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Duchy of Tost

Toszek
Toszek Castle
Toszek Castle
Coat of arms of Toszek
Coat of arms
Toszek is located in Poland
Toszek
Toszek
Coordinates: 50°27′N 18°31′E / 50.450°N 18.517°E / 50.450; 18.517
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Silesian
County Gliwice
Gmina Toszek
City rights about 1235
Government
 • Mayor Grzegorz Kupczyk
Area
 • Total 9.67 km2 (3.73 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 • Total 3,822
 • Density 400/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 44-180
Car plates SGL
Climate Cfb
Website http://www.toszek.pl/

Toszek [ˈtɔʂɛk] (German: Tost) is a town in Poland, in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, with 4,000 inhabitants.

The beginning of the settlement and fortified keep is dated in the 9th and 10th centuries when the area was ruled by the Piasts, Mieszko I of Poland and later Bolesław I the Brave[1].

The fortified keep had grown to the size of a town during the rule of Duke of Wrocław Bolesław Wysoki and during his rule it received city rights in 1235. After 1281 it became the seat of the regional Duchy and title of local ruler Bolesław was "the enlightened Bolesław, Duke of Toszek".

In the 14th century the original Piast settlement passed to the Crown of Bohemia. In 1536, the city received Magdeburg rights from King of Bohemia Ferdinand I (later Emperor). In 1593 Rudolf II sold the castle and the area to Freiherr von Redern auf Groß Strehlitz. It was owned by Joseph von Eichendorff from 1791 to 1797.

Like many other areas in Silesia, the Toszek area was subjected to Germanisation when the Silesian dukes became independent from Poland.

Tost burned down on 18 August 1677, and was looted in 1807.

On 20 March 1921 during voting a majority of inhabitants voted to remain in Germany rather than be moved to Poland (1348 or 86% vs. 217 or 13,8%, at 97,4% turnout). During Kristallnacht, the Toszek Jews were sent to concentration camps, where later they all were murdered.


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Wikipedia

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