Lower Silesia

Geography

Some of the geographic regions include:

The Giant Mountains

Polish - Karkonosze, Czech - Krkonoše, German - Riesengebirge, divided between Poland and the Czech Republic. Note that originally Germans lived on both sides of this border, still visible on old cemetaries on the Czech side - the Polish cleared all German tombstones when they annexed this part of Germany after WWII.

Snow Mountain

Polish - Śnieżka, Czech - Sněžka, German - Schneekoppe, the highest mountain in the Giant Mountains, 1602 m. high.

Jeleniogorska Valley

Polish - Kotlina Jeleniogórska - a valley north to the Giant Mountains with Jelenia Góra German Hirschberg aglomeration,

Klodzko County

Polish - Kotlina Kłodzka, German - Grafschaft Glatz, a valley surrounded by several mountain ranges,main city Kłodzko German: Glatz, contains several health resorts - Polanica Zdrój German: Bad Alteheide, Duszniki Zdrój German: Bad Reinerz, Kudowa Zdrój German:Bad Kudowa.

Trzebnica Hills

Barten River Valley

Polish: Dolina Baryczyincludes:

Milicz Ponds, a perfect place for bird watching

Understand

In the early second millennium Lower Silesia started out as a part of Poland. In the 12th and 13th century Silesia fell apart into several duchies of with Wrocław, Głogów, Wschowa and Świdnica in Lower Silesia. In the 14th century Wschowa became again a part of Poland, while the others came under Czech or Bohemian rule. During this time the region was largely settled and or became German-speaking. Bohemia was also ruled at this time by the German Luxembourg, later the Polish Jagiellonians and finally by the Austrian Habsburgs. In 1741 Lower Silesia became a part of Prussia after Austria lost a decisive war over Silesia. After World War II Lower Silesia was annexed by Poland and almost all of its population entirely German was expelled and the area was resettled by Poles.