Editing Braniewo

{{Short description|Town in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Braniewo
| image_skyline = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| total_width = 268
| image_style = border:1
| perrow = 1/2
| image1 = Braniewo - bazylika 2.jpg{{!}}Gothic Saint Catherine Basilica
| image2 = Braniewo Portowa 6 spichrz Mariacki.JPG{{!}}Old granary
| image3 = Braniewo Urząd Miasta 2023 2.jpg{{!}}Municipal office
| caption1 = Saint Catherine Basilica
| caption2 = Old granary
| caption3 = Municipal office}}
| image_shield = POL Braniewo COA.svg
| image_flag = POL Braniewo flag.svg
| pushpin_map = Poland
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = {{POL}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Voivodeships of Poland|Voivodeship]]
| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship|name=Warmian-Masurian}}
| subdivision_type2 = [[Powiat|County]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Braniewo County|Braniewo]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[Gmina]]
| subdivision_name3 = Braniewo <small>(urban gmina)</small>
| leader_party = [[Polish People's Party|PSL]]
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Tomasz Sielicki
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 13th century
| established_title3 = Town rights
| established_date3 = 1284
| area_total_km2 = 12.36
| population_as_of = 30 June 2021<ref name="population">{{cite web|url=https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/BDL/dane/teryt/jednostka|title=Local Data Bank|access-date=2022-06-01|publisher=Statistics Poland}} Data for territorial unit 2802011.</ref>
| population_total = 16907
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset = +1
| timezone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset_DST = +2
| coordinates = {{coord|54|23|N|19|50|E|region:PL|display=title,inline}}
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = 14-500
| area_code = +48 55
| blank_name = [[Polish car number plates|Car plates]]
| blank_info = NBR
| blank1_name = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank1_info = [[Humid continental climate#Mild/cool summer subtype|Dfb]]
| blank_name_sec2 = [[National roads in Poland|National road]]
| blank_info_sec2 = [[File:DK54-PL.svg|32px|link=National road 54 (Poland)]]
| blank1_name_sec2 = [[Voivodeship road]]s
| blank1_info_sec2 = [[File:DW504-PL.svg|32px|link=Voivodeship road 504]] [[File:DW507-PL.svg|32px|link=Voivodeship road 507]]
| website = http://www.braniewo.pl/
}}
'''Braniewo''' ({{IPAc-pl|b|r|a|'|ń|e1|w|o}}) ({{langx|de|Braunsberg in Ostpreußen}}, {{langx|la|Brunsberga}}, [[Old Prussian language|Old Prussian]]: ''Brus''), is a [[town]] in northern [[Poland]], in [[Warmia]], in the [[Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship]], with a population of 16,907 as of June 2021.<ref name = population /> It is the capital of [[Braniewo County]].

Braniewo is the second biggest city of [[Warmia]] after [[Olsztyn]] and one of the historical centers of the region.

== Location ==
Braniewo lies on the [[Pasłęka]] River about 5&nbsp;km from the [[Vistula Lagoon]], about 35&nbsp;km northeast of [[Elbląg]] and {{convert|55|km|0|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Kaliningrad]] ({{langx|pl|Królewiec}}). The Polish border with Russia's [[Kaliningrad Oblast]] lies 6&nbsp;km north, and may be reached from Braniewo via [[National road 54 (Poland)|National road 54]].

==History==
===Middle Ages===
[[File:Wieza bramna braniewo.jpg|thumb|left|Remains of the [[Braniewo Castle]]]]
According to the German geographer [[Johann Friedrich Goldbeck]] (1748–1812), the town originally was named Brunsberg after [[Bruno von Schauenburg]] (1205–1281), bishop of [[Olomouc]] in [[Moravia]], who accompanied King [[Ottokar II of Bohemia]] in 1254 and 1267 when the latter participated in the crusade of the [[Teutonic Knights]] against the [[Old Prussians]].<ref>Bruno von Schauenburg is also known as the founder of the village of [[Brušperk]] in [[Bohemia]], the German name of which also is ''Braunsberg''.</ref> It has also been suggested that the name ''Braunsberg'' might stem from ''Brusebergue'' ("camp of the Prussians"), but this notion is not documented.

In 1243, the settlement and the surrounding region of [[Warmia]] was given by the Teutonic Order to the newly created [[Prince-Bishopric of Warmia|Bishopric of Warmia]], whose [[Bishops of Warmia|bishop]] built his cathedral in the town and made it his chief residence. The city was granted [[town privileges]] based on those of [[Lübeck law|Lübeck]] in 1254, but in 1261 was destroyed and depopulated during the second of the [[Prussian Uprisings]]. It was rebuilt in a new location in 1273 and settled by colonists from [[Lübeck]]. In 1284, it was given a new town charter, again based on that of Lübeck. However, the next bishop, Heinrich Fleming (1278–1300), transferred the chapter from Braunsberg to Frauenburg (now [[Frombork]]).

In 1296, a [[Franciscan]] abbey was built, and in 1342, a "new town" was added. As the most important trading and harbor city in Warmia, the town prospered as member of the [[Hanseatic League]], which it remained until 1608. 
In 1440, the town was one of the founding members of the [[Prussian Confederation]], which opposed Teutonic rule,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Górski|first=Karol|title=Związek Pruski i poddanie się Prus Polsce: zbiór tekstów źródłowych|year=1949|publisher=Instytut Zachodni|location=Poznań|page=11|language=pl}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Kętrzyński|first=Wojciech|author-link=Wojciech Kętrzyński|year=1882|title=O ludności polskiej w Prusiech niegdyś krzyżackich|language=pl|location=Lwów|publisher=[[Ossolineum|Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich]]|page=608}}</ref> and upon the request of which King [[Casimir IV Jagiellon]] incorporated the territory to the [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Kingdom of Poland]] in 1454. The town pledged allegiance to the Polish King and recognized his rule in March 1454 in [[Kraków]].<ref>Górski, p. 72</ref> After the subsequent [[Thirteen Years' War (1454–1466)|Thirteen Years' War]], the Teutonic Knights renounced any claims to the town in the [[Second Peace of Thorn (1466)|Second Peace of Thorn]] in 1466.<ref>Górski, p. 99</ref> Administratively, it was part of the [[Prince-Bishopric of Warmia]] in the new autonomous province of [[Royal Prussia]], later on also in the [[Greater Poland Province, Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Greater Poland Province]].

===Modern era===
After the secularization of the Teutonic Order in 1525, a large part of its residents converted to [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] [[Protestantism]]. Duke [[Albert, Duke of Prussia|Albert]], who had been grand master of the Order, sought to unite Warmia with Ducal Prussia (a nearby vassal state of Poland), causing the Catholics of the town to swear allegiance to the king of Poland in return for aid against Protestant Prussia. In 1526 a Polish royal commission released Braunsberg burghers from the oath to the Polish king and handed the town back to [[Prince-Bishop]] [[Mauritius Ferber]]. However, just like the entire area of Warmia, Braunsberg swore allegiance to the [[Prince-Bishop]]s of Warmia, who were subjects of the popes. Additionally, it had to denounce all Lutheran teachings and hand over Lutheran writings. Thereafter Warmia remained predominantly Roman Catholic (even after the [[Partitions of Poland]], when it became part of [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] in 1772).

[[File:Braniewo 1684.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9|17th-century view of the town (from ''Altes und neues Preussen'', [[Christoph Hartknoch]])]]
Braniewo was occupied by [[Swedish Empire|Sweden]] for about three years during the [[Livonian War]] in the 16th century. In Warmia, Lutheran teachings again were suppressed when Prince-Bishop [[Stanislaus Hosius]] (1504–1579) brought in the [[Society of Jesus|Jesuits]] and founded the [[Collegium Hosianum]] [[gymnasium (school)|school]]. Among the students of the school were Polish Catholic Saint [[Andrew Bobola]], Polish statesmen and high dignitaries [[Mikołaj Zebrzydowski]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kalwaria.eu/strona/dzieje-rodu-zebrzydowskich|title=Dzieje Rodu Zebrzydowskich|website=Kalwaria.eu|access-date=11 July 2020|language=pl}}</ref> and [[Piotr Gembicki]], Europe's most prominent 17th-century Latin poet [[Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski]],<ref>Maciej Kazimierz Sarblewski, ''Epigrammatum liber/Księga epigramatów'', Wydawnictwo IBL, 2003, p. 6 (in Polish)</ref> missionary, explorer, mathematician, astronomer and sinologist [[Jan Mikołaj Smogulecki]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ipsb.nina.gov.pl/a/biografia/jan-mikolaj-smogulecki-h-grzymala|title=Jan Mikołaj Smogulecki h. Grzymała|website=Internetowy Polski Słownik Biograficzny|author=Ludwik Grzebień|access-date=11 July 2020|language=pl}}</ref> and Primate of Poland [[Gabriel Podoski]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://prymaspolski.pl/prymasi/gabriel-podoski/|title=Gabriel Podoski|website=Prymas Polski|access-date=1 July 2020|language=pl}}</ref> Prominent [[Hungarians|Hungarian]] Renaissance poet [[Bálint Balassi]] stayed in the town in 1590–1591.<ref>Mike Pincombe "Life and Death on the Habsburg–Ottoman Frontier: Bálint Balassi's 'In Laudem Confiniorum' and Other Soldier-sings', in "Borders and Travellers in Early Modern Europe", edited by Thomas Betteridge, Ashgate, 2007, p. 85</ref> A priestly seminary was added in 1564. [[Pope Gregory XIII]] later added a papal mission seminary for northern and eastern European countries. [[Regina Protmann]] (1552–1613), a native of Braunsberg (Braniewo), founded the [[Catherine of Alexandria|Saint Catherine]] Order of Sisters in the town, recognized by the church in 1583. The Jesuit theologian [[Antonius Possevinus]] was instrumental in enlarging the Collegium Hosianum in the 1580s to counter the growing Protestant movement.
[[File:Dom konwertytów 2015.jpeg|thumb|upright=0.9|Potocki Palace]]
The Polish, and mainly Catholic town was annexed by the mostly Protestant [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1772 during the [[First Partition of Poland]] and made part of the newly formed province of [[East Prussia]] the following year.

===19th and 20th centuries===
[[File:Braniewo kolegium jezuickie 1841.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9|[[Collegium Hosianum]] in the 1840s]]
Braunsberg obtained its first railway connection with the rest of the kingdom via the [[Prussian Eastern Railway]] in 1852. In the early 20th century, the town was the leading academic center of East Prussia next to [[Königsberg]]. In 1912 the [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] college became the State Academy of Braunsberg (German: ''Staatliche Akademie Braunsberg''). Prior to World War II, the population of Braunsberg had grown to more than 21,000, of whom 59 percent were listed as Catholic and 29 percent Protestant.

The Second World War turned much of the town into ruins. After three and a half years of savage warfare, Soviet forces began their assault on German land by attacking East Prussia on Jan. 13, 1945. Red Army formations reached the Vistula Lagoon north of Braunsberg on Jan. 26. In early February, German civilians began fleeing from Braunsberg across the ice of the frozen lagoon to the [[Vistula Spit]], from which many journeyed to either [[Gdańsk|Danzig]] (Gdańsk) or [[Baltiysk|Pillau]] (Baltiysk), and managed to board German ships that made the [[Operation Hannibal|perilous voyage westward]]. Braunsberg was captured by Soviet troops on March 20, 1945. 
{{multiple image |align=right |caption_align=center |perrow=2 |total_width=350
| header = Historic architecture of Braniewo (examples)
| image1 = Braniewo zespół murów obronnych wieża.JPG
| image2 = 20100704 Braniewo, church 2, 1.jpg
| image3 = Braniewo Sądowa 1.JPG
| image4 = Braniewo Kościuszki 108-007.JPG
| image5 = Braniewo 012.jpg
| image6 = Braniewo - kościół ewangelicki ob. rzym.-kat. św. Antoniego.jpg
| caption1 = Defensive walls and towers
| caption2 = Holy Cross Sanctuary
| caption3 = Courthouse
| caption4 = Old granary
| caption5 = Monastery of Saint Catherine
| caption6 = Saint Anthony church
}}

Heavy fighting and wanton destruction afterwards had left the town about 80 percent destroyed, including much of its historic town center, largely consumed by fire. After German surrender,  sovereignty over the town was ceremoniously transferred to Polish authorities on July 7.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.vffow.de/assets/downloads/dateien/Pr.%20Holland-Die%20Wende%201945_Diss.pdf|title=PREUßISCH HOLLAND/PASLEK – DIE WENDE DES JAHRES 1945. DIE VERTREIBUNG/AUSSIEDLUNG DER DEUTSCHEN BEVÖLKERUNG 1945-1947|author=Joanna Ewa Wisniewska|pages=91}}</ref>

The previous unilateral Soviet transfer of power to Poland was accepted according to the [[Potsdam Agreement]], however, under preliminary terms. The town was partially repopulated by Polish settlers, many of whom came from areas of eastern Poland [[Territorial changes of Poland immediately after World War II|annexed by the Soviet Union]].

In 2001 the St. Catherine Church, built in 1346, destroyed in 1945, and rebuilt after 1979, was declared a Basilica Minor. This Gothic Hall church was built on a site which had held a previous wooden Church of St. Catherine since 1280. Prince-Bishop [[Lucas Watzenrode the Younger|Lucas Watzenrode]] of Warmia (1447–1512) had added extensively to the original building.

===Number of inhabitants by year===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Number 
|-
| 1782 || align="right" | 4,370
|-
| 1831 || align="right" | 7,144
|-
| 1900 || align="right" | 12,497
|-
| 1925 || align="right" | 13,900
|-
| 1939 || align="right" | 21,142
|-
| 2004 || align="right" | 18,068
|-
| 2021<ref name = population /> || align="right" | 16,907
|}

===Political timeline===
*1240 first mentioned as part of the [[monastic state of the Teutonic Knights]]
*1254 [[Lübeck law]] rights granted
*1454 incorporation to the [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Kingdom of Poland]], upon the request of the [[Prussian Confederation]]
*1466 [[Second Peace of Thorn (1466)]]: recognized as part of Poland, administratively part of the [[Prince-Bishopric of Warmia]] in the province of [[Royal Prussia]], after 1569 in the [[prowincja|province]] of [[Greater Poland Province, Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Greater Poland]]
*1772 [[First Partition of Poland]]: became part of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]]
*1871 [[German Empire]] founded: the town automatically part of it
*1945 Occupation by [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Red Army]], [[Polish–Soviet border agreement of August 1945|then became again part of Poland]].

==Economy==
The ''[[:pl:Browar Braniewo|Browar Braniewo]]'' ("Braniewo Brewery") is located in the town.

==Sports==
The local [[Association football|football]] team is {{interlanguage link|Zatoka Braniewo|pl}}, which competes in the lower leagues.

==Notable residents==
[[File:Braniewo - Colegium Hosianum.JPG|thumb|[[Collegium Hosianum]] and defensive walls]]
* [[Stanislaus Hosius]] (1504–1579), Polish Catholic cardinal, prince-bishop, founder of the [[Collegium Hosianum]]
* [[Regina Protmann]] (1522–1613), Polish Catholic nun, charity pioneer.
* [[Andrew Bobola]] (1591–1657), Polish missionary, martyr and Catholic saint.
* [[August Willich]] (1810–1878), German politician and general.
* [[Karl Weierstrass]] (1815–1897), German mathematician.
* [[Gustavus von Tempsky]] (1828–1868), German newspaper correspondent and soldier.
* [[Elimar Klebs]] (1852–1918), German historian
* [[Samuel Oppenheim]] (1857–1928), Austrian astronomer.
* [[Konrad Zuse]] (1910–1995), German civil engineer, inventor and computer pioneer.
* [[Rainer Barzel]] (1924–2006), German politician (Christian Democratic Union).
* [[Hartmut Bagger]] (born 1938), postwar German general ([[Bundeswehr]]).
* [[Bartosz Białkowski]] (born 1987), Polish footballer (soccer player) on several British teams.
* [[Tomasz Ptak]] (born 1992), Polish footballer for Zatoka Braniewo

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland}}

===Twin towns — sister cities===
Braniewo is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Münster]], [[Germany]]
*{{flagicon|CZE}} [[Nošovice]], [[Czech Rep.]]

Former twin towns:
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Zelenogradsk]], [[Russia]]

In March 2022, Braniewo terminated its partnership with the Russian city of Zelenogradsk as a reaction to the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://bogatyregion.pl/warmia-i-mazury/braniewo/2022/03/03/braniewo-zrywa-wspolprace-z-rosyjskimi-miastami-partnerskimi/ |language=pl |title=Braniewo zrywa współpracę z rosyjskimi miastami partnerskimi |date=3 March 2022 |access-date = 14 March 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Braniewo}}
{{NIE Poster|year=1905|Braunsberg}}
{{EB1911 poster|Braunsberg}}
*[http://www.braniewo.pl/ Municipal website] {{in lang|pl}}
*[http://www.braniewo.com.pl/ City business page] {{in lang|pl}}
*[http://www.historiabraniewa.hekko.pl/ History of Braniewo] {{in lang|pl}}
*[http://www.braniewo.info/ Local community website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303211937/http://braniewo.info/ |date=2009-03-03 }} {{in lang|pl}}
*[http://mapa.szukacz.pl/?x=553256&y=723976&m=Braniewo&w=warmi%f1sko%2dmazurskie&p=braniewski&g=Braniewo&z=3 Map of Braniewo] {{in lang|pl}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070225112312/http://www.braniewo.pl/graf/PLAN.jpg Street plan] {{in lang|pl}}

{{Braniewo County}}
{{Gmina Braniewo}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship]]
[[Category:Braniewo County]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 13th century]]
[[Category:Populated riverside places in Poland]]
[[Category:Warmia]]