{{Infobox settlement | name = Człopa | image_skyline = UMiG Czlopa.JPG | image_caption = Town hall | image_flag = POL Człopa flag.svg | image_shield = POL Człopa COA.svg | pushpin_map = Poland | pushpin_label_position = top | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{POL}} | subdivision_type1 = [[Voivodeships of Poland|Voivodeship]] | subdivision_name1 = {{flag|West Pomeranian Voivodeship|name=West Pomeranian}} | subdivision_type2 = [[Powiat|County]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Wałcz County|Wałcz]] | subdivision_type3 = [[Gmina]] | subdivision_name3 = [[Gmina Człopa|Człopa]] | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Jerzy Bekker | established_title = Established | established_date = 12th century | established_title3 = Town rights | established_date3 = 1245 | area_total_km2 = 6.33 | population_as_of = 31 December 2021<ref name="population">{{cite web|url=https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/BDL/dane/teryt/jednostka|title=Local Data Bank|access-date=2022-07-28|publisher=Statistics Poland}} Data for territorial unit 3217024.</ref> | population_total = 2277 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]] | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]] | utc_offset_DST = +2 | coordinates = {{coord|53|5|N|16|8|E|region:PL|display=title,inline}} | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 78-630 | area_code = +48 67 | registration_plate = ZWA | website = http://www.czlopa.pl }} '''Człopa''' {{IPAc-pl|'|cz|ł|o|p|a}} ({{langx|de|Schloppe}}) is a town in [[Wałcz County]] of the [[West Pomeranian Voivodeship]] in western [[Poland]].{{TERYT}} As of December 2021, it has a population of 2,277.<ref name = population />
Located in the Wałcz Lake District on three lakes, Człopa is just east of the scenic Drawska Wilderness area which includes [[Drawieński National Park]].
==History== [[File:Człopa - kościół pw. św. Antoniego Padewskiego..JPG|thumb|left|Saint Anthony church in Człopa]] Viritium, a Germanic city in the 2nd century as shown on the map of Greek geographer [[Ptolemy]], existed at the site of present-day Człopa.
Człopa is an ancient town that was part of Poland since the 12th century, guarding its northern and western borders after the loss of the areas located more north and west. By 1245 Człopa was granted [[town rights]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Krzysztofik|first=Robert|title=Lokacje miejskie na obszarze Polski. Dokumentacja geograficzno-historyczna|year=2007|location=Katowice|publisher=Wydawnictwo [[Uniwersytet Śląski|Uniwersytetu Śląskiego]]|language=pl|pages=26–27|isbn=978-83-226-1616-1}}</ref> By the end of the 13th century, the Czarnkowski family of the [[Coat of arms of Nałęcz|Nałęcz szlachta]] received possession of the region around Człopa from [[Przemysł II]], Duke of [[Duchy of Greater Poland|Greater Poland]]. The grant included permission to raise a hill-fort. Only portions of the hill-fort's walls have survived to the present time. In the early 14th century the town was briefly occupied by the [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]], before it was recovered by Polish King [[Casimir III the Great]] in 1368.<ref name=pwn>{{cite web|url=https://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/Czlopa;3889797.html|title=Człopa|website=Encyklopedia PWN|accessdate=15 February 2020|language=pl}}</ref> In 1406 it was ravaged by the [[Teutonic Knights]].<ref name=pwn/> Administratively it was located in the [[Poznań Voivodeship (14th century to 1793)|Poznań Voivodeship]] in the [[Greater Poland Province, Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Greater Poland Province]]. Człopa belonged to various [[szlachta|Polish noble families]], including [[Opaliński family|Opaliński]], [[Leszczyński]], [[Poniatowski]] and [[Sułkowski family|Sułkowski]]. One of the most famous owners was the Queen consort of Poland [[Catherine Opalińska]], wife of King [[Stanisław Leszczyński]]. The oldest known image of Człopa's coat of arms dates back to 1601.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.czlopa.pl/art,54,historia-herbu|title=Historia herbu|website=Oficjalny Portal Miasta i Gminy Człopa|accessdate=15 February 2020|language=pl|archive-date=15 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215165655/http://www.czlopa.pl/art,54,historia-herbu|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the [[Deluge (history)|Swedish occupation of Poland]], in 1658, a concentration of Polish troops led by [[Stefan Czarniecki]], a national hero of Poland, was ordered near Człopa.<ref name=pwn/>
Człopa was annexed by [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] in 1772 during the [[First Partition of Poland]].<ref name=pwn/> From 1806 to 1814 it was controlled by [[First French Empire|France]].<ref name=sz>{{cite web|url=https://sztetl.org.pl/pl/miejscowosci/c/23-czlopa/96-historia-miejscowosci/69525-historia-miejscowosci|title=Człopa. Historia miejscowości|website=Wirtualny Sztetl|accessdate=15 February 2020|language=pl}}</ref> From 1871 it was part of Germany and the post-[[World War II]] [[Treaty of Versailles]] did not restore the town, along with the northern outskirts of historic [[Greater Poland]], to the re-established [[Second Polish Republic|Polish Republic]]. In the final stages of [[World War II]], in January 1945, the Germans evacuated the town's population. From January 29 to February 3, heavy fighting took place there between [[Nazi Germany]] and the [[Soviet Union]].<ref name=sz/> After the war, the town eventually returned to Poland.<ref name=sz/>
During the years 1975 to 1998, the city was administratively part of the [[Piła Voivodeship]].
==Demographics== {{Historical populations|align=left|cols=2|1880|2156|1890|2232|1900|2228|1910|1957|1925|2424|1933|2853|1950|1335|1960|1859|2010|2354 |source=<ref>{{cite book|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Dokumentacja Geograficzna|volume=3/4|year=1967|language=pl|location=Warszawa|publisher=Instytut Geografii [[Polish Academy of Sciences|Polskiej Akademii Nauk]]|page=9}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|url=https://stat.gov.pl/cps/rde/xbcr/gus/PUBL_l_ludnosc_stan_struktura_31_12_2010.pdf|title=Stan i struktura ludności oraz ruch naturalny w przekroju terytorialnym w 2010 r.|year=2011|language=pl|location=Warszawa|publisher=Główny Urząd Statystyczny|page=110|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113152513/https://stat.gov.pl/cps/rde/xbcr/gus/PUBL_l_ludnosc_stan_struktura_31_12_2010.pdf|archive-date=13 November 2011}}</ref>}} {{clear|left}}
==Transport==
National road 22 from [[Kostrzyn nad Odrą]] to [[Braniewo]] passes through Człopa as does regional road 177. One rail line passes through the city, but service has been discontinued for a number of years.
== Notable people == * [[Richard Bock]] (1865–1949) an American sculptor and associate of Frank Lloyd Wright. * [[Jacek Ratajczak]] (born 1973) a retired Polish footballer
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.sztetl.org.pl/en/city/czlopa/ Jewish Community in Człopa] on Virtual Shtetl
{{Gmina Człopa}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Cities and towns in West Pomeranian Voivodeship]] [[Category:Wałcz County]]