Końskie

Infobox Settlement
name = Końskie


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Egyptian orangery, one of notable buildings in classicistic park-palace complex of Końskie
image_shield = POL Konskie COA PioM.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Świętokrzyskie
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Końskie County
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Gmina Końskie
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Krzysztof Marek Obratański
established_title = Established
established_date = 11th century
established_title3 = Town rights
established_date3 = 1748
area_total_km2 = 17.68
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 20667
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 51 | latm = 12 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 20 | longm = 25 | longs = | longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 26-200
area_code = +48 41
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = TKN
website = http://www.umkonskie.pl Końskie Audio-IPA-pl|pl-Konskie.ogg|'|k|o|ń|s|k|j|e is a town in central Poland with 22,300 inhabitants (1995).

Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Kielce Voivodeship (1975-1998). Most of the towns inhabitants were in the late 80s and early 90s employed in a local Huta (Steel Mill). Since 1997 the town has been slowly but surely developing into a major trade hub for small business owners.

History

The oldest trails of settlement in the vicinity is dated to XI century.

Once a major hotspot for Polish Resistance during World War II, the Armia Krajowa gave the Germans terrible beatings in the forests, where German army feared to enter for obvious reasons. Nonetheless, they eventually developed effective counter-insurgency techniques resulting in capturing many thousands of Poles and executing them.

Jewish History of Końskie

A history of the Jewish population of Końskie (known as Koinsk or Kinsk - קינצק / קינסק among the Jews) including the time period of the Holocaust can be seen at [http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/pinkas_poland/pol1_00240.html Konskie (Kinsk) - Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities in Poland, Volume I] . The pre World War II Jewish population of the town was about 6,500 comprising about 2/3 of the total town populationcite book | author =Pessach Goldberg, Danutal Dabrowska, Abraham Wein Jakubowicz, Aharon Weiss | title =Pinkas ha-kehilot. Encyclopedia Shel ha-Yishuvim ha-Yehudiyim Le-min hivasdam ve-ad le-ahar Sho'at Milhemet ha-olam ha-sheniyah. Polin | year =1976 | pages = 240-243 | publisher =Yad Vashem | location=Jerusalem, Israel | oclc=22956042 | isbn=9653080075] . Some of the Jews had Sephardic roots evidenced by their last names and some customs such as the additional blessings they said on shabbat during kiddush between the drinking of the wine and the eating of the hallah, in addition to being able to trace their lineage back to the expulsion from Spain in 1492. This was also reflected in some of the facial complexions that were distinguishable among the Jews in the area between those who knew they had Sephardic ancestry and those who did not. In some rare instances, some of them even kept their Sephardic names although they assimilated into orthodox Ashkenaz Jewish culture. The KOINSK ORGANIZATION of Israel, is an unofficial group of people with ties to the townFact|date=January 2008. They meet once a year at The Diaspora Museum close to the 25th of the Jewish month of Cheshvan to commemorate the "final" murder of the Jews of Konskie by the Germans Nov 9-11, 1942, when men, women and children were taken to Treblinka II to be gassed to death. Many died on the way. In the subsequent January 1943 "Aktion" in the Konskie Ghetto, remaining Jews were ferreted out from attics and other hiding places and murdered by Germans, Ukrainians and other volunteer "auxiliaries"Fact|date=January 2008.

Notable buildings and landmarks

Classicistic park palace complex founded by Jan Małachowski in XVII century (based on Pillnitz complex) including:
* Egyptian orangery ("Egipcjanka")
* Greek Temple (now theatre)
* Glorietta
* Gazebo ("Altanka")
* two of palace wings (now residence of municipal council)

Late gothic church of Saint Nicholas, 1492, with the romanesque tympanum from the 13th century.

Końskie Synagogue built 1684, burned in 1939.

Famous people born in Końskie

* Jacek Małachowski
* Stanisław Małachowski
* Andrzej Szejna
* Rabbi Yoav Weingarten, author of Helkat Yoav (OCLC|19138821), Rabbi of Końskie till his death in 1922
* Rabbi Meir Weingarten, last rabbi of Konskie, appointed in 1922 and murdered in Treblinka

Twin towns

Šaľa, Mohyliv-Podilskyi

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