The origins of Danzig are still uncertain, but it was an important town by the 10th century. At
different times it was held by Pomerania, Brandenburg, Poland and Denmark, but after falling under
the rule of the Teutonic knights in 1308 it thrived and prospered. It received (German) city rights in
1343, but the oldest town seal dates from the 13th century and indicates that the town may have
received city rights even before 1308. The oldest seal showed only St. Mary and read Sigillu antique
civitatis Gdasz. On a seal known since 1299, the town is called Danzikh, and the seal shows a
Kogge, the typical ship of the Hanseatic League. Again a later seal, from the middle of the 14th
century, shows St. Catherine, standing over a tyrant. It became one of the four major towns of the
Hanseatic League. With increasing passage through the Sound separating Sweden and Denmark in
the late 14th century, Scottish trade with the eastern Baltic, especially Königsberg and Danzig, grew
rapidly. Evidence proves that timbers in Scottish buildings originated from this area at this time. In
1455, Danzig shed the Teutonic Order and was formally ceded to the Polish king along with the
whole of West Prussia at the peace of Thorn. However, it was still allowed the rights of a free city,
and it governed a large territory of over thirty villages.
different times it was held by Pomerania, Brandenburg, Poland and Denmark, but after falling under
the rule of the Teutonic knights in 1308 it thrived and prospered. It received (German) city rights in
1343, but the oldest town seal dates from the 13th century and indicates that the town may have
received city rights even before 1308. The oldest seal showed only St. Mary and read Sigillu antique
civitatis Gdasz. On a seal known since 1299, the town is called Danzikh, and the seal shows a
Kogge, the typical ship of the Hanseatic League. Again a later seal, from the middle of the 14th
century, shows St. Catherine, standing over a tyrant. It became one of the four major towns of the
Hanseatic League. With increasing passage through the Sound separating Sweden and Denmark in
the late 14th century, Scottish trade with the eastern Baltic, especially Königsberg and Danzig, grew
rapidly. Evidence proves that timbers in Scottish buildings originated from this area at this time. In
1455, Danzig shed the Teutonic Order and was formally ceded to the Polish king along with the
whole of West Prussia at the peace of Thorn. However, it was still allowed the rights of a free city,
and it governed a large territory of over thirty villages.
| Old German Danzig |
There were 3150 master craftsmen in Danzig in a population of some 50,000 by the turn of the 16th
century, most of whom were German, and old shipping records demonstrate that by then a wide
variety of goods were being traded with Danzig. It was in then that the settlement of New Scotland
appeared in Danzig, with many Scottish emigrants in the Danzig Bürgerbuch.
century, most of whom were German, and old shipping records demonstrate that by then a wide
variety of goods were being traded with Danzig. It was in then that the settlement of New Scotland
appeared in Danzig, with many Scottish emigrants in the Danzig Bürgerbuch.
Danzig was an autonomous city during most of the 16th century and, as the power of the Hansa as
well as of various Teutonic orders waned, Danzig still prospered, mostly from its massive grain trade.
With the counter- reformation, King Sigismund of Poland tried to reduce the power of the protestant
city council by imposing the Statuta Karnkowiana upon the city, but it was largely ignored until
Stephan Bathory succeeded Sigismund. Danzig City Council refused to pay homage to the Polish
throne until the city's old autonomy was recognised, and Bathory laid siege to the city in 1577. The
siege was strongly resisted and, in a negotiated settlement, the city paid 200,000 Gulden to the Polish
crown so that the autonomy of the city was allowed to continue.
well as of various Teutonic orders waned, Danzig still prospered, mostly from its massive grain trade.
With the counter- reformation, King Sigismund of Poland tried to reduce the power of the protestant
city council by imposing the Statuta Karnkowiana upon the city, but it was largely ignored until
Stephan Bathory succeeded Sigismund. Danzig City Council refused to pay homage to the Polish
throne until the city's old autonomy was recognised, and Bathory laid siege to the city in 1577. The
siege was strongly resisted and, in a negotiated settlement, the city paid 200,000 Gulden to the Polish
crown so that the autonomy of the city was allowed to continue.
It suffered severely through various wars of the 17th and 18th centuries, and in 1734 it was besieged
and taken by the Russians and Saxons. At the first partition of Poland, in 1772, Danzig was
separated from Poland again and then came into the possession of Prussia in 1793, and the city was
repaired, improved and heavily invested in. In 1807, during the French and Prussian War, it was
bombarded and captured by the French, and Marshal Lefebvre took the title of Duke of Danzig. At
the peace of Tilsit, Napoleon restored it to its ancient territory and declared it a free town, but under
the protection of France, Prussia and Saxony.
and taken by the Russians and Saxons. At the first partition of Poland, in 1772, Danzig was
separated from Poland again and then came into the possession of Prussia in 1793, and the city was
repaired, improved and heavily invested in. In 1807, during the French and Prussian War, it was
bombarded and captured by the French, and Marshal Lefebvre took the title of Duke of Danzig. At
the peace of Tilsit, Napoleon restored it to its ancient territory and declared it a free town, but under
the protection of France, Prussia and Saxony.
A French governor was installed and
Danzig's trade was soon all but ruined. It
was given back to Prussia in 1814, and
again, Prussia repaired and improved the
city. German Danzig at the turn of the
20th century, belowAfter the creation of a
unified Germany, it became part of the
German Reich.
Danzig's trade was soon all but ruined. It
was given back to Prussia in 1814, and
again, Prussia repaired and improved the
city. German Danzig at the turn of the
20th century, belowAfter the creation of a
unified Germany, it became part of the
German Reich.
In 1919, after World War One and under terms of the Versailles Treaty, the city and surrounding
area formed an independent state (Freie Stadt Danzig) based on the former cities Danzig and Zoppot
as well as the counties Danziger Hhe, Danziger Niederung and Grosses Werder. The Free City of
Danzig at this time had an ethnic German majority of over 90% and a Polish minority of about 4 to
8%.However, the French, in an effort to destabalize the city, weaken Germany and make money,
poured large capital investments into a small settlement called Gdynia which was 25 km away from
Danzig and in the direct possession of Poland. Gdynia became the so-called "Polish outside window."
Poland stationed a squad of troops at Westerplatte, and a massive influx of Poles into the area helped
Gdynia grow from a 1,000 person village to a city with 100,000 Polish inhabitants within 20 years.
area formed an independent state (Freie Stadt Danzig) based on the former cities Danzig and Zoppot
as well as the counties Danziger Hhe, Danziger Niederung and Grosses Werder. The Free City of
Danzig at this time had an ethnic German majority of over 90% and a Polish minority of about 4 to
8%.However, the French, in an effort to destabalize the city, weaken Germany and make money,
poured large capital investments into a small settlement called Gdynia which was 25 km away from
Danzig and in the direct possession of Poland. Gdynia became the so-called "Polish outside window."
Poland stationed a squad of troops at Westerplatte, and a massive influx of Poles into the area helped
Gdynia grow from a 1,000 person village to a city with 100,000 Polish inhabitants within 20 years.
The "peace-makers" at Versailles had also run the Vistula boundary between Poland and east Prussia
not in the usual fashion midway along the stream, but at a distance on the east Prussian side, making
problems for the Germans. Old cities and towns along the way were cut off from the railroad and
communities were sliced in two. Where traffic, including railroads, had always run back and forth
between east and west, the traffic in the north and south direction had come to Danzig along the
river, and Germans were now being obstructed and harassed by tariffs. Danzig, cut off from German
trade, found its Polish business being steadily diverted to the new "Gdynia".
not in the usual fashion midway along the stream, but at a distance on the east Prussian side, making
problems for the Germans. Old cities and towns along the way were cut off from the railroad and
communities were sliced in two. Where traffic, including railroads, had always run back and forth
between east and west, the traffic in the north and south direction had come to Danzig along the
river, and Germans were now being obstructed and harassed by tariffs. Danzig, cut off from German
trade, found its Polish business being steadily diverted to the new "Gdynia".
This situation simmered and festered and Danzig was absorbed
once again into Germany during the Third Reich. Toward the
end of WW Two, Germany had started evacuating its civilians
from Danzig, which ended up being 90% destroyed by Allied
bombing and Red Army pillage when in March of 1945, they
seized Danzig and for days committed another orgy of rape,
murder and robbery, finally set the city on fire. Most remaining
Germans fled the city in winter under sever circumstances and
over 70,000 Poles were moved in their place by the end of
1945.
once again into Germany during the Third Reich. Toward the
end of WW Two, Germany had started evacuating its civilians
from Danzig, which ended up being 90% destroyed by Allied
bombing and Red Army pillage when in March of 1945, they
seized Danzig and for days committed another orgy of rape,
murder and robbery, finally set the city on fire. Most remaining
Germans fled the city in winter under sever circumstances and
over 70,000 Poles were moved in their place by the end of
1945.
Communist workers immediately set to work erasing any evidence of the city's Germanic culture and
presence,such as German inscriptions and names on buildings, streets, shipyards and districts, which
were all changed to Polish. All of the old monuments were destroyed and even the German
cemeteries were bulldozed. The official propaganda spoke about an "eternally Polish city". More and
more Poles were settled in Danzig and the city was transformed from a city where most people
communicated in German into a city where most people communicated in Polish. Danzig became an
ethnically cleansed Gdańsk with its history aggressively rewritten to remove any hint of its once
German cultural heritage and contributions. Between 1944 to 1948/49, over 15 Million German
people were forcibly expelled from the lands south of the Baltic Sea, during which 2 1/2 Million,
mostly women and children, died.
presence,such as German inscriptions and names on buildings, streets, shipyards and districts, which
were all changed to Polish. All of the old monuments were destroyed and even the German
cemeteries were bulldozed. The official propaganda spoke about an "eternally Polish city". More and
more Poles were settled in Danzig and the city was transformed from a city where most people
communicated in German into a city where most people communicated in Polish. Danzig became an
ethnically cleansed Gdańsk with its history aggressively rewritten to remove any hint of its once
German cultural heritage and contributions. Between 1944 to 1948/49, over 15 Million German
people were forcibly expelled from the lands south of the Baltic Sea, during which 2 1/2 Million,
mostly women and children, died.
Günter Grass described the death of city in his novel "Blechtrommel" in following words:
"Rechtstadt (Main Town), Altstadt (Old Town), Pfefferstadt (Spicy Town), Vorstadt (Suburb), Jungstadt (Young Town),
Neustadt (New Town) and Niederstadt (Lower Town), built together over seven hundred years, burnt down in three days. It
was not the first fire of Danzig. Pommeranians, Brandenburgian, Teutonic Knights, Polish, Swedes and again Swedes,
Frenchmen, Prussians and Russians, also Saxons already before, creating history, every couple decades acknowledged, that it is
necessary to burn down this city - and now Russians, Polish, Germans and English together burnt the bricks of gothic buildings
hundred time and they did not obtain the biscuits this way. The streets burnt, Häckergasse burnt, Langgasse, Breitgasse, Große
and Kleine Wollwebergasse, Hundegasse burnt, Tobiasgasse, Vorstädischer Graben, Altstädischer Graben, Wallgasse and Lange
Brücke burnt. Crane was built of trees and burnt especially beautiful. At Kleinen Hossenähergasse(Trousemakers street) fire took
measure for many pairs of glaring red trousers. St Mary Church burnt from the inside and through ogival windows showed
solemn light. The bells of St Katharinen, St Johann, St Brigitten, Barbara, Elisabeth, Peter and Paul, of Trinitatis and
Corpus-Christi churches, that were not evacuated, melted in belfries and dropped down without murmur. In Great Mill the fire
milled red wheat. At Fleischergasse (Butchers street) you could smell burnt Sunday roast. The world premiere of "Dreams of
incendiary" - ambiguous one-act play was played in City Theatre. At town hall the authorities decided to increase after fire, with
backwards validity, salaries of firemen. Street Heilige Geist Gasse (Saint Spirit) burnt in name of Saint Spirit, cloister of
Franciscans merrily burnt in name Saint Francisco, who after all, loved and resounded the fire. Frauengasse burnt in the name of
Father and Son. This is simply intelligible that Holzmarkt (Wooden Market), Kohlenmarkt (Coal Market), Heumarkt (Hay Market)
burnt down. At Brotbänkergasse breads would not go out from the stove. At Milchkannengasse milk boiled in vats. Only the
building of Westprussian Fire Insurances Company, from clearly symbolical regards, did not want to burn down. "
"Rechtstadt (Main Town), Altstadt (Old Town), Pfefferstadt (Spicy Town), Vorstadt (Suburb), Jungstadt (Young Town),
Neustadt (New Town) and Niederstadt (Lower Town), built together over seven hundred years, burnt down in three days. It
was not the first fire of Danzig. Pommeranians, Brandenburgian, Teutonic Knights, Polish, Swedes and again Swedes,
Frenchmen, Prussians and Russians, also Saxons already before, creating history, every couple decades acknowledged, that it is
necessary to burn down this city - and now Russians, Polish, Germans and English together burnt the bricks of gothic buildings
hundred time and they did not obtain the biscuits this way. The streets burnt, Häckergasse burnt, Langgasse, Breitgasse, Große
and Kleine Wollwebergasse, Hundegasse burnt, Tobiasgasse, Vorstädischer Graben, Altstädischer Graben, Wallgasse and Lange
Brücke burnt. Crane was built of trees and burnt especially beautiful. At Kleinen Hossenähergasse(Trousemakers street) fire took
measure for many pairs of glaring red trousers. St Mary Church burnt from the inside and through ogival windows showed
solemn light. The bells of St Katharinen, St Johann, St Brigitten, Barbara, Elisabeth, Peter and Paul, of Trinitatis and
Corpus-Christi churches, that were not evacuated, melted in belfries and dropped down without murmur. In Great Mill the fire
milled red wheat. At Fleischergasse (Butchers street) you could smell burnt Sunday roast. The world premiere of "Dreams of
incendiary" - ambiguous one-act play was played in City Theatre. At town hall the authorities decided to increase after fire, with
backwards validity, salaries of firemen. Street Heilige Geist Gasse (Saint Spirit) burnt in name of Saint Spirit, cloister of
Franciscans merrily burnt in name Saint Francisco, who after all, loved and resounded the fire. Frauengasse burnt in the name of
Father and Son. This is simply intelligible that Holzmarkt (Wooden Market), Kohlenmarkt (Coal Market), Heumarkt (Hay Market)
burnt down. At Brotbänkergasse breads would not go out from the stove. At Milchkannengasse milk boiled in vats. Only the
building of Westprussian Fire Insurances Company, from clearly symbolical regards, did not want to burn down. "
After war's end, Germans that returned to Danzig were forbidden to speak German and were
recognized as enemy aliens. They suffered unspeakable terror. They had to face special "verification
committees"packed with Polish communists. Most failed the test. 100,000 to 300,000 Danzigers lost
their lives in the war.
recognized as enemy aliens. They suffered unspeakable terror. They had to face special "verification
committees"packed with Polish communists. Most failed the test. 100,000 to 300,000 Danzigers lost
their lives in the war.