Witnica

History

Along with Lubusz Land it was part of medieval Poland, and later it was also under the rule of Brandenburg, the Czech Crown, Prussia, and between 1871 and 1945 it was part of Germany, located in the Prussian Province of Brandenburg. The Germans brought Polish prisoners of war for forced labour to the town during World War II. In the final stages of World War II, half of the population fled before the Red Army captured the town in February 1945. Polish POWs were liberated. After Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II, the area was reintegrated into Poland. The remaining German population was expelled in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement. New Polish settlers, mostly expellees from the former eastern territories annexed by the Soviet Union, moved to the town. War damage was not significant, reaching 8% of the buildings. The ruins were dismantled to obtain bricks for the reconstruction of Warsaw destroyed by the Germans.

Most-observed species

• Common Crane

  Grus grus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  561
• Graylag Goose

  Anser anser (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  559
• Mute Swan

  Cygnus olor (J.F.Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  559
• White-tailed Eagle

  Haliaeetus albicilla (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  544
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  496
• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  478
• Gray/Purple Heron

  Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  470
• Eurasian Skylark

  Alauda arvensis Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  469