Tomaszów Lubelski


Tomaszów Lubelski is a town in south-eastern Poland with 19,365 inhabitants. Situated in the Lublin Voivodeship, previously in Zamość Voivodeship, near Roztocze National Park. It is the capital of Tomaszów Lubelski County.

History

The town was founded at the end of the 16th century by Jan Zamoyski as Jelitowo. It is known by its current name since 1613 when it was renamed after Zamoyski's son, Tomasz. It obtained its city charter in 1621. The area around the city saw serious fighting in 1914 during World War I.
Throughout its history, the town had a significant Jewish community, which numbered over 5,600 in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II, making up half its population. The town was bombed and found itself under the German occupation following the invasion of Poland in 1939. During the course of the Holocaust, the Nazi Germans first placed the Jews in a ghetto established in the town, then exterminated them in 1942 at Belzec death camp located a few km. south of the town. The Jewish community ceased to exist.

Education

In the town there are two faculties of Catholic University of Lublin. It has two high schools, three technical colleges, two gymnasiums and two primary schools.

Culture

International Folk Festival Roztocze is a popular annual music festival organized since 1990. Since 2008 the town council organizes reconstructions of Battle of Tomaszów.

Sports

Tomaszów is the home for the soccer team Tomasovia.

Media

There are two main newspapers published weekly in Tomaszów Lubelski. First of them, ReWizje Tomaszowskie, is financed by the town council. Second of them, Tygodnik Tomaszowski, belongs to a private company.

Twin towns

Tomaszów Lubelski is twinned with: