is a city in northern Poland with 100,787 inhabitants (2000). Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship (since 1999), previously in Torun Voivodship (1975-1998).
Historical population:
17,321 (1880)
35,958 (1905)
90,000 (1980)
102,300 (1990)
102,900 (1995)
102,434 (1999)
100,787 (2000)
History
Grudziadz (German Graudenz) acquired city rights in 1291, in 1440 accessed Prussian Confederation. Between 1466 and 1772 the city belonged to Poland. With the first Polish partition in 1772 the city came to the Kingdom of Prussia. After the construction of a railroad bridge across the Vistula in 1878, Graudenz became an industrialized city which grew rapidly and became city district in 1900. In the 1912 Reichstag elections, 21% of the votes were given to Polish candidates, while the National Liberal Party of Germany got 53% of all votes.
On the 23 Jan 1920, after nearly 150 years of being under Prussian sovereignty, Grudziadz came back to the bounds of the newly reborn Polish republic though the majority of it's population wanted to remain German. A large economical potential, existence of important institutions like Pomeranian Tax Office or Pomeranian Chamber of Industry and Trade were of a great influence on the fact, that for many years of the between-wars period Grudziadz was said to be with no doubt the economical capital of the pomorskie province. A good opportunity to present the Grudziadz economical potential was I Pomeranian Exhibition of Agriculture and Industry in 1925, which was officially opened by the contemporary President of the Republic of Poland Stanislaw Wojciechowski. In the 20 years between the world wars Grudziadz was an important centre of culture and education as well as one of the biggest military garrisons.
On the town area two infantry regiments were stationed: 64 and 65 as well as the 16th regiment of light artillery. They were part of the 16th infantry division, which had its headquarters here. However, Grudziadzs most famous between-wars military section was cavalry, because the 18th Pomeranian Uhlans Regiment was stationed here. The Grudziadz Centre of Cavalry Education gave training to many, in the future years, famous and eminent army commanders. Military education in Grudziadz was also completed with the Centre of Gendarmerie, the Air School of Shooting and Bombarding and the N.C.O. Professional School which offered courses for infantry reserve officer cadets.
On the 3 Sep 1939 German military troops entered Grudziadz, which started a 5-year-period of the towns occupation. As the result of heavy fights in 1945, Grudziadz was destroyed and devastated in over 60%.
Referenced By
1291 | Bor-Komorowski | Bydgoszcz Voivodship | Bór-Komorowski | General Bór-Komorowski | Kujavian-Pomeranian Voivodship | Kujawsko-Pomorskie | Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship | List of Polish cities | List of cities in Poland | List of counties in Poland by voivodships | List of major Polish cities | Polish cities | Pomeranian Voivodship | Pomorskie | Pomorskie Voivodship | Tadeusz Bor-Komorowski | Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski | Tadeusz Komorowski | Torun Voivodship | Vistula | Vistula River
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