Kutno

Kutno has maintained the administrative units of a town (Districts, housing developments), although certain parts of the town are simply called housing developments (e.g.: Łąkoszyn housing development). These divisions are mostly historical references. For instance, the Łąkoszyn housing development is part of what remains of the town of Łąkoszyn town which was incorporated to Kutno.

The following parts of Kutno have been formulated in the National Register of Country's Administrative Division: Antoniew, Azory, Bielawki, Dybów, Kościuszków, Kotliska Małe, Łąkoszyn, Puśniki, Sklęczki, Stara Wieś, Stodółki, Walentynów, Wiktoryn, Żwirownia.

Customary Administrative Division of Kutno:

Dybów, Piaski, Rejtana, Tarnowskiego, Kościuszków, Olimpijska, Sklęczki, Łąkoszyn (New Łąkoszyn – houses and Old Łąkoszyn – housing development), Majdany, Grunwald, Batorego, Rataje (between Solidarność roundabout, Targowica and The Kutno House of Culture).

The climate of Kutno is similar to that of the entire lowland region of Poland. The temperature is influenced by continental and oceanic airflow patterns. Kutno is in the lowest zone of precipitation in Poland. It averages 550 mm (21.65 in) per year, but this can be significantly lower in some years. This is a problem for Kutno, exacerbated by low forest cover and intensive agriculture in the area. Kutno has about five storms during the year (about half of the national average). Snow falls, on average, 39 days in a year. There are about 21 foggy days during the year in the municipal area. But near the Ochnia river fog occurs quite often. On average there are 50 sunny and 130 cloudy days every year. The wind comes mostly from the west, veering southwest in winter and northwest in summer.[3]

July and August are the hottest months with average highs of 24 °C (75.20 °F). December and January are the coldest with average highs of 2 °C (35.6 °F) and lows of −3 °C (26.6 °F). July has the most rainfall with an average of 73mm and January has the least with 30mm.[4]

The 1766 royal decree granting city rights and privileges to Kutno based on Magdeburg Law

There are indications that the origin of the town may have taken place in the 12th century. The first mention of it was found in a document concerning an endowment of Łęczyca prepositure published due to a consecration of the collegiate church in Łęczyca in the year 1161.

According to the local folklore, both the town and the parish came into being in 1250, although official documentation to that effect is lacking. Most probably, the town began to be settled some time between the 12th and the 14th centuries; its name appeared for the first time in a document from the year 1301. The document had been published for his son Ziemysław by Leszek, Przemysł, and Kazimierz – duke of Kuyavia in the presence of three estate dignitaries as well as other people gathered during a convention in Włocławek. References to Kutno concern the appearance of rector Michał from the church in Kutno on the list of witnesses. In 1386, Siemowit IV, Duke of Masovia had given to Andrzej de Kutno the privilege of freeing Kutno and Sieciechów villages from all charges and burdens excluding two coins (Groschen) out of every crop fee. The role of the provincial courts was transferred to the Duke. In 1386, the village of Kutno was given trade and town rights, and 46 years later, in 1432 a municipal town charter. The first records that define Kutno as a town appeared in 1444.

1 July 1504: Mikołaj of Kutno gained the right to hold the St. Wawrzyniec fair, improving the development of the town's trade. In 1701, the Kucieński family gave up Kutno to Anna Zamojska. The Zamoyski family fought amongst themselves for the property for a long time. The town fell into debt but the situation had normalized when Andrzej Hieronim Zamoyski became the owner of Kutno. During that time Kutno was a town of prosperity and development. The town's prestige increased after King Augustus III of Poland ordered the construction of the Postal Palace and consequently, the Saxon Palace was built. It was constructed between 1750 and 1753 after a royal track leading from Dresden to Warsaw had been built. The palace was decorated with rich interiors according to John M Walter's plans. In 1753, Kutno was completely burned, resulting in the loss of the town records along with the settlement grant. After the fire, the King's Lord Councillor Andrzej Zamoyski left Kutno in order to obtain another settlement grant, however, the town suffered another fire due to a march-pass in 1774 and easygoing attitude of soldiers.

Piłsudski Square is one of the oldest areas of the town

In 1775, Andrzej Zamoyski sold Kutno to Stanisław Kostka Gadomski – governor of Łęczyca province. Under his reign, Kutno became one of the biggest settlements in central Poland. The Second Partition of Poland occurred in 1793. Kutno had been completely under Prussian control and became part of the newly created South Prussia provinces. The whole province of Kutno became part of the Łęczyca department, then after the Third Partition, it became part of the Warsaw department.

On 4 January 1807, Napoleon Bonaparte passed through Kutno. In 1807 due to a decision that had been made by Congress of Vienna, Kutno became part of the dukedom of Warsaw. An 1808 fire, most likely set by Napoleon's army, destroyed 180 houses. In 1809 Kutno was visited by Jan Henryk Dąbrowski. In 1826, the first town map was published due to the planned rebuilding of the town.

In 1840, a chapel was built which later became the Museum of the Battle of the Bzura river. Built in the Neo-Renaissance style and rotunda shape and crowned with a dome, it is part of the Wiosny Ludów park. It formerly served as a mausoleum for the Rzątkowski and Mniewski families. Another fire destroyed nearly all of the houses on Królewska St. Only two buildings remained – nowadays Crocantino and MDM. In 1844, the first hospital in Kutno was opened. Founder of the ground, many building materials and the main executioner was former owner of Kutno town – Feliks Mniewski. City Hall has been raised in 1845 in classicistic style. The building located in the Marshal Piłsudski square is the current location of the Regional Museum in which one can see mementos and records depicting the history of Kutno.

Królewska Street is the town's main promenade

In 1862, the Warsaw – Bydgoszcz railway line opened, leading Kutno to become an important railway junction and a trade and industry center. Directly before and during the period of the January Uprising, Kutno was the seat of the head of the Gostynin province.

In 1867, Kutno district was formed. This state endured until World War I outbreak. Famous writer Szalom Asz was born in Kutno in 1880. In his collection of short stories "Miasteczko" ("The Town") author showed situation of Jewish people from his family town – Kutno. Once in two years, the town holds the Festival of Jewish Culture named by the Szalom Asz which has a literature contest about his works within its framework. In 1886, on place of a former Gothic church St. Wawrzyniec Church (designed in a neo – gothical style by Konstantyn Wojciechowski) has been built.

Honourable Guard of the 37th Infantry Regiment with banner – 1933

5 January 1904, the Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz stayed in Town's Theatre; which was the seat of Fire Brigade during that time. Income from lecture made by Nobel prize winner was given to the poor children in Kutno. At Wiosna Ludów park after the speech a ball had been made on which only men were allowed, other hand women could watch Sienkiewicz from unshuttered windows.

From 15 to 16 October 1914, the Battle of Kutno took place between the Russian and German armies. The Russians lost the battle and the loss of Kutno provided direct access to Warsaw. In 1915, local parish priest Franciszek Pruski was executed by firing squad. The St. John the Baptist church has a memory plate concerning the event.

Many Kutno inhabitants took part in the Polish-Bolshevik War, and were known as Lwów Eaglets. They also fought in the Siberian Division. After the war, hundreds of 15-year-old boys enlisted in the Army Mining Corps, today known as the miner–soldiers.

From April 1919 to January 1921, Charles de Gaulle stayed in Kutno as an instructor of the French military mission under general Louis Faury's command. On 5 March 1938, Kutno received a blazon that depicts two wild boars placed on the yellow background which stays on their back paws and lean on green bulrush.

German Nazi postcard from Kutno showing Adolf Hitler Platz, now Piłsudski Square

The Battle of The Bzura river took place from 9 to 12 September 1939. On 9 September the Poznań Army (Armia Poznań) operational group, led by General Edmund Knoll-Kownacki, attacked the German 8th army led by General Johannes Blaskowitz. On 11 September Poland's Pomorze Army reinforced the Polish troops in battle. At first, the Polish assault was successful but the Germans reinforced their troops on 12 September and started to counterattack. General Tadeusz Kutrzeba ordered Knoll to retreat beyond the Bzura river. Kutno remained outside the battle area. Despite the ultimate defeat of Polish army, the Battle of the Bzura river made the Germans change their strategy and regroup and also delayed the capitulation of Warsaw.

On 16 September 1939, the German Wehrmacht moved into Kutno, bombarding trains, the railway station, and houses throughout the district. At the junction of what is now Kochanowski Street and Maja Street, a German saboteur laid down on the street as a target for the bombers which were bombing the railway station.

Ghetto in Kutno

Jewish inhabitants of the Kutno Ghetto

The area administratively became part of the Third Reich's Reichsgau Wartheland, within the district/county (kreis) of Kutno. In December 1939 resettlement began in accordance with Nazi racial and ethnic policies, which aimed to make the town population purely German. People were forced to leave their houses early in the morning with only an hour's notice and could take only 50 kg (110 lb) of baggage and a small amount of money. Displacement was very often carried out with violence. People were transported by trucks or wagons and then in sealed trains. The trip was up to eight days long, in terrible conditions. On 14 April 1940, most of the teachers from Kutno district were arrested. Few survived having had left their houses earlier or having been arrested.

Subsequently, the Germans founded the ghetto in Kutno on 15 June 1940. The entire area of a former sugar factory ("Hortensja" or "Konstancja" according to various sources) was surrounded by barbed wire. On the first day, the Poles were forbidden to leave their houses while Jews were forced to take all their belongings and proceed to the factory. German soldiers and SS members beat Jews standing in the street. Eight thousand people were transferred to the area of the factory, within five living quarters. On the first day, crowded and without any first-aid stations, a few people died. The only food they had was a small amount of potatoes and bread. Prices of extra food were very high. For instance, one kilogram of potatoes cost 40 fen in the ghetto and it would have cost 5 fen in the rest of the town. However, the true nightmare started during winter when there was not enough firewood so that Jews had to warm themselves with burned furniture or scaffolding.

In the following year, 1941, due to overcrowding of resettled people and transport difficulties in 7th Przemysłowa St., another concentration camp was founded. Due to terrible conditions in the camp, about 10 persons per day died of dysentery.

On 9 June 1941, at present-day Wolności Square, three Poles, Kalikst Perkowski, Wilhelm Czernecki and Piotr Sanda, were publicly executed. They were sentenced to death for smuggling food to Warsaw. Their deaths were intended to be a lesson and the presence of locals at the execution was compulsory; even the family of the executed was there.

On 19 March 1942, the ghetto was closed. All Jews, in alphabetical order, were transported to Koło and then to Chełmno extermination camp. Six thousand Jewish inhabitants of Kutno were killed there while elder people who had been ghetto administrators were killed in Kutno town. Additionally, a forced labor camp operated in the area from January 1942 until January 1945.[5] On 19 January 1945, the Red Army arrived in Kutno, ending the German occupation.

View of present-day Marshal Piłsudski Square on postcard 1950–1960

Cultural institutions resumed activity during first years after the liberation. Firstly, posts that had existed before 1939 were reopened. In June 1945 the Kutno District Public Library was opened. Thanks to donations by the public and the regaining of books that had been kept during the War, the library's collection grew rapidly. The public library was and still is fulfilling its important role in broadening culture. Because of developed railway and road trails, Kutno has been attractive for investors. Among the many branches of industry in Kutno, the most important was the electronics industry. In 1957 Radio Components Company Miflex opened, and would eventually employ over three thousand people. The Company is one of the important distributors of capacitors, anti-interference filters. At the Marshal Piłsudski square Polish – Soviet brotherhood was constructed, depicting two persons: Red Army soldier and People's Army of Poland soldier shaking hands with each other. After the monument had been constructed incidents such as vandalism and defacing it with paint by local high school students occurred. They were part of the group called "Bloody Hawk" ("Krwawy Jastrząb").

In 1968 Kazimierz Jóźwiak, who was a choreographer and manager as well as director of the Kutno House of Culture founded the "Song and Dance of Kutno`s Land Band" ("Zespół Pieśni i Tańca Ziemi Kutnowskiej"). In 1971, the former Town Hall at the Marshal Piłsudski square Kutno Regional Museum was reopened. In 1975, the town was adjoined to the province of Płock and would remain so for the next 23 years. Annually, since September 1975, the Kutno Rose Festival takes place at the Kutno House of Culture, which has long been a center of cultural events in Kutno.

In 1990 formula of the fair has been changed as well as its name: from The "Rose Fair" to "The Rose Festival"

In 1996 International Little League Baseball Tournament took place in Kutno. Since that time Kutno is the world-famous seat of the European Little League Baseball Center. On 18 August 1998 Higher School of Economics has been opened in Kutno in 7th Lelewel St. In 1999 because of an administrative resolution, Kutno district once again become part of the Łódź province after 24 years. In 2001, Królewska St. and Marshal Józef Piłsudski Square were renovated.

As a result of decisions made in the 1970s, industry investments began being located in the eastern part of Kutno - Sklęczki - now Kutno Agro-Industrial Park. The decisive factor was access to the A2 motorway and the presence of a system of sidings connected with the E20 railway. KAIP began in 1996 during construction of the National Center for Food Processing and Distribution. Construction was led by the Urban Institute and the U.S. Agency for International Development and was opened in 1998. KAIP is constructed on 370 hectares, and now has over 60 businesses of local and foreign capital operate within its boundaries. Nearly 6,000 people are employed here. The food industry, packaging, plastics processing, manufacturing of agricultural equipment, and pharmaceuticals are the dominant branches. 111 hectares were set aside as part of the Special Economic Zone of Łódź.

Wschodnia St. industrial park in 2009

In 2000, the Town Council created the Łódź Special Economic Zone in Kutno Agro-Industrial park. It was originally 23 hectares and had four zones: Odlewnicza St. (4.24ha), Sklęczkowska St. (6.48 ha), Stalowa I and II (7.87ha and 4.49ha). The Sub-zone has been broadened in the following years: 2002, 2005, twice in 2007 and in 2010.

According to data from the end of January 2010, the whole area of Kutno sub-zone is 111 hectares. Capital investments of companies operating only in the Kutno sub-zone have exceeded the value of 1 billion PLN over the last 10 years.[6]

• Pharmaceutical industry: Teva Kutno, Polfarmex, Fresenius Kabi Poland, Nobilus Ent, Trouw Nutrition International (a part of Nutreco)[7]
• Engineering and Metallurgic industry: Kongskilde, Skiold BL, Ideal Europe, Florian Centrum (owned by Mittal Steel), Kraj, Miflex-Masz, AMZ Kutno, Libner Poland, Fermator (Enginova), Profilplast
• Electronics industry: Miflex (a former branch of Unitra),
• Transportation: Nijhof-Wassink, Hartwig Poland
• Food industry: Exdrob, Kofola, Polmos, Pini Polonia[8]
• Construction industry: Schomburg Poland, Vester, Urbud, Mavex, Trakt, Kutnowska Prefabrykacja Betonu (Kutno Concrete Prefabrication), Mawex, Aarsleff, ProfilPas
• Packaging and plastic industry: DS Smith, Fuji Seal Poland, PrintPack Poland, Paja Folie, Sirmax Poland, PolyOne Poland Manufacturing, Elplast

• St. Lawrence Parish – founded in 1301. The first reference about St. Lawrence the Martyr comes from 1301 and mentions parish priest Michał. The first presumed wooden construction of the church was in the 13th century during the efforts to construct village parishes. It was a small church made in a Gothic style that had lasted until 1483 when burned down. The new one was funded by the Mikołaj from Kutno in 1484. It was made in gothic style, a one-aisled church with set apart presbytery and tower on the west side and St. Anne chapel adjacent to the aisle. In 1883 because of high-level of damage church had been decided to be pulled down. Construction of the current one ended in 1886 according to a design made by Konstantyn Wojciechowski. Basilical, neo-gothic church has two towers with clock placed on the top of one.
• St. John the Baptist Parish – founded in 1988. The main altar consists of a relief depicting Resurrected Christ, Consecration by Pope John Paul II in Łowicz on 1 June 1999.
• The Saint Queen Jadwiga Parish – founded in 1990. On 8 June 1997 on Kraków grasslands Pope John Paul II Consecration Cornerstone for the construction of this church.
• St. Stanislaus the Martyr Bishop Parish – founded in 1297
• The Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish church – founded in 1988
• Saint Michael the Archangel Parish – is placed in Woźniaków district.

• Wiosny Ludów Park – is the oldest and simultaneously biggest park in Kutno (area 17,1ha). Once it was a palace garden by the Gierałty's Palace and came into being during the years 1775 to 1791. Park is separated in two parts, first one is a symmetric garden that is similar to the shape of French garden. The other one is landscape English garden, which came into being during the years 1826 to 1840. In the western edge of the park stands chapel in the memory of Mniewscy family (owners of Kutno from the 19th century).
• Romuald Traugutt City Park – placed in the central part of town on the area of 4,2ha. Has been founded during Poland's twenty years of independence after World War I as a place where one can reSt. Park is placed on terrain with diverse heights which gives him interesting landscape composition with pond being placed on the lowest part. At first, it was just an industrial pond nowadays it is adapted to leisure functions. Most of the cultural events in Kutno take place there. Stefan Żeromski's public library and Kutno House of Culture are placed in there.
• City park by the Ochnia river – is the newest park in Kutno. Groundworks ended there in 2003 year. Park's small woodiness gives it a modern image. Football and Basketball pitches located in the neighborhood create opportunity to practice sports.

• The Rose Festival – a cultural event organized by Kutno House of Culture. It was held for the first time from 20 to 21 September 1975 as Kutno's Roses Fair. Main element of this event is exhibition of roses that comes from different Kutno growers along with performances of music bands (mostly folk bands), exhibition of the local artist and trade stalls. Since 1990 name of the festival has been changed to The Rose Festival (Święto Róży) along with its theme. Exhibition of roses has been extended with arts and set design arrangements.
• Kutno Station – Nationalwide Competition of Honorable Songs of Kutno District Governor – Jeremi Przybora. For the first time, took place in 2005.
• Szalom Asz Festival – A nationwide contest that is held once every two years. Jewish music, photographic exhibitions and film screenings also are immanent part of the festival.

• MZS Kutno – Football, currently in third league, founded in 1993.
• KKS Kutno – basketball, currently Polish Basketball League.
• Tytan Kutno – rugby club founded in 2009
• Stal Kutno – baseball club, first league
• Stal Kutno II – Baseball club, second league

• country road nr 60: Łęczyca – Kutno – Płock – Ostrów Mazowiecka
• country road nr 92: Miedzichowo – Poznań – Konin – Kutno – Łowicz
• province road nr 702: Kutno – Piątek – Zgierz

Kutno is served by the Kutno railway station. Kutno has been an important railway hub in Poland since the 19th Century. The railways enjoyed its greatest development in the 1920s and 1930s.

The history of rail in Kutno dates from 1861. Intensive railway development started during the interwar period. Between 1922 and 1926, the connection linking Kutno with Poznań (thereby construction of Warsaw - Poznań railway) was completed and Łódź with Płock was finished. During the postwar period, the current platform and underground passage was constructed.

One can now travel by train from Kutno to most of the big cities in Poland (Warsaw, Łódź, Bydgoszcz, Szczecin, Poznań, Wrocław, Katowice, Kraków, Lublin) and also to various tourism centers (Kołobrzeg, Krynica-Zdrój, Hel, Zakopane).