Leszno, Warsaw West County
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leszno | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Łuszczewski Palace in Leszno | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Leszno | |
| Coordinates: 52°16′N 20°36′E / 52.267°N 20.600°E | |
| Country |  Poland |
| Voivodeship | Masovian |
| County | Warsaw West |
| Gmina | Leszno |
| Population | |
• Total | 3,500 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 05-084[1] |
| Vehicle registration | WZ |
| Primary airport | Warsaw Chopin Airport |
| Website | http://www.gminaleszno.pl/ |
Leszno [ˈlɛʂnɔ] is a village in Warsaw West County, Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland.[2] It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Leszno.
Polish professional footballer Robert Lewandowski grew up in Leszno.[3] In 2016 he became an honorary citizen of Leszno.[3]
The history of Leszno dates back to the Middle Ages. It was mentioned in documents in 1423.[4] It was owned by various families, including the Łuszczewski family, which built a Baroque palace, which is the main landmark of the village.[4]
In the mid-19th century, a sugar factory was established in the village, the first in Poland equipped with a steam turbine.[5]
Several men from Leszno died in various battles against the invading Russians during the Polish–Soviet War of 1919–1920.[6] A memorial to those soldiers is located in the local Catholic Church of Saint John the Baptist.[6]
During the invasion of Poland, which started World War II, in early September 1939, the Germans captured Leszno.[7] On September 16, Poles recaptured the village for tactical purposes, while the Germans retreated in panic.[7] On September 17, the Germans occupied Leszno again, and carried out a massacre of around 50 inhabitants in an act of revenge.[8] Many men were transported to Błonie, from where they were to be deported to forced labor to Germany, but some managed to escape.[7] About 70% of the village was burned down.[7]
