Prabuty
Cathedral in Prabuty
Coat of arms
Prabuty
Coordinates: 53°45′21″N 19°11′51″E / 53.75583°N 19.1975°E / 53.75583; 19.1975Coordinates: 53°45′21″N 19°11′51″E / 53.75583°N 19.1975°E / 53.75583; 19.1975
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Pomeranian
County	Kwidzyn
Gmina	Prabuty
Town rights	1330
Government
• Mayor	Bogdan Józef Pawłowski
Area
• Total	5.92 km2 (2.29 sq mi)
Elevation	90 m (300 ft)
Population (2006)
• Total	8,488
• Density	1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	82–550
Area code(s)	+48 55
Car plates	GKW
Website	http://www.prabuty.pl

Prabuty [praˈbutɨ] (German: Riesenburg) is a town in Kwidzyn County within the Pomeranian Voivodeship of northern Poland. In the period between 1975–98 Prabuty were part of the Elbląg Voivodeship.

Prabuty is an important rail junction on the Warszawa–Gdynia railway.

  History

  Early history

In 1236, the Teutonic Knights under Markgraf Heinrich III. von Meißen destroyed an Old Prussian fortress between the lakes Sorgensee^[1] (jez. Dzierzgon) and Schloßsee (jez. Liwieniec). The place erected by the Knights there was first mentioned in 1250 as Riesenburg. In 1276, Pomesanian bishop Albrecht of Pomesania (1259–1286) founded a castle^[2] above the lake. The village growing around the castle received Culm law (Polish: Prawo chełmińskie) city rights on 30 October 1330^[3] from bishop Rudolf von Pomesanien (1322–1332). Even though the name Riesenburg derives from the area having been called "Reisen" or "Resia"^[4] before the castle (Burg, zamek) had been built, the name was attributed to a giant (Riese in German, olbrzym in Polish), and the coat of arms, first recorded in 1405, thus depicts a giant and a castle. Following the Battle of Grunwald the town was burnt down by the army of King Władysław II Jagiełło of Poland.

  In the Kingdom of Poland

In 1451 the town council joined the Prussian Confederation that was fighting against the Teutonic Order, but bishop Kaspar Linke expelled the councilors and confiscated their property. After the Battle of Konitz, in which Polish forces were defeated, the town sided with the Order again. After the Thirteen Years' War, according to the Second Peace of Thorn (1466), the town became part of Poland's province of Royal Prussia, it became the capital of Pomesania during the 16th century. In 1509 Eobanus Helius Hessus became secretary to Bishop Hiob von Dobeneck. A synod was held there in 1556. The town suffered during the 17th century Polish-Swedish wars

  Annexion by Prussia

During the First Partition of Poland in 1772, the town was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia. Administered under its German name Riesenburg, the town became part of the new Prussian province of West Prussia in 1773. It then became part of the German Empire in 1871 during the Prussian-led unification of Germany.

  Transfer to Poland after World War II

Riesenburg was captured by the Soviet Red Army in 1945 during World War II. As a result of the European war catastrophe caused by Hitler's Germany, according to the post-war Potsdam Conference, the town was transferred from Germany to Poland and renamed to the Polish Prabuty. For the same reasons most of the former East-Prussian inhabitants were expelled, as in the whole former German territories, and replaced by Poles expelled from the former Polish Kresy Wschodnie and by settlers from the central Poland. Heinz Heydrich (1905–44, suicide), brother of Reinhard Heydrich, is buried in the Soldatenfriedhof (soldiers cemetery) Riesenburg, according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt).

  References

  External links

• Municipal website (Polish)
• Independent Municipal Website (Polish)
• History and Forum City (Polish)
• Futbol Team Website (Polish)

Gmina Prabuty Town and seat Prabuty Villages Antonin Bronowo Małe Gdakowo Gilwa Gonty Górowychy Górowychy Małe Grazymowo Grodziec Halinowo Jakubowo Julianowo Kałdowo Kamienna Kleczewo Kołodzieje Kolonia Gąski Kowale Laskowice Laskowicki Tartak Młynisko Obrzynowo Orkusz Pachutki Pałatyki Pilichowo Pólko Raniewo Rodowo Rodowo Małe Rumunki Stańkowo Stary Kamień Stary Młyn Sypanica Szramowo Trumiejki Zagaje