Iława

Iława

Town view

Flag

Coat of arms

Iława

Coordinates:

Country

Poland

Voivodeship

Warmian-Masurian

County

Iława County

Gmina

Iława (urban gmina)

Established

1305

Town rights

1305

Government

- Mayor

Włodzimierz Ptasznik

Area

- Total

21.88 km² (8.4 sq mi)

Highest elevation

150 m (492 ft)

Lowest elevation

100 m (328 ft)

Population (2006)

- Total

32,326

- Density

1,477.4/km² (3,826.5/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

- Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

Postal code

14-200 to 14-210

Area code(s)

+48 89

Car plates

NIL

Website: http://www.ilawa.pl

Iława [iˈwava] ( listen) (German: Deutsch Eylau ( listen)) is a town in northeastern Poland with 33,912 inhabitants (2006).

It is situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (since 1999); previously it was in Olsztyn Voivodeship (1975-1998). It is the capital of Iława County.

1 History
2 Notable residents
3 Gallery
4 Twin towns
5 External links

History

The town was founded in Prussia in 1305 and is documented in a manuscript by Luther von Braunschweig in 1317. It was build on the Eylenz (Iławka) River between Lakes Geserich (Jeziorak) and Eylenz (Iławskie). This location makes it a popular vacation area. The town was under the jurisdiction of the komtur of Christburg (Dzierzgoń) and since 1340 under Osterode (Ostróda). In 1457 it was sold to King Casimir IV Jagiellon of Poland during the Thirteen Years' War between the cities of Prussia and the Teutonic Order. With the aid of Ulrich von Kinsberg the city was able to regain its independence from Poland.

As Deutsch Eylau, the town became part of the Duchy of Prussia in 1525 and the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. Administered within the new province of West Prussia in 1773, it became part of the German Empire in 1871.

In 1862 the Oberland Canal (Elbląg Canal) was built between Elbing (Elbląg) and Eylau by engineer Georg Steenke, which enabled the inland town to transport bulk of lumber, farm products, and other goods north to Elbing and the Baltic Sea. This was superseded ten years later by rail transport, when the Thorn (Toruń)-Insterburg (Chernyakhovsk) railway line was constructed.

Following the Treaty of Versailles, this part of Prussia remained in Germany, as in the plebiscite on being a part of Poland or Germany an overwhelming majority of votes was cast in favor of the latter option. It became part of Regierungsbezirk West Prussia in the Province of East Prussia.

As a result of the Potsdam Conference following World War II, Eylau was placed under Polish administration in 1945; its German population was expelled and replaced with Poles, many themselves expellees from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union.