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and gingerbread...
History of Toruń XVIII century Toruń was a depopulated city. Fires caused during a siege by the Swedes in 1703 caused a temporary ruin of the Town Hall. In place of houses that stood on the Marketplace and were also destroyed in the fire a new lutheran church was built. After a period of relative economic prosperity in the third quarter of XVIII century, the first partition of the Republic of Poland took place. It is true that Toruń was taken over by Prussians later, in 1793, but economic blockade after 1773, the decay of trade on the Vistula River and break-up of existing commercial bonds caused by the partitions, led to depopulation of the city and gave rise to economic crisis. This situation continued in the first period of Prussian rule (1793-1807), in time when the city was a part of Warsaw Princedom and came under Russian occupation (1807-1815). The advent of Prussian rule saw the gravest demographical crisis – in 1793 the number of inhabitants fell to some 6 thousand. The number of artisans was decreasing and only few grain merchants could recommence their businesses when rafting route to Gdańsk was re-opened and Bydgoszcz Channel was built to open water route to the heart of the Prussian state. A large number of Prussian clerks came to the city with a Prussian garrison. The return of Toruń under Polish rule did not change the situation much. In 1808 the city received the status of a municipality (together with Warsaw, Poznań and Kalisz), which allowed at least for greater formal autonomy of the commune. In 1810-1812 the French decided to turn Toruń into a stronghold. The city was encircled with twelve bastions with walls and palisades. Soon, the defensive quality of the fortifications could be tested during a siege of Russian army in 1813. As a part of defensive preparations, the suburbs, Mokre village, as well as Podgórz and Majdan settlements located on the other side of the Vistula River were destroyed. The siege led to further devastation of the city - 100 houses were ruined, 250 buildings were partially destroyed and only 400 houses were fit to live in them. As a result of the war and due to closed English market, the so far prosperous grain trade in Toruń deteriorated. Importance of Toruń’s gymnasium was also diminishing, as it lost two highest classes and ceased to be a semi-university. Once again, a change of national authority did not stimulate growth. Prussians, who came back to the city in accordance with provisions of the Vienna Congress (1815), focused their attention on developing fortifications around Toruń. The city became Prussian border stronghold. In this way, the it lost a possibility of spatial development. Only in some distance from the fortifications new suburbs appeared - these were: Mokre suburb inhabited by labourers, as well as Bydgoskie, Jakubskie and Nowe Przedmieście Chełmińskie suburbs. In mid XIX century their population did not reach the numbers from 1812. Moreover, very unfavourable conditions for Toruń’s trade persisted allowing only for its local development. The most important technological inventions reached the city very slowly. The first hard surface road to Grudziądz was built in 1828, a telegraphic connection with Berlin was established in 1855, in 1859 a city gas station was built, the first railway line (to Bydgoszcz) was finished in 1861, and in 1899 a power plant and the first electric tram line were ready. These facilities, their number growing rapidly after 1850, allowed for better conditions for demographical and economic development of Toruń. However, before the conditions improved Toruń was visibly lagging behind nearby Bydgoszcz and Grudziądz. The decision to relocate fortifications into areas distant from the city was particularly important for facilitating its spatial development. A victory in war with France gave Prussians substantial compensation funds which were spent on developing defensive system of united Germany. This fact was also important for the fate of Toruń which was categorised as a first class stronghold. In the 1878-1892 period a complete ring of external fortifications was built. It comprised 7 main forts, 6 medium forts, a large cannon battery and shelters for infantry and artillery. Strategic and economic importance of the city rose when in 1873 a railway bridge was constructed on Berlin – Wystruć line being the best connection of central Germany with East Prussia. As a result of relocation and further liquidation of the internal fortifications line adjacent to Old Town walls, it became possible to develop the areas left by the army. Many new military and public buildings were constructed in the area, including a garrison church (built in 1894-1897), a city theatre (1903-1904), new seat of the bank located nowadays in Rapackiego square (1906) and a building of industrial school (the present Collegium Maius of Nicolaus Copernicus Univesity, 1907). In 1906 the Mokre commune was incorporated into Toruń. At that time its population was 12,000, mainly Polish workers, who were attracted to Toruń by the possibility of finding employment in extending the fortifications. In the 1861 - 1906 period, the population of Toruń rose from 14 to circa 33 thousand, and after incorporation of Mokre - to over 40,000. In 1861, for the first time in more than a century, the number of artisans increased (in the1867-1900 period, the number rose from 195 to 540 master craftsmen). Also local industry began to develop – E. Drewitz agricultural machines factory started to operate and gingerbread production started (for example in Weese company). Economic and demographical development of the city resulted in more lively cultural and scientific life in Toruń. The publishing of History of Toruń by J.E. Wernicke in 1842 can be regarded as the beginning of increased interest in scientific life. In the same year, Ernst Lambeck printing house started to operate. It also published books in Polish, including the first legal edition of “Pan Tadeusz” by A. Mickiewicz (1859). 1853 was the year of founding of the "Coppernicus-Verein für Kunst und Wissenschaft zu Thorn", which contributed to raising interest in the history of Toruń. Members of the society were, among others, Georg Bender (1848-1924), many years’ member of Prussian parliament, senior- mayor of Toruń in the years 1888-1891, and keen explorer of the city’s past, as well as possibly the greatest historian of Toruń of German origin - Artur Semrau (1862-1940). Despite lack of Polish intellectual circles after 1793, in the second half of XIX century Toruń became a centre of Polish independence movement. It was connected mainly with the fact that in 1866 Toruń became the place of residence of editors of the biggest Polish newspaper in East Prussia - "Gazeta Toruńska" – its first issue was printed in Józef Buszczyński printing house on 1 January 1867. Another institution that was very important for Polish citizens and operated in Toruń was the Scientific Society founded on 16 December 1875 to group mainly Polish gentry and catholic clergy from West Prussia. In the 1897-1914 period it was chaired by rev. Stanisław Kujot, an explorer of the history of Pomerania.
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