Człopa

History

Viritium, a Germanic city in the 2nd century as shown on the map of Greek geographer Ptolemy, existed at the site of present-day Człopa. Człopa is an ancient town that was part of Poland since the 12th century, guarding its northern and western borders after the loss of the areas located more north and west. By 1245 Człopa was granted town rights. By the end of the 13th century, the Czarnkowski family of the Nałęcz szlachta received possession of the region around Człopa from Przemysł II, Duke of Greater Poland. The grant included permission to raise a hill-fort. Only portions of the hill-fort's walls have survived to the present time. In the early 14th century the town was briefly occupied by the Margraviate of Brandenburg, before it was recovered by Polish King Casimir III the Great in 1368. In 1406 it was ravaged by the Teutonic Knights. During the Swedish occupation of Poland, in 1658, a concentration of Polish troops led by Stefan Czarniecki, a national hero of Poland, was ordered near Człopa. From 1871 it was part of Germany and the post-World War II Treaty of Versailles did not restore the town, along with the northern outskirts of historic Greater Poland, to the re-established Polish Republic. In the final stages of World War II, in January 1945, the Germans evacuated the town's population. From January 29 to February 3, heavy fighting took place there between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. After the war, the town eventually returned to Poland. During the years 1975 to 1998, the city was administratively part of the Piła Voivodeship.