Haczów commune (Poland)

Brzozów county, Podkarpackie vojvodship

Last modified: 2014-06-28 by andrew weeks
Keywords: haczow |
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Haczów commune

Haczów was established in 1352 as a German colony by the King Kazimierz Wielki (Casimir the Great). Besides the Germans, it was also colonized later by the Swedish settlers. The original name of the settlement was either Hanshoff or Hatshoff, only later becoming Hoczew and Haczów.
In 1940 the Nazis attempted to create a separate nationality in the Subcarpathian region and in Haczów in particular. The name given to that nationality-to-be was Hatshower and it was supposed to be modeled on the Goralenvolk idea. It turned out to be a total failure, as the local people were highly patriotic Poles.
Under intense German pressure only a few individuals accepted "new" nationality, most claimed the Swedish nationality (Sweden was a neutral country) to avoid being drafted to the Wehrmacht. After realizing the failure, the Nazis arrested and sent to the concentration camps many inhabitants of Haczów.

Two of the locals - Rudolf Probst and Rudolf Schmidt - became Gestapo officers, but in fact were the soldiers of the Polish Home Army (AK - Armia Krajowa) and provided valuable intelligence reports to the Polish Underground State and saved numerous lives of people selected for arrest and executions by the Nazis.
Presently, about 70% of the people in the commune bears names originally German or Swedish.
The village is the site of Assumption of Mary and St. Michael's Archangel church, built in the end of the 14th century. This is one of the six Wooden Churches of Southern Little Poland, on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 2003. Inside a valuable figural wall paintings dating from 1494 can be seen. The church has recently been renovated. It is believed that the Haczów church is the biggest Gothic wooden church in Europe.

Arms and flag adopted on April 23, 2007 (resolution # VI/43/2007).
"Arms - on a blue field a Haczów's church- silver - and under it (also silver) a branch of the European Yew tree (taxus baccata) with seven fruits.
Flag - rectangular piece of cloth in blue color and in ratio 5:8 with the white triangle from the hoist and the Arms placed on it."
Chrystian Kretowicz, 17 Jun 2009

Haczów arms