Oliwa

Oliwa (Oliva) is one of the quarters of Gdańsk. Population 2004 19,824 inhabitants on area 18.23 km² (population density 1,087 inh/km²). The interesting siteseeing is an old cathedral, kloster palace with park and botanic garden.

File:Oliwa 2 2004 ubt.jpeg Oliva Cathedral

History

Oliwa is currently a part of the Northern Polish city of Gdańsk. It is bordered on the east by the Zatoka Gdańska (Bay of Gdańsk), on the north by the town of Sopot, on the south by the borroughs of Wrzeszcz and Zaspa and on the west by the chain of hills and forest surrounding Gdańsk. Except for the 'old city' Oliwa encompasses the borroughs of Polanki, Jelitkowo, Przymorze and Zabianka.

Origins

It is not exactly known when Oliwa was established. Archeological excavations suggest that the first settlement in this area was established in early Iron Age. The Cistercian Monks' tradition (unconfirmed by other sources) speaks of an early seat of power of the Pomeranian Princes. It is unknown what the original name of the settlement, renamed by the Cistercian Monks to Oliwa, was. Linguists claim that the monks have adapted the old Slavic name of Olawa. Furthermore the linguists claim that the monks could not have come up with the name of Oliwa by themselves because their order had nothing to do with the biblical Olive Mound. The proponents of this theory overlook a number of facts however:

• Why would the monks want to change the old Slavic name?
• There is no record of the supposed earlier name Olawa
• Why would the monks have to include the Olive Mound in their regulations to come up with the name Oliwa? Another Cistercian abbey was established around the same time in Spain which was also named Oliva. Especially if we consider that the reference applies more to an olive tree rather than the Olive Mound. (there are many depictions of olive trees in the abbey)

We must consider that the monks were obviously aware of the biblical symbolism of the olive tree. A key to such a use of the name Oliwa could be the following verse:

"Sicut oliva virens in domo Dei speravi in misericordia Dei in saeculum sempiternum" (Ps. 52,10)

"like the olive tree that blooms in God's house, I place my trust in divine grace for centuries to come"

There are a number of other biblical quotes which could potentially serve as key to the name Oliwa. It is likely that contrary to the linguists the name Oliwa can be fully attributed to the monks. The name refers to an olive tree and the abbey 'planted on new ground for God's glory'.

The first mention of Oliwa dates to 1186AD when the Cistercians established a monastery there. The monks received a deed of ownership from the contemporary Pomeranian Duke Sambor I of Pomerania in 1188. The deed encompassed a number of villages, including Oliwa which became a monastic village for long centuries to come. The village's history is directly linked to the development of the monastery.

Recent history

Not much is known about Oliwa in the medieval times. A famous event in the history of Oliwa was the [Battle of Oliwa] during the Swedish invasions.

As a result of the 1st Partition of Poland, Oliwa inhabited by about 500 people and counting approximately 70 buildings became part of East Prussia. The Prussians confiscated all of the Cistercian Monks' possessions. The abbey prior received a salary and the monastery received financial reparations. In 1804 Oliwa became an administrative headquarter (solectwo) for the surrounding villages and the administrator (soltys) settled in the Dom Bramny (former abbey gatehouse).

In 1807 the Napoleonic armies took the village over and set up a field hospital in the abbey. Napoleon stayed in one of the local estates. Oliwa became part of the Free City of Danzig or Freie Stadt Danzig until 1813 when the Russians entered Oliwa and once again used the abbey as a field hospital. In 1815 Oliwa and Gdańsk became part of the Prussian Kingdom.

A period of relative calm ensues. In 1822 a paved road joining Oliwa and Gdańsk is built. In 1831 the monastery is liquidated. The abbey becomes a Catholic parish and the former parish church is transferred to the local Evangelical Protestant community. The Oliwa parish consisted of a number of small settlements from Sopot to Gdańsk including today's burroughs of Wrzeszcz, Zaspa, Nowy Port, Wysoka and Rynarzewo. The Dom Bramny undergoes renovation in 1836 so as to be able to function as a modern administrative center. Gustav Schilling is nominated as the first wojt (administrator of a number of villages) in 1852.

In 1864 the villages of Polanki and Schwabenthal become part of Oliwa which now numbers approximately 2000 inhabitants. In 1867 a new wojt is nominated i.e. Herman Tümmler. During his term Oliwa gained a rail connection with Gdańsk and Koszalin (1870). In 1873 a local firm Quistrop established a horse drawn tramline. The line met its demise in 1879 because it was not very profitable. In 1874 Oliwa becomes a township and the first community leader is Georg Czachowski. During his term a number of paved roads joining the township with surrounding settlements were built and the number of inhabitants surpassed 4000. Between 1885 and 1907 Oliwa was headed by a number of administrators and slowly expanded in all directions, not in the least due to the continuing efforts in improving the infrastructure. The seaside community of Jelitkowo was incorporated by Oliwa in 1907. Jelitkowo became a center of leisure with bathhouses and a wooden pier. In the same year a gas factory was built. In 1911 Oliwa received running water, although a sewage system was not installed until 1921. By 1910 there were more than 9000 inhabitants.

In 1910 Oliwa celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Oliwa peace treaty. In 1911 a Catholic school was established at today's Cistercians' Street. The surrounding forest was enriched by a Hortus Botanicus in 1912. In 1913 another railway line was added joining Oliwa with the Kashubian town of Koscierzyna. After World War I and on the basis of the Treaty of Versailles the Free City of Danzig was established on November 15th 1920 under the protectorate of the League of Nations and Poland. The borders of the free city included Oliwa, a part of the parish however was in Poland.

In 1921 Herbert Creutzburg was nominated as the mayor of [Oliwa]. His term was disastrous. He wanted to open a casino styled on the Sopotcasino. (by then Sopot was a renowned seaside spa). He ruined the city funds and the losses amounted to 400.000 guilders. The losses were paid up by the city of Gdańsk which sped up the annexation of Oliwa by Gdańsk on July 1st 1926. The remainder of the twenties brought a lot of prosperity. A paint factory "Daol" and a chocolate factory "Anglas" were established. These still exist today, although under different names. The world renowned Dr.Oetker company also established a factory in Oliwa in the twenties. In 1926 a small ZOO and fur farm were established. The ZOO is today one of the largest in Poland. The most important event of 1926 were however the celebrations of the 750th anniversary of Oliwa

In the thirties the National-Socialist NSDAP was gaining strength in the free city. In 1930 the party numbered 500 in Gdańsk. In 1932 when Adolf Hitler made a stopover at the Zaspa airport he was greeted by 10.000 NSDAP members. In 1939 the square in front of the (then recently upgraded) Oliwa cathedral was paved with granite slabs and was frequently used as a drill terrain for the Hitlerjugend. On August 23rd 1939 Albert Förster was named head of state and took full control of the free city. A week later World War II started when the German cruiser Schleswig-Holstein attacked a small outpost on the Westerplatte. Polish activists including priests were arrested by the Germans who took over all the important control points and marched into Poland. Freie Stadt Danzig and of course Oliwa together with the Polish voivodship of Pomerania were annexed by the Reich as Reichsgau Danzig-Westpreussen.

In March of 1945 the advancing Red Army captures Oliwa (and the surrounding regions). The land was returned to Poland. During the post war years Oliwa developed in tune with the rest of the city of Gdańsk.

Important dates and key events during Oliwa's history:

• 1224 (1226?) i 1234 (1236?) - incursions of Prussians
• 1246, 1247, 1252 - incursions of Teutonic knights
• 1295 - Pomerania is the basis for the reunification of Poland.
• 1308 - incursion of Brandenburg army. The monastery and Pomerania is annexed by Teutonic Order in 1309.
• 1350 - The monastery is destroyed by fire.
• 1433 - incursions of Hussites during Polish-Teutonic Order war
• 1454 - thirteen year war and the annexation of Pomerania by Poland
• 1466 - Second Treaty of Toruń: the monastery and Pomerania go to Poland, but then receive exempt status.
• 1577 - defending against Polish King's attempted conquest, Danzig (Gdańsk) army destroyed the monastery
• 1588, 1653, 1709 - various epidemics
• 1626 - Protestant invasion by Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden during the Thirty Years' War
• 1627 - a sea battle near Oliwa (Schlacht bei Oliva)
• 1656 - Swedish invasion
• 1660 - Peace treaty in 1660 between the Emperor Leopold I, Elector of Brandenburg, Poland and Sweden Treaty of Oliva.
• 1733-1734 - devastation during the war of Polish succession
• 1772 - First Partition of Poland: the property of monastery is expropriated by Prussian King
• 1807 - Oliva taken over Napoleon army, Kloster turned into hospital. Oliva is included into Free City of Danzig.
• 1813 - Russian army takes over Oliva
• 1813 - Oliva is again annexed by Prussian Kingdom
• 1831 - Oliva Abbey is closed. The church of the monastery becomes a Catholic church, the second church is given to Protestants.
• 1864 - Oliva is extended to include (Polanki and Dolina Radosci) Schwabenthal.
• 1874 - Oliva is elevated to the rank of a city.
• 1907 - Jelitkowo (Glettkau) and Zabianka (Poggenkrug), Przymorze Konradshammer included into city.
• 1920 - Oliva is separated city inside Freie Stadt Danzig
• 1922 - Danzig bishop Edwarda O'Rourke comes to the newly created bishopry (eventually in 1925).
• 1921 - Herbert Creutzburg becomes major of Oliva. The city goes down into bankruptcy and eventually becomes one of the quarters of Danzig (Gdańsk).
• 1926 - Oliva cease to be an independent city
• 1927 - The monastery palace is turned into a Museum ("Staatliches Landesmuseum für Danziger Geschichte"). The first manager is Erich Keyser.
• September 1 1939 - The beginning of WW II. Oliva is annexed by Germany to the province Danzig-West Prussia.
• March 25 1945 - Advancing Red Army captures Oliva. The land is given to Poland as Oliwa and Gdańsk.

See also

• battle of Oliwa
• Edward O'Rourke

External links

• Map of Oliwa (*.pdf)
• History of the famous organ in the cathedral in Oliwa (in English, Polish and German)