Puck, Poland

Puck [put͡sk] (Kashubian: Pùckò, Pùck, Pëck, German: Putzig, Latvian: Pucka) is a town in northwestern Poland with 11,350 inhabitants. It is in Gdańsk Pomerania on the south coast of the Baltic Sea (Bay of Puck). Previously in the Gdańsk Voivodeship (1975–1998), Puck has been the capital of Puck County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999.

History

13th century Gothic church in Puck

The settlement became a marketplace and a seaport as early as the 7th century. The name, as was common during the Middle Ages, was spelled differently: in a 1277 document Putzc, 1277 Pusecz, 1288 Puczse and Putsk, 1289 Pucz. In 1309 it came under the rule of the Teutonic Order as part of Pomerelia. Puck achieved town status in 1348. Together with the rest of Royal Prussia, it joined Poland in 1454 (1466) and was the place of the local County Administration (Starostwo). The Polish kings tried to create a fleet at Danzig, but independent Hanseatic Danzig would not allow them in their territory. Ships chartered by Poland had to land at Pautzke (Puck) in 1567. Poland tried to establish a Polish Navy, gaining the use some harbors in Livonia and Finland, but a standing navy never materialized. Swedish-Lithuanian Vasa King of Poland-Lithuania Sigismund III also tried to establish a fleet in his attempts to wrest the crown of Sweden from King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, but Sigismund's attempts were destroyed in 1628.

The first actual Polish Navy was founded at the end of World War I in 1918 with some French and British involvement.

In 1772, through the Partitions of Poland, the western Prussian town was incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia. After the First World War I, Puck was assigned to the Second Polish Republic by the Treaty of Versailles. In 1920 Poland celebrated Poland's Wedding to the Sea in Puck. Puck was the only Polish harbour until Gdynia was built in the 1920s and served as the main harbour of the Polish Navy until the Second World War.

Puck was bombed by Nazi Germany at 5.20am Polish time on Friday September 1, known thereafter as Grey Friday. A Luftwaffe bomber dropped a single projectile on the town, which also had an airbase.

The British and French declaration of war came two days later. That week TIME magazine in New York put a black and white picture of the Polish commander in chief, Edward Rydz-Śmigły on its cover.

After Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1939, a branch of the Stutthof concentration camp existed in Puck in the years 1941 to 1944. After 1945 Puck was part of the Republic of Poland.

Interesting places

Kitesurfing

Marina

Former hospital for the poor (18th century)

Puck in 1909

Town Hall (1865)
St Peter and Paul's church (13th century)
Burghers' houses at the main square (Plac Wolności), 17th century, rebuilt in the 19th century
Flooded port (8th-10th century) located some 500 metres from the shore
Remnants of a brick castle (14th century)
Memorials of gen. Józef Haller and Poland's Wedding to the Sea
Puck region museum (Muzeum Ziemi Puckiej)
Wooden pier
Marina
Caves in Mechowo
Coastal Landscape Park (Nadmorski Park Krajobrazowy)

Population

Year	Population
1895	1 904
1900	2 093
1960	6 800
1970	9 300
1975	10 500
1980	11 100
1998	11 600
2005	11 350

Land use

Land use in Puck in 2005	in ha	in %
Total	490	100.0
agricultural lands area, of which:	188	38.4
arable land	118	24.1
orchards	0	0.0
meadows	59	12,0
pastures	11	2.2
Forests and forest land	3	0.6
Other and wastelands	299	61,0

International relations

Puck, Poland is twinned with: Cieszyn, Stein, Konz, Guéret

Gallery

Coordinates: 54°42′N 18°25′E / 54.700°N 18.417°E / 54.700; 18.417

Timber framed building of hospital for the poor from 18th century, now seat of Puck region museum
Puck is an important water sports centre
Port in Puck during annual pilgrimage of fishermen from Hel Peninsula to a church fair of St. Peter and Paul in Puck
Small marina and pier in Puck
Marina in Puck
Memorials of gen. Józef Haller and Poland's Wedding to the Sea
Restaurant on pier in Puck
An evening view of the town

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Puck.

Gminas of Puck County

Urban gminas	Puck (seat) Hel Jastarnia

Urban-rural gminas	Gmina Władysławowo

Rural gminas	Gmina Kosakowo Gmina Krokowa Gmina Puck

Gmina Puck

Seat (not part of the gmina)	Puck

Villages	Beka Błądzikowo Brudzewo Celbówko Celbowo Czarna Góra Czarny Młyn Czechy Dana Darżlubie Domatówko Domatowo Głuszewo Gnieżdżewo Kaczyniec Łebcz Leśniewo Łyśniewo Mała Piaśnica Mechowo Mieroszyno Mieroszyno-Wybudowanie Moście Błota Mrzezino Muza Osłonino Podgóry Połchowo Połczyno Pustki Radoszewo Rekowo Górne Rzucewo Sikorzyno Sławutówko Sławutowo Smolno Starzyno Starzyński Dwór Strzelno Swarzewo Werblinia Widlino Wielka Piaśnica Zdrada Zele Żelistrzewo

Places on the Baltic coast of Poland

Świnoujście Uznam Międzyzdroje Wolin Wolin National Park Grodno Międzywodzie Dziwnów Dziwnówek Łukęcin Pobierowo Pustkowo Trzęsacz Rewal Niechorze Pogorzelica Mrzeżyno Rogowo Dźwirzyno Grzybowo Kołobrzeg Sianożęty Ustronie Morskie Pleśna Gąski Sarbinowo Chłopy Mielno Unieście Łazy Dąbkowice Dąbki Bobolin Żukowo Morskie Darłowo Darłówko Wicie Jarosławiec Wicko Morskie Modlinek Ustka Orzechowo Poddąbie Dębina Rowy Rówek Czołpino Słowiński National Park Łeba Osetnik Kopalino Lubiatowo Białogóra Dębki Karwia Ostrowo Jastrzębia Góra Cape Rozewie Rozewie Chłapowo Władysławowo includes Cetniewo Chałupy Jastarnia includes Kuźnica Jurata Hel Hel Peninsula Coastal Landscape Park Swarzewo Puck Bay of Puck Błądzikowo Rzucewo Osłonino Rewa Mechelinki Gdynia Sopot Gdańsk Bay of Gdańsk Mikoszewo Jantar Stegna Sztutowo Kąty Rybackie Skowronki Krynica Morska Vistula Spit

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