Gdansk is a major political and economic centre of Poland. President Lech Kaczynski of Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Marshal of the Senate Bogdan Borusewicz were all born in the Gdansk Region. Former Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, who was President of Poland in 1990-1995, also lives in Gdansk and still plays an important role in national politics.
A major seaport, Gdansk is home to shipbuilding, chemical, food and engineering industries.
Gdansk and the nearby Sopot and Gdynya form the Tri-City, an urban complex extending along the Bay of Gdansk and one of Poland's largest tourist attractions.
Area
262 square kilometres
Population
Over 470,000
History
In 1997, Gdansk celebrated its 1,000th anniversary. In the 13th century, Gdansk, then already a major seaport and urban centre, became the capital of the independent Pomerelian duchies. In 1308, it was seized by the Teutonic Order and renamed Danzig. In 1454, the Pomerelian duchies were liberated and incorporated into Poland. At that time, Polish King Kazimierz IV/Casimir IV (1447-1492) granted substantial economic privileges to the city. Such privileges facilitated rapid economic development of Gdansk and the Gdansk Region. From the 16th century until the early 18th century, Gdansk experienced a "golden period" in its development. Thousands of famous Western craftsmen, artisans and artists settled in the city, contributing to its development. In 1712, local craftsmen built the legendary Amber Room, commissioned by Prussian King Friedrich I and subsequently presented by his successor Friedrich Wilhelm I to Russian Emperor Peter the Great.
After the 1700-1721 Great Northern War, Gdansk eventually lost its significance as a European city. Pomerelia was ceded to Prussia during the first partition of Rzeczpospolita in 1772. However, Russia opposed the ceding of Gdansk to Prussia. After the second partition of Poland in 1793, Prussia took over Gdansk, retaining control over the city until 1919, except in 1807-1814 when Gdansk was controlled by Napoleon Bonaparte's Grande Armee.
Following Germany's defeat in World War I, the Allied powers in the Treaty of Versailles (1919) decided to create the Free City of Danzig (under a Polish commissioner appointed by the League of Nations) covering the city itself, the seaport, and a substantial surrounding territory.
Gdansk maintained close economic and political ties with Poland.
A Nazi takeover in 1934 led to a confrontation between the city's German majority and Polish minority.
On September 1, 1939, as Nazi Germany began its invasion of Poland, its forces attacked a small Polish garrison on Westerplatte near Gdansk and a local post service. As World War II began, Polish nationals were forcibly Germanised. Over 60,000 people were killed at Stutthof concentration camp near Gdansk.
On March 28, 1945, elements of the Red Army's Second Belarusian Front comprising Polish units liberated Gdansk which was severely damaged during the fighting. 90% of Old Gdansk in the city's centre was destroyed.
Gdansk was the scene of anti-government demonstrations involving shipbuilding industry workers that led to the downfall of Poland's communist leader Władysław Gomułka in December 1970, and ten years later was the birthplace of the Solidarity trade union movement, whose opposition to the government led to the end of communist party rule (1989) and the election as president of Poland of its leader Lech Wałesa.
The economy
The economy is dominated by the port infrastructure and the shipbuilding industry. Gdansk port is a major Baltic transshipment centre handling oil, coal and metal ores with an annual turnover of nearly 18 million tonnes. The annual passenger turnover is about 200,000.
Throughout its entire existence, the Gdansk Shipyard, one of Poland's largest, has built over 1,000 vessels. At present, Ukrainian steel producer Donbass Industrial Union owns a controlling stake in the company.
The Gdansk Refinery is Poland's second largest petroleum manufacturer with an annual capacity of 5 million tonnes. Two other major chemical enterprises, Siarkopol SA and Gdansk Phosphorus Producers turning out phosphorus fertiliser, are also located here.
Science and culture
Gdansk is a major centre of science and education. Its 15 higher educational establishments, including a university and an institute of technology, train over 60,000 students. The city has its own opera theatre, a philharmonic, several drama theatres and seven cinemas. Gdansk is renowned for its Shakespeare Festival, the annual Dominican Fair and other large-scale cultural events.