LET'S EXPLORE POLAND

Copyright 1997 by the AngloPol Corporation

This series will take us through the cities, towns, villages and countryside of Poland, 
as well as give us insights into the rich history and culture of the nation.

Part 13

SOUTHWEST POLAND

LOWER SILESIA AND SUDETY MOUNTAINS

Nature's excellent qualities, abundance of forests, mild climate of the lowlands and stimulating air in the mountains, mineral springs and the terrains well-equipped with tourist facilities make Southwest Poland with its numerous places of high sightseeing value, a very attractive tourist and health region.

In Southwest Poland the following three geographical regions can be distinguished: expansive Silesian Lowlands with the river Oder valley in the north, the hilly Sudety Upland in the middle part and the Sudety Mountains in the south.

The Sudety Mountains form a system of ridges and isolated massifs ranging from 1,000-1,400 meters above the sea level at the length of 280 km., stretching along the Polish-Czechoslovak frontier. Similar to other mountains in Central Europe, the Sudety Mountains belong to old geological structures. The variety of forms and natural beauty spots they provide, result from the multiple processes of folding and uplifting, devastating and leveling. These picturesque formations are mainly due to wooded areas of their upper parts, deep river valleys, waterfalls, fantastic rocky shapes and also post-glacial forms such as lakes, potholes, suspended valleys to be found in the highest parts of the mountains.

A dense road network, numerous tourist trails comprising ca. 4,000 km. added to forest paths and lanes, make it possible to reach any spot on foot or by car. Enthusiasts of mountain climbing can rest, have a meal and spend the night in about thirty shelters there.

The most favorable seasons to make excursions are during May-June and August-September. Owing to the presence of snow in the highest parts of the Sudety Mountains, sledging and skiing are widely enjoyed from December till April. The highest part of the Sudety Mountains, the Karkonosze Range stretching between the altitudes of 1,350-1,450 meters, with the Sniezka peak reaching 1,602 m., enjoy the greatest popularity amongst tourists.

The Karkonosze Range is built of metamorphic granites and mostly covered by spruce trees. The interest in these mountains depends on picturesque small rocks of fantastic shapes such as the "Pilgrims." Tourist facilities are also provided. The Karkonosze's most beautiful parts have been named the Karkonosze National Park. Here the main tourist centers are Karpacz and Szklarska Poreba.

In the middle part of the Sudety Mountains there exists an area of extensive relief called the Table Mountains [Gory Stolowe], which are much different in character from other mountains. They were molded out of sandstones after extensive weathering and the occurrence of many tectonic cracks, which left fantastic forms of mushroom-like rocks, spires and labyrinths, especially in the Table Mountain Park and nature reserves such as Bledne Skaly and Szczeliniec Wielki.

Health resorts, including Polanica Zdroj and Kudowa Zdroj are tourist and recreation centers situated near mineral springs, which are characteristic of this region.

A tourist's attention should be focused on other peculiarities of the Sudety Mountains: the relics of the former tundra landscape on the peat bogs in the Bystrzyckie Mountains adjacent to Duszniki Zdroj; a famous bear's cave with fine stalactites, cave pearls, grape and cascade dripstones at Kletno near Ladek Zdroj, the "Snowy Sniezka Forest" reserve in the Bielskie Mountains near Jelenia Gora.

The Sudety Upland situated south and southwest of Wroclaw constitute a wavy plain above, which some mainly granite and basalt hills and massifs of the inselberg [island mountain] type, mounted by Sleza and the partly wooded Strzegomskie hills. This is an agricultural and industrial region, where large mineral deposits are being excavated, predominated by the electro-engineering and food industries. Residential life is centered in picturesque, old villages boasting ancient architecture to be seen at churches, mansions and castles.

The Upland will be most inviting to those who enjoy cycling and driving tours. The Silesian Lowland stretches on both sides of a broad valley extending between the towns of Opole and Glogow. This typically agricultural area produces large quantities of wheat and sugar beets. Fruit growing and gardening, chiefly developed in the vicinity of bigger towns, are also characteristic of this region.

Industry here is connected with the exploitation and processing of copper in Lubin, Glogow and Polkowice. The moraine Trzebnickie Mountains and the Barycz valley are the most scenic spots of the area. Fine pine and mixed woods famous for their wealth of mushrooms and blackberries, as well as hunting areas with deer, roe-deer, boars and water fowl, are to be found there.

Historic towns deserving special mention are Wroclaw, Opole, Brzeg, Trzebnica, Olesnica and Legnica.

REGIONAL HISTORY

The oldest traces of human settlement in Silesia, found in a number of places especially in the vicinity of Wroclaw, go as far back as to the Neolithic age (4000-1700 B.C.)

In subsequent centuries this land was inhabited by peoples of various descent and cultures. The Slavonic tribes such as the Slenzans, the Opolans, the Dziadoszans, the Bobrzans and many others living in Silesia in early medieval times, at the end of the 10th century, happened to be within the boundaries of the Polish state, then still under formation, and ruled by the first kings of the Piast dynasty.

The political, military and economic role of these lands for the Polish state was confirmed through the establishment of a church administration and the foundation of the diocese of Wroclaw in 1000, subordinated to the metropolis of Gniezno, the first capital of historical rulers of Poland.

In the 10th and 11th centuries, Silesia saw many disputes waged between German feudal lords (the Bohemians). After the death of the Polish king Boleslaw the Wrymouth in 1138, the process of feudal decomposition began, including Silesia, which was being disintegrated into small principalities ruled by the descendants of the Polish Piast dynasty. Such processes made it easier for the Bohemians to dominate Silesia.

By the end of the 14th century Silesian princes had recognized the supremacy of the Luxembourg dynasty. After the unification of Poland, efforts to regain Silesia failed and in 1348 king Casimir the Great renounced his rights to it.

Between the 13th and 15th century a remarkable economic expansion was observed. In particular, the towns were getting richer due to the growth of craftsmanship and trade, and the increased output of gold, copper and iron. Arts and architecture, originally based on French, German and Czech designs, later found their own expression as seen in hundreds of Silesian monasteries, churches, castles and burgher estates. From this time comes the oldest Polish manuscript "Henrykowska Book" from the 13th century and the first Polish prints made in Wroclaw in the 15th century. The 16th century opens a new period in the history of Silesia. In 1526, after the death of Ludwig the Jagiellon in the battle against the Turks, Bohemia, as well as Silesia, came under the rule of the Habsburg dynasty.

In 1675 the Piast dynasty, ruling in Europe for the longest period of time, expired with the death of the last ruling prince. In 1741, the Prussian king Frederic II the Great started a war against Maria Teresa, the empress of Austria. As a result of long lasting wars, almost the whole of Silesia came under the rule of the Prussian kingdom. The Germanization of the Polish population densely inhabiting the surroundings of Opole and the areas extending right of the Oder river was intensified.

In the second half of the 19th century, the rapid development of coal-mining, engineering and textile industries, as well as railways, was unfolding. In the countryside, sugar beets, potatoes and oil plants were grown on a large scale; fruit growing and gardening were also increased. Tourism began to expand rapidly particularly in the Karkonosze Mountains and the spas situated there, began to gain world reputation. This state of affairs was maintained till the end of World War I, after which Silesia began showing the symptoms of economic recession and a loss in population.

The Polish population fought three times to include Silesia in Poland, organizing uprisings in the years 1919-1921. As a result of those uprisings and a plebiscite, the eastern part of Silesia was returned to Poland. During World War II the whole economy was subordinated to war aims and the Nazi authorities established concentration camps (the largest one in Gross-Rosen, called Rogoznica, near Strzegom) and labor camps, where prisoners of various nationalities from all Nazi-dominated Europe were employed. However, the majority of prisoners working there were the Poles and Russians.

In 1945, an offensive resulted in the liquidation of the resistance of the German armies and in conquering almost the whole region. The defeat of the Nazi's Wroclaw stronghold and the capitulation of the German army, followed by the Potsdam Conference, opened a new stage in history: the old Piast lands returned to Poland.

A new period of reconstruction and development of towns and villages, industries and agriculture was begun. The agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany ratified in 1971, determined the state of political and legal relations between the states, stabilizing the post-war territorial order in this part of Europe.