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HISTORY
The earliest information about knights of the Order
of St John (Brandenburg Bailiwick of the Knights' Order
of the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem) arriving in
Skarszewy appeared in 1198, in a privilege document
signed by duke Grzymisław, who funded the town. The
Order of St John was most probably brought here to defend
the surrounding lands from frequent attacks staged by
heathen Prussians. For this purpose, in the 13th century,
the knights constructed a castle, which stood on a site
previously occupied by a Prussian stronghold. Today
the castle houses a local Civic Centre.
In 1370, the knights of the Order of St John sold Skarszewy
and its lands to the Teutonic Knights for the price
of 10,000 grzywna (grzywna was a base unit of silver,
equal between 182.5 and 197.68 grams of silver). The
new owners of the town subjected it to the commander
of Tczew. The Teutonic Knights strengthened the castle
by replacing the timber palisades with brick fortified
walls.
When the Thirteen Years' War broke out, Skarszewy turned
to Gdańsk for protection. But the citizens of Gdańsk
limited their help to sending their military symbols
- standards. In January 1455 the unprotected town was
looted and burnt down by the Teutonic Knights from Tczew.
They returned to the town on two other occasions: in
autumn 1460 and in 1462, when they stayed in Skarszewy
nearly all year. When the Order of the Teutonic Knights
was defeated at ¦wiecin near Puck, Polish troops entered
the town.
After the peace treaty between the Teutonic Knights
and the Polish king was concluded in Toruń, Skarszewy
became a royal town and a seat of local administration.
In 1613, the town gained in importance as the head of
the local administration (starosta) was appointed jointly
the head of the province (wojewoda of Pomorze). Skarszewy
was chosen as a location for a court of law. This meant
that throughout the 17th century the town witnessed
trials of witches, so characteristic for that time.
Considering a rather modest size of the town, it amazes
to find out how much antagonism there was between the
local Polish and German populations. Citizens of Skarszewy
earned an ill fame for their continual arguments, conflicts
and court trials. Although Skarszewy was an important
administrative centre, the town grew very slowly. In
1629 and 1655 it was robbed by the Swedes, and then
in 1708, 1714 and 1731 big fires damaged most of the
town's buildings.
In 1772 the Prussian commissaries sent to Skarszewy
found a meagre population of just 1,005 people living
in thatched houses. The 'Blue Army' commanded by general
Haller entered Skarszewy on 30th January 1920, putting
an end to the 148-year-long Prussian rule. During the
twenty years between the two World Wars, the Polish
citizens of Skarszewy managed to buy out some of the
German real estate in the town centre; they also refurbished
the municipal pokerworks and carried out extensive redecoration
works around the market place.
During the last twenty-five years the town has grown
larger. New sports, recreational and cultural facilities
have been built. Today Skarszewy is a typical small
town in Pomorze (Pomerania), which in 2005 was given
the title of the Pearl of Pomerania.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
The Skarszewy Centre of Historical Exhibitions, 9 Szkolna
Str. tel. 058 588 24 28
EVENTS
A review of the artistic achievements of the schools
in the town and commune of Skarszewy;
The opening of the summer season (St John's Night with
a bonfire);
Review of the Culture of Kociewie and Kashubia;
Festival of Shanties;
'Closer to the Tradition' - on a trail of timber churches;
Workshops - Harvest Wreath Weaving;
The 13th Show of Breeding Animals, Agricultural and
Industrial Fair;
Organisation of the regional Ecological Convention 'Man
and Nature';
Jazz All Souls' Day
CULTURE
The Civic Centre, 4 Zamkowa Str. tel./fax 058 588 25
04,
e-mail: gok@gdansk.home.pl
The Local Centre of Sports and Recreation, 10 Wybickiego
Str. tel. 058 588 07 00,
e-mail: gosir@gdansk.home.pl
ACCOMODATION
The Tourist resort in Borówno Wielkie, tel. 058 588
07 00, 588 22 00, e-mail: gosir@gdansk.home.pl
The "Wczasowicz " a tourist resort, 4 Słoneczna
Str. tel./fax 058 588 25 81, 698 841 564, http//www.infobaza.pl
The Boarding School in Bolesławów, tel. 058 588 22
36, www.bolesławowo.org
Agritourism Guest Rooms, Małgorzata i Sławomir Ziętarscy,
Mirowo 12, Godziszewo, e-mail: info@mirowo.pl,
www.mirowo.pl
Agritourism Guest Rooms, Urszula i Jan Müller, Więckowy
114, tel. 058 588 24 31
Agritourism Guest Rooms "EKOLAND", Arkadiusz
Ziętarski, Mirowo 11, Godziszewo, tel. 0 607 040 540
Gospodarstwo Agroturystyczne "EKO - FARMA Zielona
Fala", Krystyna i Mirosław Nalazkowscy, 9 Skarszewska
Str. Godziszewo, tel. 058 588 19 96
CATERING
"Zamkowa", 4 Zamkowa Str. tel. 058 588 25
80
"Karczma Joannitów", 4 Zamkowa Str. tel.
058 586 20 55,
www.karczma-joannitów.pl
The Town Office
18 gen. J. Hallera Ave., phone: 058 588 22 01,
www.skarszewy.pl
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