Opolskie

Opolskie, województwo (province), southern Poland. It is bordered by the provinces of Wielkopolskie and Łódzkie to the north and Śląskie to the east, by the Czech Republic to the south, and by the province of Dolnośląskie to the west. Created as one of Poland’s 16 reorganized provinces in 1999, it encompasses the former province (1975–98) of Opole as well as a small portion of the former province of Częstochowa. The provincial capital is Opole. Area 3,634 square miles (9,412 square km). Pop. (2011) 1,016,213.

Geography

Opolskie is mostly flat; wide river valleys are a characteristic feature. To the north is the Silesian Lowland; to the south, the Sudeten Foreland and the Eastern Sudeten range of mountains (the Sudety); and to the east, the Silesian Upland. The highest point is Biskupia Kopa (2,916 feet [889 metres]) in the Opawskie Mountains. The main rivers are the Oder (Odra), Neisse (Nysa Kłodzka), Mała Panew, and Stobrawa. Forests, most of which are coniferous, cover one-fourth of the province. The Oder River valley is one of the warmest regions of Poland, with a mean annual temperature of 49 °F (9.5 °C). Average annual precipitation is 24–28 inches (600–700 mm). Half of the province’s population lives in cities. The largest urban centres are Opole, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Nysa, and Brzeg. About one-third of the population is of German ancestry.

Opolskie is one of the smallest and least-populous provinces. Nearly two-thirds of the land is used for agriculture, and production is high. The chief crops are cereals, potatoes, rapeseed, sugar beets, and fodder. Cattle breeding, pig raising, and chicken farming are of considerable importance. Industrial production is strongly linked to the province’s agricultural sector, and food processing, brewing, and meatpacking are important local industries. Other major industries include cement and lime production, chemicals and textiles production, metallurgy, automobile manufacturing, papermaking, and machinery and appliance manufacturing. The local transport network is extensive, with direct rail connections to all major Polish cities and to several German and Ukrainian cities. The Oder River and the Gliwicki Canal are used for inland navigation, and river ports operate in Kędzierzyn-Koźle and Opole.

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Though Opolskie is one of the least-visited provinces, recreational attractions include Lakes Turawskie, Otmuchowskie, and Głębinowskie. Głuchołazy, a town located in the Opawskie Mountains, is a popular health resort. The most important historic building in the province is probably the castle of the dukes of Brzeg, originally built in the Gothic style and later remodeled in the Renaissance manner. The town of Paczków is notable for the well-preserved medieval walls that surround it. Roman Catholic pilgrims make their way to Góra Świętej Anny (St. Anne’s Hill), the site of the 17th-century pilgrimage Church of St. Anne. A number of Calvary chapels dot the hillside. The Silesian culture of Opolskie is evident in the region’s characteristic dialect, customs, and cuisine, which combine Polish, German, and Czech influences. Major museums include the Museum of Silesian Piasts in Brzeg and an open-air museum in Opole-Bierkowice that features re-creations of Silesian villages of the 17th to 19th centuries. The Festival of Polish Song in Opole celebrates Polish popular music.

History

In the 9th century the Śląsk Opolski, the Opole region of Silesia, was inhabited by the Slavic tribes of the Opolanie and the Gołęszyce. It became part of the Polish state in 990, but until the 1100s it was the scene of wars with Bohemians who laid claim to the area. In 1173 Silesia was divided into the duchy of Wrocław (Lower Silesia) and the duchy of Opole-Racibórz (Upper Silesia). During the rule of the “Silesian Henries” (1202–41), a number of Germans settled in the duchy of Opole-Racibórz. It was a time of economic prosperity, and Opole, Nysa, and Brzeg developed as trade centres. In the 14th century the duchy of Opole-Racibórz split into a number of weak duchies that eventually became fiefs of the Bohemian kings. In 1526, along with other Bohemian lands, Silesia came under the rule of the Austrian Habsburgs. During the Reformation some of the Silesian towns and cities adopted Lutheranism.

After the Thirty Years’ War (1618–48), Silesia was subdued by Prussia, and its strong economic connections with Bohemia, Austria, and Poland were severed. Austria and Prussia again struggled over control of the region in the 18th century. Industrialization began during the early 1800s, and the region became a centre of steel and cement production. Roads and railway lines were built to facilitate transport of industrial and agricultural products. After World War I, Upper Silesia was the scene of three uprisings having to do with whether the region should be part of Germany or Poland (see Korfanty Line). The fiercest battles took place in the eastern part of the Opole Land near St. Anne’s Hill (Góra Świętej Anny) in 1921. As a result of the final division of Upper Silesia, the Opole region remained part of the German Reich. During World War II, many Poles living in the region were killed or deported, and the area was resettled with Germans. Labour and prisoner camps were established in the area, and local industries supplied the German army. After World War II, Silesia was incorporated into the Polish state. Between 1945 and 1947 the German population was replaced by Poles from the eastern part of pre-World War II Poland as well as from the central and southeastern portions of the country.