Kietrz

Kietrz ([kʲɛtʂ]; Czech: Ketř) is a town in Głubczyce County, Opole Voivodeship, in southern Poland, near the border with the Czech Republic.^[2] As of 2019, it has a population of 6,005.

Kietrz
Town Hall
Flag Coat of arms
Interactive map of Kietrz
Kietrz
Coordinates: 50°4′45″N 18°0′32″E
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Opole Voivodeship
County	Głubczyce
Town rights	1321
Area
• Total	18.87 km2 (7.29 sq mi)
Population  (2019-06-30[1])
• Total	6,005
• Density	318.2/km2 (824.2/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal codes	48-130, 48-133
Area code	+48 77
Vehicle registration	OGL
Voivodeship roads
Website	http://www.kietrz.pl

History

It was granted town rights in 1321.^[3]

During World War II, in 1941, Nazi Germany established the Stalag 338 and Stalag 348 prisoner-of-war camps for Polish and French POWs, which, however, were soon relocated to Kryvyi Rih and Rzeszów, respectively.^[4] From 1942 to 1945, the Germans operated a Polenlager forced labour camp for Poles in the town.^[5] In January 1945, a German-conducted death march of prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration camp and its subcamps passed through the town.^[6]

Sights

Kietrz contains several Baroque structures, including the Saint Thomas church, the Holy Cross chapel and several religious statues at the central square and park.

Notable people

• Alfons Luczny (1894–1986), Luftwaffe general
• Olga Tokarczuk (born 1962), Polish writer, Nobel laureate

Twin towns – sister cities

See twin towns of Gmina Kietrz.