Wysoka

Wysoka
Coat of arms
Wysoka
Coordinates: 53°10′N 17°6′E / 53.167°N 17.100°E / 53.167; 17.100
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Greater Poland
County	Piła
Gmina	Wysoka
Area
• Total	4.82 km2 (1.86 sq mi)
Elevation	110 m (360 ft)
Population (2006)
• Total	2,750
• Density	570/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Postal code	89-320
Website	http://gminawysoka.pl

Wysoka [vɨˈsɔka] (German: Wissek; 1942-45 Weißeck) is a town in Piła County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,760 inhabitants (2004). The current Mayor is Marek Madej.

History

The city was first mentioned officially in 1260. In the year 1505 the city law (Stadtrecht) was promulgated. This was renewed after a big fire in 1722. Wysoka/Wissek was the centre of a significant territory of property that Nicholas Łódź (Mikołaj Łódź) gave to Bolesław the Pious (Bolesław Pobożny).

In 1505 the neighbouring village of Wysoka Wielka was exchanged for the town of Wysoka, which was owned by the Szlachta or landed gentry (particularly the Kościelski and Tuczyński families). Over 1727-29 the Baroque church of St. Mary of the Rosary (późnobarokowy kościół NMP Różańcowej) was built.

In 1772 Wysoka/Wissek was absorbed into the Kingdom of Prussia. Between 1807 and 1815 the town was part of the Napoleonic Grand Duchy of Warsaw. In 1815 the town was returned to Prussia and after 1818 Wysoka/Wissek belonged to the Prussian Wirsitz county of the Prussian province of Posen.

In January 1919 Polish nationalist insurgents took power in the town. They created the Polish People's Council (Polska Rada Ludowa) and the Civic Guard (Straż Obywatelska). However, later that same month, irregulars from Germany captured the town. A Polish counterattack from Wirsitz (Wyrzysk) failed.

In January 1920 Wysoka/Wissek was transferred from Weimar Germany to Poland by the Treaty of Versailles and attached to the Powiat (county) Wyrzysk (to 1939).

In September 1939 the Nazis invaded and 19 Poles were executed immediately on the slope of the Góra Wysoka hills. The town was annexed into the "Regierungsbezirk Bromberg" of the Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia and governed by the Nazi Gauleiter Albert Forster. During the occupation the administration changed the name of the town to "Weißeck" (1942–1945)^[1]. After the war the town became part of Communist Poland.

Between 1975–1998 the city administratively belonged to Piła Voivodeship. Since 1999 the town has been part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship.

Economy

Wysoka is a small business centre, which serves the needs of the surrounding agricultural area. There is a small wood and brick factory. There was much economic development during the 19th century when the Prussian province of Posen was fully integrated into the wider Imperial German economy. Many Germans left after World War I and those who remained were expelled after World War II. A small gauge rail still serves the area.

Gallery

• 
• 
• 
  Monument to Wielkopolska uprising 1919
• 

Names

The urban and rural community of Wysoka covers an area of 123 square kilometers with 6,900 inhabitants. These include the following 12 places:

Famous people

• Karl-Gustav Sauberzweig, German army officer.

References

Coordinates: 53°10′40″N 17°05′0″E / 53.17778°N 17.08333°E / 53.17778; 17.08333