Grudziadz

A cover from Poland with a city postmark ! 

Grudziadz 

Grudziądz / Graudenz is a city of around 96,042 inhabitants (2010) on the Vistula River in northern Poland. Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (since 1999), the city was in the Toruń Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998.

Poland is divided into 16 provinces for administrative purposes 

Grudziadz is situated in the Kujawsko- Pomorskie province. Grudziądz is located close to the east shore of river Vistula, approximately 22 kilometres (14 miles) north-east of Świecie, 93 km (58 mi) south of Gdańsk and 170 km (106 mi) south-west of Kaliningrad.

The town has been a centre of trade since the 11 th century. It has had a troubled history with repeated agrression from Prussia and Germany. In 1871 Graudenz became part of the unified German Empire. With the improvement of the railway network in Germany, Graudenz transiently lost its meaning as an important trading place for grain. In 1878 the railway line Goßlershausen—Graudenz was opened. After the construction of a railroad bridge across the Vistula in 1878, in 1879 the railway line Graudenz—Laskowitz was opened in addition, and Graudenz became a rapidly growing industrialized city. Around the turn to the 20th century, Graudenz had become an important cultural centre in east Germany with numerous schools, municipal archives and a museum. The Poles in the city were subjected to apartheid by Germans and were systematically extorted and massacred during the two great wars. 

Grudziądz Granaries is a unique fortification complex of river bank granaries on the right bank of the Vistula river in Grudziądz, Poland. 

Postcard showing the granaries in summer 

The construction of the granaries on top of the town walls along the Vistula river was done so to be in close proximity with the river port, and thus take advantage of the flourishing grain trade.Due to the different elevations of town and river, the granaries, which from the river side look like imposing multi-stories buildings, from the town side feature only one or two floors.

Postcard showing the granaries in winter 

A monumental amount of damage occurred during the final Soviet Vistula–Oder Offensive during 1945. The granaries were rebuilt between 1946 and 1966. Presently, some of the granary building still perform their storage function, some have been adapted for residential use, whilst others are occupied by the Museum of Grudziądz.

Thanks Wojtek for the beautiful cover with a clear cancellation and the lovely cachets showing the granaries and also the beautiful postcards :)