Iława

For the village of the same name, see Iława, Opole Voivodeship.

Iława
Town view
Flag Coat of arms
Iława
Coordinates: 53°35′47″N 19°33′56″E / 53.59639°N 19.56556°E / 53.59639; 19.56556
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Warmian-Masurian
County	Iława County
Gmina	Iława (urban gmina)
Established	1305
Town rights	1305
Government
– Mayor	Włodzimierz Ptasznik
Area
– Total	21.88 km2 (8.4 sq mi)
Highest elevation	150 m (492 ft)
Lowest elevation	100 m (328 ft)
Population (2006)
– Total	32,326
– Density	1,477.4/km2 (3,826.5/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
– Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	14-200 to 14-210
Area code(s)	+48 89
Car plates	NIL
Website	http://www.ilawa.pl

Iława [iˈwava] ( listen) (German: Deutsch Eylau ( listen)) is a town in northeastern Poland with 33,912 inhabitants (2006). It is situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (since 1999); previously it was in Olsztyn Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Iława County.

History

The town was founded in Prussia in 1305 and is documented in a manuscript by Luther von Braunschweig in 1317. It was built on the Eylenz (Iławka) River between Lakes Geserich (Jeziorak) and Eylenz (Iławskie). This location makes it a popular vacation area. The town was under the jurisdiction of the komtur of Christburg (Dzierzgoń) and since 1340 under Osterode (Ostróda). In 1457 it was sold to King Casimir IV Jagiellon of Poland during the Thirteen Years' War between the cities of Prussia and the Teutonic Order. With the aid of Ulrich von Kinsberg the city was able to regain its independence from Poland.^{[citation needed]}

As Deutsch Eylau, the town became part of the Duchy of Prussia in 1525 and the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. Administered within the new province of West Prussia in 1773, it became part of the German Empire in 1871.

In 1862 the Oberland Canal (Elbląg Canal) was built between Elbing (Elbląg) and Eylau by engineer Georg Steenke, which enabled the inland town to transport bulk of lumber, farm products, and other goods north to Elbing and the Baltic Sea. This was superseded ten years later by rail transport, when the Thorn (Toruń)-Insterburg (Chernyakhovsk) railway line was constructed.

Following the Treaty of Versailles, this part of Prussia remained in Germany, as in the East Prussian plebiscite on being a part of Poland or Germany an overwhelming majority of votes was cast in favor of the latter option. It became part of Regierungsbezirk West Prussia in the Province of East Prussia.

As a result of the Potsdam Conference following World War II, Eylau was placed under Polish administration in 1945 and since then remains as part of Poland. Its former German population was expelled and replaced with Poles, many themselves expellees from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union.

Notable residents

• Richard Altmann (1852–1900), pathologist
• Friedrich Karst (1893–1975), general
• Helmuth Stieff (1901–1944), general and resistance fighter
• Joachim Meichssner (1906–1944), officer and resistance fighter

Gallery

• 

  Gothic church in Iława

• 

  High school in Iława

• 

  Jeziorak lake

• 

  View from space

• 

  "Kaiserstraße", ca. 1910

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Twin towns — Sister cities

Iława is twinned with: Iława is twinned with:

• Herborn (Germany)
• Tholen (Netherlands)
• Gargždai (Lithuania)

External links

• Map, from mapa.szukacz.pl

Coordinates: 53°36′N 19°34′E / 53.6°N 19.567°E / 53.6; 19.567