History of Rzeszow

During the war, Rzeszów was a main center of Polish resistance (Home Army, AK), with Rzeszów Inspectorate of the AK covering several counties. On May 25, during Action Kosba, Home Army soldiers killed on Rzeszów street Gestapo henchmen, Friederich Pottenbaum and Hans Flaschke. In the summer 1944, during Operation Tempest, units of the Home Army attacked German positions in the town, and on August 2, Rzeszów was in the hands of the Home Army. Polish authorities loyal to the London Government tried to negotiate with the Soviets, but without success. NKVD immediately opened a prison in the cellars of the Rzeszów Castle, sending there a number of Home Army soldiers. In the night of October 7/9 1944, Home Army unit under Lukasz Cieplinski attacked the castle, trying to release 400 inmates kept there. The attack failed, Cieplinski was captured and subsequently executed in 1951 (see 1951 Mokotów Prison execution).

On 7 July 1945, Rzeszów became capital of the newly created Rzeszów Voivodeship, which consisted of western counties of prewar Lwów Voivodeship, plus some eastern counties of prewar Kraków Voivodeship. This decision had a major impact on the city, as it quickly grew. New offices of the regional government were built, and in 1951, several neighboring villages were annexed by Rzeszów, and the area of the city grew to 39 km. In 1971 and 1977, further villages were annexed. In early 1981, Rzeszów was a main center of peasant’s protests, who for fifty days occupied local offices, which resulted in signing of the Rzeszów - Ustrzyki Agreement, and creation of Rural Solidarity.

On 1 January 1999, the city became the capital of Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Its population grew to 170,000, and area to 91,43 km.

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