Iława

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Iława

(Flag)	(Coat of arms)


Basic Information
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Warmia-Masuria
Population	33 912
Founded	1305
City rights	1305
Latitude Longitude	53°36' N 19°34' E
Area	21.88 km²
Agglomeration	-
Density	1550/km²
Area code	+48 89
Car plates	NIL
Twin towns	Herborn Tholen Gargždai
Economy and Traffic
Administration
Mayor	Włodzimierz Ptasznik
Municipal Website

Iława (pronunciation (help·info), German: Deutsch Eylau (help·info)) is a town in northeastern Poland with 33,912 inhabitants (2006).

Situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Olsztyn Voivodeship (1975-1998). It is the capital of Iława County.

[edit] History

View from space

The city was founded in Prussia in 1305 and is documented in a manuscript by Luther von Braunschweig in 1317. It was build on the Eylenz (Iławka) river between Lakes Geserich (Jeziorak) and Eylenz (Iławskie). This location makes it a popular vacation area. The town was under the jurisdiction of the komtur of Christburg (Dzierzgoń) and since 1340 under Ostróda (Osterode).

In 1457 it was sold to King Casimir IV Jagiellon of Poland during the Thirteen Years' War between the cities of Prussia and the Teutonic Order. With the aid of Ulrich von Kinsberg the city was able to regain its independence from Poland.^{[citation needed]}

In 1862 the Oberland Canal (Elbląg Canal) was built between Elbing (Elbląg) and Eylau by engineer Georg Steenke, which enabled the inland town to transport bulk of lumber, farm products, and other goods north to Elbing and the Baltic Sea. This was superseded ten years later by rail transport, when the Toruń-Insterburg (Chernyakhovsk) railway line was constructed.

Following the Treaty of Versailles, this part of Prussia remained in Germany, as in the plebiscite on being a part of Poland or Germany an overwhelming majority of votes was cast in favor of the latter option.

As a result of the Potsdam Conference following World War II, Eylau was placed under Polish administration in 1945; its German population was expelled and replaced with Poles, many themselves expellees from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union.