Brodnica

File:Kościół farny w Brodnicy 2.jpg Saint Catherine church seen from the Market Square]]

The first reference to the town of Brodnica dates from 1263. In 1285–1370 the construction of the Gothic Church of St. Catherine took place. Brodnica received town privileges in 1298. In 1414, a Polish–Teutonic truce was signed there, ending the Hunger War.{{cite web|url=https://dzieje.pl/kalendarz-dat/1414|title=Kalendarz dat: 1414|website=Dzieje.pl|access-date=4 September 2022|language=pl}} In 1440, the town was one of the founding members of the Prussian Confederation, which opposed Teutonic rule,{{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}} and upon the request of which King Casimir IV Jagiellon reincorporated the territory to the Kingdom of Poland in 1454. In May 1454 the town pledged allegiance to the Polish King in Toruń.Górski, p. 76 After the end of the Thirteen Years' War, the Teutonic Knights renounced claims to the town, and recognized it as part of Poland.Górski, p. 88-90, 206-207 It became a royal town of the Polish Crown,{{cite web|url=https://www.portal.brodnica.pl/strona-33-historia.html|title=Historia|website=Urząd Miejski w Brodnicy|access-date=19 April 2020|language=pl|archive-date=15 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815133041/https://portal.brodnica.pl/strona-33-historia.html|url-status=dead}} administratively located in the Chełmno Voivodeship. In the Teutonic state Brodnica was the seat of the Commander, in the Polish Kingdom it was the capital of the district starosty, and the former Commander's lands were then royal property.

File:Wieża zamkowa w Brodnicy.jpg tower, the highest Gothic tower in Poland east of the Vistula, today a museum]]A favourable location on the intersection of important routes used for transportation of different goods (wood, fish, furs, animal skin, grain, wool) accelerated the development of the town, making it an important trading centre, the status still reflected in the number of well-preserved granaries along the Drwęca. Between 1486 and 1604 the town belonged to the Działyński family, then between 1604 and 1625 to Anna Vasa of Sweden who was the royal sister of Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland, Lithuania, and Sweden. In later years it was the property Queen Cecily Renata, Chancellor Jerzy Ossoliński, Queen Maria Casimira, and Marshal Franciszek Bieliński.

Brodnica was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1772, during the First Partition of Poland, but in 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars, Brodnica became part of the short-lived Duchy of Warsaw. In 1815, Brodnica, known as Strasburg in German, was again annexed by Prussia. In 1871, it also became part of the German Empire. After 1785, the Prussians dismantled the Brodnica Castle, preserving only the tower, which is currently the highest Gothic tower in Poland east of the Vistula, and serves as a museum and a watchtower. The town had a Protestant church, a Catholic church, a synagogue, a grammar school, a district court, a main customs office and several commercial operations.

The 19th century saw 20 thousand Polish soldiers interned after the failure of the November Uprising (1830–1831) and many townspeople and noblemen involved in the January Uprising (1863). It is in the Brodnica region too that Masovian insurgents sought refuge from Russian persecution after the failure of the January Uprising. Bank Spółdzielczy w Brodnicy, which is the oldest continuously operating Polish bank, was established in 1862. In 1873 a Polish philomath organization was founded in the local gymnasium, whose activity ended in 1901 due to Germany's anti-Polish policies.

Between 1886 and 1910, Brodnica received railway connections with Działdowo, Grudziądz, Iława, Sierpc and Jabłonowo Pomorskie, which made it an important railway junction and triggered industrial progress. In the 19th century, the Chełmno Land (and Brodnica in particular) was a refuge for Polish patriots who contributed greatly to social, cultural and economic life of the region, like Ignacy Łyskowski.

File:Brodnica, cmentarz wojskowy, kaplica 3.jpg

In January 1920, after the end of World War I and the Treaty of Versailles, Brodnica was reintegrated with Poland, which had recently regained independence. On 18 August 1920, the town was the site of a Polish victory over the invading Soviets in the {{Interlanguage link|Battle of Brodnica|pl|Bitwa pod Brodnicą}} during the Polish–Soviet War. In the 1920s the town was visited by highest Polish dignitaries: Prime Minister Wincenty Witos, Marshal Józef Piłsudski and President Stanisław Wojciechowski.

During the occupation of Poland (World War II), in 1939, Germans carried out mass arrests of local Poles, who were later murdered in the area or deported to Nazi concentration camps.{{cite book|last=Wardzyńska|first=Maria|year=2009|title=Był rok 1939. Operacja niemieckiej policji bezpieczeństwa w Polsce. Intelligenzaktion|language=pl|location=Warszawa|publisher=IPN|page=173}} Some of these Poles were murdered in Skrwilno between 15 October and 15 November 1939 and in Brzezinki in October 1939.Wardzyńska (2009), p. 174-175 The interwar principal of the local high school, Klemens Malicki, was among the Polish principals and teachers murdered in the Oranienburg concentration camp as part of the Intelligenzaktion Pommern.Wardzyńska (2009), p. 180 In 1940–1941, the Germans carried out expulsions of Poles, whose homes, shops and workshops were then handed over to German colonists as part of the Lebensraum policy.{{cite book|last=Wardzyńska|first=Maria|year=2017|title=Wysiedlenia ludności polskiej z okupowanych ziem polskich włączonych do III Rzeszy w latach 1939-1945|language=pl|location=Warszawa|publisher=IPN|pages=77, 101, 104|isbn=978-83-8098-174-4}} An Einsatzgruppen penal camp was operated in the town during the occupation,{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=556|title=Einsatzgruppen-Straflager Strasburg (Westpreußen)|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=8 November 2020|language=de}} and in 1944, the Germans also established a subcamp of the Stutthof concentration camp, intended for female prisoners.{{cite web|url=http://www.tenhumbergreinhard.de/1933-1945-lager-1/1933-1945-lager-s/strassburg-brodnica.html|title=Strassburg (Brodnica)|access-date=19 April 2020|language=de}} The German occupation ended in January 1945.

In 1975–1998, it was administratively located in the Toruń Voivodeship.

Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb". (Marine West Coast Climate).[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=3321&cityname=Poznan%2C+Wielkopolskie%2C+Poland&units= Climate Summary for Poznan, Poland (nearest city on record)]

{{Weather box

|location = Brodnica

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high C = 15.0

|Feb record high C = 16.6

|Mar record high C = 24.1

|Apr record high C = 30.0

|May record high C = 34.0

|Jun record high C = 36.2

|Jul record high C = 38.2

|Aug record high C = 37.7

|Sep record high C = 34.1

|Oct record high C = 27.3

|Nov record high C = 20.2

|Dec record high C = 16.8

|year record high C = 38.2

|Jan high C = 2.3

|Feb high C = 2.9

|Mar high C = 8.3

|Apr high C = 13.6

|May high C = 19.4

|Jun high C = 22.1

|Jul high C = 24.6

|Aug high C = 24.5

|Sep high C = 19.3

|Oct high C = 13.9

|Nov high C = 6.7

|Dec high C = 3.2

|year high C = 13.4

|Jan mean C = -1.2

|Feb mean C = -0.7

|Mar mean C = 4.0

|Apr mean C = 9.8

|May mean C = 14.9

|Jun mean C = 18.2

|Jul mean C = 20.1

|Aug mean C = 19.8

|Sep mean C = 15.3

|Oct mean C = 9.9

|Nov mean C = 4.4

|Dec mean C = 0.2

|year mean C = 9.6

|Jan low C = -4.6

|Feb low C = -4.3

|Mar low C = -0.3

|Apr low C = 6.0

|May low C = 10.3

|Jun low C = 14.3

|Jul low C = 15.5

|Aug low C = 15.1

|Sep low C = 11.3

|Oct low C = 5.9

|Nov low C = 2.1

|Dec low C = -2.8

|year low C = 5.7

|Jan record low C = -28.5

|Feb record low C = -27.6

|Mar record low C = -21.3

|Apr record low C = -6.8

|May record low C = -3.0

|Jun record low C = 1.1

|Jul record low C = 4.7

|Aug record low C = 3.0

|Sep record low C = -3.8

|Oct record low C = -6.9

|Nov record low C = -15.2

|Dec record low C = -22.4

|year record low C = -28.5

|Jan precipitation mm = 25

|Feb precipitation mm = 23

|Mar precipitation mm = 30

|Apr precipitation mm = 38

|May precipitation mm = 45

|Jun precipitation mm = 62

|Jul precipitation mm = 70

|Aug precipitation mm = 58

|Sep precipitation mm = 35

|Oct precipitation mm = 39

|Nov precipitation mm = 37

|Dec precipitation mm = 30

|year precipitation mm = 492

|Jan humidity = 81

|Feb humidity = 82

|Mar humidity = 75

|Apr humidity = 68

|May humidity = 63

|Jun humidity = 68

|Jul humidity = 70

|Aug humidity = 72

|Sep humidity = 74

|Oct humidity = 77

|Nov humidity = 80

|Dec humidity = 82

|year humidity = 74

|Jan precipitation days = 14

|Feb precipitation days = 12

|Mar precipitation days = 11

|Apr precipitation days = 9

|May precipitation days = 11

|Jun precipitation days = 12

|Jul precipitation days = 13

|Aug precipitation days = 13

|Sep precipitation days = 9

|Oct precipitation days = 12

|Nov precipitation days = 14

|Dec precipitation days = 12

|year precipitation days = 142

|Jan sun = 56

|Feb sun = 67

|Mar sun = 118

|Apr sun = 179

|May sun = 230

|Jun sun = 237

|Jul sun = 236

|Aug sun = 229

|Sep sun = 171

|Oct sun = 122

|Nov sun = 55

|Dec sun = 40

|year sun = 1740

|source 1 = [http://www.stat.gov.pl/cps/rde/xchg/gus Polish Central Statistical Office (closest city on record]

|date=August 2010

}}

Brodnica is located in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship on an important route transit over the small river Drwęca, about {{convert|48|km|abbr=off}} south-east of Grudziądz.

The sports teams in the city include the football club Sparta Brodnica.[http://www.bkssparta.pl/news.php Sparta official website.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129213825/http://www.bkssparta.pl/news.php |date=29 November 2014 }}

{{Unsourced section|date=May 2025}}

File:Spichlerz brodnica.JPG granary, main seat of the local museum]]

The Museum of Brodnica (Muzeum w Brodnicy) consists of three branches, focusing on history, archeology and contemporary art. It is located in the Renaissance granary, the Brodnica Castle tower and the Gothic Chełmińska Gate.

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

File:Brodnica herby miast.jpg

Brodnica is twinned with:

• {{flagicon|GER}} Strasburg, Germany
• {{flagicon|DEN}} Brørup, Denmark
• {{flagicon|LTU}} Kėdainiai, Lithuania
• {{flagicon|SWE}} Kristinehamn, Sweden
• {{flagicon|FRA}} Chamalières, France
• {{flagicon|CRO}} Koprivnica, Croatia
• {{flagicon|NED}} Hummelo en Keppel, Netherlands
• {{flagicon|ARM}} Sevan, Armenia

File:Brodnica pałac Anny Wazówny.JPG]]

• Martin Truchseß von Wetzhausen – Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights
• Anna Vasa of Sweden – Swedish princess made starosta of Brodnica in 1605 by Sigismund III Vasa
• Robert Garrison – German film actor
• Łukasz Fabiański – Polish footballer
• Jakub Wawrzyniak – Polish footballer
• Robert Kłos – Polish footballer
• Jakub Zabłocki – Polish footballer
• Daniel Trojanowski – Polish rower
• Patryk Kuchczyński – Polish team handball player
• Mateusz Łęgowski – Polish footballer

Brodnica, Polska . Widok miasta z wieży zamkowej. - panoramio (30).jpg|Old Town

File:Brodnica, Duży Rynek (2).JPG|Market Square (Duży Rynek) filled with colourful historic townhouses

File:Brodnica kosciol Matki Boskiej Krolowej Polski (01).jpg|Our Lady Queen of Poland church and historic townhouses

File:Brodnica kościół pw św Katarzyny.jpg|Gothic Church of St. Catherine

File:Brodnica kościół pw św Katarzyny - wnetrze.jpg|Interior of the Church of St. Catherine

File:Kościół Niepokalanego Poczęcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny w Brodnicy.jpg|Franciscan Monastery

File:Brodnica, mury obronne 4.JPG|Medieval town walls

File:Brama Chelmińska w Brodnicy.jpg|Chełmińska Gate, now a museum

File:Brodnica, Wieża Mazurska 1.jpg|Mazurska Tower

File:Brodnica, spichrz, ul. Wodna 3.jpg|Granary

File:Magistrat Brodnica.JPG|Town Hall

File:Brodnica, cmentarz wojskowy 7.jpg|Memorial at the site of German executions of Poles in 1939

File:Brodnica, pomnik Anny Wazówny.JPG|Monument of Anna Vasa

File:Brodnica lądowisko.jpg|Medical helicopter landing pad

File:Brodnica.jpg|Drwęca river

File:Niskie Brodno panorama.jpg|Niskie Brodno lake

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Brodnica}}

• [http://www.visittorun.pl/262,l2.html Visit Brodnica] {{in lang|en}}
• {{Official website|https://www.portal.brodnica.pl/}} {{in lang|en}}

{{Brodnica County}}

{{Gmina Brodnica, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities and towns in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship

Category:Brodnica County

Category:Holocaust locations in Poland