Zabrze

Infobox Settlement
name = Zabrze


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Wolności Street

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image_shield = POL Zabrze COA.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Silesian
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = "city county"
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Małgorzata Mańka-Szulik
established_title = Established
established_date = 13th century
established_title3 = Town rights
established_date3 = 1922
area_total_km2 = 80.47
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 190610
population_density_km2 = auto
population_metro = 3487000
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 50 | latm = 18 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 18 | longm = 47 | longs = | longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 41-800 to 41-820
area_code = +48 32
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = SZ
website = http://www.zabrze.pl/ Zabrze Audio-IPA-pl|Zabrze.ogg|'|z|a|b|ż|e ( _de. Hindenburg O.S. (1915-1945)) is a city in southern Poland with 194,041 inhabitants (2004). Zabrze is part of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, the largest legally-recognized urban entity in Poland with a population of 2.2 mln. The population of the urban area is 3,487,000 (2004). Zabrze is situated in the Silesian Voivodship (since 1999); previously, it was in Katowice Voivodship (1975-1998).

History

Zabrze was first mentioned as Biskupice in 1243. Beginning in the Late Middle Ages, the local Silesian Piast dukes invited German settlers to the territory resulting in increasing Germanization of the area. Zabrze was inherited by the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria in 1526 and was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia during the 18th century Silesian Wars. In 1774 nearby Dorotheendorf settlement was founded. With the firs mine opened in Zabrze in 1790, the town became an important site for mining in 19th century. When Upper Silesia was partitioned between Poland and Germany in 1921, Zabrze remained in Germany. The settlement received its city charter in 1922.

Zabrze was renamed "Hindenburg" in 1915 to honor Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg; the new name was used until May 19, 1945. After the city became part of Poland in that year following World War II, the original name, Zabrze, was restored and most of the remaining German inhabitants were expelled according to the Potsdam Conference.

Politics

Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Bytom/Gliwice/Zabrze constituency
* Chojnacki Jan, SLD-UP
* Dulias Stanisław, Samoobrona
* Gałażewski Andrzej, PO
* Janik Ewa, SLD-UP
* Kubica Józef, SLD-UP
* Martyniuk Wacław, SLD-UP
* Okoński Wiesław, SLD-UP
* Szarama Wojciech, PiS
* Szumilas Krystyna, PO
* Widuch Marek, SLD-UP

Sport

* Górnik Zabrze - men football team (Polish Champion 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988; Polish Cup winner 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972; Polish Supercup winner 1988; 1st league in season 2005/2006)

*Wojtek Wolski - Pro hockey player for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League

Economy

Like other towns in this populous region, it is an important manufacturing centre, having coal-mines, iron, wire, glass, chemical and oil works, breweries, etc.

Sister cities

Zabrze is twinned with the following cities:

* Sangerhausen, Germany
* Seclin, France
* Lund, Sweden
* Sønderborg, Denmark
* Hazleton, United States
* Trnava, Slovakia
* Opava, Czech Republic
* Kaliningrad, Russia
* Rivne, Ukraine

External links

* [http://www.um.zabrze.pl/ Municipal website] pl icon
* [http://www.zabrzanie.pl/ Zabrze Community] pl icon
* [http://zabrze.com.pl/ Portal] pl icon
* [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9078176/Zabrze Encyclopaedia Britannica Zabrze]
* [http://homepages.compuserve.de/sosin2/Zabrze.htm Old images of the city] de icon