Aleksandrów Łódzki

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Aleksandrów Łódzki

(Flag)	(Coat of arms)

Basic Information
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Łódzkie
Population	20 342
Founded	1816
City rights	1822
Latitude Longitude	51° 49' N 19° 18' E
Area	13,47 km²
Agglomeration	-
Density	1510,2/km²
Area code	+48 42
Car plates	EZG
Economy and Traffic
Administration
Mayor	Jacek Lipiński (PO)
Municipal Website

Aleksandrów Łódzki( listen) is a town in Łódzkie Voivodship and belongs to Łódź agglomeration. According to data gathered on 31st December of 2004, the town had a population of 20 342.

1 History
- 1.1 Timeline
2 Industry
3 Tourism
4 Sport
- 4.1 Sport events
5 Local media
6 External links

[edit] History

The village was founded in 1816 by Rafał Bratoszewski. In 1820 Rajmund Rembieliński called Aleksandrów "one of the better towns in Poland". Bernard von Schuttenbach was The author of the town planning project. In order to gain sympathy of the government, Bratoszewski called the town after the then rulling Russian tsar Alexander I Romanov. This resulted in Aleksandrów gaining the city rights in 1822. After the Bratoszewski' s death in 1824 the Kossowski family took over the town. After 1832 the town started to fall into decline economically overwhelmed by the nearby towns of Pabianice, Zgierz and Łódź.

In the late XIX century and early XX century a lot of knitting companies were founded in Aleksandrów, therefore it is called the cradle of polish stocking industry and also gained a nickname "Sock-city" among the citizens. This trade is still the dominating one as for today.

In 1910 the town gained a tram connection with Łódź, unfortunatelly discontinued in 1991

From the beginning Aleksandrów was a town of three cultures and three religions. There were protestant descendants of German knitters, Jews that were into trade and, of course, catholic Poles that mainly worked as craftsmen and workers in factories. Until 1945 the richest and most numerous ethnic group were Germans. For the Jews Aleksandrów was an important religious centre - the seat of Hasidic Tzadiks of the Danziger dynasty.

In 1869 Aleksandrów lost its city rights for over 60 years. The rights were regained in 1924. Currently it is a headquarters of an Aleksandrów Łódzki commune.

On the 17-18 of September 2006 the First International Convention of Aleksandrów citizens will be held.

[edit] Timeline

Surroundings of Aleksandrów in 1830 r. (Aleksandrów bigger than Łódź)

c.a. 6500 b.c. - oldest trails of men - settlement of ancient hunters on dunes near the Rąbień reserve
XI - XII century – first villages founded on the current area of Aleksandrów Łódzki commune: Rąbień, Bełdów, Brużyca Wielka, Prawęcice and Zgniłe Błoto.
XIV -XV century - more villages and Church of All Saints in Bełdów founded
1782 – first German settlers arrive in Brużyca Wielka, many collonies founded
c.a 1816 – owner of Brużyca Wielka – Polish nobleman Rafał Bratoszewski coat of arms Sulima founded a new city settlement on a sandy and foresty hill – this is the future Aleksandrów. Rectangular marketplace was made along with few streets. Squire Bratoszewski founded the catholic parish of St. Rafael and Michael.
22 March 1822 – new settlement gained city rights and was named Aleksandrów to the name of then-rulling tzar of Russia and king of Poland – Alexander I of Russia. Aleksandrów had then 3 086 citizens, majority of them were weavers.
1824 - classicistic town hall built during the Gedeon Goedel's mayor term
6 December 1824 - founder of Aleksandrów Rafał Bratoszewski died and was buried in the local church. Aleksandrów became the property of Kossowski coat of arms Dołęga family.
1825 – city as an example of perfect weaver center was visted by tzar of Russia and king of Poland Alexander I of Russia
1828 - huge evangelic church built, Fryderyk Jerzy Tuve became the first pastor
1830-1831 – citizens along with Gedeon Goedel supported the november uprising by sending uniforms, squad and a doctor to Warsaw.
25 October 1833 - Izrael Poznański is born in Aleksandrów
1858-1860 - new road leading to Łódź via the new suburbs Bałuty built.
1863-1864 - january uprising – few citizens took part in fighting and the city was taken twice by the uprising soldiers
1866 - Chanoch Henich ha-Kohen Lewin settled down in Aleksandrów. Since then the town became a major Jewish religious centre.
1869 - Aleksandrów loses its city rights.
1888 - first mechanical stocking factory built by Roman Paschke.
1903 - Voluntary Fire Brigade and "Lutnia" singer association formed.
1905 - strikes of workers and teachers against russification
1910 - electric tram line connects Aleksandrów with Łódź.

[edit] Industry

Currently there are 2.623 registered companies in Aleksandrów.

Textile industry - 38%
Trade - 24%
Vehicle mechanics and transport - 5%
Other

[edit] Tourism

The most important and oldest monuments of Aleksandrów are:

St. Rafael and Michael catholic church - built in 1816-1818, rebuilt three times (1922-1926 - two aisles added; 1933-1935 - two towers added; 1993 - added a second nave with its own altar]. Under the church, lies buried Rafał Bratoszewski - founder of Aleksandrów.

Localization of main monuments

St. Rafael and Michael church

Evangelic church

Evangelic church - built in 1828 by pastor Fryderyk Jerzy Tuve, never modified. Unfortunatelly currently it is in very bad condition, but renovation is imminent.
The City Shops "Jatki" - rebuilt in 1998, formerly place for butchers and bakers to sell their goods; now part of the Town Hall
The Town Hall - built in 1824. Still serves its function today.
The library - originally the house of pastor built in 1848
The oldest grave - dated back from 1830, the place of eternal rest for Fryderyk Jerzy Tuve. There is also a Jewish cemetery in the northern part of the town with graves of Hasidic Tzadiks
The city park - an English-styled garden founded by Rafał Bratoszewski in 1824
Weaver houses - long wooden houses of the first settlers from the first half of XIX century

Other monuments worth of mentioning are:

Albert Stiller's factory and villa - built in 1908, one of the most modern factories of its times along with a stylish villa
Dormitory of Nicolaus Copernicus High School, former mansion of Hasidic Tzadiks from Danziger dynasty, built in 1935

Weaver houses from XIX c.

High School dormitory

Town Hall

[edit] Sport

Towarzystwo Sportowe Sokół-Syguła Aleksandrów Łódzki. Founded in 1998. Currently there are soccer and traditional karate sections. Stanisław Syguła is the chairman and main sponsor of the club.
MULKS Aleksandrów - estabilished in 2004 - youth soccer
MKS Aleksandrów - track and field athletics
UKS Jedynka - volleyball

[edit] Sport events

Józef Jaworski track and field memorial - held annually since 1983

[edit] Local media

"40 i cztery" (title is a reference to the tram line number 44 that connected Aleksandrów with Łódź) monthly builetin issued by the local commune. It appears since 8th of December 1991 formerly as a biweekly. Current editor-in-chief - Dorota Bełdowska-Zemła
"Alternatywy 44" monthly builetin issued by the Aleksandrów Association of Enterpreneurs 2000. Current editor-in-chief - Tomasz Dominowski.
"Wiadomości aleksandrowskie" builetin of St. by Rafael and Michael parish initiated by Rev. dr Norbert Rucki
"Aleksandrów wczoraj i dziś" "Aleksandrów yesterday and today" A yearly publication appearing since 1983 on behalf of "Friends of Aleksandrów Association". Current editor-in-chief - Zenon Kozanecki.
"Gazeta Matusiaka" - Independent newspaper issued by Grzegorz Matusiak in 1992-2004. Currently discontinued.
"TELETOP TV"