Żelechów

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Żelechów

	(Coat of arms)


Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Mazowieckie
Mayor	Leonard Gula
Area	12,14 km²
Population - city - urban - density	4065 (2004) 334,8/km²
Founded	before 14th century
City rights	1447
Latitude Longitude	51°48' N 21°54' E
Area code	+48 25
Car plates	WG
Municipal Website

Old fire station.

Żelechów is a town in east Poland in Masovian Voivodeship in Garwolin County, it is a seat of Żelechów Commune. Żelechów is 85 km far from Warsaw and 85 km far from Lublin. In the city lives over 4000 people.

1 History
2 Historic buildings
3 Economy
4 Education
5 Transport
6 External links

[edit] History

First note of Żelechów dates back to 1282, the city rights were gained in 1447. Żelechów was a private town, at first it was owned by the family of Ciołek (later they changed their surname to Żelechowski). It was a local center of trade and one of the important cities until the Deluge (the war with Sweden). At that time the town was strongly devastated, and dozens of people died (also due to diseases). In the first half of seventeenth century first Jews settled in Żelechów. The owners of the town were changing frequently, one of them was Ignacy Wyssogota Zakrzewski - the first president of Warsaw.

After partitions of Poland Żelechów belonged to Austria. Then in the time of Napoleonic Wars it was in borders of Duchy of Warsaw, and after Congress of Vienna it was finally placed in Congress Poland which was in fact controlled by Russia. Joachim Lelewel was a deputy to Sejm from Żelechów county in years 1828 - 1831. Romuald Traugutt lived here in 1845, he served as officer of ruff of sappers. During January Uprising nearby to Żelechów few skirmishes took place.

After the uprising Russian government took decision to punish those who fought against them, those where genererally nobility. Nearby peasants received land (which later belonged to nobility), also the city from that time was not owned by one man. To keep peace in area, two cavalry companies and an artillery unit were placed in Żelechów. They brought prosperity, because of their needs had to be supported by townspeople. Especially in that time Żelechów started to be known as a shoe production center.

In 1880 a great fire burned big part of the town, but it was rebuilt quickly and in the place of a wooden house a brick one took place. In 1919 in the city lived about 7.800 dwellers. In interwar period about 800 firms resided in Żelechów (mainly shops and handicrafts). In 1939 in Żelechów lived about 8.500 dwellers, who were mostly Jews (5.800 people).

Nazists after defeating Poland, created a getto in a small area in the city, placing there about 10.000 Jews, mainly from Żelechów but also from other cities of Poland. In September of 1942, the liquidation of getto begun, people were being transported to Treblinka extermination camp, but due to the chaos many tried to escape. About 1.000 died in Żelechów this time shot by Nazists. In July 17 of 1945 the Red Army entered Żelechów, ending the war there. At this time in Żelechów lived about 4.000 people, this number did not change much until today.

[edit] Historic buildings

Neo-baroque church build in 1894 in place of wooden church build before 1326.
Branch church build in 1741.
Classicism palace, construction begun in 1726 and ended lastly in 1838.
City hall build in eighteenth century located in center of the market square.
Tomb of Ordęga family in the cementry build in 1852. Also some headstones from nineteenth century.
Many wooden houses build in nineteenth century.

[edit] Economy

Żelechów is a center supporting nearby farmers. There is over 500 firms in the town, mainly small family shops, handicrafts or service. Biger firms work in area of machines, footwear and foor industry.

[edit] Education

Żelechów is a local center of education up to secondary schools. There are many schools learning in different areas of knowledge. Because of quite big number of students in compare to number of inhabitants, Żelechów is a young town in a way.