Poniec

History

Poniec dates back to the 10th century, when it was part of the emerging Polish state. The oldest known mention comes from 1108. It was granted town rights before 1309. It was a private town, administratively located in the Kościan County in the Poznań Voivodeship in the Greater Poland Province. Crafts, especially clothmaking, developed and the town prospered until the Swedish invasion of Poland in 1655–1660. It was one of many massacres of Poles committed by Germany on 20–23 October 1939 across the region in attempt to pacify and terrorize the Polish population. Over 300 Poles were expelled to the General Government, mostly to Tarnów. First Polish families were expelled in December 1939. Many inhabitants were taken to forced labour or murdered in concentration camps. The town was captured by the Soviets in January 1945 and afterwards restored to Poland. From 1975 to 1998, it was administratively located in the Leszno Voivodeship.