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70-652: Upper Silesia is situated on the upper Oder River, north of the Eastern Sudetes mountain range and the Moravian Gate , which form the southern border with the historic Moravia region. Within the adjacent Silesian Beskids to the east, the Vistula River rises and turns eastwards, the Biała and Przemsza tributaries mark the eastern border with Lesser Poland . In the north, Upper Silesia borders on Greater Poland , and in

140-679: A count of the Holy Roman Empire and granted him his duchy as a fief . Henry not only obtained the preeminence in Silesia but, with the help of the German party in Polonia Minor, also the duchy of Kraków and became duke of Poland. He initially wanted Wenceslaus to become his successor, but changed his plan on the deathbed and granted Wrocław to Henry III and Kraków to Przemysł II , whereas Kłodzko returned to Bohemia. As Przemysł II united Poland,

210-518: A goliard . The descent of the dynasty was also illustrated by the marriages of the dukes. The Silesian Piasts of the 13th and 14th century married into princely families especially from German families, but also other European royal lines, whereas later Piasts also married non-princely and even bourgeois women. With the adoption of the Protestant faith in Silesia, the Piasts again gained importance. Against

280-546: A campaign by Konrads successor Emperor Frederick Barbarossa , however, the "Silesian issue" was not mentioned in the treaty concluded by the rulers, and so Władysław remained in exile. He died in 1159 without returning to Poland. In 1163, Bolesław the Curly was pressed by Frederick Barbarossa to return the hereditary Silesian province to Władysław's sons Bolesław the Tall , Konrad Spindleshanks and Mieszko Tanglefoot , though he retained

350-575: A close alliance with his brother-in-law, Bohemian king Wenceslaus , he consolidated his position in Greater Poland against Barnim I of Pomerania and repelled an attack on castle Lubusz by the margrave of Brandenburg and the archbishop of Magdeburg . Following an old tradition of his dynasty , he placed himself under the protection of the Holy See , with which he also allied himself against Frederick II . In spite of all his German connections, Henry

420-657: A period of refusal, confirmed the inviolability of the border in 1970 in the Treaty of Warsaw . In 1990 newly reunified Germany and the Republic of Poland signed a treaty recognizing the Oder–Neisse line as their border. On 11 August 2022, it was discovered that the Oder river had been contaminated and at least 135 tonnes of dead fish washed up on its shores. Water samples taken on 28 July indicated possible mesitylene contamination, although

490-539: A publication now in the public domain :  Chisholm, Hugh , ed. (1911). " Oder ". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 2–3. Silesian Piasts The Silesian Piasts were the elder of four lines of the Polish Piast dynasty beginning with Władysław II the Exile (1105–1159), eldest son of Duke Bolesław III of Poland . By Bolesław's testament , Władysław

560-628: Is a river in Central Europe . It is Poland's second-longest river and third-longest within its borders after the Vistula and its largest tributary the Warta . The Oder rises in the Czech Republic and flows 742 kilometres (461 mi) through western Poland, later forming 187 kilometres (116 mi) of the border between Poland and Germany as part of the Oder–Neisse line . The river ultimately flows into

630-643: Is only a narrow channel (Świna) going to the Bay of Pomerania , which forms a part of the Baltic Sea. The largest city on the Oder is Wrocław , in Lower Silesia . The Oder is navigable over a large part of its total length, as far upstream as the town of Koźle , where the river connects to the Gliwice Canal . The upstream part of the river is canalized and permits larger barges (up to CEMT Class IV ) to navigate between

700-577: Is the second longest river overall taking into account its total length, including parts in neighbouring countries. The Oder drains a basin of 119,074 square kilometres (45,975 sq mi), 106,043 km (40,943 sq mi) of which are in Poland (89%), 7,246 km (2,798 sq mi) in the Czech Republic (6%), and 5,587 km (2,157 sq mi) in Germany (5%). Channels connect it to

770-740: The Allies decided that the new eastern border of Germany would run along the Oder. After World War II, the former German areas east of the Oder and the Lusatian Neisse passed to Poland by decision of the victorious Allies at the Potsdam Conference (at the insistence of the Soviets). As a result, the so-called Oder–Neisse line formed the border between the Soviet occupation zone (from 1949 East Germany ) and Poland. The final border between Germany and Poland

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840-679: The Bohemian kingdom . During the re-establishment of Poland under King Casimir III the Great , all Silesia was specifically excluded as non-Polish land by the 1335 Treaty of Trentschin becoming a land of the Bohemian Crown and — indirectly — of the Holy Roman Empire. By the mid-14th century, the influx of German settlers into Upper Silesia was stopped by the Black Death pandemic. Unlike in Lower Silesia,

910-626: The Catholic Habsburg dynasty , which ruled Silesia since 1526, the dukes sought political support by entering matrimonies with Protestant, imperial rulers like the Hohenzollern dynasty. Their last attempts of independent policies were the candidatures of Frederick II of Liegnitz for the Bohemian crown (1526) and of Henry XI (1573), Frederick IV (1576) and Christian (1668) for the Polish crown. During

980-482: The Duchy of Głogów separated from Poland as well. The last independent Silesian Piast – Bolko II of Świdnica – died in 1368. His wife Agnes ruled the Świdnica duchy until her death in 1392. From that time on, all remaining Silesian Piasts were vassals of the Bohemian crown, although they maintained their sovereign rights. In 1335, John of Bohemia renounced his claim to the title of king of Poland in favour of Casimir

1050-575: The Duchy of Opava was established on adjacent Moravian territory, ruled by the Přemyslid duke Nicholas I , whose descendants inherited the Duchy of Racibórz in 1336. As they ruled both duchies in personal union , Opava grew into the Upper Silesian territory. In 1327 the Upper Silesian dukes, like most of their Lower Silesian cousins, had sworn allegiance to King John of Bohemia , thereby becoming vassals of

1120-591: The Fulda monastery , his brother Bolesław administered his possessions until Konrad's early death, when he incorporated Konrad's part into his own duchy. Mieszko at the same time was able to expand his duchy with the former Lesser Polish territories of Bytom and Oświęcim , given to him by High Duke Casimir II the Just , and also with the Duchy of Opole, which he received after the death of Duke Jarosław and his father Bolesław in 1201. One year later, Bolesław's heir, Duke Henry I

1190-662: The Germanisation of Silesia did not necessarily mean a desire to move apart from Poland. He suggests that it was more likely a way to satisfy the Silesian Piasts' ambitions inside Poland. The planned introduction of German settlers would strengthen Silesia, and also the Silesian Piast claims to the senioral throne in Kraków. Only when the Silesian Piasts' ambitions to rule in Kraków were thwarted did they decide to set their province on

1260-588: The Germanization process was halted; still a majority of the population spoke Polish and Silesian as their native language, often together with German ( Silesian German ) as a second language. In the southernmost areas, also Lach dialects were spoken. While Latin, Czech and German language were used as official languages in towns and cities, only in the 1550s (during the Protestant Reformation ) did records with Polish names start to appear. Upper Silesia

1330-596: The Havel , Spree , Vistula system and Kłodnica . It flows through Silesian , Opole , Lower Silesian , Lubusz , and West Pomeranian voivodeships of Poland and the states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany. The main branch empties into the Szczecin Lagoon near Police, Poland . The Szczecin Lagoon is bordered on the north by the islands of Usedom (west) and Wolin (east). Between these two islands, there

1400-685: The Szczecin Lagoon north of Szczecin and then into three branches (the Dziwna , Świna and Peene ) that empty into the Bay of Pomerania of the Baltic Sea . The Oder is known by several names in different languages, but the modern ones are very similar: English and German: Oder ; Czech, Polish, and Lower Sorbian : Odra , Upper Sorbian : Wódra ; Kashubian : Òdra ( pronounced [ˈwɛdra] ); Medieval Latin : Od(d)era ; Renaissance Latin : Viadrus (invented in 1534). Ptolemy knew

1470-539: The "Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia", colloquially called Austrian Silesia . Incorporated into the Prussian Silesia Province from 1815, Upper Silesia became an industrial area taking advantage of its plentiful coal and iron ore . Prussian Upper Silesia became a part of the German Empire in 1871. The earliest exact census figures on ethnolinguistic or national structure (Nationalverschiedenheit) of

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1540-473: The 10th century, almost the entire course of the Oder River found itself within the borders of the newly formed Polish state, with the exception of the area around the source of the river, which was under Bohemian rule. Several important cities of medieval Poland developed along the Oder, including Opole which became the capital of Upper Silesia , Wrocław which became the capital of Lower Silesia and one of

1610-505: The 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, various branches of the Silesian Piasts became extinct. In 1532, the last Duke of Opole, John II the Good, died, leaving most of Upper Silesia under direct Bohemian rule. In 1675, the last legitimate Silesian Piast – George William, Duke of Liegnitz – died. The last male Silesian Piast was baron Ferdinand II Hohenstein , who died in 1706, the last female Piast, Charlotte , died in 1707. The Silesian Piasts formed

1680-805: The 1620 Battle of White Mountain , the Catholic Emperors of the Habsburg dynasty forcibly re-introduced Catholicism, led by the Jesuits . Lower Silesia and most of Upper Silesia were occupied by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1742 during the First Silesian War and annexed by the terms of the Treaty of Breslau . A small part south of the Opava River remained within the Habsburg-ruled Bohemian Crown as

1750-684: The 9th century Bavarian Geographer , the West Slavic Opolanie tribe had settled on the upper Oder River since the days of the Migration Period , centered on the gord of Opole . It is possible that during the times of Prince Svatopluk I (871–894), Silesia was a part of his Great Moravian realm. Upon its dissolution after 906, the region fell under the influence of the Přemyslid rulers of Bohemia , Duke Spytihněv I (894–915) and his brother Vratislaus I (915–921), possibly

1820-575: The Bearded , and his uncle Mieszko moreover specified to rule out the right of succession among their branches, an arrangement which was largely responsible for the special position of what would become Upper Silesia . In the same year, Poland abolished the seniorate and the Silesian duchies became independent entities. Henry I the Bearded actively took part in the inner-Polish conflicts and expanded his dominion with determination. Henry, before securing in 1229

1890-765: The Berlin waterways again. Near its mouth the Oder reaches the city of Szczecin , a major maritime port. The river finally reaches the Baltic Sea through the Szczecin Lagoon and the river mouth at Świnoujście . Under Germania Magna , the river was known to the Romans as the Viadrus or Viadua in Classical Latin , as it was a branch of the Amber Road from the Baltic Sea to the Roman Empire . In Germanic languages, including English, it

1960-546: The Curly , Mieszko III the Old , and Henry of Sandomierz received Masovia , Greater Poland and Sandomierz , respectively, according to the Testament of Boleslaw III . Władysław soon entered into fierce conflicts with his brothers and the Polish nobility. When in 1146 he attempted to take control of the whole of Poland, he was excommunicated by Archbishop Jakub ze Żnina of Gniezno and his brothers finally drove him into exile. He

2030-445: The Great , who in return renounced his claims to Silesia. This was formalized in the treaties of Trenčín and Visegrád , ratified in 1339. The division into small and smallest territories led to a decline of prestige and power. Many Silesian Piasts now merely had the status of squires with greater rights. Some Piasts entered foreign services as mercenary leaders, like John II of Glogau and Sagan. Henry IX traveled through Europe as

2100-409: The Oder and Havel. After completion of the more straight Oder–Havel Canal in 1914, its economic relevance decreased. The earliest important undertaking to modify the river to improve navigation was initiated by Frederick the Great , who recommended diverting the river into a new and straight channel in the swampy tract known as Oderbruch near Küstrin ( Kostrzyn nad Odrą ). The work was carried out in

2170-633: The Pious would, therefore, assuredly have maintained the independence and prestige of the kingdom if all his plan had not been annihilated by an unforeseen catastrophe. In 1241, he died as a Christian hero in the Battle of Legnica , in which he was attempting to arrest the Mongolian invasion. His death left the Silesian Piast dynasty deeply shaken. After Henry's death in 1241, his brother Bolesław II ruled on behalf of his underage brothers. Since all male members of

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2240-499: The Polish crown. After the intervention of King Charles I of Hungary he left Polonia Minor , but on his way back he enforced his supremacy over the Upper Silesian Piasts. In February 1327, five principalities were carved out of Polish Upper Silesia and placed under Bohemian suzerenity: Duchy of Niemodlin , Duchy of Cieszyn , Duchy of Racibórz , Duchy of Koźle and Bytom and the Duchy of Oświęcim and Zator . In April

2310-450: The Polish prince Bolesław III Wrymouth (1107–1138) came to terms with Duke Soběslav I of Bohemia , when a peace was made confirming the border along the Sudetes . However, this arrangement fell apart when upon the death of Bolesław III and his testament the fragmentation of Poland began, which decisively enfeebled its central authority. The newly established Duchy of Silesia became

2380-485: The Prussian part of Upper Silesia, come from year 1819. The last pre-WW1 general census figures available, are from 1910 (if not including the 1911 census of school children - Sprachzählung unter den Schulkindern - which revealed a higher percent of Polish-speakers among school children than the 1910 census among the general populace). Figures ( Table 1. ) show that large demographic changes took place between 1819 and 1910, with

2450-660: The Seniorate Province and the Polish throne at Kraków. The Duchy of Silesia remained within the Polish seniorate constitution, but Władysław's sons were obliged to pay a yearly tribute to the Holy Roman Emperor . High Duke Bolesław the Curly also retained control of the most important Silesian cities such as Wrocław , Opole , Głogów , Racibórz and Legnica until 1166 when the Silesian dukes took control of these parts. Władysław's sons probably ruled Silesia together until 1172, when they divided their territory: Bolesław

2520-467: The Tall, eldest brother, received the large area from Legnica up the Oder River to Wroclaw and created the Duchy of Opole for his eldest son Jarosław . Mieszko Tanglefoot the smaller Duchy of Racibórz around Racibórz and Cieszyn . Their minor brother Konrad Spindleshanks received Żagań , Głogów and Krosno from the hands of Bolesław the Tall. As Konrad prepared himself for a clerical career at

2590-586: The Upper Silesian Duchy of Racibórz as an allodium from the hands of his elder brother Duke Bolesław I the Tall of Silesia. In the struggle around the Polish throne, Mieszko additionally received the former Lesser Polish lands of Bytom , Oświęcim , Zator , Siewierz and Pszczyna from the new Polish High Duke Casimir II the Just in 1177. When in 1202 Mieszko Tanglefoot had annexed the Duchy of Opole of his deceased nephew Jarosław , he ruled over all Upper Silesia as Duke of Opole and Racibórz . In

2660-610: The ancestral homeland of the Silesian Piasts , descendants of Bolesław's eldest son Władysław II the Exile , who nevertheless saw themselves barred from the succession to the Polish throne and only were able to regain their Silesian home territory with the aid of the Holy Roman Emperor . The failure of the Agnatic seniority principle of inheritance also led to the split-up of the Silesian province itself: in 1172 Władysław's second son Mieszko IV Tanglefoot claimed his rights and received

2730-427: The continuous involvement of the Silesian Piasts in Polish affairs. He remarks that the dukes of Silesia did not break their connections with their relatives in the rest of Poland. The most visible evidence of this is said to be the fact that in the 13th century three Silesian Dukes – Henry I, Henry II and Henry IV – took control of Kraków and therefore of the senior throne of the whole of Poland. In Davies' opinion,

2800-461: The course of the Ostsiedlung , establishing numerous cities according to German town law . The plans to re-unify Silesia shattered upon the first Mongol invasion of Poland and the death of Duke Henry II the Pious at the 1241 Battle of Legnica . Upper Silesia further fragmented upon the death of Duke Władysław Opolski in 1281 into the duchies of Bytom , Opole, Racibórz and Cieszyn . About 1269

2870-452: The dukes of Opole and Wrocław also became the tributaries of king John. In 1329, Władysław I the Elbow-high started a war with the Teutonic Order . The Order was supported by John of Bohemia who managed to enforce his supremacy over the dukes of Masovia and Lower Silesia . In April–May 1329, following Lower Silesian duchies became subjects of the Bohemian crown: Ścinawa , Oleśnica , Żagań , Legnica - Brzeg and Jawor . In 1331

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2940-402: The early 13th century the ties of the Silesian Piasts with the neighbouring Holy Roman Empire grew stronger as several dukes married scions of German nobility. Promoted by the Lower Silesian Duke Henry I the Bearded , from 1230 also regent over Upper Silesia for the minor sons of his late cousin Duke Casimir I of Opole , large parts of the Silesian lands were settled with German immigrants in

3010-429: The fall of Bolesław II , was destined by him for his eldest son, whom he associated with his rule towards the end of his life. This Henry II the Pious , who succeeded his father in 1238, was, in fact, entirely worthy of the heritage of the first Piasts. Pursuing the very able policy of Henry the Bearded, his son was moreover able to obtain the support of the clergy, with whom his father had had frequent disagreements. In

3080-448: The family were eligible to rule, a principle critical for the coming years, a hereditary division was put into practice in 1248/51. Bolesław established the duchy of Legnica , Konrad I Glogow , Henry III kept Wroclaw together with Ladislaus , who would become archbishop of Salzburg . Soon the next generation divided the territory again. Jawor and Lwówek Śląski split off from Legnica, Duchy of Żagań and Ścinawa from Głogów. In

3150-577: The founder and name giver of the Silesian capital Wrocław ( Czech : Vratislav ). By 990 the newly installed Piast duke Mieszko I of the Polans had conquered large parts of Silesia. From the Middle Silesia fortress of Niemcza , his son and successor Bolesław I the Brave (992–1025), having established the Diocese of Wrocław , subdued the Upper Silesian lands of the pagan Opolanie, which for several hundred years were part of Poland , though contested by Bohemian dukes like Bretislaus I , who from 1025 invaded Silesia several times. Finally, in 1137,

3220-413: The industrial sites around the Wrocław area. Further downstream the river is free-flowing, passing the towns of Eisenhüttenstadt (where the Oder–Spree Canal connects the river to the Spree in Berlin) and Frankfurt upon the Oder . Downstream of Frankfurt the river Warta forms a navigable connection with Poznań and Bydgoszcz for smaller vessels. At Hohensaaten the Oder–Havel Canal connects with

3290-531: The main cities and ports of the Pomerania region and the entire southern coast of the Baltic Sea. From the 13th century on, the Oder valley was central to German Ostsiedlung , making the towns on its banks German-speaking over the following centuries. Over time, control over parts of the river was taken from Poland by other countries, including the Margraviate of Brandenburg and the Kingdom of Bohemia , and later also by Hungary , Sweden , Prussia and Germany . The Finow Canal , first built in 1605, connects

3360-418: The main cities of the entire Kingdom of Poland (Latin: sedes regni principales ), and Lubusz (now Lebus) which became the capital of the Lubusz Land , nicknamed "the key to the Kingdom of Poland" in medieval chronicles. Wrocław and Lubusz became seats of some of the oldest Catholic bishoprics of Poland, founded in 1000 ( Wrocław ) and 1125 ( Lubusz ). Located near the mouth of the river, Szczecin became one of

3430-413: The modern Oder as the Συήβος ( Suebos ; Latin Suevus ), a name apparently derived from the Suebi , a Germanic people. While he also refers to an outlet in the area as the Οὐιαδούα Ouiadoua (or Οὐιλδούα Ouildoua ; Latin Viadua or Vildua ), this was apparently the modern Wieprza , as it was said to be a third of the distance between the Suebos and Vistula . The name Suebos may be preserved in

3500-406: The modern name of the Świna river (German Swine ), an outlet from the Szczecin Lagoon to the Baltic. The Oder is 840 kilometres (522 miles) long: 112 km (70 miles) in the Czech Republic, 726 km (451 miles) in Poland (including 187 km (116 miles) on the border between Germany and Poland). It is the third longest river located within Poland (after the Vistula and Warta); however, it

3570-485: The next generation Brzeg was detached from Wrocław, Świdnica and Duchy of Ziębice from Lwówek Śląski-Jawor and Oleśnica from Głogów . The Duchy of Opole , which was established by Mieszko I and called after its residence Opole, wasn't spared from the divisions, they only began one generation later. The four sons of Wladyslaw I of Opole, a grandson of Mieszko, split the duchy into Opole, Koźle - Bytom , Racibórz and Teschen . These duchies were also split again in

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3640-415: The next generation. Opole was divided into Opole, Niemodlin and Strzelce Opolskie , Koźle-Bytom in Koźle, Bytom and Toszek , Teschen in Teschen and Oświęcim . These divisions often were the result of fierce and militant conflicts, in which not only the Silesian parties but also their partisans from other parts of Poland and neighboring Bohemia were involved. Whereas the connections to Poland diminished

3710-450: The nucleus of a restored Kingdom of Poland . He became duke of Kraków ( Polonia Minor ) in 1232, which gave him the title of the Senior Duke of Poland (see Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty ). Henry expanded his realm also outside Poland ruling over Barnim , Teltow (owned temporarily) as well as parts of Lower Lusatia . Unfortunately, despite his efforts, he never gained the Polish crown. The royal crown, almost forgotten since

3780-416: The oldest branch of the first Polish royal dynasty. This was the reason that even after the fragmentation of Poland their interest in Polish matters was still strong. Norman Davies stated that the dynastic loyalty of all Piast dukes as well as a single ecclesiastic organisation still secured the unity of the divided Kingdom of Poland. In his opinion the alleged "will" to separate from Poland is contradicted by

3850-412: The political ties with Bohemia became increasingly stronger. In their exile in Germany, the Piasts had witnessed the inner colonizations along the Elbe river and strived to develop sparsely populated Silesia by calling in Germans from the west, slowly increasing Silesia's German population which came to dominate the region over the next centuries. The reign of duke Henry IV Probus was exemplary for

3920-417: The position of Silesias duchies in the area of tension between Poland and Bohemia. After the death of his father Henry III, he was raised in Prague at the court of Bohemian king Ottokar II , who also became his guardian. After Ottokar's death, he did not, as expected, became viceregent of Bohemia for underage Wenceslaus II but was compensated with Kłodzko by Rudolf of Habsburg , who also ennobled Henry to

3990-1139: The region's total population quadrupling, the percent of German-speakers increasing significantly, and that of Polish-speakers declining considerably. Also, the total land area in which Polish language was spoken, as well as the land area in which it was spoken by the majority, declined between 1790 and 1890. Polish authors before 1918 estimated the number of Poles in Prussian Upper Silesia as slightly higher than according to official German censuses. (67.2%) (61.1%) (62.0%) (62.6%) (62.1%) (58.6%) (58.1%) (58.1%) (58.6%) (58.7%) (57.3%) (59.1%) (59.8%) or up to 1,560,000 together with bilinguals (29.0%) (37.3%) (36.1%) (35.6%) (36.3%) (36.8%) (37.4%) (37.2%) (36.5%) (36.5%) (38.1%) (36.3%) (36.8%) (3.8%) (1.6%) (1.9%) (1.8%) (1.6%) (4.6%) (4.5%) (4.7%) (4.9%) (4.8%) Oder The Oder ( / ˈ oʊ d ər / OH -dər , German: [ˈoːdɐ] ; Czech , Lower Sorbian and Polish : Odra ; Upper Sorbian : Wódra [ˈwʊtʁa] )

4060-417: The rivers Albis (Elbe) , Oder, and Vistula . Centuries later, after Germanic tribes, the Bavarian Geographer (ca. 845) specified the following West Slavic peoples: Sleenzane , Dadosesani, Opolanie , Lupiglaa, and Golensizi in Silesia and Wolinians with Pyrzycans in Western Pomerania . A document of the Bishopric of Prague (1086) mentions Zlasane, Trebovyane, Poborane, and Dedositze in Silesia. In

4130-545: The sovereignty in Kraków , had made no less persevering efforts to bring Greater Poland also under his dominion. From the beginning of the thirteenth century he had not ceased to intervene in the disputes which were carried on between the descendants of Mieszko the Old . At last in 1234, a good half of that province was formally ceded to him. As a guardian of minor dukes, Henry moreover ruled over Opole and Sandomierz . But, he aimed higher. This Silesian prince not only intended to enlarge his possessions; he proposed to make them

4200-437: The toxin was not present in samples taken after 1 August. Main section: Szczecin Lagoon : east: Dziwna (German: Dievenow ) branch (between Wolin Island and mainland Poland): middle: Świna (German: Swine ) branch (between Wolin and Usedom islands): west: Peenestrom ( Peene ) (Polish: Piana ) branch (between Usedom Island and mainland Germany): [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from

4270-444: The weak and divided Silesian dukes needed a strong partner who could provide cover. They were now separated from the Polish state and subjected to the Bohemian crown. After the death of Wenceslaus III , king of Bohemia and Poland, the right to the Polish crown was disputed, being claimed by various Piast dukes as well as the successors of Wenceslaus III on the Bohemian throne. In 1327, John of Bohemia invaded Poland in order to gain

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4340-427: The west on the Lower Silesian lands (the adjacent region around Wrocław also referred to as Middle Silesia ). It is currently split into a larger Polish and the smaller Czech Silesian part, which is located within the Czech regions of Moravia-Silesia and Olomouc . The Polish Upper Silesian territory covers most of the Opole Voivodeship , except for the Lower Silesian counties of Brzeg and Namysłów , and

4410-404: The western half of the Silesian Voivodeship (except for the Lesser Polish counties of Będzin , Bielsko-Biała , Częstochowa with the city of Częstochowa , Kłobuck , Myszków , Zawiercie and Żywiec , as well as the cities of Dąbrowa Górnicza , Jaworzno and Sosnowiec ). Divided Cieszyn Silesia as well as former Austrian Silesia are historical parts of Upper Silesia. According to

4480-423: The years 1746–53, a large tract of marshland being brought under cultivation, a considerable detour cut off and the mainstream successfully confined to a canal. In the late 19th century, three additional alterations were made to the waterway: By the Treaty of Versailles , navigation on the Oder became subject to International Commission of the Oder. Following the articles 363 and 364 of the Treaty Czechoslovakia

4550-493: Was and still is called the Oder , written in medieval Latin documents as Odera or Oddera . Most notably, it was mentioned in the Dagome iudex , which described territory of the Duchy of Poland under Duke Mieszko I in A.D. 990, as a part of Poland's western frontier, however, in most sections the border ran west of the river. Before Slavs settled along its banks, the Oder was an important trade route, and towns in Germania were documented along with many tribes living between

4620-426: Was entitled to lease in Stettin (now Szczecin) its own section in the harbor, then called Tschechoslowakische Zone im Hafen Stettin . The contract of lease between Czechoslovakia and Germany , and supervised by the United Kingdom , was signed on 16 February 1929, and would end in 2028, however, after 1945 Czechoslovakia did not regain this legal position, de facto abolished in 1938–39. At the 1943 Tehran Conference

4690-453: Was granted Silesia as his hereditary province and also the Lesser Polish Seniorate Province at Kraków according to the principle of agnatic seniority . The history of the Silesian Piasts began with the feudal fragmentation of Poland in 1138 following the death of the Polish duke Bolesław III Wrymouth. While the Silesian province and the Kraków seniorate were assigned to Władysław II the Exile, his three younger half-brothers Bolesław IV

4760-461: Was hit by the Hussite Wars and in 1469 was conquered by King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary , while the Duchies of Oświęcim and Zator fell back to the Polish Crown as a part of Lesser Poland . Upon the death of the Jagiellonian king Louis II in 1526, the Bohemian crown lands were inherited by the Austrian House of Habsburg . In the 16th century, large parts of Silesia had turned Protestant , promoted by reformers like Caspar Schwenckfeld . After

4830-411: Was received by King Conrad III of Germany , his brother-in-law by Władysław's consort Agnes of Babenberg , at the imperial palace of Altenburg . Silesia and the Seniorate Province came under the control of second-born Bolesław IV the Curly , Duke of Masovia. In the same year King Conrad III attempted to regain power for Władysław, but failed. Not until 1157 Duke Bolesław IV the Curly was defeated in

4900-449: Was to be determined at a future peace conference. A part of the German population east of these two rivers was evacuated by the Nazis during the war or fled from the approaching Red Army . After the war, the remaining 8 million Germans were expelled from these territories by the Polish and Soviet administrations. East Germany confirmed the border with Poland under Soviet pressure in the Treaty of Zgorzelec in 1950. West Germany , after

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