A Historical Outline of the Torunian District

Following the recent administrative reform of Poland, a renewed Torunian District appeared on the map of Poland on 1st January 1999. This includes the town of Chełmża and eight village municipalities with centres in the above mentioned town of Chełmża, the villages of Czernikowo, Lubicz, Łubianka, Łysomice, Obrowo, Wielka Nieszawka and Zławieś Wielka. Thus, these are the areas which used to belong to the three historical and geographical regions with common frontiers, divided by the course of the Vistula and Drwęca Rivers. Namely they are the Chełmno Land, the Dobrzyń Land and the Kuyavia.

Settling activities in the area of the present Torunian District was developing for thousands of years and this region despite some cultural divergences made up a common macro-region under the sovereign power of the Mazovian Piasts still at the beginning of the 13th Century - which is worth emphasizing. These were nomadic hunters who arrived as first in the Wisła and Drwęca River basin. They came here soon after the Scandinavian glacier had receded which means about ten thousand years ago. They set up their camps on sandy dunes and their remnants are still there: fire-places, characteristic silica tools, today considered to be an element of so-called Świder culture ( whose name derives from the location of Świdry Wielkie near Otwock where similar findings were discovered for the first time), and also articles made of nimal bone and horn, which are not so frequent. Other groups came to the areas of the present Torunian District. They followed the footsteps of the population of the above mentioned late paleolithic groups and were leading a more settled mode of life which resulted from the fact that the climate was gradually warming up. The new comers mostly handled land labouring and animal husbandry, and furthermore - as archaeological sources show- they were capable of making clay pottery, could weave and use bows. Settling traces left by these tribes were discovered among other places nearby Nowogródek ( the Commune of Czernikowo) and Brąchnówko (the Commune of Chełmża) as well as on Chełmża Lake, Archidiakonka Lake and Steklin Lake.

The true "archaeological sensation" of the last few months occurred during excavation work on Grodno Lake (the Commune of Chełmża) conducted by a group headed by Dr Jacek Gackowski from the Nicholas Copernicus University of Toruń. A fortified settlement from the Bronze Age, dating back to the turn of the 8th to 7th millenium before Christ was discovered. The settlement is as old as the famous one at Biskupin.

Other preserved traces, from the period when the tribe organization of the Polans was being formed, and the Polish State was founded during the reign of the first Piasts, are frequently found in the area of the Torunian District - they are early mediaeval fortifications (remnants of ancient strongholds). They date back, in particular to the period from the 9th to the 12 C. and they have been preserved in Czarnowo, Gronowo, Jedwabno, Kałdus, old Nieszawa and Rzęczkowo. Research conducted a few years ago - within the "Adalbertus" research programme - in the area of the settlement and in an adjoining settlement on Archidiakonka Lake in Chełmża brought forth a lot of valuable artefacts depicting the functions of early-medieval settlements and the life of their inhabitants. Owing to the research efforts of archaeologists who have penetrated this settlement, wooden construction elements of a fortified embankment were uncovered. In the area of the ancient settlement at the foot of the stronghold, four huts in the earth ( semi mud-huts), one oval household structure in the earth, and two fire-places were uncovered together with numerous artefacts testifying to the fact that the local population handled not only plant growing and husbandry, but also produced horn and bone articles (eg. crotchets, combs, and jewellery) manufactured goods of iron, stone and clay, could weave and went fishing.

As of today, it is generally considered that the Slavonic population which inhabited the above mentioned settlement on Archidiakonka Lake which was a link in the ancient land route connecting Kuyavian Lands to Pomerania, combined with other early-medieval strongholds must have belonged to a Kuyavian tribal group which had come to the areas of the Torunian District as far back as the 7th to 8th C. In the kingdom of the first Piasts, the population of this area belonged to the three castellanies : of Słonsk, Inowrocław and Chełmno. In the period of disintegration into principalities (after 1138), the Chełmno Land, the Dobrzyń Land as well as the Kuyavian Land made up parts of the Mazovian Principality. Their political situation, however, changed soon afterwards when between 1226 and 1228 Prince Konrad of Mazovia had brought there the knights of the Order of the Hospital of the Most Holy Mary the Virgin of the German House in Jerusalem, known otherwise as the Teutonic Knights` Order.

The first knights of this order settled in old Nieszawa (now, Mała Nieszawka) already in 1230, and after crossing the Vistula - in the area of current Stary (Old )Toruń - they founded the defensive settlement of Toruń, whose name derived most probably from the word "tor" which meant a road or river crossing. In 1236 this settlement was transferred to the present, more convenient site where a stronghold and a trading settlement, called Postolsk (Postolsko) used to exist before. In no time at all, did it become the most important centre of the macro-region. That is how the reign of the Teutonic knights started in the area of the Torunian District of today. These historic events have been reflected in the Teutonic knights` castles or ruins thereof left over in Toruń, Mała Nieszawka and Zamek Bierzgłowski.

The knights in white gowns with characteristic black crosses were not the first Christian missionaries to come to the area of the Torunian District of today. The first groups of missionaries (most probably Benedectines) must have already appeared here in the 10th Century. At the turn of the 12th Century the first preachers` posts or parishes were commenced. The area on the left river bank being excluded, they reported to the Płock Bishopric which originated in 1075. An important change occurred after 1243 when a new diocese was set up, the Chełmińska Diocese with its seat in Chełmża which in the first half of the 13th Century was called Łoza (in 1824 the capital of the diocese was moved to Pelplin).

Since that time, the Chełmno Land has been incorporated into the new diocese, the Dobrzyń Land remained in the Płock Diocese ( the Dobrzyń Archdeaconship), and patches of the Torunian District area lying on the left bank of the Vistula River ( parishes of Nieszawa and Grabie) still reported to the Włocławek bishop. As arises from sources preserved, starting from 1349 the bishops` Chełmża held diocesan synods which gathered together not only bishops` clerks and members of the local chapter, but also clergymen from the whole area of the diocese.

The booming development of a settling network and economy in the described area combined with simultaneous cultural flourishing were stopped by hostilities in the first half of the 15th Century. The destruction caused by the Teutonic knights` in the Dobrzyń Land and those by the Polish armies in the Chełmno Land were very severe to the local population. However, the Battle of Grunwald and the consequences of the Polish- Lithuanian victory weakened the former power and splendour of the Teutonic knights. The growing crisis of the Teutonic state, financial burdens which were to be incurred for the sake of the order, and neglected social class aspirations of the local population gave rise to the birth of opposition against the Order.

Its outer symptom was the creation of so-called Prussian Union in 1440 which was an organization to represent the interests of the social classes of the Teutonic State. More and more noticeable conflict of interests of both parties brought about the Prussian Union`s declaration of disobedience towards the Grand Master (4th February 1454) which gave rise to the outbreak of the Thirteen Years` War. As a consequence of this war, pursuant to the provisions of the peace concluded on 19th October 1466, the areas of today`s Torunian District were incorporated into the new voivodeships: of Chełmno, and Inowrocław, as well as into the Dobrzyń Land. They were preserved within these boundaries until the Partitions of Poland.

The three centuries which passed from the conclusion of the Second Peace of Toruń (1466) up to the Partition Treaty (1722) meant a period of relative political stability combined with a well developed self-government of the gentry in these areas. That period was featured by a distinct enlivening of economy, culture and religion starting in the 16th Century which was, however, held back by the 17th C. Swedish invasions, military operations of the Great Northern War (1700-1721), as well as by the severe effects of the plague epidemics. It is worth mentioning, that the last attack of the "Black Death" had its bloody harvest in these areas between 1708 and 1712 and that it was one of the most painful disasters in the 18th C. In Toruń itself, about three to four thousand people died of the plague whereas in the surrounding localities the number of plague victims reached as many as one third of the population.

The fall of the Republic in the 18th C. brought about serious political changes with regard to the administrative appropriation of the lands described. Thus, as a result of the First Partition of Poland (1772) the northern part of today`s Torunian District without Toruń, the Dybowski Starosty and the Dobrzyń Land were seized by Prussia and subdued to the Office of Chambers and Domains in Kwidzyn. It was already at that time, that the Prussian authorities started to introduce their own laws and bring in German colonists from other Prussian provinces to increase the German population. The Second Partition, in turn (1793) also determined the fate of Toruń, and the areas of the district which belonged to the Dobrzyń Land were incorporated into the Prussian Kingdom, its newly created Southern Prussia. However, after the Third Partition (1795) the areas of the Dobrzyń Land situated within the limits of the Torunian District of today were incorporated into the new province of New Eastern Prussia.

The short historic episode of the Duchy of Warsaw (1807-1815) contribute neither to a permanent establishment of Polishness or to the unification of lands of the Torunian District of today. The afore-mentioned local organization was divided anew as a result of the Congress of Vienna (1815) this time between Russia and Prussia. The River of Drwęca became a borderline dividing these areas for over 100 years. The Village of Lubicz was an easily readable symbol of those times; its part lying on the right bank of the river, called Lower Lubicz was in the Prussian Partition whereas the left bank areas, called Upper Lubicz were allocated to Russia. Thus, the eastern part of Lubicz lying in the Kingdom of Poland became independent in 1918, but the western part of this village recovered its freedom only in 1920.

Following the provisions of the Congress of Vienna, pursuant to the regulations by the Kwidzyn Regency, the Torunian District was separated on 21st February 1818 and it encompassed 67 gentry estates, 3 domains (Brzezinka, Chełmża, Dybów) and 4 towns: Chełmża, Kowalewo Pomorskie, Podgórz and Toruń. In 1887, a subsequent administrative division created a new Wabrzeźno District from a part of the eastern Torunian District and a part of the Grudziądz District. The purpose of these steps was to reduce the prevailing number of the Polish population and increase the chances of German candidates during elections to parliament and self-governments.

However, despite the tough policy of the occupants combined with attempts to germanize and russify the Polish population inhabiting the areas of today`s Torunian District, the century of steam and electricity - as the last century is frequently described - brought about numerous significant economic and cultural changes which have had effects up to now.

Many changes occurred: the spreading out of elementary schools, the development of cultural life and education, the architectural development of Toruń and Chełmża, the growing number of associations, trade unions, cultural and socio-political organizations, the propagation of cooperative ideas, and the most important and permanent changes in agriculture, industry and communication. At the end of the 19th C. it was in the Torunian District - when compared to the neighbouring districts - that enormous land estates of over 1000 hectares ( the manor in Grabie had nearly 5000 hectares) were the most numerous. At that time many of them already specialized in animal breeding and plant growing. For instance, the Przysiek estate near Toruń specialized in the breeding of sheep whose number achieved 1,000 head per year.

Production of milk and dairy products developed at the same time. In 1886 among other places, for instance the dairy at Chełmża processed 900 000 l of milk per year of which 750,000 l were designated to make butter and cheese. Many of these products were sent not only to the local market but also directly to Berlin. Although at that time the main domain of economic development in the Torunian District was agriculture, this region went through a period of industrial development too, in particular of food, machine and wood industries. The largest industrial investment located in this area was the Sugar Factory started in Chełmża in 1882. After its refurbishing in 1904, it became one of the largest sugar factories in Europe. In 1862 the development of the railway network was commenced, owing to which at the end of the 19th C.Toruń, Chełmża and Kowalewo Pomorskie became very important railway junctions. It was this development of railways and industry that contributed to an exceptional growth of Chełmża itself which at the turn of the 19th C. held the position of the third largest town of the former Chełmno Land (after Toruń and Grudziądz).

The First World War caused another regress in the economic development of the then Torunian District. Following anti-war tendencies, Polish independence organizations became more active. This was the reason for fatal scuffles between the Polish population and Prussian Grenzschutz troops in 1919. This is what happened on 28th January 1919 in Chełmża when after Grenzschutz troops entered the town an open conflict with the Polish population broke out. A monument to the 1919 victims commemorates the bloody incidents in the so-called "new" parish cemetery in Chełmża. After independence was restored and full power regained by Poles in 1920, the division into districts and voievodeships was brought back, and in consequence Toruń became the capital of the Pomeranian Voievodeship with a separate Torunian District again.

In 1933, this district encompassed two towns and 69 communes. It is worth emphasizing that the first Pomeranian voievode was Dr Stefan Łaszewski who originated from Brąchnówko (the Commune of Chełmża). The economic and cultural development of these areas in the interwar twenty year period aimed not only at a national integration of the population of the whole district and voievodeship, but also at converting the former remote Prussian province into an important industrial and cultural centre of the Second Republic. Unfortunately, these endeavours were interrupted again, this time by the outbreak of the Second World War.

The years from 1939 to 1945 are a period of Polish and Jewish martyrology, unmatched by anything that had ever happened before. Soon after the German troops marched in, in many localities loose groups of Volksdeutsches who cooperated with the Police and Wehrmacht, and then the newly created troops of Selbstchutz commenced mass arrests of clergymen, educated Poles, social and education activists, and leaders of the pre-war political and vocational organizations. Many of those arrested were shot as early as in autumn of 1939, others were transported to concentration camps. Jews shared a similar fate as they were transported en masse away from the Pomeranian Voievodeship. The purpose of this was either the extermination or the germanization of the population resident in these areas, which pursuant to a decree signed by Adolf Hitler on 25th October 1939 were incorporated into the Region of Gdańsk - Western Prussia (Reichsgau Danzig -Westpreussen). Besides direct extermination, many Poles were transported away from the Torunian District to the General Governorship, and Germans were brought here from Estonia, Latvia, Gdańsk and other provinces of the Reich to replace them. A local symbol of this martyrology of the Polish population at that time, was the priest Wincenty Frelichowski, born on 22nd January 1913 in Chełmża, one of many clergymen who were imprisoned in the Dachau concentration camp where he died on 23rd February 1945 of typhus. He was "raised to altars" by Pope John Paul II. His solemn beatification was celebrated in Toruń during the recent pilgrimage of John Paul II to Poland on 7th June 1999.

The Polish population was also discriminated against after the Red Army entered these lands. Already during the first weeks of the Russian National Committee of Interior Affairs` stay in our lands together with their army, many arrests and raids were made. Many Poles from the Torunian District were interned, and then deported far away to concentration camps in Russia. Generally, they were accused of being members of the IIIrd national German group during the Second World War. On the other hand, a mass exodus of German population who were forced to leave their native lands accompanied these events. Soon afterwards a wave of repatriates from the eastern lands of the IInd Republic, incorporated into the USSR flowed into Poland to replace them. There were also groups of settlers from Central Poland who came in search of shelter and a better fortune. Every month new people came who were foreign to each other. This land was the "promised land" to some of them and "the land of exile" to others. Hitherto socio-political, economic, religious and national relationships changed to a large extent. The ideas of "conquerors", "losers", "looters" and "pioneers" clashed now and then. That is how the post-war picture of the Torunian District life was shaped. It was still a part of the Pomeranian Voievodeship, but its capital from 1945 was Bydgoszcz instead of Toruń. However, Toruń remained the capital of the district which lasted until the 1975 administrative reform, and which included seven communes (Chełmża, Dobrzejewice, Lubicz, Łubianka, Łysomice, Rzęczkowo, Wielka Nieszawka). Between the years 1975 and 1998 the lands of the former Torunian District were within the Torunian Voievodeship bordering with the voievodeships of Bydgoszcz and Włocławek. The recent administrative reform of the country contributed to the fact that from 1st January 1999 on, this situation changed again and the Torunian District was re-instated.

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