Koszalin (German Köslin) is the biggest city and capital of Middle Pomerania in north-western Poland. It is located 10 km south of the Baltic Sea coast resort Mielno. Koszalin is also a county-status city and capital of Koszalin County of West Pomeranian Voivodship since 1999, previously capital of Koszalin Voivodship (1950-1998).
Population: 112,375 (1999).
Area: 83,2 km˛
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2 Population 3 Further reading (in Polish) 4 External links |
In 1214 Boguslaw II, duke of Pomerania has made a donation of Koszaln village by the Chelm Mt. in Kołobrzeg land (una villa ... Cussalitz iuxta Cholin in terra Cholbergensis) to the Norbertan monastery in Belbuck near Trzebiatów inviting new settlers from outside of Pomerania.
In 1248 eastern part of Kolobrzeg land, including Koszalin, was trasfered by the Duke Barnik I to the Pomeranian bishops which was the beginning of ecclesiatical Duchy of Kamien.
In 1266 Herman von Gleichen, bishop of Pomerania, has granted a charter to Koszalin, giving it Lubeck law, local government, autonomy and multiple priviledges. In the following years Koszalin became bishop's main residence and capital of the ecclesiatical Duchy of Kamien.
By the acquisition of Jamno village (1331), part of Jamno lake, a spit between the lake and sea and the stronhold of Unieście (1353), Koszalin got the direct access to the sea, participating in the next centuries in the Baltic Sea trade, what led to several conflicts with competing seaports of Kołobrzeg and Darłowo.
After the extinction of the last Pomeranian duke (1637) Koszalin was inherited by their cousin Ernest Boguslaw de Croy, and next it fell to Brandenburg. In these years it was considered to be the capital of the Duchy of Cassubia and later divided into Koszalin county, Kołobrzeg county, Bialogard county and Szczecinek county.
After 1701 Duchies of Prussia, Pomerania and Brandenburg formed the Kingdom of Prussia and 1815-1945 Koszalin was the capital of Hinterpommern district of the Prussian province of Pomerania.
After World War II as a result of peace conferences in Yalta and Potsdam Koszalin fell to Poland. Most of the German population were evacuated, managed to escaped or were expelled to Germany. The Polish inhabitants (some 10% of population) stayed here and new settlers arrived from various parts of Poland. The patron of this process was Gniezno in Greater Poland sending the first 1000 setlers.
In 1945 was initially scheduled to be the capital of the newly created West Pomeranian Voivodship, finally moved to Szczecin. In 1950 this voidodship was divided in half into Szczecin Voivodship and Koszalin Voivodship.
In years 1950-1975 Koszalin was the capital of the 'big' Koszalin Voivodship (out of 17, sometimes called Middle Pomerania) and the fastest growing city in Poland, and in years 1975-1998 the capital of the 'small' Koszalin Voivodship (out of 49).
As a result Local Governmemt Reorganization Act (1998) Koszalin was located in West Pomeranian Voivodship (effective 1 January 1999) despite the inhabitants demand of Middle Pomeranian Voivodship covering approximately the area of former Koszalin voivodship (1950-75).
History
Population
1905: 21,474 inhabitants
1939: 33,500 inhabitants
1945: 17,000 inhabitants
1950: 18,900 inhabitants
1960: 44,400 inhabitants
1970: 65,200 inhabitants
1975: 77,600 inhabitants
1980: 93,500 inhabitants
1990: 108,700 inhabitants
1999: 112,375 inhabitants
2000: ?Further reading (in Polish)
External links
Media