View source for Czechowice-Dziedzice

{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Czechowice-Dziedzice
| image_skyline      = POL Czechowice-Dziedzice Plac Jana Pawła II z fontanną.jpg
| image_caption      = John Paul II Square
| image_flag         = POL Czechowice-Dziedzice flag.svg
| image_shield       = POL Czechowice-Dziedzice COA.svg
| image_blank_emblem = Czechowice-Dziedzice logo.svg
| blank_emblem_type  = [[Logo]]
| pushpin_map        = Poland
| pushpin_label_position = top
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{POL}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Voivodeships of Poland|Voivodeship]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Silesian Voivodeship|Silesian]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Powiat|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Bielsko County|Bielsko]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Gmina]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Gmina Czechowice-Dziedzice|Czechowice-Dziedzice]]
| leader_party       = [[Plantacja Betonu|PB]]
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Marian Błachut
| area_total_km2     = 32.98
| population_as_of   = 31 December 2021<ref name="population">{{cite web|url=https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/BDL/dane/teryt/jednostka|title=Local Data Bank|access-date=2022-07-28|publisher=Statistics Poland}} Data for territorial unit 2402044.</ref>
| population_total   = 35684
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone           = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset         = +1
| timezone_DST       = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset_DST     = +2
| coordinates        = {{coord|49|54|47|N|19|0|23|E|region:PL|display=title,inline}}
| postal_code_type   = Postal code
| postal_code        = 43-500, 43-502, 43-503
| area_code          = +48 32
| blank_name         = [[Vehicle registration plates of Poland|Car plates]]
| blank_info         = SBI
| blank_name_sec2    = [[National roads in Poland|National roads]]
| blank_info_sec2    = [[File:DK1-PL.svg|32px|link=National road 1 (Poland)]]
| website            = http://www.czechowice-dziedzice.pl
}}
'''Czechowice-Dziedzice''' {{IPAc-pl|AUD|pl-Czechowice-Dziedzice.ogg|cz|e|h|o|'|w|i|c|e|-|dź|e|'|dź|i|c|e}} ({{langx|szl|Czechowice-Dziydzice}}), known until 1958 as '''Czechowice''', is a town in [[Bielsko County]], [[Silesian Voivodeship]], southern [[Poland]].{{TERYT}} The town has 35,684 inhabitants, as of December 2021.<ref name = population /> It lies on the northeastern edge of the historical region of [[Cieszyn Silesia]]. It is a large rail junction with four stations,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.czechowice-dziedzice.pl/www_2.0/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=31 |title=Urząd Miejski w Czechowicach-Dziedzicach: Rozwój miasta |access-date=2010-01-19 |archive-date=2010-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128023345/http://www.czechowice-dziedzice.pl/www_2.0/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=31 |url-status=dead }}</ref> located at the intersection of two major lines – east-west ([[Trzebinia]] – [[Zebrzydowice, Silesian Voivodeship|Zebrzydowice]]), and north–south ([[Katowice]] – [[Bielsko-Biała|Bielsko-Biala]]).

==History==
[[File:Dziedzice - ogolny widok. 1920-1928 (69708392) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|General view of Dziedzice in the 1920s.]]
The area inhabited by the [[Golensizi]] tribe probably became part of Poland under [[Mieszko I of Poland]], but the first certain historical mentions pertaining to the region appeared much later. The village of Czechowice was first mentioned in a Latin document of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wrocław|Diocese of Wrocław]] called ''[[Liber fundationis episcopatus Vratislaviensis]]'' from around 1305 as two settlements:<ref>{{cite book | last = Panic | first = Idzi | author-link = Idzi Panic | title = Śląsk Cieszyński w średniowieczu (do 1528) |trans-title=Cieszyn Silesia in Middle Ages (until 1528) | publisher = Starostwo Powiatowe w Cieszynie | year = 2010 | location = Cieszyn | page = 297 | language = pl |isbn = 978-83-926929-3-5 }}</ref>
{{Blockquote|Item in Chothowitz theutonico fertones<br />Item in Chothowitz polonico decima more polonico, valet I) marcam}}

''Chotowitz theutonico'' (''German Czechowice'') was presumably established under German rights (''iure theuthonico'') on the ground of the older ''Chotowitz polonico'', which was continuously ruling itself under Polish traditional rights (''iure polonico'').<ref>I. Panic, 2010, p. 401</ref> The declared size of a [[tithe]] paid by villagers was also suggesting that it was an old and quite developed community.<ref>I. Panic, 2010, p. 402</ref> It belonged then to the [[Duchy of Cieszyn]], formed in 1290 within fragmented [[Piast dynasty|Piast]]-ruled [[Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385)|Poland]]. In 1327 the duchy passed under the suzerainty of the [[Kingdom of Bohemia]] as a [[Fee (feudal tenure)|fee]], although it remained ruled by the Polish Piast dynasty until 1653, when it passed to the [[House of Habsburg]]. In 1430 the village was first mentioned under the current name of ''Czechowice'' rather than ''Chatowice''. Dziedzice were first mentioned in 1465. The other medieval village that was later absorbed by Czechowice was Żebracz, first mentioned in 1443.<ref>I. Panic, 2010, p. 313</ref>

The village of Czechowice became a seat of a Catholic [[parish]], mentioned in the register of [[Peter's Pence]] payment from 1447 among 50 parishes of Teschen [[deanery]] as ''Czechowicz''.<ref>{{cite journal|title= Registrum denarii sancti Petri in archidiaconatu Opoliensi sub anno domini MCCCCXLVII per dominum Nicolaum Wolff decretorum doctorem, archidiaconum Opoliensem, ex commissione reverendi in Christo patris ac domini Conradi episcopi Wratislaviensis, sedis apostolice collectoris, collecti|journal= Zeitschrift des Vereins für Geschichte und Alterthum Schlesiens|publisher= H. Markgraf|publication-place= Breslau|volume= 27|year= 1893|pages= 361–372|url= http://www.sbc.org.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=15085&from=publication|access-date= 21 July 2014|language= de|archive-date= 21 September 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130921204915/http://www.sbc.org.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=15085&from=publication|url-status= dead}}</ref> In the time of Protestant Reformation, the parish of Czechowice stayed Roman Catholic, conversely to the nearby town of Bielsko and the rest of the Duchy of Cieszyn.

===19th and 20th centuries===
[[File:Dziedzice, 10 września 1905. Z otwarcia gniazda Sokoła.jpg|thumb|left|Members of the [[Polish Sokół movement|"Sokół" Polish Gymnastic Society]] in Dziedzice after its founding in 1905]]

After [[Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire]], a modern [[municipality|municipal division]] was introduced in the re-established [[Austrian Silesia]]. The villages as two separate municipalities were subscribed to the [[Districts of Austria|political]] and [[legal district]] of [[Bielsko]]. In 1855, a local line of the important [[Emperor Ferdinand Northern Railway]] was opened to traffic with a station in Dziedzice. This led to a rapid industrialization of Dziedzice and Czechowice, especially in the late 19th century. At that time, Czechowice and Dziedzice became strong centers of the Polish national movement in stark contrast to German-dominated town of [[Bielsko]], whose inhabitants used to call the area of Czechowice and Dziedzice ''verfluchte polnische Winkel'' (''cursed Polish corner'').<ref>{{cite book|first=Grzegorz|last=Wnętrzak|title=Stosunki polityczne i narodowościowe na pograniczu Śląska Cieszyńskiego i Galicji zachodniej w latach 1897-1920|place=Toruń|year=2014|publisher=Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek|isbn=978-83-7780-882-5}}</ref><ref name=CD>{{cite web|url=http://www.czechowice-dziedzice.pl/www_3.0/strona-47-z_historii_czechowic_dziedzic.html|title=Z historii Czechowic-Dziedzic|website=Urząd Miejski w Czechowicach-Dziedzicach|access-date=2 October 2019|language=pl|archive-date=17 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217000015/http://www.czechowice-dziedzice.pl/www_3.0/strona-47-z_historii_czechowic_dziedzic.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Polish school, pedagogical, sports and other organizations were established here.<ref name=CD/>

[[File:Pomnik Wolności Czechowice-Dziedzice 01.jpg|thumb|Freedom Monument (''Pomnik Wolności'') with the police station in the background]]
After [[World War I]], fall of [[Austria-Hungary]], the reestablishment of independent [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]], the [[Polish–Czechoslovak War]] and the division of [[Cieszyn Silesia]] in 1920, Czechowice and Dziedzice became a part of Poland. In the [[interwar period]], the industry continued to expand.<ref name=CD/> New factories were founded, which produced machines, bicycles, matches, paper, cables etc.<ref name=CD/> New culture centers, amateur theaters, cinemas, choirs and sports clubs were founded.<ref name=CD/> In 1924, the Freedom Monument (''Pomnik Wolności'') was unveiled, financed by voluntary contributions.<ref name=PW>{{cite web|url=http://www.czechowice-dziedzice.pl/www_3.0/strona-69-pomnik_wolnosci.html|title=Pomnik Wolności|website=Urząd Miejski w Czechowicach-Dziedzicach|access-date=2 October 2019|language=pl|archive-date=10 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910130554/http://czechowice-dziedzice.pl/www_3.0/strona-69-pomnik_wolnosci.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Patriotic celebrations take place at the monument.<ref name=PW/>

Czechowice and Dziedzice were [[Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany|annexed]] by [[Nazi Germany]] at the beginning of [[World War II]] in September 1939. The local population was subjected to deportations for [[Forced labour under German rule during World War II|forced labor]] into Germany and to [[Nazi concentration camps|concentration camps]], expropriations, [[Roundup (history)|street round-ups]], death sentences and public executions (see ''[[Nazi crimes against the Polish nation]]'').<ref name=CD/> Polish social and political life, as well as Polish education were being destroyed.<ref name=CD/> In 1942, the Germans established two forced labor camps in the town: one for [[Polish people|Poles]] (''[[Polenlager]]'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=1001|title=Polenlager Tschechowitz-Dzieditz|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=8 May 2021|language=de}}</ref> and one for [[Jews|Jewish]] men.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=1116|title=Zwangsarbeitslager für Juden Czechowice-Dziedzice|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=8 May 2021|language=de}}</ref> During the [[Oil Campaign chronology of World War II|Oil Campaign of World War II]], the oil refinery at Czechowice was bombed on August 20, 1944. In 1944, the occupiers established the [[List of subcamps of Auschwitz|Tschechowitz I and II subcamps]] of [[Auschwitz]] in Czechowice-Dziedzice, which provided forced labor for the [[SOCONY-Vacuum]] oil plant and housed over 600 prisoners.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sub-Camps of Auschwitz Concentration Camp |url=http://en.auschwitz.org.pl/h/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=33 |work=Auschwitz-Birkenau: Memorial and Museum |publisher=auschwitz.org.pl |access-date=2009-05-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602054834/http://en.auschwitz.org.pl/h/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=33 |archive-date=2009-06-02 }}</ref><ref name=ushm>{{cite book|last=Megargee|first=Geoffrey P.|year=2009|title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume I|publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|pages=273–275|isbn=978-0-253-35328-3}}</ref> There were cases of prisoners being killed by [[SS]] guards while trying to accept food from Poles outside the camps or during escape attempts.<ref name=ushm/> On 18 January 1945, some 450 prisoners were sent on a [[Death marches during the Holocaust|death march]] towards [[Wodzisław Śląski]].<ref name=ushm/> On 21 January 1945, the SS and [[Sicherheitsdienst|SD]] massacred the remaining prisoners at the subcamp, with only several surviving the massacre.<ref name=ushm/> In 1945, [[Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)|German occupation]] ended and Czechowice and Dziedzice were restored to Poland.

In 1951, Dziedzice were merged with Czechowice, concurrently the expanded [[gmina]] was given town rights.<ref>{{Cite Polish law| title = Rozporządzenie Prezesa Rady Ministrów z dnia 14 grudnia 1950 r. w sprawie zniesienia gminy Dziedzice, zmiany granic niektórych gmin oraz nadania ustroju miejskiego gminie Czechowice.| trans_title = | gazette = | year = 1950| volume = 57| number = 514| date = }}</ref> However, the name of the new town was ''Czechowice'', which disappointed the citizens of Dziedzice. After complaints in 1958, the town was renamed ''Czechowice-Dziedzice''.<ref>{{Cite Polish law| title = Zarządzenie nr 231 Prezesa Rady Ministrów z dnia 13 listopada 1958 r. w sprawie zmiany nazw niektórych miejscowości w województwach katowickim, poznańskim, wrocławskim i lubelskim.| trans_title = | gazette = MP| year = 1958| volume = 89| number = 496| date = }}</ref>

From 1975 to 1998, it was attached to the [[Katowice Voivodeship]], and since 1999 to Silesian Voivodeship.

In 1993, a new Freedom Monument was erected in place of the former, destroyed by the Germans in 1939.<ref name=PW/>

==Landmarks==
[[File:Zamek i park 1.jpg|thumb|Kotuliński Palace]]
Among the town's landmarks are the [[Rococo]] [[Kotuliński Palace]], the [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] Saint Catherine Church and the [[Gothic Revival architecture in Poland|Gothic Revival]] Saint Mary of Help church.

==Demographics==
According to the censuses conducted in 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1910, the population of Czechowice grew from 2,804 in 1880 to 7,056 in 1910 with a dwindling majority being native Polish-speakers (from 96.6% in 1880 to 86.7% in 1910) accompanied by a growing German-speaking minority (from 95 or 3.4% in 1880 to 611 or 8.9% in 1910) and Czech-speaking (from 33 or 1.1% in 1890 to 290 or 4.3% in 1910), in terms of religion in 1910 majority were [[Roman Catholics]] (94.1%), followed by [[Protestants]] (231 or 3.3%), [[Jews]] (176 or 2.5%) and 9 people adhering to yet another faith.<ref name="censuses">{{cite book | last = Piątkowski | first = Kazimierz | title = Stosunki narodowościowe w Księstwie Cieszyńskiem | publisher = Macierz Szkolna Księstwa Cieszyńskiego | year = 1918 | location = Cieszyn | pages = 257, 276 | language = pl |url = http://obc.opole.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=1076 }}</ref>

In case of Dziedzice, the population of the municipality grew from 1,011 in 1880 to 2,436 in 1910 with a majority being native Polish-speakers (between 748 or 78% in 1880 and 1,994 or 85.1% in 1910, at most 938 or 92.1% in 1890) accompanied by a German-speaking minority (189 or 19.7% in 1880, then at most 266 or 11.4% in 1910) and Czech-speaking (at most 81 or 3.5% in 1910), in terms of religion in 1910 majority were [[Roman Catholics]] (88.6%), followed by [[Jews]] (185 or 7.6%) and [[Protestants]] (93 or 3.8%).<ref name="censuses"/>

After Poland regained independence, the population of Czechowice and the Dziedzice municipality further grew to 8,436 and 2,906, with Poles forming 95.9% and 97.4% of the population, and the German minority dwindling to 3.4% and 2.0%, respectively, according to the 1921 Polish census.<ref>{{cite book|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Skorowidz miejscowości Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. Tom XII. Część II|year=1925|language=pl|location=Warszawa|publisher=Główny Urząd Statystyczny|page=3}}</ref>

==Sports==
The local [[Association football|football]] team is {{ill|MRKS Czechowice-Dziedzice|pl}}. It competes in the lower leagues.

==Twin towns – sister cities==
See [[Gmina Czechowice-Dziedzice#Twin towns – sister cities|twin towns of Gmina Czechowice-Dziedzice]].

== Notable people ==
* [[Piotr Beczała]] (born 1966), operatic tenor
* [[Ludwik Maciej]] (1915-2007), Polish World War II military pilot
* [[Łukasz Piszczek]] (born 1985), footballer

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:POL Czechowice-Dziedzice Kościół NMP Wspomożenia Wiernych.JPG|Saint Mary of Help church
File:POL Czechowice-Dziedzice Urząd Miejski 1.JPG|Town hall
File:Czechowice-Dziedzice, Church of St. Catherine - panoramio.jpg|The oldest church of St. Catherine
File:PG Silesia - panorama.jpg|Silesia coal mine
File:POL Czechowice-Dziedzice Kolonia robotnicza na Węglowej 3.JPG|Workers' houses in Żebracz
File:Fourth elementary school czechowice.JPG|Primary school
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*{{in lang|pl}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20070711223554/http://czechowice.eu/ Czechowice - Dziedzice on the web]
* [http://www.sztetl.org.pl/en/city/czechowice-dziedzice/ Jewish Community in Czechowice-Dziedzice ] on Virtual Shtetl

{{Commons category|Czechowice-Dziedzice}}
{{Cieszyn Silesia}}
{{Gmina Czechowice-Dziedzice}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bielsko County]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Silesian Voivodeship]]
[[Category:Oil campaign of World War II]]
[[Category:Sites of Nazi war crimes in Poland]]