Historical Background and Evolution
The most of Silesia is today located in Poland, only a smaller part is situated in the Czech Republic.
Its history is interesting and complicated. Silesia was always a crossroad of the Polish, Czech and German influences,
as well as witness of the struggles and coexistence of the catholics and protestants. Silesia was consisted from two parts,
Lower Silesia with capital Wrocław (Vratislav in Czech, Breslau in German) and Upper Silesia with capital Opole (Oppeln).
Silesia.
Lower Silesia"]Lower Silesia[/URL] was consisted from 13 principiates: Wroclaw, Brzeg, Glogow (Glogau), Olesnica (Oels), Jawor (Jauern), Legnica (Liegnitz), Ziebice (Munsterberg) ,
Nysa (Neisse), Wolow (Wohlau), Zahań (Sagan), Swidnica (Schweidnitz), Zmigrod (Trachenberg) and Bytom.
Upper Silesia"]Upper Silesia[/URL] was consisted from 13 principiates: Cieszyn, Opava (Troppau), Krnov (Jägerndorf), Opole (Oppeln), Raciborz, Bielsko, and next 3 principiates.
In the 10th century belonged Silesia to the Kingdom of Poland, in 1335-1742 was the Duchy of Silesia part of the Czech state,
as well as Kingdom of Bohemia and Margraviate of Moravia.
Results of the Thirty Years War led to large emigration of Czech protestants from Bohemia and Moravia.
Although Silesia was also part of the same Empire under Habsburg rule, the situation was diferent there.
In 1705 was signed pact called Peace of Altranstädt between Karl XII. King of Sweden, August II.
King of Poland and Emperor Joseph I. Habsburg. Results of this pact brought more tolerance to the protestants in Silesia.
128 churches in 5 Silesian principiates came back to protestants. It was also allowed to built 6 new churches: in Cieszyn (Těšín in Czech, Teschen in German),
Zagań, Možuchow, Jelenia Gora, Kamiena Gora and Milicz (Sagan, Freistadt, Hirschberg, Landeshutt and Militsch in German).
All the 6 new churches, as well as the mentioned 128 old churches are located in Poland today.
In the rest of the Silesia was allowed only a private worships for one household. Lutheran church at Těšín (Cieszyn) played important rule also for protestants
from Moravia who secretly visited the church. Large part of religious literature was smugled from Silesia to protestants of Moravia and Bohemia.
Big geopolithical changes for Silesia brought the 1740s. Habsburg Empire, ruled by the Empress Maria Theresia had to defend against invasions from Prussia
under rule of Friedrich II.
First of the 3 so called Silesan wars (1740-1742) was won by the Friedrich II.
Most part of the Silesia was annected by the Prussia. Next 2 wars continued (1744-1745) and (1756-1763) but the results of the first Silesian war was not changed.
In the map of the Europe appeared Prussian Silesia and Austrian Silesia.
Austrian Silesia consisted only from 3 principiates: Cieszyn (Těšín, Teschen), Opava (Troppau) and Krnov (Jägerndorf).
To the rest of Silesian principiates annected Prussia.
Prussia annected also Bohemian Kladsko county (Glatz in German, today Klodzko in Poland).
In the outbreak of the 20th century lived in Prussian Silesia 4 668 857 inhabitants.
2 569 688 were catholics and 2 042 538 were protestans.
By the ethnicity lived there 3 483 042 Germans, 1 100 831 Poles and 75 913 Czechs.
At Austrian Silesia lived in the same time 680 422 inhabitants. Percentually lived there 85 per cent catholics and 13.5 percent protestants.
Ethnical structure was the following: 45 % Germans, 32% Poles and 22% Czechs.
Industrialization in Ostrava region (coal mines, steel works) attracted a large number of workers also from the outside of Silesia.
For work in coal mines and steel works moved there Poles from Galicia and Czechs from Moravia.
Another big geopolithical changes brought 2 World Wars in the 20th century.
In 1918, after WWI and collapse of Austro-Hungarian Empire, were established new countries in the central Europe, includes Czechoslovakia and Poland.
Austrian Silesia was divided between Czechoslovakia and Poland afer a short border conflict.
Industrialized region of Těšín (Cieszyn) was a subject of the 6 days war between Czechoslovakia and Poland in January 1919.
Results was following: southern part of the region came to the property of Czechoslovakia, the northern one to Poland.
Historical town of Cieszyn came to the property of Poland, its suburb includes railway station came to Czechoslovakia as Český Těšín.
Most of Prussian Silesia stayed in property of Germany, only smaller eastern parts came to the property of Poland (Raciborz region)
and to the property of Czechoslovakia (Hlučín region).
During WW2 was Silesia, as well as the most of the Europe under control of Nazi Germany.
After WW2 Poland gained rest of the Prussian Silesia.
German population of the Silesia (in Poland as well as in Czechoslovakia) were moved to Germany.
Industrialization of Ostrava region continued also after WW2. To this region came new waves of population from the all regions of Czechoslovakia.
Austrian Silesia (until 1920s)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...n_1746.svg.png
Czech Silesia (since 1920s)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...%C4%8Ceska.png
