Ziębice

History

The area became part of the emerging Polish state under its first historic ruler Mieszko I in the 10th century. The town was first mentioned in 1234 under the Old Polish spelling Sambice. This Polish town was probably destroyed in 1241 during the first Mongol invasion of Poland. According to records, a new town under German town law, called Munsterberck (1253) or Sambiz videlicet Munsterberg (1268). The town became home of a German-speaking population as the result of Ostsiedlung. As a result of the fragmentation of Poland, it formed part of the duchies of Silesia until 1290, Świdnica until 1322, and afterwards it was the capital of a small eponymous duchy, remaining under the rule of the Piast dynasty until 1521. In 1344, a court was established in the town by the Piast dukes. In 1871, it became part of the German Empire along with the bulk of Silesia. Following Germany's defeat in World War II, in 1945, it became again part of Poland, although with a Soviet-installed communist regime, which stayed in power until the Fall of Communism in the 1980s. The German population was expelled. In the following years, the Polish anti-communist resistance was active in Ziębice, including the nationwide Home Army-NIE-Freedom and Independence Association.

Most-observed species

• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  431
• Mute Swan

  Cygnus olor (J.F.Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  348
• Caspian Gull

  Larus cachinnans Pallas, 1811 · Aves
  333
• Great Cormorant/European Shag

  Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  332
• Gray/Purple Heron

  Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  326
• Black-headed Gull

  Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  304
• Common Merganser

  Mergus merganser Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  257
• Great Crested Grebe

  Podiceps cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  246

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2007-01-13
  6 km E of Zagrodno, Poland
• M 2.5 — 2006-11-01
  3 km ENE of Mi?kowice, Poland
• M 2.6 — 2006-05-19
  4 km ENE of Izbicko, Poland
• M 2.5 — 2006-03-27
  4 km ESE of Le?nica, Poland
• M 2.6 — 2005-12-31
  5 km ENE of Šternberk, Czechia
• M 2.5 — 2005-11-16
  7 km E of Zagrodno, Poland