Starogard GdaƄski

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Starogard GdaƄski (meaning approximately "Old Town of GdaƄsk"; Kashubian/Pomeranian: Starogarda; Preußisch Stargard) is a town in Eastern Pomerania in northwestern Poland with 48,328 inhabitants (2004). It is 50 km from the Tricity (Trójmiasto) agglomeration on the coast of GdaƄsk Bay.

Starogard has been the capital of Starogard County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, but was previously a town in GdaƄsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998. Car registration numbers start with GST.

Starogard is the biggest city of the region called Kociewie and is populated by Kocievians.

Etymology

The name Starogard means "old city" in the Pomeranian language. GdaƄski is appended to the name to differentiate it from other places named Starogard. The German name Preußisch Stargard means "Prussian Starogard" and is similarly used to disambiguate from other places named Stargard. (See also Stargard).

History

Starogard GdaƄski was first mentioned in 1198 when Duke GrzymisƂaw II of Pomerania granted the settlement to the Knights Hospitaller. Archeological evidence indicates remnants of a neolithic settlement from four to five thousand years ago.

Since September of 1939 in nearby forest called Szpęgawski Forest (north-east of the town) Germans had killed in mass executions about 7 000 Poles, among them 1680 Kocborowo (Konradstein) and ƚwiecie psychiatric hospitals patients. About 500 handicapped children were killed in the hospital, see Action T4. 2842 patients died 1940-1944.

Major corporations

Education

  • Pomorska WyĆŒsza SzkoƂa Polityki SpoƂecznej i Gospodarczej

Sports

Population

Year 1950 1960 1970 1975 1980 1990 1995 1998 2001
Population ? 25,800 33,700 39,500 44,200 49,500 50,600 50,700 49,884

Famous residents

Partnership towns




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Last updated on Saturday June 28, 2008 at 18:10:26 PDT (GMT -0700)
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