Gogolin [ɡɔˈɡɔlʲin] is a town in southern Poland, in Opole Voivodeship, in Krapkowice County. It has 6,682 inhabitants (2019). It is the seat of Gmina Gogolin.

Gogolin
Flag of Gogolin
Coat of arms of Gogolin
Gogolin is located in Poland
Gogolin
Gogolin
Gogolin is located in Opole Voivodeship
Gogolin
Gogolin
Coordinates: 50°29′17″N 18°1′26″E / 50.48806°N 18.02389°E / 50.48806; 18.02389
Country Poland
VoivodeshipOpole
CountyKrapkowice
GminaGogolin
First mentioned1223
Town rights1967
Area
 • Total20.35 km2 (7.86 sq mi)
Population
 (2019-06-30[1])
 • Total6,682
 • Density330/km2 (850/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
47-320
Vehicle registrationOKR
Highways
Voivodeship roads
Websitehttp://gogolin.pl

Geology and palaeontology edit

Gogolin gives its name to the Gogolin Formation whose strata were first exposed here.

History edit

Historic churches of Gogolin
Catholic Sacred Heart church
Lutheran Church

The oldest known mention of Gogolin, under its Old Polish name Gogolino, comes from a 1223 document of Wawrzyniec, bishop of Wrocław.[2] It was then part of fragmented Piast-ruled Poland. Later on, it was also part of Bohemia (Czechia), then along with Bohemia it was under Austrian rule, before it was annexed by Prussia in the 18th century, and then became part of the German Empire in 1871. Administratively, Gogolin was located in the Province of Silesia from 1815 until 1919, and then the Province of Upper Silesia until 1945. It was one of the few places whose original Polish name has never been Germanized.

In the 19th century, the exploitation of local limestone deposits began on an industrial scale, and the first lime kilns were built.[2] Also a train station was built, and Gogolin enjoyed railway connections with Opole (then Germanized as Oppeln), Kędzierzyn (Kandrzin), and Prudnik.[2] Heavy fights of the Silesian Uprisings took place nearby in 1921.[2] At the Upper Silesia plebiscite of 20 March 1921, there were 1,262 votes for remaining in Germany and 955 for being reintegrated with Poland which just regained independence.[3] In the event, the town remained in the Weimar Republic. During World War II the Germans established a forced labour camp for Poles and Jews[4] and two labour camps (E131 and E132) of the Stalag VIII-B/344 prisoner-of-war camp for Allied POWs at Łambinowice.[5] About 30 buildings were destroyed in the final stages of the war in 1945.[2]

The Potsdam Conference of 1945 defined the Oder-Neisse line as the border between Poland and newly formed East Germany, pending a peace conference with Germany which never took place,[6] and Gogolin became again part of Poland.

A high school was established in 1948, and in 1967 Gogolin was granted town rights.[2]

The town is known for its old regional folk song Poszła Karolinka do Gogolina,[7] which is a symbol regional Polish traditions.[8] The song's characters of Karolinka and Karlik are depicted in the town's coat of arms, along with a lime kiln, alluding to the town's traditions.[8] There is also a monument of Karolinka and Karlik in the town centre.

Population edit

Population in 1782–2005.[9]

Year Population
1783 312
1830 515
1844 790
1855 1,362
1861 1,533
1885 2,789
1900 3,218
Year Population
1910 3,280
1933 4,132
1939 5,073
1980 6,000
1995 6,635
2000 6,383
2005 6,045

Twin towns – sister cities edit

See twin towns of Gmina Gogolin.

Notable people edit

Gallery edit

References edit

  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 2020-02-14.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Atrakcje turystyczne". Urząd Miejski w Gogolinie (in Polish). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  3. ^ Results of the Upper Silesia plebiscite, archive.org, accessed 19 July 2021
  4. ^ "Obóz pracy - Zwangsarbeitslager Gogolin". Wirtualny Sztetl (in Polish). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Working Parties". Stalag VIIIB 344 Lamsdorf. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  6. ^ Geoffrey K. Roberts, Patricia Hogwood (2013). The Politics Today Companion to West European Politics. Oxford University Press. p. 50. ISBN 9781847790323.; Piotr Stefan Wandycz (1980). The United States and Poland. Harvard University Press. p. 303. ISBN 9780674926851.; Phillip A. Bühler (1990). The Oder-Neisse Line: a reappraisal under internaromtional law. East European Monographs. p. 33. ISBN 9780880331746.
  7. ^ "Poszła Karolinka do Gogolina". Urząd Miejski w Gogolinie (in Polish). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Herb i flaga miasta Gogolin". Urząd Miejski w Gogolinie (in Polish). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  9. ^ Population figures: 1784: [1] – 1830: [2] – 1844: [3] – 1855, 1861: [4] – 1885: [5] - 1900: [6] - 1910: [7] – 1933, 1939: [8] Archived 2017-11-14 at the Wayback Machine – 1995, 2000, 2005: [9]

External links edit