Burzyn, Podlaskie Voivodeship

Burzyn
Village
Biebrza River in Burzyn during spring
Burzyn
Coordinates: 53°17′N 22°28′E / 53.283°N 22.467°E / 53.283; 22.467
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Podlaskie
County	Łomża County
Gmina	Jedwabne

Burzyn [ˈbuʐɨn] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Jedwabne, within Łomża County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland. It lies approximately 12 kilometres (7 mi) east of Jedwabne, 29 km (18 mi) north-east of Łomża, and 51 km (32 mi) west of the regional capital Białystok.

Burzyn is located on the west side of the Biebrza River bordering Biebrza National Park. Villages and farms are located along this elevated western shore of the river while the eastern side is a large Marsh that floods every spring.

Burzyn is first mentioned in August 23, 1428, when the Duke of Mazovia, Janusz I of Warsaw, gave the land to Nicholas of Krassow. In about 1482, Burzyn village was owned by Stanislaw Piroga of Lomza whose descendant Andrew moved to the town and took the surname Burzynski. In 1643, Burzyn passed into the hands of families Kapiców - Milewski via marriage to Anna Burzynska.

The population of Burzyn in 1830 was 320 people. By 1906, the population had declined to 199 persons, including 100 women, 93 men, and four Jews.

During the early 20th century, there was immigration to the United States which further contributed to the population decline. The descendants of former Mayor Stanislaus Karwowski moved to the New York metropolitan area in the United States and now outnumber their hometown.

Early in World War II, the German and Soviet Armies collaborated to pacify Poland. In September 1939, this river valley was a front in the Battle of Wizna with Burzyn located at the northern end of the German attack. The area was transferred to the Soviet Union at the end of September in accordance with the German–Soviet Boundary Treaty and remained in Soviet hands until Operation Barbarossa in July 1941.