History of Cieszyn and Těšín

:"This article is a short history of the towns of Cieszyn and Český Těšín. For the modern history after 1920, see each articles."

History of Cieszyn and Těšín

The area of the towns of Cieszyn and Český Těšín has been populated by Slavs at least since 7th century. According to the legend, in 810 three sons of a prince – Bolko, Leszko and Cieszko, met here after a long pilgrimage, found a spring, and in their happiness decided to found a new settlement. They called it Cieszyn, from the words "cieszym się", "I'm happy". This well can be found at the ulica Trzech Braci ("Three Brothers Street"), just west of the town square. [ [http://www.staypoland.com/about_cieszyn.htm Cieszyn - Tourism | Tourist Information - Cieszyn, Poland | ] ] [The legend is inscribed on the [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pl/thumb/2/2e/Cieszyn_studnia.jpg/450px-Cieszyn_studnia.jpg Well of the Three Brothers] in Cieszyn.]

The first written reference about Cieszyn is in a document from Pope Hadrianus IV for the Wrocław bishop Valter from April 23, 1155. It was about the castle of "Tescin", which was the centre of a castellany. Around the castle a town was founded on a fortified headland above the Olza River. The city rights are documented as of 1290, and later confirmed in 1364.

The town shared history of Silesia and after the feudal division of Poland in 1138 was ruled by Piast dukes from Silesian line. The duchy belonged to the dukes of Upper Silesia, and since 1298 it recognized the overlordships of Kings of Bohemian dynasty. Since 1343, when Poland acknowledged Bohemian rule over Silesia, it shared history of Bohemian Silesia.

In 16th century the town became one of the most important centres of trade and commerce, with significant manufactories of arms and jewelry. It also became a centre of reformation.

It became a direct apanage of the Bohemian crown in 1625 at the extinction of the male line of its dukes, and since 1766 it bore the name of Saxe-Teschen, because Prince Albert of Saxony, who married a daughter of Maria Theresa of Austria, received it as part of his wife's dowry. In 1822, it was bestowed on the Archduke Charles of Austria, the victor of Aspern; it was inherited by his eldest son, and, at his death, in 1895 it passed into the hands of his nephew, the Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen.

At the end of 19th century the population of the duchy was split between Poles and Czechs, with Poles being the majority and the numbers of Czechs declining. There were also significant German, Hungarian and Jewish minorities.

At the end of World War I local Polish and Czech self-governments were established. Both of them claimed that the whole Cieszyn Silesia belongs to Czechoslovakia or Poland respectively. To calm down friction which developed, the local self-governments concluded an interim agreement on division of the area, on November 5, 1918. The division was based on ethnic composition. However, by 1919 the governments were swallowed by governments in Prague and Warsaw with the former arguing that the division was unfair. In particular, the only railway going to east Slovakia (Kassa-Oderberg railway) went through the region and access to the railway was crucial: newly-formed Czechoslovakia was at war with Hungarian Soviet Republic trying to establish control over Slovakia. This set the stage for conflict.

Despite of the division being interim only, Poland decided to organise polls to Polish parliament (Sejm) in Warsaw in the area. Czechoslovakia claimed that no sovereign rule is to be executed in the disputed area before final solution is found and requested that the polls are not held in the area. Czechoslovak request was rejected by Poland and Czechoslovakia attacked the Polish part of the region on 23 January 1919 [Długajczyk 1993, 7.] [Zahradnik 1992, 59.] and forced Poland, which was at that time in war also with the West Ukrainian National Republic over eastern Galicia, to withdraw from the bigger part of the so-called Zaolzie area. After the fight near Skoczów a cease-fire was reached, signed in Paris on 3 February, 1919. Poland was forced to recognize new borders running along the Olza River in 1920. Czechoslovakia received the western section (including the Karviná coal basin) and part of the Duchy capital known later as Český Těšín, while Poland received the eastern section with Cieszyn.

Poland claimed the Czech section, eventually annexing it in October 1938 after the Munich Agreement. [Nowa Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN 1997, vol. VI, 981.] Teschen was annexed by Germany in 1939 as a result of the Invasion of Poland. During the World War II city was a part of Nazi Germany. The 1920 borders were restored in 1945. During the German occupation (1941-1945) there was a stalag camp in the town, Stalag VIII-D.

Population

1900

* City 19,142 Germans 52%, Poles 43%, Czechs 5%
* Duchy 350,000 Germans 18%, Poles 55%, Czechs 27%

ee also

* Border conflicts between Poland and Czechoslovakia
* Duchy of Teschen

Footnotes

References

* cite book
last = Długajczyk
first = Edward
authorlink = Edward Długajczyk
title = Tajny front na granicy cieszyńskiej. Wywiad i dywersja w latach 1919-1939
publisher = Śląsk
date = 1993
location = Katowice
pages =
doi =
isbn = 83-85831-03-7
* cite book
last = Wawreczka
first = Henryk
coauthors = Janusz Spyra and Mariusz Makowski
title = Těšín, Český Těšín na starých pohlednicích a fotografiích / Cieszyn, Czeski Cieszyn na starych widokówkach i fotografiach
publisher = Wart
date = 1999
location = Nebory, Třinec
pages =
doi =
isbn = 80-238-4804-6
* cite book
last = Wawreczka
first = Henryk
coauthors = Irena Adamczyk, Vlasta Byrtusová and Janusz Spyra
title = Cieszyn wczoraj i dziś / Český Těšín včera a dnes
publisher = Wart
date = 2001
location = Český Těšín
pages =
doi =
isbn = 80-238-7590-6
* cite book
last = Zahradnik
first = Stanisław
coauthors = and Marek Ryczkowski
title = Korzenie Zaolzia
publisher = PAI-press
date = 1992
location = Warszawa - Praga - Trzyniec
pages =
url =
doi =
oclc = 177389723
* cite encyclopedia
title = Zaolzie
encyclopedia = Nowa Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN
volume = VI
pages =
publisher = PWN
location= Warszawa
date = 1997
isbn = 83-01-11969-1
accessdate =

External links

* [http://www.info.tesin.cz/index.php?lang=e Municipal website of Český Těšín, see the history section]
* [http://www.muzeum-cieszyn.ox.pl/tramwaje/indexen.html Cieszyn and Těšín Trams]
* [http://www.kc-cieszyn.pl/zaolzie1938/zaolzie.htm Documents and photographs about situation in Zaolzie in 1938]
* [http://www.militariacieszyn.republika.pl/cieszyn1939.htm History of Cieszyn during the World War II]