Iława
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Iława (German: [Deutsch Eylau] ) is a town in northeastern Poland with 33,912 inhabitants (2006).
Situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodship (since 1999), previously in Olsztyn Voivodship (1975-1998). It is the capital of Iława County.
History
The city was founded in Prussia in 1305 and is documented in a manuscript by Luther von Braunschweig in 1317. It was build on the Iławka (Eylenz) river between lakes Jeziorak and Iławskie (Lakes Geserich and Eylenz). This location makes it now a popular vacation area. The town was under the jurisdiction of the komtur of Christburg (Dzierzgoń) and since 1340 under Osterode (Ostróda).
In 1457 it was sold to the king of Poland during the Thirteen Years' War between the cities of Prussia and the Teutonic Order. With the aid of Ulrich von Kinsberg the city was able to regain its independence from Poland. [[Citing sources citation needed]]
In 1862 the Elbląg Canal (Oberland Kanal) was built between Elbing (Elbląg) and the town by engineer Georg Steenke, which enabled the inland town to transport bulk of lumber, farm products, and other goods north to Elbląg and to the Baltic Sea. This was superseeded ten years later by rail transport, when the Toruń-Insterburg (Chernyakhovsk) railway line was constructed.
Following the Treaty of Versailles, this part of Prussia remained a part of Germany, as in the plebiscite on being a part of Poland or Germany an overwhelming majority of votes was cast in favour of the latter option.
In 1945, as a result of conquest by Soviet Union and the decisions taken at the Potsdam Conference, the inhabitants were expelled and the city became a part of Poland, resettled by Poles, many of them expellees themselves from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union.
External link
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