Page 710 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

708  CENTR AL AND EASTERN EUROPE

it was considerably weakened, and its
time of dominance was over. In 1795, it
was partitioned by Russia, Prussia, and
Austria, and was wiped off the map for
more than 100 years. Attempts to wrest
independence by insurrection were
unsuccessful, and Poland did not regain
its sovereignty until 1918. The arduous
Solidarity demonstrators staging a mass rally during a papal visit process of rebuilding and uniting the
to Poland in 1987
nation was still incomplete when, at
process of consolidation between the outbreak of World War II, a six-year
these nations, culminating in 1569 period of German and Soviet occupation
with the signing of the Union of Lublin. began. The price that Poland paid was
Nevertheless, the so-called Republic very high: millions were murdered,
of Two Nations (Rzeczpospolita Obojga including virtually its entire Jewish Karlskrona,
Narodów) lasted until 1795. In 1572, the population. The country suffered Baltic Nynashamn
Sea
Jagiellonian dynasty died out, after devastation and there were huge terri-
which the Polish authorities introduced torial losses, which were only partly Ystad Słupsk Gdynia RUSSIA Vilnius
elective kings, with the nobility having compensated by the Allies’ decision to 6 1 Gdańsk 8 LITHUANIA
the right to vote. move the border westwards. After the war, Świnoujście Koszalin Suwałki
11
The 17th century was dominated by wars Poland was subjugated by the Soviet 22 7 16 61
with Sweden, Russia, and the Ottoman Union, but the socialist economy proved Szczecin 25 W da 16 Olsztyn
Empire, and although the country survived, ineffective. The formation of Solidarity A6 10 Bydgoszcz A1 53 Łomża 65
(Solidarność) in 1980 accelerated the Odra Piła Noteć Toruń 7 Ostrołęka Białystok
22
10
KEY DATES IN POLISH HISTORY pace of change, which was completed Berlin Gorzów 5 Włocławek Wkra Ciechanów 60 8 Bug 19
Wielkopolski
966 Adoption of Christianity under Mieszko I when Poland regained its freedom after A2 Poznań W isł a 61 WARSAW BELARUS
1025 Coronation of Bolesław the Brave, first king the June 1989 elections. 3 A2 Konin 60 2 (Warszawa) 2
of Poland In 1999, Poland became a member Zielona Góra POLAND Skierniewice A2 Siedlce Biała Minsk
1320 The unification of the Polish state of NATO, and in 2004, it joined the Odra Leszno Łodź 17 Podlaska
18 Kalisz Pilica
1385 Poland and Lithuania unite under the Treaty European Union. GERMANY 5 A1 8 7 Wisła
of Krewo 11 Sieradz
Dresden Legnica 8 Piotrków Radom Lublin 12
1569 The Union of Lublin creates the Polish- Language and Culture A4 Wrocław Warta 1 Trybunalski Chełm Kiev
Lithuanian Republic of Two Nations Jelenia Częstochowa Kielce
1596 The capital moves from Krakow to Warsaw The legacy of more than 100 years of Góra Wałbrzych Opole Tarnobrzeg Zamość
1655 Beginning of the “Deluge” (the Swedish partition rule is still visible in Poland’s cultural A4 7 17
occupation), ending in 1660 landscape. Russian, Prussian, and Austrian Prague 45 Katowice W isła 19 L'viv
1772–1918 Poland divided three times between administrations left their mark not only on Auschwitz (Oświęcim) Krakow Tarnów A4 Rzeszów
Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The final partition (1795) rural and urban architecture, but also on CZECH 1 (Kraków) 9 Przemyśl
is made after a Polish uprising led by Tadeusz REPUBLIC Bielsko- 12 Krosno
Biała
Kościuszko the customs and mentality of the people. Nowy UKRAINE
Sącz
1918 Poland regains independence The Poles have a deep reverence for Bratislava
1939 Soviet and German forces invade religious symbols and rituals, and the SLOVAKIA
1940 Auschwitz-Birkenau established; 1.5 million presence of the church can be seen
Poles and Jews are gassed during the war everywhere, either in the form of lavish
1945 Communist government takes control Baroque buildings or images of the Black
1980 Solidarity formed, led by Lech Wałęsa Madonna. Wayside shrines are also a
1989 First free post-war elections are held. Lech regular feature.
Wałęsa wins the presidency by a landslide Polish is a West Slavic language closely
1999 Poland joins NATO related to Slovak and Czech. Many of its
2004 Poland joins EU
words (such as Solidarność) are borrowed
2011 Poland holds EU rotating presidency for the
first time from Latin, although German, Italian, and
English words are also common.

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