Timeline of Aleksandrów Łódzki

The following is a timeline of the history of the town of Aleksandrów Łódzki, Poland.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 6500 B.C. – Oldest traces of humans - settlement of ancient hunters on dunes near the Rąbień reserve.
• 11th-12th century – First villages founded in the current area of Aleksandrów Łódzki commune: Rąbień, Bełdów, Brużyca Wielka, Prawęcice and Zgniłe Błoto.
• 14th-15th century - More villages and Church of All Saints in Bełdów founded.
• 1782 – First German settlers arrived in Brużyca Wielka, many colonies founded.
• c. 1816 – Owner of Brużyca Wielka – Polish nobleman Rafał Bratoszewski coat of arms Sulima founded a new city settlement on a sandy and forestry hill – this was the future Aleksandrów. A rectangular marketplace was made along with few streets. Squire Bratoszewski founded the catholic parish of St. Rafael and Michael.
• 22 March 1822 – New settlement gained city rights and was named Aleksandrów in the name of then-ruling tzar of Russia and king of Poland – Alexander I of Russia. Aleksandrów had then 3,086 citizens, the majority of them were weavers.
• 1824 - Neo-classical town hall built during the mayor Gedeon Goedel's term.
• 6 December 1824 - Founder of Aleksandrów Rafał Bratoszewski died and was buried in the local church. Aleksandrów became the property of the Kossowski coat of arms Dołęga family.
• 1825 – The city as an example of perfect weaving center was visited by the tzar of Russia and king of Poland Alexander I of Russia.
• 1828 - A huge evangelic church built, Fryderyk Jerzy Tuve became the first pastor.
• 1830–1831 – Citizens along with Gedeon Goedel supported the November Uprising by sending uniforms, a squad and a doctor to Warsaw.
• 25 October 1833 - Izrael Poznański was born in Aleksandrów.
• 1858-1860 - A new road leading to Łódź via the new suburbs Bałuty built.
• 1863-1864 - January Uprising – few citizens took part in fighting and the city was taken twice by the uprising soldiers.
• 1866 - Chanoch Henich ha-Kohen Lewin settled in Aleksandrów. Since then the town has become a major Jewish religious centre.
• 1869 - Aleksandrów lost its city rights.
• 1888 - The first mechanical stocking factory built by Roman Paschke.
• 1903 - Voluntary Fire Brigade and "Lutnia" singer association formed.
• 1905 - Strikes of workers and teachers against Russification.
• 1910 - An electric tram line connected Aleksandrów with Łódź.
• 11 November 1918 - A group of firefighters disarmed a German military outpost. The beginnings of independence of Poland.
• 1924 - Aleksandrów regained city rights and it is now called Łódzki.
• 1927 - A new school opened at Bankowa street.
• 7 September 1939 - German troops entered the city.
• 14 September 1939 - 5 Poles and 26 Jews executed by German soldiers.
• 9 November 1939 - Aleksandrów together with Łódź annexed to the 3rd Reich. The synagogue along with monuments of Kościuszko and Piłsudski destroyed, Polish and Jewish schools closed.
• 27 December 1939 - Jews moved to General Government where most of them died in German concentration camps.
• 1943 - Aleksandrów renamed to Wirkheim (home of the weavers).
• 17 January 1945 - Aleksandrów liberated by Soviet tank squads.
• 24 January 1945 - Józef Janiak became the first post-war mayor of Aleksandrów.
• 16 February 1945 - The first high school opened - State Coeducational Gymnasium. Currently the Mikołaj Kopernik High School.
• 1945-1947 - Germans forcibly moved to Germany. For the first time in its history Aleksandrów became a solely Polish city.
• 1951-1953 - Airport built.
• 1959 - Primary school no. 4 opened.
• 1970s and 1980s - Bratoszewskiego, Sikorskiego and Słoneczne estates built in eastern parts of the city.
• 1974 - A youth community center opened.
• 1979 - Friends of Aleksandrów Association founded.
• 1983 - The first Days of Aleksandrów held.
• 27 May 1990 - The first free elections to the city council won by Aleksandrowska Akcja Społeczna. Krzysztof Czajkowski became the mayor.
• 8 December 1991 - A local newspaper "Czterdzieści i cztery" issues its first edition.
• 1991-1995 - The tram connection to Łódź discontinued. Currently, the cities are connected by bus line no. 78.
• 1999 - Aleksandrów Association of Entrepreneurs 2000 founded.
• 27 October 2000 - Local elections won by the Platforma Obywatelska. Jacek Lipiński became the mayor.
• 2006 - Elections won again by the Platforma Obywatelska. Jacek Lipiński elected for his second term.

References

1. Source: TOMASZ PIETRAS, ALEKSANDRÓW I OKOLICE. PDF

This article incorporates information from the Polish Wikipedia and German Wikipedia.