Białogard (; ; Pomeranian: Biôłogard) is a historic town in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland, with 23,614 inhabitants as of December 2021. His son, Duke Bolesław the Brave established a bishopric in nearby Kołobrzeg in 1000, and introduced Christianity.

Białogard is first mentioned in the chronicle of Gallus Anonymous as a rich and populous stronghold in the middle of Pomerania, a famous royal city called white (Alba Regia). This city was conquered by Boleslaus III of Poland in 1107. By the invitation of Bolesław III the Wrymouth and his vassal Wartisław I of Pomerania, Bishop Otto of Bamberg came with a mission to Pomerania in 1124; Białogard was one of the places he visited. In the 12th century Białogard was a seat of a regional governor (castellan).

Kashubia was the name of the region around this town. The town developed quickly as one of the more important economic centres of the Duchy of Pomerania, and this was strengthened by the Lübeck law granted to the city by Duke Bogusław IV in 1299. In 1307 the city was granted staple rights. In 1386 it became a member of the Hanseatic League. In February 1945, German-perpetrated death marches of Allied prisoners of war from the Stalag Luft IV and Stalag XX-B prisoner-of-war camps passed through the town. In the final weeks of the war, the Red Army occupied the town on March 4, 1945. According to the terms of the Potsdam Conference, after the war the town became once again part of Poland.

Białogard was made a county city in the Szczecin Voivodeship, was later assigned to the Koszalin Voivodeship, and is now located in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Natural gas deposits were discovered in 1982 and extraction started in 1984. In 1999 the 700th anniversary of receiving town rights was celebrated with the participation of Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, who was born in Białogard.

  • Aknīste, Latvia
  • Albano Laziale, Italy
  • Binz, Germany
  • Gnosjö, Sweden
  • Maardu, Estonia
  • Olen, Belgium
  • Teterow, Germany

References

  • Official website
  • Białogard (rural) commune homepage
  • Białogard County homepage
  • Jewish Community in Białogard on Virtual Shtetl