Chełmża

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History

The first signs of settlement date to 10,000 BC when reindeer hunters made their visits to the area. Around 4500 BC the first agricultural settlements were founded. Goth tribes also moved through the area on their trek from Scandinavia and North Germany. Visible signs of existence of the Old Prussians also exist. Around the 7th century the Slavic Lechitic tribe of Goplans arrived in the area. On July 22, the bishop also founded the cathedral which was built starting in 1254. Bishop Heidenreich received permissions for his undertakings directly from the pope. Later, in 1255 the four dioceses of Prussia, including the Bishopric of Culm were put under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Riga as metropolitan. In the 1250s Jutta von Sangerhausen came to live in the region and settled at Bielczyny. In 1256 she founded the St. George church. It was her wish to be interred at the town's cathedral-church and upon her death in 1260 her wish was granted. The 5 May is her memorial day. The nearby village of Bielczyny and the cathedral soon became a destination for pilgrims to her shrine. The town witnessed many wars and uprisings. The nearby Old Prussians besieged the town in 1268 and 1273. In the 14th century, papal verdicts ordered the restoration of the territory to Poland, however, the Teutonic Knights did not comply and continued to occupy it. In the 15th century the town experienced the wars between Teutonic Knights and Poland. Synods of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chełmno were held in Chełmża several times between the 14th and 17th centuries. and 10,600 in 1910. The development of the town was stopped due to the First World War. The living conditions declined and street riots became widespread. Poles rose up against Germanisation and protests were made against…

Geography

The town Chełmża is placed at the lake named Jezioro Chełmżyńskie (area 2.71 km2), earlier the lake itself was named Culmsee and therefore eponym of the town, that earlier had the name Culmsee, too (see History).