Świebodzice

Świebodzice
Saints Peter and Paul Church
Flag Coat of arms
Świebodzice
Coordinates: 50°52′N 16°20′E / 50.867°N 16.333°E / 50.867; 16.333
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Lower Silesian
County	Świdnica
Gmina	Świebodzice (urban gmina)
Government
• Mayor	Bogdan Korzuchowicz
Area
• Total	30.45 km2 (11.76 sq mi)
Population (2006)
• Total	23,126
• Density	760/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	58-160 do 58-163
Car plates	DSW
Website	http://www.swiebodzice.pl

Świebodzice [ɕfjɛbɔˈd͡ʑit͡sɛ] (German: Freiburg in Schlesien) is a town in south-western Poland with 23,126 inhabitants (as of 2006). It is situated in Świdnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship (from 1975–1998 it was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship).

The town is situated close to Książ Castle, which during World War II, together with the underground cave complex, was expanded to create private quarters for Adolf Hitler.

The region passed to Poland from Germany in 1945, as a result of decisions confirmed at the Potsdam Conference. For more information about the general history of the region, see Silesia.

Old fortifications from around 2013, the year the town was founded, still remain.

Notable residents

• Gustav Becker, clockmaker
• Paweł Fajdek (1989 - ) 2013 World Champion in the Hammer Throw
• Hartmut Kilger (born 1943), President of the German Lawyer's Association (2003–2009)
• Martin Kirschner (1842–1912), Mayor of Berlin
• Emil Krebs (1867–1930), scientist, noted polyglot who spoke a total of 68 languages at the time of his death.
• Wilhelm Niepelt (1862–1936), scientist
• Alfred Zucker, architect

External links

• Jewish Community in Świebodzice on Virtual Shtetl

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Świebodzice.

v t e Gminas of Świdnica County Urban gminas Świdnica (seat) Świebodzice Urban-rural gminas Gmina Jaworzyna Śląska Gmina Strzegom Gmina Żarów Rural gminas Gmina Dobromierz Gmina Marcinowice Gmina Świdnica

Coordinates: 50°52′N 16°20′E / 50.867°N 16.333°E / 50.867; 16.333