Zülz

Biała Zülz
Medieval tower in Biała
Coat of arms
Biała
Coordinates: 50°24′N 17°40′E / 50.400°N 17.667°E / 50.400; 17.667
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Opole
County	Prudnik
Gmina	Biała
Established	13th century
Town rights	1327
Government
• Mayor	Arnold Aleksander Hindera
Area
• Total	14.71 km2 (5.68 sq mi)
Population (2006)
• Total	2,653
• Density	180/km2 (470/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	48-210
Area code(s)	+48 77
Car plates	OPR
Website	http://www.biala.gmina.pl

Biała, or Biała Prudnicka [ˈbʲawa prudˈɲit͡ska] (German: Zülz) is a town in Poland, in Opole Voivodeship, in Prudnik County, with 2,687 inhabitants (2004).

In the southwestern corner of their domain, the dukes of Opole built a castle, Bela, on a lake named Zülzer Wasser (English: Water of Zülz). This castle was the seat of power of a local mayor of the palace. Around the foot of the palace, a German village, the seat of its local parish, served as a setting-off point for further settlement in the region, which was densely forested and bordered Moravia. The village was first mentioned historically in 1225. Some of the villages founded by settlers from Bela include Gościęcin (original German name: Kostenthal), founded in 1225, and Kazimierz (original German name: Kasimir bei Oberglogau), founded in 1240.

Around the year 1270, a town, named Zolez and later Zülz, was founded with Magdeburg rights between Bela castle and the small surrounding village. The village's construction was highly traditional. The town was walled after its completion, with two gates being constructed to allow access. A marketplace was built in the center of the town as well. Around this time, several surrounding municipalities changed their names. The village of Bela, named for the castle, was rechristened with the German name Altstadt (English: Old Town). A town 4 km (2 mi) to the east was already named Zülz, this town was renamed Alt Zülz (English: Old Zülz). The church at Alt Zülz, which had been the main church in the area, was made a satellite church of a new, larger city church, built in 1400. Zülz became the seat of a vogt in 1311. In 1335, Zülz became a Presbyterium, a local seat of power of the Roman Catholic Church. However, this was not permanent. After the death of the last duke of Opole, Johann, the town passed into the possession of the Habsburg family, who soon mortgaged the town's ecclesiastical position to pay off debts. Also by the end of the 14th century, the city had acquired a large Jewish population. Over the next 200 years, the town passed into the possession of various groups, including the barons of Proskau. This was significant, as under the rule of the barons, Zülz was only one of two Silesian cities, the other being Głogów, which did not forcibly expel their Jewish populations. Under a 1601 petition of the barons, emperor Rudolf II of the Holy Roman Empire extended special protective privileges to the Jewish population of Zülz.