# Strzelin

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**Strzelin** (ˈstʂɛlʲin; German: *Strehlen*,[1] Czech: *Střelín*) is a town in [Lower Silesian Voivodeship](/source/Lower_Silesian_Voivodeship) in south-western [Poland](/source/Poland). It is located on the [Oława river](/source/O%C5%82awa_(river)), a tributary of the [Oder](/source/Oder_River), about 39 kilometres (24 miles) south of the region's capital [Wrocław](/source/Wroc%C5%82aw). It is part of the [Wrocław metropolitan area](/source/Wroc%C5%82aw_metropolitan_area).

The town is the seat of [Strzelin County](/source/Strzelin_County) and also of the smaller municipality ([gmina](/source/Gmina)) of [Strzelin](/source/Gmina_Strzelin). It is known for its extensive [granite](/source/Granite) quarries, and contains Europe's deepest granite quarry. It is 123 meters deep and covers 19.5 [ha](/source/Hectare)

## History

The settlement dates back to the [beginnings of the Polish state](/source/History_of_Poland_during_the_Piast_dynasty).[2] In the 12th century the [Romanesque](/source/Romanesque_architecture_in_Poland) [St. Godehard's Rotunda](/source/St._Godehard's_Rotunda,_Strzelin) was built.[2] The town was mentioned in the 13th and 14th centuries by its [Old Polish](/source/Old_Polish) name of *Strelin*. The name of the town derives from the [Polish](/source/Polish_language) word *strzała*, meaning "[arrow](/source/Arrow)".[2] The town's coat of arms is an example of [canting](/source/Canting_arms), as it depicts an arrow, alluding to the town's name. It was granted [town rights](/source/Town_rights) in 1292 by Duke [Bolko I the Strict](/source/Bolko_I_the_Strict) of the [Piast dynasty](/source/Piast_dynasty), who also built defensive walls.[2]

As a result of the [fragmentation of Poland](/source/History_of_Poland_during_the_Piast_dynasty#Fragmentation_of_the_realm_(1138–1320)) into smaller duchies, it became part of the [Duchy of Legnica](/source/Duchy_of_Legnica), remaining under rule of the Piasts until 1675. In the 15th century, the [Hussites](/source/Hussites) captured and plundered Strzelin three times.[2] After that, in the 15th and 16th centuries the town flourished. The town's wealth came from clothmaking, [shoemaking](/source/Shoemaking), [tanning](/source/Tanning_(leather)), [brewing](/source/Brewing), [metalworking](/source/Metalworking).[2] Strzelin was plundered many times by troops from various countries during the [Thirty Years' War](/source/Thirty_Years'_War).[2] In the 17th century Strzelin was located in a still predominantly Polish-speaking area.[3] Strzelin was inhabited mainly by [Poles](/source/Polish_people) and, as a result of immigration, by [Germans](/source/Germans) and [Jews](/source/Jews).[2]

After the death of the last Piast duke [George William](/source/George_William,_Duke_of_Liegnitz) in 1675, the town was incorporated into the [Habsburg](/source/Habsburg_monarchy)-ruled [Bohemian (Czech) Kingdom](/source/Kingdom_of_Bohemia) and the period of religious tolerance ended.[2] The town's self-government was limited and the tax pressure increased.[2] In 1742 the town was annexed by the [Kingdom of Prussia](/source/Kingdom_of_Prussia). Afterwards the last remains of the town's autonomy were liquidated and a [Germanisation](/source/Germanisation) action took place.[2] During the [Napoleonic Wars](/source/Napoleonic_Wars), in 1807 Polish [Uhlans](/source/Uhlan) marched through the town, and in 1815 also Russian troops.[2] In the 19th century new factories were established: a brick factory in 1868, a sugar factory in 1871. In 1871, a railway line connecting Strzelin with regional capital [Wrocław](/source/Wroc%C5%82aw) was opened.[2] Soon the town gained railway connections with other cities in [Lower Silesia](/source/Lower_Silesia).[2]

During [World War II](/source/World_War_II), the Germans brought thousands of [prisoners of war](/source/Prisoners_of_war) to the town and the surrounding area: Poles, [Frenchmen](/source/French_prisoners_of_war_in_World_War_II), Belgians, Russians, Englishmen and Yugoslavs.[2] Near the end of the war, in January 1945, the German authorities displaced all the town's population.[2] The German mayor of the town ordered to blow up the town hall tower and the tower of the Holy Cross church.[2] On one of the town's squares, Germans [hanged](/source/Hanging) six Polish workers, who were hiding in the abandoned town.[2] It was severely damaged in the course of the [Lower Silesian Offensive](/source/Lower_Silesian_Offensive) of the [Red Army](/source/Red_Army) against the [Wehrmacht](/source/Wehrmacht) in February 1945. In May 1945 Strzelin was handed over to the Polish administration.[2]

As of 2019, the town has a population of 12,460.

## Notable people

- [Paul Ehrlich](/source/Paul_Ehrlich) (1854–1915), physician, immunologist and [Nobel Laureate](/source/List_of_Nobel_laureates)
- [Johann von Ravenstein](/source/Johann_von_Ravenstein) (1889–1962), [Wehrmacht](/source/Wehrmacht) general
- [Błażej Augustyn](/source/B%C5%82a%C5%BCej_Augustyn), footballer for [Zenit Miedzyborz](/source/Zenit_Miedzyborz), born 1988
- [Michał Masłowski](/source/Micha%C5%82_Mas%C5%82owski), footballer for the [Polish team](/source/Poland_national_football_team), born 1989

## Twin towns – sister cities

See [twin towns of Gmina Strzelin](/source/Gmina_Strzelin#Twin_towns_–_sister_cities).

## References

1. ["Strzelin | Virtual Shtetl"](https://sztetl.org.pl/en/towns/s/209-strzelin). *sztetl.org.pl*. Retrieved 2020-08-30.

1. ["Historia"](http://www.strzelin.pl/asp/pl_start.asp?typ=14&menu=18&strona=1&sub=41) (in Polish). *Urząd Gminy i Miasta w Strzelinie*. Retrieved August 18, 2019.

1. Borowicz D., *Mapy narodowościowe Górnego Śląska od połowy XIX wieku do II Wojny Światowej*, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, Wrocław, 2004, p. 33 (in Polish)

## External links

- [Official town homepage](http://www.strzelin.pl/) (in Polish)
- [TelewizjaStrzelin, a local TV station](http://www.telewizjastrzelin.pl/)
- [strzelin.net, a local news site](http://www.strzelin.net/)
- [Jewish Community in Strzelin](http://www.sztetl.org.pl/en/city/strzelin/) on Virtual Shtetl
- [PTTK Strzelin](http://pttk-strzelin.pl/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Strzelin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strzelin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strzelin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.