bydgoszcz

Other Definitions
bydgoszcz (dict)

Bydgoszcz (in Polish pronounce: [:bidgɔʃʧ], Latin: Bydgostia) is a city in northern Poland, on Brda and Vistula rivers, with a population of 369,151 (2004). It has been the capital of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship since 1999, and was previously the capital of the Bydgoszcz Voivodship (1947-1998) and before that, of the Pomeranian Voivodship (1939-1947). In German, it is traditionally known as Bromberg, the city name under Prussian and German rule. Bydgoszcz is a part of the metroplex Bydgoszcz-Torun with Torun, only 30 km away, and over 700,000 inhabitants. In 2003 Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz joined Torun University.

History

Originally it was a fishers' settlement called Bydgoszcza (spelled Bydgostia in Latin), next a stronghold for the Vistula trade routes. In the 13th century it was a site of castellany, first mentioned in 1238. Bydgoszcz was occupied by the Teutonic Knights in years 1331-1337, recovered by the king Casimir the Great, who granted the municipal rights in 1346/1349. In the 15th-16th centuries Bydgoszcz was a significant site of corn trade, one of the biggest cities in Poland. In 1657 the Treaty of Bydgoszcz was signed there. Bydgoszcz followed the history of Greater Poland until 1772, when it was annexed by Prussia. During this time, the canal was built from Bydgoszcz to Nakło which connected the north flowing Vistula river via the Brda to the west flowing Noteć, which in turn flowed to the Oder via the Warta. In 1807 became part of the Duchy of Warsaw (French Duchy de Varsovie). In 1815 back to Prussia as the part of autonomous Grand Duchy of Poznan and capital of the one of the districts, called Bromberg district. After 1871 was included into German Empire as part Province of Posen. After World War I the Great Poland Uprising, returned to Poland in 1919. 1938 shifted to Pomerania Voivodship, where it was the biggest city. 1939-1945 occupied by Germany and became part of the Reichsgau Wartheland. Some of the war's most violent early atrocities were centered here, known as Bromberg Bloody Sunday. Bydgoszcz (Fordon) was the site of the German concentration camp Bromberg-Ost, subcamp of Stutthof. Following World War II, Bydgoszcz was returned to Poland, as a Soviet bloc nation, under the Potsdam Conference border resolutions.