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Gubin, Poland

Gubin
Church ruins and town hall
Church ruins and town hall
Flag of Gubin
Flag
Coat of arms of Gubin
Coat of arms
Gubin is located in Poland
Gubin
Gubin
Coordinates: 51°57′N 14°43′E / 51.950°N 14.717°E / 51.950; 14.717
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Lubusz
region Krosno Odrzańskie
Gmina Gubin (urban gmina)
Established 13th century
Town rights 1235
Government
 • Mayor Bartłomiej Bartczak
Area
 • Total 20.68 km2 (7.98 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 • Total 16,974
 • Density 820/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 66-620
Area code(s) +48 68
Car plates FKR
Website www.gubin.pl

Gubin [ˈɡubʲin] (German: Guben) is a town in Krosno Odrzańskie County, Lubusz Voivodeship southwestern Poland. Located on the right bank of the Lusatian Neisse River, it has a population of 15,000 inhabitants (2005). It was of the Zielona Góra Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998. The Polish-German rail and road border crossings are connected with the German city of Guben, of which Gubin was the eastern part until the border changes of 1945.

The coat of arms of both cities are almost identical, which further emphasizes their shared history as one township. Whereas the original arms of Guben features the coat of arms of Saxony, Bohemia and Prussia, Gubin dropped the Saxon shield and the Prussian eagle after it became part of Poland, and replaced the Bohemian double-tailed lion in the centre with the Polish eagle.

Prior to 1945, Gubin was part of Guben, Germany. In 1945 the Oder-Neisse line was chosen as the new German-Polish border at the Potsdam Conference. This meant that Guben would be split between the two countries, with the eastern portion of the city, including the historic centre, becoming Polish Gubin.

The central part of Gubin was seriously damaged at the end of World War II, with the historic town hall and church being burnt out. While the town hall has since been restored, the parish church is today a stabilised ruin.

A large army garrison was based in Gubin from 1951-2002, including the 5th Infantry Division, which evolved into the 5th "Saxony" Tank Division in 1956. The garrison was closed in 2002 following restructuring.


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