Gdansk,
Poland
Poland
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Gdansk will be our home for the next two years. It has
a long history which has impacted both Poland and the
world over the last 1000 years.
The earliest references to Gdansk come from the life
of Saint Wojciech, a Bohemian missionary in 997. In
1282, the city would join the Kingdom of Poland only to
be captured by the Teutonic Order in 1308. Under
control of the Teutonic Order, Gdansk continued to
grow and prosper leading to membership in the
Hanseatic League in 1361. With the defeat of the
Teutonic Knight's by King Vladislav Jagiello in 1410,
the city returned to the newly formed Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth. Sitting at the mouth of the Vistula
River, Gdansk would serve as a key trading city for the
Commonwealth. In 1792; however, Gdansk would
once again be taken from Poland during the Second
Partition becoming part of Prussia. Following World
War I, Gdansk (Danzig) became a Free City under
protection of the League of Nations. From 1919 to
1939, this status caused increasing tension between
Germany and newly freed Poland ending in the first
shots of World War II falling on the Westerplatte
Fortress.
In 1980, the workers in the Gdansk Shipyards initiated
a strike which led to the imposition of Marshall Law
and the birth of Solidarnosc (Solidarity). Soldiarnosc
became a uniting movement for the people of Poland
helping bring about the rebirth of a Democratic Poland
in 1989.
a long history which has impacted both Poland and the
world over the last 1000 years.
The earliest references to Gdansk come from the life
of Saint Wojciech, a Bohemian missionary in 997. In
1282, the city would join the Kingdom of Poland only to
be captured by the Teutonic Order in 1308. Under
control of the Teutonic Order, Gdansk continued to
grow and prosper leading to membership in the
Hanseatic League in 1361. With the defeat of the
Teutonic Knight's by King Vladislav Jagiello in 1410,
the city returned to the newly formed Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth. Sitting at the mouth of the Vistula
River, Gdansk would serve as a key trading city for the
Commonwealth. In 1792; however, Gdansk would
once again be taken from Poland during the Second
Partition becoming part of Prussia. Following World
War I, Gdansk (Danzig) became a Free City under
protection of the League of Nations. From 1919 to
1939, this status caused increasing tension between
Germany and newly freed Poland ending in the first
shots of World War II falling on the Westerplatte
Fortress.
In 1980, the workers in the Gdansk Shipyards initiated
a strike which led to the imposition of Marshall Law
and the birth of Solidarnosc (Solidarity). Soldiarnosc
became a uniting movement for the people of Poland
helping bring about the rebirth of a Democratic Poland
in 1989.
The Plac Solidarność is located outside of
the Gdansk Shipyard. The monument was
erected as a result of the 1980 shipyard
strikes in remembrance of the workers
killed during earlier strikes in 1970. Today,
the Roads to Freedom Museum is a short
walk from the square.
the Gdansk Shipyard. The monument was
erected as a result of the 1980 shipyard
strikes in remembrance of the workers
killed during earlier strikes in 1970. Today,
the Roads to Freedom Museum is a short
walk from the square.