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Revision as of 15:48, 1 October 2010

Place in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland
Ełk
View of Ełk across lakeView of Ełk across lake
Coat of arms of EłkCoat of arms
Country Poland
VoivodeshipWarmian-Masurian
CountyEłk County
GminaEłk (urban gmina)
Established1237
Town rights1445
Government
 • MayorTomasz Andrukiewicz
Area
 • Total21.07 km (8.14 sq mi)
Population
 • Total56,156
 • Density2,700/km (6,900/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code19-300
Area code+48 087
Car platesNEL
Websitehttp://www.elk.pl

Ełk (before 1945 Template:Audio-de; before 1939 rendered in Polish as Łęg or Łęk; Old Prussian Luks, Template:Lang-lt) is a town in northeastern Poland with 55,846 inhabitants (as of 2004). It was assigned to Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in 1999, after belonging to Suwałki Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998. Ełk is the capital of Ełk County.

The city lies on a shore of Ełckie Lake, which was formed by a glacier. Surrounded by forests, the area is part of the region of Masuria. One of its principal attractions is hunting, which is carried out in extensive forests.

History

Old castle in Ełk

By 1283 the last Sudovian Prussian leader, Skomand (Lithuania:Skalmantas), capitulated to the Teutonic Knights in the Lyck area. After 1323, the northern part of the region was administered by the Komturship of Brandenburg, while the larger part with the later town belonged to Komturship Balga. A former Old Prussian settlement, the town was first documented in 1398 around an Ordensburg built by the Teutonic Knights. The town's German name, Lyck, is derived from its Old Prussian name, Luks (from the word for waterlily, luka). It received its town rights in 1445.

In 1709/10 the plague claimed 1,300 victims. In 1831 300 people, about 10 percent of the populace, died of the Cholera, in 1837 another 80 and 333 in 1852

Before World War I, Lyck had 13,000 inhabitants. Many citizens fled during World War I, when Imperial Russian troops attacked, but returned after the battles of Tannenberg and at the Masurian lakes. English and Italian troops were deployed at the town after the Treaty of Versailles to supervise the East Prussian plebiscite , which resulted 8,339 votes for Germany and 8 for Poland in Lyck. The town was reconstructed after suffering heavy damage from the Russian attack.

Lyck was again heavily destroyed by bombardments in World War II and was captured by the Soviet Union in 1945. The county of Lyck had 53,000 inhabitants when the Soviet Army approached in January 1945; 20% of the populace did not survive. The town was placed under Polish administration in April 1945 and since then remains as part of Poland. It was rebuilt and renamed Ełk (before 1939, Polish names for the town included Łęg and Łęk). Only a few hundred German East Prussians were able to return and to remain, with Poles making up the majority of the new population.

Notable residents

Presidents

  • Adam Puza (1990–1994)
  • Zdzisław Fadrowski (1994–2002)
  • Janusz Nowakowski (2002–2006)
  • Tomasz Andrukiewicz (since 2006)

Education

High school

  • Zespół Szkół nr 3 im. J. H. Małeckich (www)
  • I Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. S. Żeromskiego (www)

Religion

Before World War II, the town and its surroundings were almost entirely (>95%) Lutheran. After the German populace has been expelled, the main religion in Ełk is Roman Catholicism, although a number of Protestant churches are also represented and play an important role in the religious life of the population. These include the Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal (Assemblies of God - Kościół Zielonoświątkowy), Charismatic (Kościół Chrześcijański "Słowo Wiary" or Word of Faith Christian Church, with its Ełk congregation being probably one of the few local churches in Poland pastored by a woman, Ms Teresa Odolecka) and other churches. Ełk is the center of the Catholic Diocese of Ełk with its bishop Jerzy Mazur.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Twin towns — sister cities

Ełk is twinned with:

Coat of arms

Old coat of arms

The current coat of arms of Ełk were adopted in 1999, after the town was visited by the Pope John Paul II. The colors have been changed (from green to yellow), the deer is different than in the former emblem. Lastly is the addition of the insignia of the Papacy.

Until 1967, a different emblem with the two-faced head of the god Janus was used, but its origin is unknown.


References

Notes
  1. Kossert, Andreas (2006). "Masuren. Ostpreußens vergessener Süden". Pantheon. ISBN 3570550060. Template:De icon
    Kossert, Andreas (2004). Mazury, Zapomniane południe Prus Wschodnich. ISBN 83-7383-067-7. Template:Pl icon
  2. Kossert, Andreas (2001). Masuren - Ostpreussens vergessener Süden. p. 132. ISBN 3570550060.
  3. Butler, Rohan, MA., Bury, J.P.T.,MA., & Lambert M.E., MA., editors, Documents on British Foreign Policy 1919-1939, 1st Series, Her Majesty's Stationary Office, London, 1960, vol.x, Chapter VIII, "The Plebiscites in Allenstein and Marienwerder January 21 - September 29, 1920"
  4. historical religious statistics at verwaltungsgeschichte.de
  5. "Ełk - Przedwojenny herb miasta". Castles of Poland. 2003-04-30. Retrieved 2009-05-05.

External links

53°50′N 22°21′E / 53.833°N 22.350°E / 53.833; 22.350


Gminas of Ełk County
Seat: Ełk (urban gmina)
Rural gminas
Gmina Ełk
Seat (not part of the gmina)
Villages
Categories: