The History Of Kielce by Conor Comiskey

THE HISTORY OF KIELCE

WRITTEN BY CONOR COMISKEY (IE)

„KIELCE” PHOTOGRAPHS CAPTURED BY MARTYNA WRONA (PL)

The city of Kielce has a rich history defined by industry, education, and war. Located in the southeast of Poland, the 11th century trading town first became recognised as a city in 1359. The city developed a reputation as a force in the mining industry, with the Mining Department being located there for many years in the 16th and 17th century. This, and developments of the church brought prosperity to the city, but this was short lived due to the Swedish Invasion and the Polish Civil Wars of the time.

The damage inflicted by war would set a precedent for several hundred years of Kielce’s history. In 1794, Kielce was where Tadeusz Kościuszko, commander-in-chief during the Polish-Russian war, would die of wounds sustained during battle. Six years later, a fire destroyed the majority of the city’s principal buildings. However, as the 19th century began the city began to rise from the ashes. In 1818, it became the capital of the region of Cracow province. Soon after, the first Technical University in Poland was established, dedicated to mining. Other prosperous developments throughout the 19th century were brought to a crescendo when, in 1885, the city found itself on the newly launched railway system. This brought about an economic boom bolstered by the various industries that had been fostered across the city.

Martyna Wrona (PL)

Martyna Wrona (PL)

Following the First World War, Kielce became independent once again. The city would have to rebuild after the terrible damage done by the war, but it was now an important political seat in the province. By 1939, many new companies had moved to the metropolitan area which boasted a population of over 70,000 people. During the Second World War, the partisan forces used the forests around the city as a base while resisting the Nazi regime. However, it was shortly after the war that Kielce experienced one of the worst periods of its history. In 1946, a violent and horrific anti-Jewish pogrom took place in the city. This massacre included the murder of 42 jews and 40 others being injured. The incident has been a controversial black mark on the city’s history ever since and has been seen to have had an enormous impact on the Jewish population in Poland.

Today, the city has a population of over 200,000 and remains strongly linked to education. Over 40,000 students attend universities there each year. Furthermore, the city remains the industrial heart of the region, with many big industrial firms calling Kielce home.

Martyna Wrona (PL)