# data[].attributes.headline
* Post-World War II * After the territorial changes of Poland
immediately after World War II, new housing complexes in the town were
developed with large buildings of rectangular and concrete constructions. The
chemical industry became the main employer of the town and in later years, a
service industry and trade were added. Tourism to the concentration camp sites
is an important source of revenue for the town's businesses. In the mid-1990s
following Communism's end, employment at the chemical works (former IG Farben,
renamed Dwory S.A.) reduced from 10,000 in the Communist era to only 1,500
people. In 1952, the County of Oświęcim was re-created, and the town until 1975
belonged to Kraków Voivodeship. In 1975–99, it was part of Bielsko-Biała
Voivodeship. In 1979, Oświęcim was visited by Pope John Paul II, and on 1 September 1980, a local Solidarity office was created at the chemical plant. On 28 May 2006, the town was
visited by Pope Benedict XVI.

# data[].attributes.subject
* Post-World War II * After the territorial changes of Poland
immediately after World War II, new housing complexes in the town were
developed with large buildings of rectangular and concrete constructions. The
chemical industry became the main employer of the town and in later years, a
service industry and trade were added. Tourism to the concentration camp sites
is an important source of revenue for the town's businesses. In the mid-1990s
following Communism's end, employment at the chemical works (former IG Farben,
renamed Dwory S.A.) reduced from 10,000 in the Communist era to only 1,500
people. In 1952, the County of Oświęcim was re-created, and the town until 1975
belonged to Kraków Voivodeship. In 1975–99, it was part of Bielsko-Biała
Voivodeship. In 1979, Oświęcim was visited by Pope John Paul II, and on 1 September 1980, a local Solidarity office was created at the chemical plant. On 28 May 2006, the town was
visited by Pope Benedict XVI.

# data[].attributes.headline
*World War II*

For the nearby concentration and extermination camps,
the museum, and the forced labour camp for the IG Farben plant, see Auschwitz, Auschwitz-Birkenau
State Museum, and Monowitz.



Entrance to Auschwitz I concentration camp



14th-century St. Mary's Church

In October 1939, Nazi Germany immediately annexed
the area to Germany in the Gau of Upper Silesia, which became part of the "second Ruhr" by 1944.

In 1940, Nazi Germany used forced labour to build a new subdivision to house Auschwitz guards and staff. In 1941,
German authorities decided to build a large chemical plant of IG Farben, in the eastern outskirts of the town. Polish residents of several
districts were forced to abandon their houses, as the Germans wanted to keep
the area around Auschwitz
concentration camp empty. A buffer zone with the area of some 40 square kilometres (15 sq mi) was
planned around the camp, and expulsions of local Polish residents took place in
two stages, in 1940 and 1941. All the residents of the Zasole district were
forced to abandon their homes. In the Plawy and Harmeze districts, more than
90% of all buildings were destroyed and the residents of Plawy were transported
to Gorlice to fend for themselves. Altogether, some 17,000 people in Oświęcim
itself and surrounding villages were forced to leave their homes, and eight
villages were wiped off the map. As a result, by April 1941 the population of
Oświęcim shrank to 7,600.

The town and the camp were seized by the Red Army on 27 January 1945. Soviets immediately opened two temporary camps for
German POWs in the complex of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The Auschwitz Soviet camp
existed until fall 1945, and the Birkenau camp lasted until spring 1946. Some
15,000 Germans were interned there. Furthermore, there was a camp of Communist
secret police (Urząd
Bezpieczeństwa), located near the rail station, in the complex
of former "Gemeinschaftslager". Most of its prisoners were members of
the NSDAP, Hitlerjugend and BDM, as well as German civilians, the Volksdeutsche and Upper Silesians who were suspected of being disloyal to Poland.
Inmates worked at a chemical plant in Monowice, where they dismantled the
equipment, which was then transported to the Soviet Union.

# data[].attributes.subject
*World War II*

For the nearby concentration and extermination camps,
the museum, and the forced labour camp for the IG Farben plant, see Auschwitz, Auschwitz-Birkenau
State Museum, and Monowitz.



Entrance to Auschwitz I concentration camp



14th-century St. Mary's Church

In October 1939, Nazi Germany immediately annexed
the area to Germany in the Gau of Upper Silesia, which became part of the "second Ruhr" by 1944.

In 1940, Nazi Germany used forced labour to build a new subdivision to house Auschwitz guards and staff. In 1941,
German authorities decided to build a large chemical plant of IG Farben, in the eastern outskirts of the town. Polish residents of several
districts were forced to abandon their houses, as the Germans wanted to keep
the area around Auschwitz
concentration camp empty. A buffer zone with the area of some 40 square kilometres (15 sq mi) was
planned around the camp, and expulsions of local Polish residents took place in
two stages, in 1940 and 1941. All the residents of the Zasole district were
forced to abandon their homes. In the Plawy and Harmeze districts, more than
90% of all buildings were destroyed and the residents of Plawy were transported
to Gorlice to fend for themselves. Altogether, some 17,000 people in Oświęcim
itself and surrounding villages were forced to leave their homes, and eight
villages were wiped off the map. As a result, by April 1941 the population of
Oświęcim shrank to 7,600.

The town and the camp were seized by the Red Army on 27 January 1945. Soviets immediately opened two temporary camps for
German POWs in the complex of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The Auschwitz Soviet camp
existed until fall 1945, and the Birkenau camp lasted until spring 1946. Some
15,000 Germans were interned there. Furthermore, there was a camp of Communist
secret police (Urząd
Bezpieczeństwa), located near the rail station, in the complex
of former "Gemeinschaftslager". Most of its prisoners were members of
the NSDAP, Hitlerjugend and BDM, as well as German civilians, the Volksdeutsche and Upper Silesians who were suspected of being disloyal to Poland.
Inmates worked at a chemical plant in Monowice, where they dismantled the
equipment, which was then transported to the Soviet Union.

# data[].attributes.headline
 Old town hall

Oświęcim has a rich history,
which dates back to the early days of Polish statehood. It is one of the oldest castellan gords in Poland. Following the Fragmentation
of Poland in 1138, Duke Casimir II
the Just attached the town to the Duchy of Opole in ca. 1179 for his younger brother Mieszko I
Tanglefoot, Duke of Opole and Racibórz. The town was destroyed in 1241 during the Mongol
invasion of Poland. Around 1272 the newly
rebuilt Oświęcim was granted a municipal charter modeled on those of Lwówek Śląski (a Polish variation of the Magdeburg Law). The charter was confirmed on 3 September 1291.

In 1281, the Land of Oświęcim
became part of the newly established Duchy of Cieszyn, and in ca. 1315, an independent Duchy of Oświęcim was established. In 1327, John I, Duke of Oświęcim joined his Duchy
with the Duchy of Zator, and soon afterwards, his state was attached to the Kingdom of Bohemia (see vassal), where it remained for over a century. In 1445, the Duchy was divided
into three separate entities – those of Oświęcim and Zator, as well as the Duchy of Toszek. In 1457 Polish King Casimir IV
Jagiellonbought the rights to Oświęcim.
On 25 February 1564, King Zygmunt August issued a bill, making former Duchies of Oświęcim and Zator part of
the Kingdom of
Poland. Both lands were attached to
the Kraków Voivodeship, making Silesian County of that province. The town later became one of the
centres of Protestant culture in Poland. 

Like other towns of Lesser Poland, Oświęcim prospered in the period known as Polish Golden Age. Good times ended in 1655, during the catastrophic Swedish invasion of Poland. Oświęcim was burned and afterwards the town declined, and in 1772 (see Partitions of
Poland), it was annexed by the Habsburg Empire, as part of the province of Galicia, where it remained until late 1918. After the 1815 Congress of Vienna, the town was close to the borders of both Russian-controlled Congress Poland, and the Kingdom of Prussia. In the 1866 war between Austria and the Prussian-led North German
Confederation, a cavalry skirmish was
fought at the town, in which an Austrian force defeated a Prussian incursion. 

In the second half of the 19th
century, Oświęcim became an important rail junction. In the same period, the
town burned in several fires, such as the fire of 23 August 1863, when
two-thirds of Oświęcim burned, including town hall and two synagogues. New town
hall was built in 1872–75, and in another fire (in 1881), the parish church
burned with a school and a hospital. In 1910, Oświęcim became the seat of a starosta, in 1915 a high school was opened, and in 1917–18 a new district, called
Nowe Miasto, was founded. After World War I, the town became part of the Second Polish
Republic's Kraków Voivodeship. Until
1932, Oświęcim was the seat of a county, but on 1 April 1932, the County of
Oświęcim was divided between the County of Wadowice, and the County of Biala Krakowska. On the eve of World War II there were about 8,000 Jews in the city, over half the population.[5]In the early days of the Invasion of Poland, the retreating Polish Army units blew up the bridge over the Sola river.

# data[].attributes.subject
 Old town hall

Oświęcim has a rich history,
which dates back to the early days of Polish statehood. It is one of the oldest castellan gords in Poland. Following the Fragmentation
of Poland in 1138, Duke Casimir II
the Just attached the town to the Duchy of Opole in ca. 1179 for his younger brother Mieszko I
Tanglefoot, Duke of Opole and Racibórz. The town was destroyed in 1241 during the Mongol
invasion of Poland. Around 1272 the newly
rebuilt Oświęcim was granted a municipal charter modeled on those of Lwówek Śląski (a Polish variation of the Magdeburg Law). The charter was confirmed on 3 September 1291.

In 1281, the Land of Oświęcim
became part of the newly established Duchy of Cieszyn, and in ca. 1315, an independent Duchy of Oświęcim was established. In 1327, John I, Duke of Oświęcim joined his Duchy
with the Duchy of Zator, and soon afterwards, his state was attached to the Kingdom of Bohemia (see vassal), where it remained for over a century. In 1445, the Duchy was divided
into three separate entities – those of Oświęcim and Zator, as well as the Duchy of Toszek. In 1457 Polish King Casimir IV
Jagiellonbought the rights to Oświęcim.
On 25 February 1564, King Zygmunt August issued a bill, making former Duchies of Oświęcim and Zator part of
the Kingdom of
Poland. Both lands were attached to
the Kraków Voivodeship, making Silesian County of that province. The town later became one of the
centres of Protestant culture in Poland. 

Like other towns of Lesser Poland, Oświęcim prospered in the period known as Polish Golden Age. Good times ended in 1655, during the catastrophic Swedish invasion of Poland. Oświęcim was burned and afterwards the town declined, and in 1772 (see Partitions of
Poland), it was annexed by the Habsburg Empire, as part of the province of Galicia, where it remained until late 1918. After the 1815 Congress of Vienna, the town was close to the borders of both Russian-controlled Congress Poland, and the Kingdom of Prussia. In the 1866 war between Austria and the Prussian-led North German
Confederation, a cavalry skirmish was
fought at the town, in which an Austrian force defeated a Prussian incursion. 

In the second half of the 19th
century, Oświęcim became an important rail junction. In the same period, the
town burned in several fires, such as the fire of 23 August 1863, when
two-thirds of Oświęcim burned, including town hall and two synagogues. New town
hall was built in 1872–75, and in another fire (in 1881), the parish church
burned with a school and a hospital. In 1910, Oświęcim became the seat of a starosta, in 1915 a high school was opened, and in 1917–18 a new district, called
Nowe Miasto, was founded. After World War I, the town became part of the Second Polish
Republic's Kraków Voivodeship. Until
1932, Oświęcim was the seat of a county, but on 1 April 1932, the County of
Oświęcim was divided between the County of Wadowice, and the County of Biala Krakowska. On the eve of World War II there were about 8,000 Jews in the city, over half the population.[5]In the early days of the Invasion of Poland, the retreating Polish Army units blew up the bridge over the Sola river.

# data[].attributes.headline
The town's name is of Slavic
extraction, likely deriving from the name of the owner of a Slavic gord which existed there in the Middle Ages. Across centuries, it was spelled in many different ways, and in many
languages – Polish, Czech, German, Latin: Ospenchin (1217), Osvencin (1280),
Hospencin (1283), Osswetem (1293), Uspencin (1297), Oswentim (1302), Wswencim
(1304), Auswintzen (1312), Oświęcim (1314), Oswencin (1327), Auswieczin (1372),
Awswiczin (1372), Uswiczin (1400). In the Latin language, Oświęcim was spelled Osswencimen or Osviecimensis. As the town was an
important center of commerce from the late Middle Ages onwards, German-speaking merchants called it Auswintz (14th century),
which by the 15th century was changed into Auschwitz. From 1772–1918, when
Oświęcim belonged to the Austrian province of Galicia, both Polish and German language names were in official use. During World
War II, when the town was annexed into the Third Reich, the name Auschwitz was used, to be replaced by Oświęcim after 27 January
1945, when the Wehrmacht was pushed out by the Red Army.

# data[].attributes.subject
The town's name is of Slavic
extraction, likely deriving from the name of the owner of a Slavic gord which existed there in the Middle Ages. Across centuries, it was spelled in many different ways, and in many
languages – Polish, Czech, German, Latin: Ospenchin (1217), Osvencin (1280),
Hospencin (1283), Osswetem (1293), Uspencin (1297), Oswentim (1302), Wswencim
(1304), Auswintzen (1312), Oświęcim (1314), Oswencin (1327), Auswieczin (1372),
Awswiczin (1372), Uswiczin (1400). In the Latin language, Oświęcim was spelled Osswencimen or Osviecimensis. As the town was an
important center of commerce from the late Middle Ages onwards, German-speaking merchants called it Auswintz (14th century),
which by the 15th century was changed into Auschwitz. From 1772–1918, when
Oświęcim belonged to the Austrian province of Galicia, both Polish and German language names were in official use. During World
War II, when the town was annexed into the Third Reich, the name Auschwitz was used, to be replaced by Oświęcim after 27 January
1945, when the Wehrmacht was pushed out by the Red Army.

# data[].attributes.headline
Oświęcim is
a town in the Lesser Poland province of southern Poland,[1] situated
50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Kraków, near the confluence of the Vistula and Soła rivers. The town is best known as
being the location of the Auschwitz concentration camp during
World War II.

# data[].attributes.subject
Oświęcim is
a town in the Lesser Poland province of southern Poland,[1] situated
50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Kraków, near the confluence of the Vistula and Soła rivers. The town is best known as
being the location of the Auschwitz concentration camp during
World War II.