Jelenia Góra

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Jelenia Góra (jɛˈlɛɲa ˈgura (help·info); German: Hirschberg im Riesengebirge) is a city in Lower Silesia, southwestern Poland. The name of the city means "deer mountain" in Polish and German.

Jelenia Góra is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), having previously been the seat of Jelenia Góra Voivodeship (1975-1998). The city constitutes a separate urban gmina and city county, as well as being the seat of Jelenia Góra County (which surrounds but does not include the city). As at 2007 the population of Jelenia Góra is 86,372.

Coordinates: 50°54′N, 15°44′E

[edit] History

The town is traditionally said to have been founded between 1108-1111 and was enlarged by Duke Boleslaw II of Legnica in 1241. The settlement received Magdeburg rights in 1288.

As Hirschberg, the town was inherited by Habsburg Austria in 1526. A Protestant church was built in the town in 1709. It was annexed with Lower Silesia by the Kingdom of Prussia during the Silesian Wars. It became part of the German Empire upon the Prussian-led unification of Germany in 1871. Hirschberg was one of the largest towns in the Province of Silesia. After World War I, the town became part of the Province of Lower Silesia in 1919.

Following the end of World War II in 1945, the town was placed under Polish administration according to the Potsdam Conference and became Jelenia Góra. The remaining German inhabitants were expelled westward and replaced with Polish settlers.

[edit] Transmitter

In 1957 in Jelenia Góra a broadcasting station for medium wave was inaugurated in ul. Sudecka 55. It used until 1967 as antenna tower a 47 metre tall wooden tower, which may be perhaps the only wooden radio tower, which was built in Poland after 1945. In 1967 it was replaced by a 72 metre tall steel mast. Since the shut down of the medium wave transmitter in 1994, this mast is used for FM-broadcasting[1].

[edit] Sports

• Vitaral Jelfa Jelenia Góra - women's handball team playing in Polish Ekstraklasa Women's Handball League: 3rd place in 2003/2004 season.

[edit] Politics

[edit] Jelenia Góra-Legnica constituency

Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Jelenia Gora-Legnica constituency in Polish parliamentary election, 2005

• Ślusarczyk Piotr, LPR
• Witek Elżbieta, PiS
• Lipiński Adam, PiS
• Zubowski Jan, PiS
• Madziarczyk Tadeusz, PiS
• Schetyna Grzegorz, PO
• Sawicka Beata, PO
• Cybulski Piotr, PO
• Szmajdziński Jerzy, SLD
• Litwin Czesław, Samoobrona RP
• Costa Hubert, Samoobrona RP
• Zbrzyzny Ryszard, SLD

[edit] Notable residents

• Felix Funke (1865-1932), admiral
• Georg Heym (1887-1912), early Expressionist writer
• Karl Joel (1864-1934), philosopher
• Hanna Reitsch (1912-1979), test pilot
• Christian Jacob Salice-Contessa (1767-1825), merchant, politician, and writer
• Karl Wilhelm Salice-Contessa (1777-1825), poet
• Fritz Warmuth (1870-?), politician

[edit] Twin towns

• Image:Flag of Germany.svg Bautzen, Germany
• Image:Flag of Italy.svg Cervia, Italy
• Image:Flag of Germany.svg Erftstadt, Germany
• Image:Flag of Denmark.svg Randers, Denmark
• Image:Flag of Mexico.svg Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico
• Image:Flag of the United States.svg Tyler, Texas, USA
• Image:Flag of Finland.svg Valkeakoski, Finland

[edit] Gallery

[edit] External links

• Official web site of city Jelenia Gora
• Jelenia Góra
• Jelenia Gora citizens web site

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