Kostrzyn commune (Poland)

Poznan county, Wielkopolskie vojvodship

Last modified: 2009-08-22 by jarig bakker
Keywords: kostrzyn |
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• Kostrzyn city and commune flag
• Kostrzyn gonfalon
• Kostrzyn Coat of Arms

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Kostrzyn city and commune flag

Kostrzyn is one of the oldest towns in Wielkopolska. Its roots go back to the distant past. According to the tradition the place took its name after knight called Kostro, who reputedly had his estate here and was given a right to found a settlement called Kostrzyn. Kostrzyn is first mentioned in written sources at the end of the 12th century. It was granted Town Status in 1251 by prince Przemyslaw I, which meant the beginning of a new town established next to the existing settlement and the beginning of its own government.

Kostrzyn was a small but well-organized town with its own parish school, baths and a town hall - the residence of mayor and council. The 16th century was the preeminent period for the town as the trade route between Poznan and Warsaw became important and busy..Kostrzyn was seriously damaged during the Swedish invasion in 1665 and 1705 when among others the church was ruined. Later the town was destroyed during marches of Prussian, Russian and Napoleon's armies.
The town development was significantly stunted by big fires and plagues.

It was recorded that after being included to the Prussian sector of partionated Poland in 1793, there were 711 inhabitants in Kostrzyn, who had a school, post office, town hall, two inns and four windmills. The Inhabitants of Kostrzyn actively took part in all liberation uprisings against invaders. In 1848 during The Springtide of Nations the independence of Poland was proclaimed and all Prussian emblems were dropped from buildings.

In 1887 Kostrzyn obtained the rail link with Poznan and Wrzesnia. During the insurrection in 1918/1919 (Powstanie Wielkopolskie) Kostrzyn organized two military squads. The first factory in Kostrzyn was built in 1895. It was a gingerbread and noodle factory. In 1908 the town built its own power station. Between the years of 1918 and 1939 two windmills, two dairies and a sawmill were working.

After German troops had marched in Kostrzyn 28 inhabitants of Kostrzyn and thereabouts were executed on 20th of October 1939. Over 40 people died in prisons and camps, many were expelled to German – occupied Poland (Generalna Gubernia). Since 1941 there bad been a secret organization which later joined AK (The Home Army - Polish Underground Army). There was an allied weapon drop for the local AK squads in Janowo near Kostrzyn in 1943.

The occupation finished on 22nd of January 1945 when Soviet army entered the town. After the Second World War, Kostrzyn began to develop gradually, becoming a dynamic centre of the region. The Kostrzyn region was a homeland for many noble people such as General Ignacy Pradzynski, who was born in Sanniki, an educationist Ewaryst Estkowski from Drzązgowo, Roman Szymański, a journalist from Kostrzyn, Ks. Antoni Ludwiczak and Paulina and August Wilkońscy, writers from Siekierki. (website)

Arms and flag adopted on December 23, 2003 (resolution # XIII/131/2003).
"Arms: on the blue shield two crossed swords (silver blades, golden handles) and on the sides, two golden crescent moons.
Above and below the swords are two silver six-pointed stars.

Flag: rectangular piece of cloth in the ratio 5:8 of blue color with the Arms placed in the first half of the flag nearest to the hoist.
There is also a ceremonial gonfalon."
Chrystian Kretowicz, 22 Nov 2008

Kostrzyn gonfalon

Kostrzyn Coat of Arms