Gliwice description, location, history

Gliwice description, location, history

Gliwice is situated in Śląskie Voivodeship (Silesian Province) in the southern part of Poland. Located on the Kłodnica River it is the westernmost city of the GOP (Upper Silesia Industrial Centre).

The city is well known as an industrial centre, yet its history is obscure. Gliwice was first mentioned as a town in 1276.

In the times of Mieszko IV Tanglefoot, the grandson of Boleslaus the Wrymouthed, the city belonged to the Duchy of Opole and Racibórz. In 1289, after the country was divided into five principalities, Gliwice became a separate duchy.

In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles ordered a plebiscite in Upper Silesia to determine whether the territory should be a part of Germany or Poland. The majority of Gliwice citizens voted for staying in Germany; Poland received only 21% of votes. During the third Silesian Uprising, which broke in 1921, Gliwice did not constitute a battlefield.

The insurgents were fighting mainly in the suburbs of Gliwice and the whole Toszew and Gliwice Poviat (land county). In June, the British tanks entered the city and the Allied troops began to advance towards the suburbs and the territory of poviat. Although Opole was the official capital of the region, Gliwice became one of the central cities of the German part of Upper Silesia.

Due to its industry and the boarder proximity, the city became known as the centre of numerous institutions and organizations: companies, concerns, mining and metallurgy administration, workers and employers trade unions. During World War II, the city industry focused on military purposes. There were three work camps (the divisions of the camp in Oświęcim) were the prisoners constituted cheap labour. On January 24, 1945 the city was taken over by the Red Army.

The heritage of Gliwice, one of the oldest city of the Upper Silesian region, is visible in almost all spheres of life. Today it is the modern city emphasizing new technologies. Due to the University of Technology, it became an important academic centre.