Rydułtowy
Place in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rydułtowy [rɨduu̯ˈtɔvɨ] (German: Rydultau) is a town in southern Poland, in the Wodzisław County of the Silesian Voivodeship.[2] Rydułtowy is in the south-western part of the Silesian Highland, on the Rybnik Plateau, in the Oświęcim-Racibórz Valley.
Rydułtowy | |
|---|---|
Market Square in Rydułtowy | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Rydułtowy | |
| Coordinates: 50°3′30″N 18°25′0″E | |
| Country |  Poland |
| Voivodeship | Silesian |
| County | Wodzisław |
| Gmina | Rydułtowy (urban gmina) |
| First mentioned | 1228 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Marcin Połomski |
| Area | |
• Total | 15 km2 (5.8 sq mi) |
| Population (2019-06-30[1]) | |
• Total | 21,616 |
| • Density | 1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 44-280 |
| Vehicle registration | SWD |
| Voivodeship roads |  |
| Website | http://www.rydultowy.pl |
A mining town, Rydułtowy has been closely bound with the 200-year-old "Rydułtowy-Anna" coal mine.
History
Rydułtowy was first mentioned in a document of the Diocese of Wrocław from 1228 as Rudolphi Willa, when it was part of the Duchy of Racibórz of fragmented Piast-ruled Poland.
In 1861, Rydułtowy Dolne had an entirely Polish population of 1,066, while Rydułtowy Górne had 360 inhabitants.[3] In the late 19th century, the main occupation of the population was farming and coal mining.[3] In 1923, the first Polish scout troop of Rydułtowy was founded.[4] Rydułtowy Dolne and Rydułtowy Górne were merged in 1926.
Following the German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II in September 1939, Rydułtowy was occupied by Germany until 1945. Many local Polish scouts were killed during the war,[4] and some teachers from Rydułtowy were among Polish teachers murdered by the Germans in concentration camps as part of the Intelligenzaktion (see Nazi crimes against the Polish nation),[5] whereas two Polish policemen were murdered by the Russians in the Katyn massacre in 1940.[6][7][8] The German Nazi administration operated five forced labour camps in Rydułtowy, including a subcamp of the Auschwitz concentration camp.[9] The prisoners of the camps were initially Poles from nearby settlements, and then also French, English and Soviet prisoners of war.[10] Over 1,000 mostly Jewish prisoners were held in the subcamp of Auschwitz.[9] Prisoners unable to continue labour were sent back to Auschwitz and gassed there,[10] while over 50 prisoners died in the subcamp itself, also by suicide.[9] In January 1945, the Germans evacuated the prisoners on foot to Wodzisław Śląski, and then deported them to the Mauthausen concentration camp.[9]
In 1951, Rydułtowy was granted town rights, and the neighboring settlement of Pietrzkowice was included within town limits as a new district.[11]
Landmarks
- Housing in the Charles's building settlement
- Municipal Hospital buildings "Rydułtowy" ZOZ (health care service)
- Penitential cross
- Railway station
- Rail tunnel
- Scales building KWK "Rydułtowy" (coal mine)
- St. Hyacinth's Church
- St. George's Church
Sports
The local football team is Naprzód Rydułtowy. It competes in the lower leagues.
