“To burn, to flame” is what the name Zgorzelec likely means. Today we explore Gmina Zgorzelec. This rural administrative district sits in Zgorzelec County. It’s in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Note that the town of Zgorzelec is the seat of the gmina. However, the town itself isn’t part of the gmina’s territory.
Gmina Zgorzelec covers 136.02 square kilometers. As of 2019, it had a population of 8,504. It lies on the German border in southwestern Poland.
The history of Zgorzelec is intertwined with that of Görlitz. Up until 1945, they were one entity. The earliest mention of Zgorzelec is in 1071. Emperor Henry IV mentioned “villa Goreliz.” He gave eight royal cornfields to Bishop Benon of Meissen.
Its location was advantageous. Via Regia, the Royal Road, crossed through here. Also, the road from Prague to Baltic ports went through here. Merchants and armies moved through the settlement. In the 12th century, a settlement and St. Nicolaus church were founded. They were on the left bank of the Neisse River. No bridge connected the banks initially. People had to swim across.
Zgorzelec got city rights in 1220. Flemish clothiers settled here in the 13th century. Cloth production made the city famous. From 1329, the city was under Czech rule. Zgorzelec received significant privileges. There were no duty charges in Czech Crown countries. In 1346, Zgorzelec co-founded the Union of Six Cities. It joined royal cities of Upper Lusatia. The Union aimed to stop knightage assaults. Zgorzelec became the most significant city in the Union.
The city’s peak was in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. It was a major center. In 1415, about 7,800 people lived in the city. By 1533, the population was 10,600. Zgorzelec participated in international trade. It was an intermediary between German countries and others. These included Poland-Lithuania, Moscow, and Hungary.
The Thirty Years’ War had negative effects. The city was gained by fighting sides. In 1635, Czech rule ended in Upper Lusatia. The whole margraviate went to the Wettin dynasty.
In the late 17th century, trade and craft revived. Zgorzelec became a cultural center of Lusatia. The local Augustum Grammar School gained acknowledgment. The Swedish wars cost huge amounts.
In 1815, Zgorzelec was incorporated into Prussia. New opportunities appeared with the German Duty Union. In the mid-19th century, the city industrialized. Textile, machinery, and chemical industries developed.
Soviet troops captured the city on May 8, 1945. In summer 1945, Potsdam decided to join the eastern part to Poland. On July 6, 1950, an agreement marked “The Border of Peace and Friendship.” It was signed on the River Neisse.
Thousands of Greeks and Macedonians settled here in the 1940s and 50s. They had been oppressed in their countries. Building the industrial combine in Turów was a breakthrough event. By the early 1960s, the population exceeded 20,000.
Long-lasting contacts with Görlitz led to proclaiming Europacity on May 5, 1998. Today, Gmina Zgorzelec is bordered by the town of Zgorzelec. It is also bordered by several other gminas. These include Bogatynia, Lubań, and Sulików. It also shares a border with Germany. The villages within Gmina Zgorzelec are Biało góra, Gozdanin, and Jerzmanki. Also included are Łagów, Łomnica, and Tylice.