Słupsk (; ; ) is a
city with powiat rights
A city with powiat rights () is in Poland a designation denoting 66 of the 107 cities (the urban gminas which are governed by a city mayor or ''prezydent miasta'') which exercise also the powers and duties of a Powiat, county (), thus being an inde ...
located on the
Słupia River in the
Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship ( ; ) is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. The provincial capital is Gdańsk.
The voivodeship was established on January 1, 1999, out of the former voivodeships of Gdańsk Voivo ...
in northern
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, in the historical region of
Pomerania
Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...
or more specifically in its part known in contemporary Poland as
Central Pomerania () within the wider West Pomerania (). According to
Statistics Poland, it has a population of 88,835 inhabitants while occupying , thus being one of the most densely populated cities in the country as of December 2021.
In addition, the city is the administrative seat of
Słupsk County and the rural
Gmina Słupsk, despite belonging to neither.
Słupsk had its origins as a Pomeranian settlement in the early
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
. In 1265, it was given
city rights. By the 14th century, the city had become a centre of local administration and trade and a
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
associate. Between 1368 and 1478, it was a residence of the
Dukes of Słupsk, until 1474 vassals of the
Kingdom of Poland
The Kingdom of Poland (; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a monarchy in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, medieval period from 1025 until 1385.
Background
The West Slavs, West Slavic tribe of Polans (western), Polans who lived in what i ...
. According to the
peace treaty
A peace treaty is an treaty, agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually country, countries or governments, which formally ends a declaration of war, state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an ag ...
of 1648, Słupsk became part of
Brandenburg-Prussia. In 1815, it was incorporated into the newly formed Prussian
Province of Pomerania. After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the city again became part of Poland, and from 1975 to 1998 it was the capital of
Słupsk Voivodeship. It is a railway junction located on the main railroad between the
Tricity and
Szczecin
Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Poland-Germany border, German border, it is a major port, seaport, the la ...
. The local
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
Ducal Castle houses the Museum of Central Pomerania with the largest collection of paintings by popular early-20th-century artist
Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz.
[
]
Etymology
Slavic names in Pomeranian — ''Stolpsk'', ''Stôłpsk'', ''Słëpsk'', ''Słëpskò'', ''Stôłp'' — and Polish — ''Słupsk'' — may be etymologically related to the words ''słup'' 'pole' and ''stołp'' 'keep'. There are two hypotheses about the origin of those names: that it refers to a specific way of constructing buildings on boggy ground with additional pile support, which is still in use, or that it is connected with a tower or other defensive structure on the banks of the Słupia River.
Later, under German administration, the town was named ''Stolp'', to which the suffix ''in Pommern'' was attached in order to avoid confusion with other places similarly named. The Germanised name comes from one of five Slavic Pomeranian names of this settlement. The city was occasionally called ''Stolpe'', referring to the Słupia River, whose German name is ''Stolpe''. ''Stolpe'' is also the Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
exonym for this place.
History
Middle Ages
Słupsk developed from a few medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
settlements located on the banks of the Słupia River, at the unique ford along the trade route
A trade route is a logistical network identified as a series of pathways and stoppages used for the commercial transport of cargo. The term can also be used to refer to trade over land or water. Allowing goods to reach distant markets, a singl ...
connecting the territories of modern Pomeranian and West Pomeranian
Historical Western Pomerania, also called Cispomerania, Fore Pomerania, Front Pomerania or Hither Pomerania (; ), is the western extremity of the historic region of Pomerania, located mostly in north-eastern Germany, with a small portion in no ...
Voivodeships. This factor led to the construction of a grod, a West Slavic or Lechitic fortified settlement, on an islet in the middle of the river. Surrounded by swamps and mires, the fortress had perfect defence conditions. Archaeological research has shown that the grod was situated on an artificial hill and had a natural moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around a castle, fortification, building, or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. Moats can be dry or filled with water. In some places, moats evolved into more extensive water d ...
formed by the branches of the Słupia, and was protected by a palisade
A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a row of closely placed, high vertical standing tree trunks or wooden or iron stakes used as a fence for enclosure or as a defensive wall. Palisades can form a stockade.
Etymo ...
. Records confirm that the area of Słupsk was part of the Polish realm during the reign of Mieszko I and in the 11th century.
Historia Słupska do roku 1945. Official webpage of the city. (in Polish)
According to several sources, the first historic reference to Słupsk comes from the year 1015 when the king of Poland Boleslaus I the Brave took over the town, incorporating it into the Polish state. In the 12th century, the town became one of the most important castellanies in Pomerania alongside Gdańsk
Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...
and Świecie
Świecie (; ) is a town in northern Poland with 24,841 inhabitants (2023), capital of Świecie County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is located within the ethnocultural region of Kociewie in the historic region of Pomerania.
Founded ...
. However, several historians stated that the first mention was in two documents dating to 1227, signed by the Pomeranian dukes Wartislaw III and Barnim I and their mothers, confirming the establishment of an abbey in 1224 and donating estates, among them a village "in Stolp minore" or "in parvo Ztolp", respectively, to that abbey. Another document dated to 1180, which mentions a "castellania Slupensis" and would thus be the oldest surviving record, has been identified as a late 13th-century or 14th-century duplicate.[
The Griffin dukes lost the area to the ]Samborides
The Samborides () or House of Sobiesław () were a ruling dynasty in the historic region of Pomerelia. They were first documented about 1155 as governors (''princeps'') in the Eastern Pomeranian lands serving the royal Piast dynasty of Kingdom o ...
during the following years, and the next surviving documents mentioning the area concern donations made by Samboride Świętopełk II, dating to 1236 (two documents) and 1240. In the earlier of the two 1236 documents, a Johann "castellanus de Slupcz" is mentioned as a witness, Schmidt considers this to be the earliest mention of the gard, since a castellany required the existence of a gard. The first surviving record explicitly mentioning the gard is from 1269: it notes a "Christianus, castellanus in castro Stolpis, et Hermannus, capellanus in civitate ante castrum predictum", thus confirming the existence of a fortress ("castrum") with a suburbium ("civitas").[ Schmidt further says that the office of a capellanus required a church, which he identifies as Saint Peter's.][ This church is mentioned by name for the first time in a 1281 document of Samboride Mestwin II, which also mentions Saint Nicolai church and a Saint Mary's chapel in the fortress.] The oldest mention of Saint Nicolai church dates to 1276.[
Słupsk possibly received its city rights in 1265.] Historians argue that city rights were granted for the first time[ in a document dated 9 September 1310 when Brandenburgian margraves Waldemar and Johann V granted those privileges under Lübeck law, which was confirmed and extended in a second document, dated 2 February 1313.] The margraves had acquired the area in 1307. Mestwin II accepted them as his superiors in 1269, confirmed in 1273, but later on, in 1282, Mestwin II and Polish Duke Przemysł II
Przemysł II ( also given in English and Latin language, Latin as ''Premyslas'' or ''Premislaus'' or in Polish as '; 14 October 1257 – 8 February 1296) was the Duke of Poznań from 1257–1279, of Greater Poland from 1279 to 1296, of Kraków fr ...
signed the Treaty of Kępno, which transferred the suzerainty over Gdańsk Pomerania
Gdańsk Pomerania (; ; ) is the main geographical region within Pomerelia (also known as Vistula Pomerania, Eastern Pomerania, and previously Polish Pomerania) in northern Poland, covering the bulk of Pomeranian Voivodeship. In contrast to ''Pome ...
including Słupsk to Przemysł II. After Mestwin II's death the city was reintegrated with Poland and remained Polish until 1307, when the Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg () was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 that, having electoral status although being quite poor, grew rapidly in importance after inheriting the Duchy of Prussia in 1618 and then came ...
took over, while leaving local rule in the hands of the Swienca family, whose members were castellans in Słupsk. In 1337, the governors of Słupsk (''Stolp'') had purchased the village of Stolpmünde (modern Ustka) and then constructed a port there, enabling a maritime economy to develop. After the Treaty of Templin in 1317 the city passed to the Duchy of Pomerania-Wolgast.
In 1368 Pomerania-Stolp (''Duchy of Słupsk'') was split off from Pomerania-Wolgast due to the Partitions of the Duchy of Pomerania. The grandson of Polish King Casimir III the Great and his would-be successor Casimir IV became duke of Słupsk as a Polish vassal
A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...
in 1374, after he failed to take the Polish throne. The succeeding dukes were also vassals of the Kings of Poland: Wartislaw VII paid homage in 1390 (to King Władysław II Jagiełło
Jogaila (; 1 June 1434), later Władysław II Jagiełło (),Other names include (; ) (see also Names and titles of Władysław II Jagiełło) was Grand Duke of Lithuania beginning in 1377 and starting in 1386, becoming King of Poland as well. ...
), Bogislaw VIII paid homage in 1410 (also to King Władysław II). Słupsk remained within Polish sphere of political influence until 1474. It became part of the Duchy of Pomerania in 1478.
Modern ages
The Protestant Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...
reached the town in 1521, when Christian Ketelhut preached in the town. Ketelhut was forced to leave Stolp in 1522 due to an intervention by Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania. Peter Suawe, a Protestant from Stolp, however, continued his practices. In 1524, Johannes Amandus from Königsberg
Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...
and others arrived and preached in a more radical way. As a consequence, Saint Mary's Church was profaned, the monastery's church was burned, and the clergy were treated poorly. The inhabitants of the town began the process of conversion to Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
. In 1560 Polish pastor Paweł Buntowski preached in the town, and in 1586 Polish religious literature spread locally.
The House of Griffins
The House of Griffin or Griffin dynasty, (; , ; Latin: ''Gryphes''), or House of Pomerania (see ), was a dynasty ruling the Duchy of Pomerania from the 12th century until 1637. The name "Griffins" was used by the dynasty after the 15th century ...
, which ruled Pomerania for centuries, died out in 1637. The territory was subsequently partitioned between Brandenburg-Prussia and Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
. After the Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia (, ) is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. They ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and brought peace to the Holy Roman Empire ...
(1648) and the Treaty of Stettin (1653), Stolp came under Brandenburgian control. In 1660, the Kashubian dialect was allowed to be taught, but only in religious studies. The Polish language in general, however, was experiencing very unfavourable conditions due to depopulation of the area in numerous wars and implied Germanization
Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, German people, people, and German culture, culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nati ...
.
After the Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...
, Stolp lost much of its former importance—despite the fact that Szczecin
Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Poland-Germany border, German border, it is a major port, seaport, the la ...
was then ruled by Sweden, the province's capital was situated not in the second-largest city of the region, but in the one closest to the former ducal residence—Stargard
Stargard (; 1945: ''Starogród'', 1950–2016: ''Stargard Szczeciński''; or ''Stargard an der Ihna''; ) is a city in northwestern Poland, located in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. In 2021 it was inhabited by 67,293 people. It is situated on ...
. However, the local economy stabilized. The constant dynamic development of the Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...
and good economic conditions saw the city develop. After the major state border changes (modern Vorpommern and Stettin joined the Prussian state after a conflict with Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
) Stolp was only an administrative centre of the '' Kreis'' (district) within the ''Regierungsbezirk
A ' (, 'governmental district') is a type of administrative division in Germany. Currently, four of sixteen ' (states of Germany) are split into '. Beneath these are rural and urban districts
' (plural, ) serve as regional mid-level local gov ...
'' of Köslin (Koszalin). However, its geographical location led to rapid development, and in the 19th century, it was the second city of the province in terms of both population and industrialization.
In 1769, Frederick II of Prussia established a military school in the city, according to Stanisław Salmonowicz its purpose was the Germanization
Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, German people, people, and German culture, culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nati ...
of local Polish nobility.
During the Napoleonic Wars
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Napoleonic Wars
, partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
, image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg
, caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
, the city was taken by 1,500 Polish soldiers under the leadership of general Michał Sokolnicki in 1807. In 1815 Słupsk became one of the cities of the Province of Pomerania, in which it remained until 1945. In 1869 a railway from Danzig (Gdańsk) reached Stolp.
During the 19th century, the city's boundaries were significantly extended towards the west and south. The new railway station was built about 1,000 metres from the old city. In 1901, the construction of a new city hall was completed, followed by a local administration building in 1903. In 1910 a tram line was opened. The football club Viktoria Stolp was formed in 1901. In 1914, before the First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Stolp had approximately 34,340 inhabitants.
Interwar period
Stolp was not directly affected by the fighting in the First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. The trams did not operate during the war, returning to the streets in 1919. Demographic growth remained high, although development slowed, because the city became peripheral, the ''Kreis'' (district) being situated on post-war Germany's border with the so-called Polish Corridor. Polish claims to Stolp and its neighbouring area were refused during the Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace ...
negotiations. The city, having become the regional center of the eastern part of Eastern Pomerania, thrived, becoming known as ''Little Paris''. A cultural highlight was an annual art exhibition.
From 1926 the city became an active point of Nazi
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
supporters, and the influence of NSDAP grew rapidly. The party with Hitler received 49.1% of the city's vote in the German federal election of March 1933, when however, the election campaign was marked by Nazi terror. During the Kristallnacht, the night of 9/10 November 1938, the local synagogue
A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
was burned down.[
]
Second World War
The beginning of the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
halted the development of the city. In 1941, the Nazis created a labour camp
A labor camp (or labour camp, see British and American spelling differences, spelling differences) or work camp is a detention facility where inmates are unfree labour, forced to engage in penal labor as a form of punishment. Labor camps have ...
for people brought from various German-occupied territories, who were maltreated physically and psychologically and forced to undertake exhausting work while being subject to starvation. In 1944, the Germans established a subcamp of the Stutthof concentration camp at the local railway repair works, and a forced labour camp for women and children at a local school.[ Prisoners of the former were over 600 Jews from various German-occupied countries, mostly ]Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...
and Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
, both men and women, and from October 1944 also 20 Jewish boys aged 10 and 11 brought from the Łódź Ghetto
The Łódź Ghetto or Litzmannstadt Ghetto (after the Nazi German name for Łódź) was a Nazi ghetto established by the German authorities for Polish Jews and Roma following the Invasion of Poland. It was the second-largest ghetto in all of ...
, with the prisoners, especially women, being subjected to exhausting work, starvation and arbitrary beatings.[ Prisoners of the latter were women with children (around 2,000 people), mainly Polish, but also Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian, who were exposed to poor sanitary and nutritional conditions, lack of warming even in winter and no medical care, resulting in epidemics, and also regular violence.] Over 200 children, mostly Polish, died in the other camp.[ In February 1945, the Germans marched some 400 women and children from the latter camp to a newly established camp in nearby Gogolewko,][ and sent the prisoners of the subcamp of Stutthof on a death march to an emptied camp in Kokoszki.][ The Germans also operated nine forced labour subcamps of the Stalag II-B ]prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured as Prisoner of war, prisoners of war by a belligerent power in time of war.
There are significant differences among POW camps, inte ...
in the city.
The Polish resistance movement conducted espionage of German activity and distributed Polish underground press in the city.
The Schutzstaffel
The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II.
It beg ...
(SS) committed a massacre of 24 Polish forced labourers (23 men and one woman) on 7 March 1945, just before the Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
took over the city without any serious resistance on 8 March 1945.[ In fear of Soviet repression, up to 1,000 inhabitants committed suicide.]
Thousands remained in the city; the others had fled and the German soldiers abandoned it. However, the Soviet soldiers were ordered to set fire to the historical central Old Town, which was almost completely destroyed.
Post-war period
After the war, the city became again part of Poland and most of the German population either fled or was expelled in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement
The Potsdam Agreement () was the agreement among three of the Allies of World War II: the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union after the war ended in Europe that was signed on 1 August 1945 and published the following day. A ...
. The city was settled by Poles, most of whom were expelled from the former Polish eastern territories annexed by the Soviet Union (around 80% at the end of 1945) and the rest were mainly repatriates from the Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
and Poles returning from Germany. Also Ukrainians
Ukrainians (, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. Their native tongue is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, and the majority adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, forming the List of contemporary eth ...
and Lemkos settled into the town during Operation Vistula.
The town's name was changed into the historic Polish version of ''Słupsk'' by the Commission for the Determination of Place Names
The Commission for the Determination of Place Names () was a commission of the Poland, Polish Department of Public Administration, founded in January 1946. Its mission was the establishment of toponyms for places, villages, towns and cities in t ...
on 23 April 1945. It was initially part of ''Okręg
District is a term used in Poland, to denote regions and jurisdictions of various types, including electoral constituencies. As historical administrative subdivisions of Poland, districts existed in the later part of the Congress Poland period, ...
III'', comprising the whole territory of the former Province of Pomerania east of the Oder River. Słupsk later became part of Szczecin Voivodeship and then Koszalin Voivodeship, and in 1975 became the capital of the new province of Słupsk Voivodeship.
Life in the devastated city was organized anew. In 1945, the first post-war craft workshops and public schools were opened, trams and a regional railway started to operate, and the amateur Polish Theater was established.[ Historia Słupska po roku 1945. Official webpage of the city (in Polish)] In September 1946, the first Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising (; ), sometimes referred to as the August Uprising (), or the Battle of Warsaw, was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from ...
Monument in Poland was unveiled. From April 1947, the local Polish newspaper ''Kurier Słupski'' was published. The city became a cultural centre. In the 1950s, the Puppet Theater ''Tęcza'', the Teachers' College and the Baltic Dramatic Theater were established. The puppet theatre ''Tęcza'' used to collaborate with the similar institution called ''Arcadia'' in Oradea, Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
, but the partnership ceased after 1989. The Millennium Cinema was one of the first in Poland to have a cinerama. The first Polish pizzeria was established in Słupsk in 1975.
During the 1970 protests there were minor strikes and demonstrations. None were killed during the militia
A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
's interventions.
After 1989
Major street name changes were made in Słupsk after the Revolutions of 1989
The revolutions of 1989, also known as the Fall of Communism, were a revolutionary wave of liberal democracy movements that resulted in the collapse of most Communist state, Marxist–Leninist governments in the Eastern Bloc and other parts ...
. Also, a process of major renovations and refurbishments began, beginning in the principal neighbourhoods. According to the administrative reform of Poland in 1999, Słupsk Voivodeship was dissolved and divided between two larger regions: Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship ( ; ) is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. The provincial capital is Gdańsk.
The voivodeship was established on January 1, 1999, out of the former voivodeships of Gdańsk Voivo ...
and West Pomeranian Voivodeship
West Pomeranian Voivodeship is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship (province) in northwestern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Szczecin. Its area equals , and in 2021, it was inhabited by 1,682,003 people.
It was established on 1 Janua ...
. Słupsk itself became part of the former. The reform was criticized by locals, who wanted to create a separate Middle Pomeranian Voivodeship. In 1998 a major riot
A riot or mob violence is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people.
Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The p ...
took place after a basketball game.
In 2014, Słupsk elected Poland's first openly gay mayor, Robert Biedroń. In the same year, the city was awarded the Europe Prize by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe (CoE; , CdE) is an international organisation with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it is Europe's oldest intergovernmental organisation, represe ...
for having made exceptional efforts to spread the ideal of European unity.
Geography
Boundaries
Administratively, the city of Słupsk has the status of both an urban gmina
The gmina (Polish: , plural ''gminy'' ) is the basic unit of the administrative division of Poland, similar to a municipality. , there were 2,479 gminy throughout the country, encompassing over 43,000 villages. 940 gminy include cities and tow ...
and a city county
A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
(''powiat''). The city boundaries are generally artificial, with only short natural boundaries around the villages of Kobylnica and Włynkówko on the Słupia River. The boundaries have remained unchanged since 1949, when Ryczewo became a part of the city.
Słupsk shares about three-quarters of its boundaries with the rural district called Gmina Słupsk, of which Słupsk is the administrative seat (although it is not part of the district). The city's other neighbouring district is Gmina Kobylnica, to the south-west. The Słupsk Special Economic Zone is not entirely contained within the city limits: a portion of it lies within Gmina Słupsk, while some smaller areas are at quite a distance from Słupsk ( Debrzno), or even in another voivodeship (Koszalin
Koszalin (; ; , ) is a city in northwestern Poland, in Western Pomerania. It is located south of the Baltic Sea coast, and intersected by the river Dzierżęcinka. Koszalin is also a county-status city and capital of Koszalin County of West Pomera ...
, Szczecinek, Wałcz).
The city has a fairly irregular shape, with its central point at ''Plac Zwycięstwa'' ("Victory Square") at .
Topography
Słupsk lies in an '' pradolina'' of the Słupia River. The city centre is situated significantly lower than its western and easternmost portions. Divided into two almost equal parts by the river, Słupsk is hilly when compared to other cities in the region. About of the city's area is covered by forests, while is used for agricultural purposes.
Słupsk is rich in natural water bodies. There are more than twenty pond
A pond is a small, still, land-based body of water formed by pooling inside a depression (geology), depression, either naturally or artificiality, artificially. A pond is smaller than a lake and there are no official criteria distinguishing ...
s, mostly former meanders of the Słupia, within the city limits. There are also several stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...
s, irrigation canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface ...
s (generally unused and abandoned) and a leat. Except in the city centre, all these watercourses are unregulated.
There is generally little human influence on landform features visible within the city limits. However, in the northwestern part of the city there is a huge hollow, a remnant of a former sand mine. Although there were once plans to build a waterpark in this area, they were later abandoned and the site remains unused.
Climate
Słupsk has a temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...
marine climate, like the rest of the Polish coastal regions. The city lies in a zone where the continental climate
Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm to hot summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in central and eastern parts of the three northern-tier continents (North America, Europe, and Asia), typi ...
influences are very weak compared with other regions of Poland. The warmest month is July, with an average temperature range of . The coolest month is February, averaging . The wettest month is August with average precipitation of , while the driest is March, averaging only . Snowfalls are always possible between December and April.
Neighbourhoods
The neighbourhoods (, singular ''osiedle
(Polish plural: ) is a term used in Poland to denote a designated subdivision or neighbourhood of a city or its , or of a town, with its own council and executive. Like the and sołectwo, an is an auxiliary unit (''jednostka pomocnicza'') of ...
'') of Słupsk do not have any administrative powers. Their names are used for traffic signposting purposes and are shown on maps. The neighbourhoods are as follows:
* Nadrzecze ("Riverside") — situated in the southern part of the city, this district is a major industrial area. It is bounded by the railroad to the west, Deotymy and Jana Pawła II streets to the north, the Słupia river to the east and the city boundary to the south.
* Osiedle Akademickie ("Academic Neighbourhood") — a neighbourhood of detached
A single-family detached home, also called a single-detached dwelling, single-family residence (SFR) or separate house is a free-standing residential building. It is defined in opposition to a multi-family residential dwelling.
Definitions ...
and semi-detached
A semi-detached house (often abbreviated to semi) is a single-family Duplex (building), duplex dwelling that shares one common party wall, wall with its neighbour. The name distinguishes this style of construction from detached houses, with no sh ...
houses around the Pomeranian Academy and its halls of residence.
* Osiedle Bałtyckie ("Baltic Neighbourhood") — the northernmost neighbourhood of Słupsk, a large part of which belongs to the Słupsk Special Economic Zone.
* Osiedle Niepodległości ("Independence Neighbourhood") (before 1989 called ''Osiedle Budowniczych Polski Ludowej'' or "Neighbourhood of the Builders of People's Poland", and still popularly referred to as ''BPL'') and Osiedle Piastów (" Piast Neighbourhood") — these neighbourhoods make up the largest residential area of the city, inhabited by about 40,000 people.
* Osiedle Słowińskie (" Slovincian Neighbourhood") — the easternmost part of Słupsk, similar in character to Osiedle Akademickie. It adjoins the Northern Wood (''Lasek Północny'') and is close to the city's boundary with Redzikowo, the planned site of the US national missile defense interceptors.
* Ryczewo — brought within the city limits in 1949, this is the youngest neighbourhood of Słupsk. Before the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
it was a villa district. It has retained much of its village character.
* Stare Miasto ("Old Town"; also known as Śródmieście or Centrum — "the City Centre") — the central district of Słupsk containing the historic centre of the city including the city hall and the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle.
* Westerplatte (known also as Osiedle Hubalczyków-Westerplatte) — a large and fast-developing area in the south-east of Słupsk, including the city's highest point. Currently both detached houses and blocks of flats are being built here.
* Zatorze (usually further subdivided into Osiedle Jana III Sobieskiego and Osiedle Stefana Batorego) — the second largest residential area, with 10,000 inhabitants. According to police statistics, it is the most dangerous area of the city.
Parks
Słupsk has many green areas within its boundaries. The most important are the Park of Culture and Leisure (''Park Kultury i Wypoczynku''), the Northern Wood (''Lasek Północny'') and the Southern Wood (''Lasek Południowy''). There are also many small parks, squares and boulevards.
Transport
Railways
Słupsk is a railway junction, with four lines running north, west, east and south from the city. Currently, one station, opened January 10, 1991 serves the whole city. This is a class B station according to PKP (Polish Railways) criteria. The city has rail connections with most major cities in Poland: Białystok
Białystok is the largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the List of cities and towns in Poland, tenth-largest city in Poland, second in terms of population density, and thirteenth in area.
Biał ...
, Gdańsk
Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...
, Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in northern Poland and a seaport on the Baltic Sea coast. With an estimated population of 257,000, it is the List of cities in Poland, 12th-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in the Pomeranian Voivodeship after Gdańsk ...
, Katowice
Katowice (, ) is the capital city of the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland and the central city of the Katowice urban area. As of 2021, Katowice has an official population of 286,960, and a resident population estimate of around 315,000. K ...
, Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, Lublin
Lublin is List of cities and towns in Poland, the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the centre of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin i ...
, Łódź
Łódź is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located south-west of Warsaw. Łódź has a population of 655,279, making it the country's List of cities and towns in Polan ...
, Olsztyn
Olsztyn ( , ) is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with powiat rights, city with county rights. The population of the city was estimated at 169,793 residents
Olsz ...
, Poznań
Poznań ( ) is a city on the Warta, River Warta in west Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business center and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John's ...
, Szczecin
Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Poland-Germany border, German border, it is a major port, seaport, the la ...
, Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
and Wrocław
Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...
, and also serves as a junction for local trains from Kołobrzeg
Kołobrzeg (; ; ) is a port and spa city in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in north-western Poland with about 47,000 inhabitants (). Kołobrzeg is located on the Parsęta River on the south coast of the Baltic Sea (in the middle of the section ...
, Koszalin
Koszalin (; ; , ) is a city in northwestern Poland, in Western Pomerania. It is located south of the Baltic Sea coast, and intersected by the river Dzierżęcinka. Koszalin is also a county-status city and capital of Koszalin County of West Pomera ...
, Lębork
Lębork (; ; ) is a town on the Łeba River, Łeba and Okalica rivers in the Gdańsk Pomerania region in northern Poland. It is the capital of Lębork County in Pomeranian Voivodeship. Its population is 37,000.
History Middle Ages
The region fo ...
, Miastko, Szczecinek and Ustka.
The first railway reached Słupsk (then Stolp) from the east in 1869. The first rail station was built north of its current location. The line was later extended to Köslin (Koszalin
Koszalin (; ; , ) is a city in northwestern Poland, in Western Pomerania. It is located south of the Baltic Sea coast, and intersected by the river Dzierżęcinka. Koszalin is also a county-status city and capital of Koszalin County of West Pomera ...
), and further lines were built connecting the city with Neustettin ( Szczecinek), Stolpmünde ( Ustka), Zezenow ( Cecenowo) (narrow gauge) and Budow ( Budowo) (narrow gauge). The narrow-gauge tracks were rebuilt as standard gauge by 1933, but were demolished during the Second World War. After the war, the first train connection to be restored was that with Lębork
Lębork (; ; ) is a town on the Łeba River, Łeba and Okalica rivers in the Gdańsk Pomerania region in northern Poland. It is the capital of Lębork County in Pomeranian Voivodeship. Its population is 37,000.
History Middle Ages
The region fo ...
, reopened May 27, 1945. Between 1988 and 1989 almost all of the lines traversing the city were electrified. From 1985 to 1999 Słupsk had a trolleybus system.
Roads
Słupsk used to be traversed east–west by European route E28, which is known as National route 6 in Poland until a bypass running to the south of the town to carry the 6/E28 traffic was built. The bypass is a part of Expressway S6 which, when completed some time after 2015, will give Słupsk a fast road connection to Szczecin
Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Poland-Germany border, German border, it is a major port, seaport, the la ...
and Gdańsk
Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...
. The city can also be accessed by the National route 21 from Miastko, Voivodeship route 210 from Ustka to Unichowo and Voivodeship route 213 from Puck. Local roads of lesser importance connect Słupsk with surrounding villages and towns.
The city's network of streets is well developed, but many of them require general refurbishment. The city is currently investing significant sums of money in road development.
Air
Słupsk-Redzikowo Airport is now defunct, however, it once worked as a regular passenger airport of local significance. Several plans to eventually reopen it failed because of lack of funds. The facility was earmarked for use within the US missile defense complex as a missile launch site, which became operational in December 2023. Nowadays, the nearest airports are in Gdańsk
Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...
( Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport) and Szczecin
Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Poland-Germany border, German border, it is a major port, seaport, the la ...
( Solidarity Szczecin–Goleniów Airport).
Monuments
* Pomeranian Dukes Castle, now housing the Museum of Central Pomerania
* Castle Mill, the oldest industrial structure in Poland
* New Gate
* Mill Gate
* Słupsk Town Hall
* New Town Hall
* County Office
* Municipal Public Library
* Post-Dominican church of St. Hyacinth
* Church of Virgin Mary
* Church of the Holiest Heart of Jesus
* Church of the Holy Cross
* Monastery Church under the invocation of St. Otto
* Richter's granary
* Defensive walls
* Former funeral home of Jewish Commune (synagogue)
* Old Brewery in Słupsk
* 'Słowiniec' Department Store, with the oldest wooden lift in Europe
* ''Baszta Czarownic'', one of the few remaining witch towers in Europe
* Main Post Office
Culture
Słupsk is the regular venue for a number of festivals, most notably:
* the "Solidarity" International Contract Bridge
Contract bridge, or simply bridge, is a trick-taking game, trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two Team game, competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each othe ...
Festival (''Międzynarodowy Festiwal Brydża Sportowego "Solidarność"'')
* the Komeda Jazz Festival
* the "Performance" International Art Festival (''Międzynarodowy Festiwal Sztuki "Performance"'')
* an International Piano Festival
For a long time here lived Anna Łajming (1904–2003), Kashubian and Polish author.
The museum in Słupsk holds the world's biggest collection of paintings by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz.
Theatres
Słupsk currently has three theatres:
* the ''Tęcza'' ("Rainbow") Theatre
* the ''Rondo'' ("Roundabout") Theatre
* the New Theatre, reopened after a 13-year absence
In the 1970s the Tęcza Theatre collaborated with the ''Arcadia'' Theatre from Oradea, Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
. This partnership ended after 1989 for political reasons.
Cinemas
At one time Słupsk had five functioning cinemas, but only one, which belongs to the cinema chain Multikino remains open today, which is located in the Jantar Shopping Centre. There is also a small specialist cinema called "Rejs" on 3 Maja street. There was a cinema called 'Milenium', which has now been replaced by the Biedronka chain of supermarkets.
Economy
Słupsk has a developing economy based on a number of large factories
A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. Th ...
. The footwear
Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serve the purpose of protective clothing, protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from rough ground; stability on slippery ground; and temperature.
*Shoes and si ...
industry has been particularly successful in the region, expanding its exports to many countries.
The Scania
Scania ( ), also known by its native name of Skåne (), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces () of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous w ...
commercial vehicles plant also plays a very significant role in Słupsk's economy, generating the highest revenue out of all companies currently based in Słupsk. Most of the buses currently manufactured there are exported to Western Europe
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
.
Demographics
Following the medieval Christianization of the region, the vast majority of the town's population was composed of Catholics, then after the Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
until the end of World War II of Protestants
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
.
;Number of inhabitants in years
* 1740: 2,599[Kratz (1865)]
p. 430
/ref>
* 1782: 3,744, incl. 40 Jews
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
* 1794: 4,335, incl. 39 Jews
* 1812: 5,083, incl. 55 Catholics and 63 Jews
* 1816: 5,236, incl. 58 Catholics and 135 Jews
* 1831: 6,581, incl. 36 Catholics and 239 Jews
* 1843: 8,540, incl. 58 Catholics and 391 Jews
* 1852: 10,714, incl. 50 Catholics and 599 Jews
* 1861: 12,691, incl. 45 Catholics, 757 Jews, one Mennonite
Mennonites are a group of Anabaptism, Anabaptist Christianity, Christian communities tracing their roots to the epoch of the Radical Reformation. The name ''Mennonites'' is derived from the cleric Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland, part of ...
and 46 German Catholics.
* 1905: 31,154 (incl. the military), among these 951 Catholics and 548 Jews
*1925: 41,605, incl. 1,200 Catholics and 469 Jews
* 1933: 45,307[verwaltungsgeschichte.de]
* 1939: 48,060[
In 1994 the number of inhabitants reached the highest level.
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Sports clubs
The city's most notable sports club is basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
team Czarni Słupsk, which competes in the Polish Basketball League
Polska Liga Koszykówki (PLK) (English language, English: Polish Basketball League), officially known as the Orlen Basket Liga due to its sponsorship by Orlen, is a professional men's club basketball list of basketball leagues, league in Poland. I ...
(top division), where they finished 3rd four times (as of 2022). They are based in Hala Gryfia.
Other clubs include:
* Akademia Tenisa Oxford: tennis
Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...
* Gryf Słupsk: football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
* Słupia Słupsk: handball
Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, Olympic handball or indoor handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of thr ...
* Słupski Klub Sportowy Piast-B: badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racket (sports equipment), racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net (device), net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per s ...
* SKB Czarni Słupsk: boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
* TPS Czarni Słupsk: women's volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
* Towarzystwo Pływackie Skalar Słupsk: swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...
* AML Słupsk: athletics
* LKS Fenix: athletics
* STS Gryf 3 Słupsk : judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, combat sport, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyc ...
US missile defense complex
The European Interceptor Site (EIS) of the US was planned in nearby Redzikowo, forming a Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system in conjunction with a US narrow-beam midcourse tracking and discrimination radar system in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
. It was supposed to consist of up to 10 silo
A silo () is a structure for storing Bulk material handling, bulk materials.
Silos are commonly used for bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, carbon black, woodchips, food products and sawdust. Three types of silos are in widespread use toda ...
-based interceptors, a two-stage version of the existing three-stage Ground Based Interceptor (GBI), with Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV).
The missile shield has received much local opposition in the area, including several protests. This included a protest in March 2008, when an estimated 300 protesters marched on the proposed site of the missile base. The planned installation was later scrapped by President Obama on 17 September 2009.
On February 12, 2016, the US Army has awarded AMEC Foster Wheeler a $182.7 million contract with an option to support the Aegis Ashore missile defense system in Poland. The contract comes as part of Phase III of the European Phased Adaptive Approach program, which aims to boost land-based missile defense systems for NATO allies against ballistic missile threats. Project is located in Redzikowo, the site that was formerly scrapped.
Notable people
Early times
* Erdmuthe of Brandenburg (1561–1623), Princess of Brandenburg, died in Stolp
* Michael Brüggemann (1583–1654), German Lutheran pastor, preacher and translator
* Matthias Palbitzki (1623–1677), Swedish diplomat and art-connoisseur
* Andrzej Stech (1635–1697), Polish Baroque painter
* Eduard von Bonin (1793–1865), Prussian General, minister of war
19th century
* Heinrich von Stephan
Ernst Heinrich Wilhelm von Stephan (born Heinrich Stephan, January 7, 1831 – April 8, 1897) was a general post director for the German Empire who reorganized the German postal service. He was integral in the founding of the Universal Posta ...
(1831–1897), German official, founder of the Universal Postal Union
* Berthold Suhle (1837–1904), German chess master
* Wilhelm Dames (1843–1898), German paleontologist
* Otto Liman von Sanders (1855–1929), German general
* Georg von der Marwitz (1856–1929), German general
* Hedwig Lachmann (1865–1918), German author, translator and poet
* Hans Schrader (1869–1948), German classical archaeologist and art historian
* Erwin Bumke (1874–1945), German jurist
* Oswald Bumke (1877–1950), German psychiatrist, neurologist
* Otto Freundlich (1878–1934), German painter and sculptor, an abstract artist
* Walter Lichel (1885–1969) German general
* George Grosz (1893–1959), German artist, satirical caricaturist
20th century
* Paul Mattick (1904–1981), American Marxist political writer
* Flockina von Platen (1905–1984), German actress
* Mieczysław Kościelniak (1912–1993), Polish painter, graphic designer and draftsman
* Bronisław Kostkowski (1915–1942), Polish Roman Catholic seminarian
* Odo Marquard (1928–2015), German philosopher, a member of the Ritter School
* Christian Meier (born 1929), German historian
* Edgar Wisniewski (1930–2007), German architect
* Bazon Brock (born 1936), German art theorist, critic and artist; member of Fluxus
Fluxus was an international, interdisciplinary community of artists, composers, designers, and poets during the 1960s and 1970s who engaged in experimental performance art, art performances which emphasized the artistic process over the finishe ...
* Dieter Stöckmann (born 1941), German general
* Jörg Schmeisser (1942–2012), German printmaker
* Simone Barck (1944–2007), German contemporary historian and literary scholar
* Ulrich Beck (1944–2015), German sociologist
* Grażyna Auguścik (born 1955), Polish jazz vocalist, composer, and arranger
* Jolanta Szczypińska (1957–2018), Polish politician
* Edward Müller (born 1958), Polish politician and trade union activist
* Przemysław Gosiewski (1964–2010), Polish politician, deputy chair of Law and Justice party
* Tomasz Malinowski (born 1965), Polish-American diplomat and U.S. Congressman and politician
* Sarsa Markiewicz (born 1989), Polish singer, songwriter and record producer
;Sport
* Heinz Radzikowski (1925–2017) a German field hockey player, competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XVI Olympiad and officially branded as Melbourne 1956, were an international multi-sport event held in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, from 22 November to 8 December ...
* Harry Klugmann (born 1940) a German equestrian and Olympic medallist at the 1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and officially branded as Munich 1972 (; ), were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. It was the ...
* Halina Aszkiełowicz-Wojno (1947–2018) Polish volleyball player, bronze medalist 1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Mexico 1968 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 12 to 27 October 1968, in Mexico City, Mexico. These were the first Ol ...
* Darius Grala (born 1964) an endurance sports car racing driver in the USA
* Robert Kraskowski (born 1967) a Polish sport shooter, competed at the 1992
1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General.
* January 6
** The Republ ...
and 1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
* Mirosława Sagun-Lewandowska (born 1970) air gun champion, participant in three Olympic Games
* Tomasz Iwan, (born 1971) Polish football (soccer) player
* Dariusz Ulanowski, (born 1971) Polish former football (soccer) player
* Maciej Stolarczyk, (born 1972), Polish former football (soccer) player, and currently football manager
''Football Manager'', also known as ''Worldwide Soccer Manager'' in North America from 2004 to 2008, is a series of football management simulation video games developed by British developer Sports Interactive and published by Sega. The game beg ...
* Paweł Kryszałowicz (born 1974), Polish footballer, represented Poland in 33 matches scoring 10 goals
* Milena Rosner (born 1980), volleyball player, participant in the 2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...
* Kamila Augustyn (born 1982), Polish badminton player, competed at the 2008
2008 was designated as:
*International Year of Languages
*International Year of Planet Earth
*International Year of the Potato
*International Year of Sanitation
The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
and 2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
* Wojciech Jarmuż (born 1984), Polish footballer
* Miłosz Bernatajtys (born 1982), Polish rower, silver medallist at the 2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...
Twin towns and cities
Słupsk is twinned with:
* Bari
Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...
, Italy
* Bukhara
Bukhara ( ) is the List of cities in Uzbekistan, seventh-largest city in Uzbekistan by population, with 280,187 residents . It is the capital of Bukhara Region.
People have inhabited the region around Bukhara for at least five millennia, and t ...
, Uzbekistan
* Carlisle
Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England.
Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...
, United Kingdom
* Cartaxo, Portugal
* Flensburg
Flensburg (; Danish language, Danish and ; ; ) is an independent city, independent town in the far north of the Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein. After Kiel and Lübeck, it is the third-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein.
Flensburg's ...
, Germany
* Ustka, Poland
* Vantaa
Vantaa (; , ) is a city in Finland. It is located to the north of the capital, Helsinki, in southern Uusimaa. The population of Vantaa is approximately . It is the most populous municipality in Finland. Vantaa is part of the Helsinki Metropoli ...
, Finland
* Vordingborg
Vordingborg () is a market town and old ferry town on the south coast of the island of Zealand in Denmark. Because of three large estates surrounding the town, a coherent urban development has not been possible, which is the reason why three sat ...
, Denmark
Former twin towns:
* Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina near its mouth into the White Sea. The city spreads for over along the ...
, Russia (terminated in 2022 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
)
* Grodno
Grodno, or Hrodna, is a city in western Belarus. It is one of the oldest cities in Belarus. The city is located on the Neman, Neman River, from Minsk, about from the Belarus–Poland border, border with Poland, and from the Belarus–Lithua ...
, Belarus (terminated in 2022 due to the country's involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine)[
]
See also
* Słupsk (PKP station)
References
;Literature
* Helge Bei der Wieden and Roderich Schmidt, eds.: ''Handbuch der historischen Stätten Deutschlands: Mecklenburg/Pommern'', Kröner, Stuttgart 1996, , pp. 287–290.
* Haken, Christian Wilhelm: ''Drei Beiträge zur Erläuterung der Stadtgeschichte von Stolp'' (''Three Contributions to Explaining the History of the Town of Stolp'') (1775). Newly edited by F. W. Feige, Stolp, 1866
online
* Kratz, Gustav: ''Die Städte der Provinz Pommern, Abriss ihrer Geschichte, zumeist nach Urkunden'' (''The Towns of the Province of Pomerania - Sketch of their History, Mainly According to Historical Records''). Berlin, 1865 (reprinted in 2010 by Kessinger Publishing
Kessinger Publishing, LLC is an American print-on-demand publishing company located in Whitefish, Montana, that specializes in rare, out-of-print books. In 2009, the company produced 190,175 titles and was reported to be the third-largest prod ...
, ), pp. 413–439
online
* Pagel, Karl-Heinz: ''Stolp in Pommern - eine ostdeutsche Stadt''. Lübeck, 1977 (with extensive bibliography
online
* Reinhold, Werner: ''Chronik der Stadt Stolp'' (''Chronicle of the Town of Stolp''). Stolp, 1861
online
;Notes
External links
*
Municipal website
Solidarity International Bridge Festival
March 29th, 2008: Demonstration Against U.S. Missile Defence Shield
{{Authority control
Cities and towns in Pomeranian Voivodeship
City counties of Poland
Populated places established in the 9th century
Members of the Hanseatic League
Holocaust locations in Poland
Sites of World War II massacres of Poles
Capitals of former nations