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Flag	Coat of Arms
Legnica
Flag of Legnica Flag of Legnica	Coat of Arms of Legnica Coat of Arms of Legnica

Country:	Poland
Voivodship:	Lower Silesian
Population:	106,122 (2005)
Area:	56,29 km²
Density:	1899/km²
Lattitude and Longtitude :	51°21′N 16°16′E / 51.350°N 16.267°E / 51.350; 16.267
Founded:	7th century
City rights:	1264
Area code:	+48 76
Car plates:	DL
Municipal Website

Legnica (pronounce: [lεg'niʦa], formerly Lignica, German Liegnitz) is a town in south-western Poland. As of the 2005 census estimate, the town has a total population of 106,122. Situated in the Lower Silesian Voivodship (since 1999) on the Kaczawa river. Previously capital of Legnica Voivodship (1975-1998).

History

Founded in the 7th century, Legnica derives its name from the Polish verb: leżeć: (to lay down). First mentioned in chronicles in 1004, Legnica is famous for a battle that took place at Legnickie Pole near the city on April 9, 1241 between the Mongols of the Golden Horde and the combined Poles and Germans under Duke Henry II the Pious, supported by the feudal nobility including the Knights Templar. The battle is known as Battle of Legnica. Although the Mongols killed Henry and annihilated his forces, they stopped their advance into Europe and turned back to attend to the election of a new Grand Khan following the death in the same year of Ögedei Khan.

Legnica became the residence of the dukes of Lower Silesia in 1163 and was the seat of a principality ruled by a branch of the Piast dynasty from 1248 to 1675, when it passed into the domain of Austria after the death of the last Piast duke, Georg Wilhelm. The protestant reformation was introduced in the duchy as early as 1522. Until 1742 the town was known as Lignica, but the name was changed to Liegnitz with the incorporation of Silesia into Prussia, following Prussia's defeat of Austria at that time the town was germanized. In 1813, the Prussians, under Field Marshall Blücher, defeated the French in the battle of Katzbach.

File:Legnica.Ratusz05.jpg

Legnica City Hall

The town became a part of Poland again in 1945 and in 1948 changed its spelling to Legnica, as Lignica sounded archaic. The biggest contingent of the U.S.S.R army in Poland was stationed in Legnica between 1945 and 1990. At that time, the town was divided into Polish and Soviet areas, the latter closed to the public. In the 1950's and 1960's local copper and nickel industry became a major factor in the economic development of the area.

Economy

Industry: copper mining and processing, KGHM Polska Miedź owns a large steel mill on the western outskirts of town.

Education

state-run colleges and universities
- Witelon University of Applied Sciences (Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa im. Witelona) [1]
- Wrocław University of Technology [2]
- Foreign Language Teacher Training College [3]

other
- 'Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania / The Polish Open University' [4]
- 'Wyższa Szkoła Menedżerska [5]
- 'Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne' [6]

Twin towns

As of 2005, Legnica is twinned with four other European towns.

Sports

Miedź Legnica - men football team (Polish Cup winner 1992; 3rd league in seasons 2003/2004 and 2004/2005)

Politics

Municipal politics

Legnica tends to be a left-of-center town with a considerable influence of workers' unions. The Municipal Council of Legnica (Rada miejska miasta Legnica) is the legislative branch of the local government and is composed of 25 members elected in local elections every five years. The mayor or town president (Prezydent miasta) is the executive branch of the local government and is directly elected in the same municipal elections.

Legnica-Jelenia Gora constituency

Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Legnica-Jelenia Gora constituency:

Ryszard Bonda, Samoobrona
Bronisława Kowalska, SLD-UP
Adam Lipiński, PiS
Tadeusz Maćkała, PO
Ryszard Maraszek, SLD-UP
Olgierd Poniźnik, SLD-UP
Władysław Rak, SLD-UP
Tadeusz Samborski, PSL
Jerzy Szmajdziński, SLD-UP
Halina Szustak, LPR
Michał Turkiewicz, SLD-UP
Ryszard Zbrzyzny, SLD-UP .

External link:

The web page of Legnica

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 | [[Country]]: || [[Poland]]
 |----- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
-| [[Voivodship]]: || [[Lower Silesian Voivodship]]
+| [[Voivodship]]: || [[Lower Silesian]]
 |----- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"
 | [[Population]]: || 106,122 (2005)
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 |}
-'''Legnica''' (pronounce: [[Media:Legnica.ogg|{{IPA|[lɛgˈniʦa]}}]], formerly ''Lignica'', [[German language|German]] ''Liegnitz'') is a town in south-western [[Poland]]. As of the 2005 census estimate, the town has a total population of 106,122. Situated in the "Województwo Dolnośląskie" ([[Lower Silesian Voivodship]]) (since 1999) on the [[Kaczawa]] river. Previously capital of [[Legnica Voivodship]] (1975-1998).
+'''Legnica''' (pronounce: [[Media:Legnica.ogg|<nowiki>[</nowiki>l&#949;g'ni&#678;a<nowiki>]</nowiki>]], formerly ''Lignica'', [[German language|German]] ''Liegnitz'') is a town in south-western [[Poland]]. As of the [[2005]] census estimate, the town has a total population of 106,122. Situated in the [[Lower Silesian Voivodship]] (since 1999) on the [[Kaczawa]] river. Previously capital of [[Legnica Voivodship]] (1975-1998).
 == History ==
-The area of Legnica was inhabited for hundreds of years by [[East Germanic]] tribes, until about 500 AD, when Slavic tribes from the east flooded the area, after the East Germanic tribes had wandered to Southern Europe.
-Founded in the [[7th century]], Legnica derives its name from the Polish verb: leżeć: (''to lay down''). First mentioned in [[chronicle]]s in [[1004]], Legnica is famous for the [[Battle of Legnica]] that took place at [[Legnickie Pole]] near the city on [[April 9]], [[1241]] between the [[Mongols]] of the [[Golden Horde]] and the combined army of Duke [[Henry II the Pious]]. Henry's army, supported by the feudal nobility, included Poles, Germans, the [[Teutonic Knights]], the [[Hospitallers]], and the [[Knights Templar]]. Although the Mongols killed Henry and decimated his forces,  their advance into Europe was halted as they turned back to attend to the election of a new [[Khagan]] (Grand Khan) following the death in the same year of the khan [[Ögedei]]. Subutai was putting together such an invasion plan when recalled to the Court of the Great Khan, where he died in 1248.  After Ogedei's death, the tension between the heirs to Jochi and the remainder of the Khanate only worsened - and it was this, the necessity for Batu and his heirs to keep the bulk of their army ready to defend from an attack from the other Mongols that saved Europe, not the defeat at Legnica. Minor celebrations are held in memory of the battle on April 9th each year in Legnica.
+Founded in the [[7th century]], Legnica derives its name from the Polish verb: le&#380;e&#263;: (''to lay down''). First mentioned in [[chronicle]]s in [[1004]], Legnica is famous for a battle that took place at [[Legnickie Pole]] near the city on [[April 9]], [[1241]] between the [[Mongols]] of the [[Golden Horde]] and the combined Poles and Germans under Duke [[Henry II the Pious]], supported by the feudal nobility including the [[Knights Templar]]. The battle is known as [[Battle of Legnica]]. Although the [[Mongolia|Mongols]] killed Henry and annihilated his forces, they stopped their advance into Europe and turned back to attend to the election of a new Grand [[Khan]] following the death in the same year of [[Ögedei]] Khan.
-Legnica became the residence of the dukes of Lower [[Silesia]] in [[1163]] and was the seat of a principality ruled by a branch of the [[Piast]] dynasty from [[1248]] to [[1675]]. Legnica, along with Silesia, became part of the Kingdom of [[Bohemia]] during the [[Middle Ages]] and part of the [[Habsburg Monarchy]] of [[Austria]] after the death of the Bohemian king [[Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia|Louis II]] in [[1526]]. In [[1676]] Legnica passed to direct [[Habsburg]] rule after the death of the last Piast duke, [[Georg Wilhelm (Piast)|Georg Wilhelm]].  The [[Protestant]] [[Reformation]] was introduced in the duchy as early as [[1522]]. Until [[1742]] the originally Slavic town was known as ''Lignica'', but the name was changed to ''Liegnitz'' with the incorporation of Silesia into the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] following [[War of Austrian Succession|Prussia's defeat of Austria]]; at that time the town was ever more [[Germanization|germanized]], though already most of its citizens were of German descent. In [[1813]], the Prussians, under Field Marshall [[Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher|Blücher]], defeated the [[France|French]] in the [[Battle of Katzbach]] during the [[Napoleonic Wars]].
+Legnica became the residence of the dukes of Lower [[Silesia]] in [[1163]] and was the seat of a principality ruled by a branch of the [[Piast]] dynasty from [[1248]] to [[1675]], when it passed into the domain of [[Austria]] after the death of the last Piast duke, [[Georg Wilhelm]].  The protestant [[reformation]] was introduced in the duchy as early as [[1522]]. Until [[1742]] the town was known as Lignica, but the name was changed to Liegnitz with the incorporation of Silesia into [[Prussia]], following [[War of Austrian Succession|Prussia's defeat of Austria]] at that time the town was [[Germanization|germanized]]. In [[1813]], the Prussians, under Field Marshall [[Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher|Blücher]], defeated the [[France|French]] in the battle of Katzbach.
+[[Image:Legnica.Ratusz05.jpg|thumb|350px|Legnica City Hall]]
-The town became a part of the Republic of Poland in [[1945]], after a long German history, and in [[1948]] changed its spelling to Legnica, as ''Lignica'' sounded [[archaic]].
+The town became a part of Poland again in [[1945]] and in [[1948]] changed its spelling to Legnica, as ''Lignica'' sounded [[archaic]]. The biggest contingent of the [[U.S.S.R]] army in Poland was stationed in Legnica between 1945 and [[1990]]. At that time, the town was divided into Polish and Soviet areas, the latter closed to the public. In the 1950's and 1960's local [[copper]] and [[nickel]] industry became a major factor in the economic development of the area.
-During the [[Cold War]], between [[1945]] and [[1990]], the headquarters of the Soviet forces in Poland, the so-called Northern Group of Forces, was located in the city. This fact had a strong influence on the life of the city.  For much of the period, the city was divided into Polish and Soviet areas, with the latter closed to the public.  These were first established in July, 1945. when the Soviets forcibly ejected newly arrived Polish inhabitants from the parts of the city they wanted for their own use.   The ejection was perceived by some as a particularly brutal action, and rumours circulated exaggerating its severity, though no evidence of anyone being killed in the course of it has come to light.  In April 1946 city officials estimated that they were 16,700 Poles, 12,800 Germans and 60,000 Russians in Legnica[http://www.ipn.gov.pl/biuletyn/4/biuletyn4_51.html].  The last Russian units left the city only in [[1993]].
-From [[1945]] to [[1947]] all of the city's former, German inhabitants were expelled, often in a brutal way, by train deportation into [[West Germany]], as Legnica was to become an ethnically Polish city. In [[1990]] only a handful of polonized Germans, pre-war civilians of ''Liegnitz'', had remained of the pre-1945 German population.
-In the [[1950s]] and [[1960s]] local [[copper]] and [[nickel]] industry became a major factor in the economic development of the area.
-Until the winter of 2003, the longest "osobowy" (standard railway train stopping at every station, in contrast to fast and express trains) train service in Poland ran from Katowice to Legnica (via Kędzierzyn Koźle, Nysa and Jaworzyna Śląska).
 == Economy ==
-* [[Industry]]: copper mining and processing, [[KGHM Polska Miedź]] owns a large [[steel mill]] on the western outskirts of town.
+* [[Industry]]: copper mining and processing, [[KGHM Polska Mied&#378;]] owns a large [[steel mill]] on the western outskirts of town.
 == Education ==
 * state-run colleges and universities
-** [[Witelon University of Applied Sciences]] (''Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa im. Witelona'') [http://www.pwsz.legnica.edu.pl/]
+** [[Witelon University of Applied Sciences]] (Pa&#324;stwowa Wy&#380;sza Szko&#322;a Zawodowa im. Witelona) [http://www.pwsz.legnica.edu.pl/]
-** [[Wrocław University of Technology]] [http://www.pwr.legnica.pl/]
+** [[Wroclaw University of Technology|Wroc&#322;aw University of Technology]] [http://www.pwr.legnica.pl/]
 ** [[Foreign Language Teacher Training College in Legnica|Foreign Language Teacher Training College]] [http://www.nkjo-legnica.oswiata.org.pl/]
 * other
-** ''Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania / The Polish Open University'' [http://www.wsz-pou.edu.pl/]
+** 'Wy&#380;sza Szko&#322;a Zarz&#261;dzania / The Polish Open University' [http://www.wsz-pou.edu.pl/]
-** ''Wyższa Szkoła Menedżerska'' [http://www.wsm.edu.pl/]
+** 'Wy&#380;sza Szko&#322;a Mened&#380;erska'' [http://www.wsm.edu.pl/]
-** ''Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne'' [http://www.wsd.legnica.opoka.org.pl/]
+** 'Wy&#380;sze Seminarium Duchowne' [http://www.wsd.legnica.opoka.org.pl/]
 == Twin towns ==
-As of 2005, Legnica is twinned with four other [[Europe]]an towns.
+As of [[2005]], Legnica is twinned with four other [[Europe]]an towns.
 * [[Blansko]],
@@ Line 75: / Line 68: @@
 == Sports ==
-* [[Miedź Legnica]] - men [[Football in Poland|football]] team ([[Polish Cup]] winner [[1992]]; 3rd league in seasons 2003/2004 and 2004/2005)
+* [[Miedz Legnica|Mied&#378; Legnica]] - men [[Football in Poland|football]] team ([[Polish Cup]] winner [[1992]]; 3rd league in seasons 2003/2004 and 2004/2005)
 == Politics ==
@@ Line 82: / Line 75: @@
 Legnica tends to be a [[political left|left]]-of-[[political center|center]] town with a considerable influence of workers' [[trade union|unions]]. The Municipal Council of Legnica (''Rada miejska miasta Legnica'') is the [[legislative branch]] of the local government and is composed of 25 members elected in local elections every five years. The mayor or town president (''Prezydent miasta'') is the [[executive branch]] of the local government and is directly elected in the same municipal elections.
-=== Legnica - Jelenia Góra constituency === (pron. like "yelenia goorah," meaning "Deer Mountain")
+=== Legnica-Jelenia Gora constituency ===
 Members of Parliament ([[Sejm]]) elected from Legnica-Jelenia Gora constituency:
 * Ryszard Bonda, [[Samoobrona]]
-* Bronisława Kowalska, [[SLD-UP]]
+* Bronis&#322;awa Kowalska, [[SLD-UP]]
-* Adam Lipiński, [[Prawo i Sprawiedliwość|PiS]]
+* Adam Lipi&#324;ski, [[Prawo i Sprawiedliwo&#347;&#263;|PiS]]
-* Tadeusz Maćkała, [[Platforma Obywatelska|PO]]
+* Tadeusz Ma&#263;ka&#322;a, [[Platforma Obywatelska|PO]]
 * Ryszard Maraszek, SLD-UP
-* Olgierd Poniźnik, SLD-UP
+* Olgierd Poni&#378;nik, SLD-UP
-* Władysław Rak, SLD-UP
+* W&#322;adys&#322;aw Rak, SLD-UP
 * Tadeusz Samborski, [[Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe|PSL]]
-* Jerzy Szmajdziński, SLD-UP
+* Jerzy Szmajdzi&#324;ski, SLD-UP
 * Halina Szustak, [[Liga Polskich Rodzin|LPR]]
-* Michał Turkiewicz, SLD-UP
+* Micha&#322; Turkiewicz, SLD-UP
 * Ryszard Zbrzyzny, SLD-UP .
 [[Image:Legnica dworzec 1915.jpg|thumb|left|Train station in [[Legnica]], [[1915]]]]
-== People ==
-* [[Paul Löbe]]
 == External link: ==
 * [http://www.legnica.net.pl The web page of Legnica]
-[[Category:Cities in Silesia]]
 [[Category:Cities in Poland]]
 [[Category:Urban counties of Poland]]
+[[category:Silesia]]
 [[de:Legnica]]
 [[fr:Legnica]]
-[[csb:Legnica]]
+[[lv:Leg&#326;ica]]
-[[lv:Legņica]]
-[[hu:Legnica]]
-[[na:Legnica]]
-[[nl:Legnica]]
 [[nds:Legnica]]
 [[pl:Legnica]]