History Ciechanów

castle of mazovian dukes

in 1254, ciechanów mentioned seat of castellany (rethiborius castellanus de techanow (racibor, kasztelan ciechanowa)). in 1400 janusz of czersk granted ciechanów town privileges. area become separate duchy casimir of warsaw using title dominus et heres lub dominus et princeps ciechanoviensis.

in middle ages, defensive gord of ciechanów protected northern mazovia raids of lithuanians, yotvingians, old prussians , later, teutonic knights. not known when granted town charter. must have happened before 1475, document year, issued duke janusz ii of warsaw, states ciechanów has chełmno town charter.

in period between 14th , 16th centuries, ciechanów prospered population reaching 5,000. in late 14th century, siemowit iii, duke of masovia, began construction of castle, while son janusz of warsaw invited augustinians, in mid-15th century began construction of church , abbey. in 1526, mazovia, ciechanów annexed kingdom of poland. in masovian voivodeship, ciechanów seat of separate administrative unit, land of ciechanów.

the town handed on bona sforza, dowry. ciechanów prospered until swedish invasion of poland (1655-1660), when town burned , ransacked.

after second partition of poland (1793), ciechanów briefly became seat of newly created voivodeship. in 1795, annexed kingdom of prussia, , reduced status of provincial town in przasnysz county. in 1806, during napoleonic wars, ciechanów ransacked , destroyed. since 1815, town belonged russian-controlled congress poland. residents actively supported polish rebellions. in late 19th century, ciechanów emerged local trade , industry center. in 1864, brewery opened, in 1867 became seat of county, in 1877 rail station of vistula river railroad completed, , in 1882 sugar refinery opened. period of prosperity short, during world war i, ciechanów destroyed.

in second polish republic, ciechanów remained seat of county in warsaw voivodeship. in 1938, population 15,000, , town military garrison, home 11th uhlan regiment of marshall edward smigly-rydz.

world war ii

pułtuska s hall in ciechanów

ciechanów captured wehrmacht on night of september 3/4, 1939. town annexed nazi germany , known zichenau in german. capital of regierungsbezirk zichenau, new subdivision of province of east prussia. on january 17, 1945, ciechanów captured red army, , restored poland after war.

before world war ii, home large jewish community during nazi occupation, in winter of 1942, majority of jewish community transported red forest (czerwony bór, podlaskie voivodeship) north-east of town , murdered gunfire. during war many polish jews , resistance fighters executed germans in castle.