Świdwin

Świdwin (Schivelbein; Skwilbëno) is a town in West Pomeranian Voivodeship of northwestern Poland. It is the capital of Świdwin County, and the administrative seat - though not part - of the Gmina Świdwin. Świdwin is situated in the historic Pomerania region on the left banks of the Rega river, about 100 km east of the regional capital Szczecin and 44 km south of the Baltic coast at Kołobrzeg. In 2018 the town had a population of 15,725.

History
The area became part of the emerging Polish state under its first historic ruler Mieszko I around 967. In the 12th century there was a gród on the trade route from the coastal city of Kołobrzeg to Greater Poland. Following the fragmentation of Poland, it formed part of the Duchy of Pomerania. Duke Barnim I granted the settlement to the Premonstratensians from Trzebiatów. In 1248 the duke ceded the area to the Bishop of Kamień, who shortly afterwards sold it to the Ascanian margraves of Brandenburg. Schivelbein was incorporated as the northeastern outpost of the Neumark region. It was granted town rights by 1296. From 1373 it was part of the Lands of the Bohemian (Czech) Crown as one of its northernmost towns, in 1384 it was passed to the State of the Teutonic Order, and in 1455 to Brandenburg, which possession it remained until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806. In the 15th century there were disputes with the nearby town of Białogard, and in 1469 even a battle was fought between the towns. Nowadays, an annual medieval-style competition is organized between the inhabitants of both towns. In 1477 a Carthusian monastery was established, which was secularized in 1539. Brewing developed at that time. In 1550, around 30% of the population died in an epidemic. In the 17th century the town suffered as a result of two fires and the Thirty Years' War. In 1816 it became part of the Prussian province of Pomerania.

The Battle of Świdwin took place south of the town during 6–7 March 1945, in which a German SS corps was encircled and destroyed by two Soviet and one Polish armies. After the town was captured, a Soviet general was killed by a member of the Hitler Youth. The reprisals that followed saw the men shot, and the women and girls raped by Soviet troops.

After World War II Farther Pomerania with Schivelbein became again part of Poland, although with a Soviet-installed communist regime, which stayed in power until the Fall of Communism in the 1980s. The town's name was name changed to Świbowina, which was officially renamed to Świdwin in 1946. The town's populace that had stayed or had fled and returned was expelled in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement. The town's first post-war mayor was Jan Górski, and Polish schools, institutions and factories were established, however war damage was removed until the 1950s. From 1950 to 1998, it was administratively located in the Koszalin Voivodeship.

Population

 * 1960: 10,000 inhabitants
 * 1970: 12,600 inhabitants
 * 1975: 13,500 inhabitants
 * 1980: 14,000 inhabitants
 * 2004: 17,000 inhabitants
 * 2005: 16,240 inhabitants
 * 2008: 15,486 inhabitants
 * 2009: 15,621 inhabitants
 * 2010: 15,503 inhabitants
 * 2018: 15,725 inhabitants

Sights
The main historic landmarks of Świdwin are the Gothic-Baroque castle, the Gothic Stone Gate (Brama Kamienna) and the Gothic church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help from the 14th century.

Świdwin's airport
The military airport operated by the Polish Air Force is located about 5 km from the city centre. Civilians are not permitted to enter, but this airport is often used for government's aircraft. The runway is 2.5 km length and 60 m width.

Notable residents

 * Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902), German physician, anthropologist, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist, writer, editor, and politician
 * Otto Georg Bogislaf von Glasenapp (1853–1928), Vice president of the Reichsbank
 * Johannes Poeppel (1921–2007), general in the German Bundeswehr
 * Władysław Blin (born 1954), Roman Catholic bishop
 * Grzegorz Halama (born 1970), Polish parodist and cabaret actor.

Twin towns — sister cities
Świdwin is twinned with:
 * 🇩🇪 Sanitz, Germany