Rydułtowy

Rydułtowy [rɨduu̯ˈtɔvɨ] (German: Rydultau) is a town in southern Poland, in the Wodzisław County of the Silesian Voivodeship. Rydułtowy is in the south-western part of the Silesian Highland, on the Rybnik Plateau, in the Oświęcim-Racibórz Valley.

Rydułtowy
Market Square in Rydułtowy
Market Square in Rydułtowy
Flag of Rydułtowy
Flag
Coat of arms of Rydułtowy
Coat of arms
Rydułtowy is located in Poland
Rydułtowy
Rydułtowy
Location of Rydułtowy in Poland
Rydułtowy is located in Silesian Voivodeship
Rydułtowy
Rydułtowy
Rydułtowy (Silesian Voivodeship)
Coordinates: 50°3′30″N 18°25′0″E
Country Poland
VoivodeshipSilesian
CountyWodzisław
GminaRydułtowy (urban gmina)
First mentioned1228
Government
 • MayorMarcin Połomski
Area
 • Total15 km2 (6 sq mi)
Population
 (2019-06-30[1])
 • Total21,616
 • Density1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
44-280
Vehicle registrationSWD
Voivodeship roads
Websitehttp://www.rydultowy.pl

A mining town, Rydułtowy has been closely bound with the 200-year-old "Rydułtowy-Anna" coal mine.

History

Rydułtowy was first mentioned in a document of the Diocese of Wrocław from 1228 as Rudolphi Willa, when it was part of the Duchy of Racibórz of fragmented Piast-ruled Poland.

In 1861, Rydułtowy Dolne had an entirely Polish population of 1,066, while Rydułtowy Górne had 360 inhabitants.[2] In the late 19th century, the main occupation of the population was farming and coal mining.[2] In 1923, the first Polish scout troop of Rydułtowy was founded.[3] Rydułtowy Dolne and Rydułtowy Górne were merged in 1926.

Mass grave of over 70 Poles and 46 Soviet prisoners of war, victims of German forced labor camps

Following the joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II in September 1939, Rydułtowy was occupied by Germany until 1945. Many local Polish scouts were killed during the war,[3] and some teachers from Rydułtowy were among Polish teachers murdered by the Germans in concentration camps as part of the Intelligenzaktion (see Nazi crimes against the Polish nation).[4] The Germans operated five forced labour camps in Rydułtowy, including a subcamp of the Auschwitz concentration camp.[5] The prisoners of the camps were initially Poles from nearby settlements, and then also French, English and Soviet prisoners of war.[6] Over 1,000 mostly Jewish prisoners were held in the subcamp of Auschwitz.[5] Prisoners unable to continue labour were sent back to Auschwitz and gassed there,[6] while over 50 prisoners died in the subcamp itself, also by suicide.[5] In January 1945, the Germans evacuated the prisoners on foot to Wodzisław Śląski, and then deported them to the Mauthausen concentration camp.[5]

In 1951, Rydułtowy was granted town rights, and the neighboring settlement of Pietrzkowice was included within town limits as a new district.[7]

Landmarks
  • Housing in the Charles's building settlement
  • Municipal Hospital buildings "Rydułtowy" ZOZ (health care service)
  • Penitential cross
  • Railway station
  • Rail tunnel
  • Scales building KWK "Rydułtowy" (coal mine)
  • St. Hyacinth's Church
  • St. George's Church
Town Hall

Sports

The local football team is Naprzód Rydułtowy. It competes in the lower leagues.

Twin towns – sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Rydułtowy is twinned with:[8]

References
  1. "Population. Size and structure and vital statistics in Poland by territorial division in 2019. As of 30th June". stat.gov.pl. Statistics Poland. 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  2. Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom X (in Polish). Warszawa. 1889. p. 83.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. Arkadiusz Biernat. "Historia Rydułtów: Wyjątkowa historia, niezwykły sztandar". Rydułtowy Nasze Miasto (in Polish). Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  4. Wardzyńska, Maria (2009). Był rok 1939. Operacja niemieckiej policji bezpieczeństwa w Polsce. Intelligenzaktion (in Polish). Warszawa: IPN. pp. 138, 141.
  5. "Charlottegrube". Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  6. "Tablica ku czci ofiar hitlerowskiego terroru w Rydułtowach". Polska.travel (in Polish). Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  7. Rozporządzenie Prezesa Rady Ministrów z dnia 8 listopada 1950 r. w sprawie nadania ustroju miejskiego niektórym gminom w województwach: katowickim i warszawskim, gromadzie Hajnówka w województwie białostockim oraz zniesienia i zmiany granic niektórych miast i gmin w województwach katowickim i białostockim., Dz. U. z 1950 r. Nr 51, poz. 472
  8. "Miasta partnerskie". rydultowy.pl (in Polish). Rydułtowy. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
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