Sztum

Sztum

View of Sztum

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Sztum
Coordinates: 53°55′18″N 19°2′1″E / 53.92167°N 19.03361°E / 53.92167; 19.03361
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Pomeranian
County Sztum County
Gmina Gmina Sztum
Established 13th century
Town rights 1416
Government
  Mayor Leszek Jan Tabor
Area
  Total 4.59 km2 (1.77 sq mi)
Population (2006)
  Total 9,945
  Density 2,200/km2 (5,600/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 82-400
Area code(s) +48 55
Car plates GSZ
Website http://sztum.pl

Sztum ([ʂtum]) (German: Stuhm) is a town in northern Poland in the Powiśle region, located in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is the capital of Sztum County, with some 10,141 inhabitants (2004).

History

Teutonic castle after renovation

Signs of settlement dating back to the Roman Empire era have been found. In the early Middle Ages, a fortified settlement of the Prussian people existed at the site, conquered by the Teutonic Knights in 1236. City rights were granted to the settlement in 1416.

In 1466 the town with other western Prussian territory passed to the crown of Poland as part of Royal Prussia. As part of Poland, the town functioned as a seat of Sztum powiat in Malbork Voivodeship (1466-1772) and a place to hold local court sessions. In 1635 the Treaty of Stuhmsdorf was signed in the village of Stuhmsdorf (now Sztumska Wies, just south of the city of Sztum).

In 1772 during the time of the First Partition of Poland the town became part of the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1871 it became part of the newly created German Empire.

According to the Treaty of Versailles, after World War I the inhabitants were asked whether they want to remain in Germany or join the new Second Polish Republic in the East Prussian plebiscite of 1920. The German side engaged in mass persecution of Polish activists, their Masurian supporters, going as far as engaging in regular hunts and murder against them to influence the vote, and the voted was largely boycotted by ethnic Poles. Ultimately, 19,984 votes were counted to remain in Germany and 4,904 votes for Poland.[1] Based on that result Stuhm was included in the Regierungsbezirk Marienwerder within East Prussia.

After World War II the area was placed under Polish administration by the Potsdam Agreement under territorial changes demanded by the Soviet Union. Germans fled or were expelled and replaced with Poles expelled from the Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union or forced to settle in the area through Operation Vistula in 1947.

Number of inhabitants by year

Year Number
1789 509
1831 956
1875 2,145
1880 2,210
1890 2,265
1905 2,557
1933 6,147
1939 7,374
1943 7,099
2006 9,945

[2][3][4][5]

Notable residents

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Sztum is twinned with: Ritterhude, Val de Reuil, Varde

References

  1. Rocznik statystyki Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej(pdf, 623 KB). Główny Urząd Statystyczny Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej GUS, Annual (Main Statistical Office of the Republic of Poland) (1920/1922, part II)
  2. Johann Friedrich Goldbeck: Volständige Topographie des Königreichs Preußen. Part II, Marienwerder 1789, p. 19.
  3. Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon, 6th edition, Vol. 8, Leipzig and Vienna 1907, p. 251.
  4. Michael Rademacher: Deutsche Verwaltungsgeschichte Provinz Westpreußen, Kreis Stuhm (2006).
  5. August Eduard Preuß: Preußische Landes- und Volkskunde. Königsberg 1835, p. 444, no. 59.

Coordinates: 53°56′N 19°02′E / 53.933°N 19.033°E / 53.933; 19.033

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