Malbork (; ) is a
town in northern
Poland in the
Żuławy region, with 41,000 inhabitants (2001). Situated in the
Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously assigned to
Elbląg Voivodeship (1975-1998). It is the capital of
Malbork County.
Founded in the 13th century by the
Teutonic Knights, the town is noted for its Gothic
Marienburg Castle, one of the most striking in Europe.
History of the castle
250px|left|thumb|View across the river NogatThe town was built in
Prussia around the
fortress Ordensburg Marienburg which was founded in 1274 on the east bank of the river
Nogat by the
Teutonic Knights. Both the castle and the town of
Marienburg (rendered in Polish as
Malborg or
Malbork) were named for their patron saint, the
Virgin Mary. This fortified
castle became the seat of the Teutonic Order and
Europe's largest
Gothic fortress. During the
Thirteen Years War, the castle of Marienburg was pawned by the Teutonic Order to their imperial soldiers from
Bohemia. They sold the castle in 1457 to King
Casimir IV of Poland in lieu of their pay. This separated the castle from the city in political terms, as the citizens resisted take-over by Poland
,.
Under continuous construction for nearly 230 years, the castle complex is actually three castles nested in one another. A classic example of a medieval fortress, it is the world’s largest brick castle and one of the most impressive of its kind in Europe. The castle was in the process of being restored when
World War II broke out. During the war, the castle was over 50% destroyed. Restoration has been ongoing since the war. However, the main cathedral in the castle, fully restored just prior to the war and destroyed during the war, remains in its ruined state. The castle and its museum are listed as
UNESCO's
World Heritage Sites.
History of the town
The town of Marienburg grew in the vicinity of the castle. The river
Nogat and flat terrain allowed easy access for barges a hundred kilometers from the sea. During
Prussia's government by the Teutonic Knights, they collected tolls on river traffic and imposed a monopoly on the
amber trade. The town later became a member of the
Hanseatic League, and many Hanseatic meetings were held there.
When during the
Thirteen Years' War the castle was pawned to imperial Bohemian soldiers, who sold it to the King of Poland in 1457. Then the Teutonic Knights left the castle. The town of Marienburg under Mayor
Bartholomäus Blume and others resisted the Poles for three further years. When the Poles finally took control, Blume was hanged and quartered, and fourteen officers and three knights with retainers were thrown into dungeons, where they met a miserable end.
. A monument to Blume was erected in 1864.
The town became part of the Polish province
Royal Prussia after the
Second Peace of Thorn (1466). It was annexed by the
Kingdom of Prussia in the
First Partition of Poland in 1772 and made part of the Province of
West Prussia the following year. Marienburg became part of the
German Empire in 1871.
thumb|right|Marienburg in [[West Prussia, map of
1896]]
Under the terms of the
Treaty of Versailles after
World War I, the inhabitants were asked whether they wanted to remain in Germany or join the
Second Polish Republic by the
East Prussian plebiscite on July 11, 1920. In the town of Marienburg, 9.641 votes were given to "East Prussia", 165 votes for Poland. Based on that result, Marienburg was included in the
Regierungsbezirk Marienwerder within the
German Province of
East Prussia.
The town was hit by an economic crisis following the end of the
WW1. After a brief recovery, the
Great depression was particularly severe in East Prussia. In
1933, the
Nazi Party gained power in Germany and persecutions of Jews started (54% of voting for Nazi party in elections 1933 ). After the
German invasion of Poland in September 1939, leaders of the Polish minority were arrested and sent to concentration camps.
Near the end of
World War II, Marienburg was declared a
Festung and most of the civilian population
fled or was evacuated, except some 4,000 people. In early 1945, the town was the scene of fierce battles and almost completely destroyed. The battle lasted until March 9, 1945, and following the military capture by the
Red Army, the remaining civilian population disappeared and 1,840 people remained missing. In June, 1945, the town was passed to Polish authorities who had arrived in the town in April.
After 178 corpses had been found in a mass grave in 1996 and another 123 in 2005, in October 2008 a grave of 2,116 Germans
who remained in the city was found
, all of them were buried naked and without metal dental fillings. Between "several dozen"
and about 10 percent were found to have been shot in the head. The identity of these men, women and children and the exact cause of their death remains unknown, although it is believed that they were buried by the Soviet Red Army. After forensic scientists have completed their study, the mortal remains were buried at the German War Cemetery of
Stare Czarnowo[. The Polish Institute of National Remembrance is currently investigating the evidence of the massacre.]
After World War Two, the town was populated by Poles, many expelled from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union. In February, 1946, the population of the town reached 10,017 people. Notable residents
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Malbork is twinned with:
