Silesia

Silesia (-Latin, Polish ?l?sk, German Schlesien, Czech Slezsko) is a historical region in central Europe. Most of it is now within the borders of Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Silesia is located along the upper and middle Oder River (Odra) and along the Sudetes mountain range. In the local Silesian language or dialect, the region is called ?lonsk or ?lunsk. The largest city of Silesia is Wroc?aw.

Related Topics:
Latin - Polish - German - Czech - Historical region in central Europe - Poland - Czech Republic - Germany - Oder - Sudetes - Silesian - Wroc?aw

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Polish portion of Silesia, which forms the larger bulk of the region, is now divided into the following voivodships (provinces):

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Greater Poland Voivodship
• Lesser Poland Voivodship
• Lower Silesian Voivodship
• Lubusz Voivodship
• Opole Voivodship
• Silesian Voivodship

The Opole and Silesian Voivodships are sometimes called Upper Silesia. The small portion in the Czech Republic is joined with the northern part of Moravia and forms the Moravian-Silesian Region of that country, while the remainder forms a small part of the Olomouc Region. The German area of Silesia consists of the city of Görlitz and the Lower Silesian Upper Lusatia district in Saxony.

Related Topics:
Upper Silesia - Moravia - Moravian-Silesian Region - Olomouc Region - Görlitz - Lower Silesian Upper Lusatia - Saxony

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the Middle Ages, Silesia was a Piast province, which became a possession of the Bohemian crown under the Holy Roman Empire and passed with that crown to the Austrian Habsburgs in 1526. In 1742, most of Silesia was seized by Frederick the Great of Prussia in the War of the Austrian Succession. This part of Silesia constituted the Prussian provinces of Upper and Lower Silesia until 1945, when most of Silesia was annexed by Poland. The portion of Silesia that was retained by Austria is now within the borders of the Czech Republic.

Related Topics:
Middle Ages - Piast - Bohemian - Holy Roman Empire - Habsburgs - 1526 - 1742 - Frederick the Great - Prussia - War of the Austrian Succession - Upper - Lower Silesia - 1945

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 
Silesia: Name of the region ►