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26-477: The name of the town probably comes from a hill called Biely Goraj, on which Biłgoraj was founded in the 16th century. Biłgoraj lies in northern part of Sandomierz Basin , near Roztocze . The town is surrounded by Solska Forest , 20 km (12 mi) from Roztocze National Park . An average July temperature in Biłgoraj is 18 °C (64 °F), an average January temperature −2.8 °C (27.0 °F). The town

52-495: A Home Army unit under Tadeusz Sztumberk-Rychter attacked Biłgoraj's prison, releasing 72 inmates, including Ludwik Ehrlich . There was also Jewish partisan resistance in the Bilgoraj area. On August 17 and August 26, 1943, two other clashes are recorded: one in the village of Podgranicznik, 30 km. northwest of Krasnystaw, in which two Jews were killed; and another in the village of Poreba, 26 km. east of Bilgoraj, between

78-451: A center of wine industry ( Ambra company bottling plants are located in village Wola Duża, 4 kilometres (2 miles) east of the city), knitting (mainly thanks to Mewa factory) and production of cardboard packaging, wooden doors and windows. Biłgoraj is an important center of local folklore, with highly developed folk art, regional clothes and customs. This is due to the town's location, among forests, where communication with other communities

104-817: A few weeks, and the town became part of the Nazi-ruled General Government . On June 25, 1940, a ghetto was established. During the German occupation, Biłgoraj was an important center of the resistance. Local units of the Home Army and other clandestine organizations took part in the Zamość Uprising . Germans knew well that Solska Forest was filled with Polish fighters, and the Poles frequently attacked German units in Biłgoraj. The most famous incident of this kind took place on September 24, 1943, when

130-886: A large partisan unit and the Nazi German Truppenzpolizei. Six transports to Belzec gas chambers took place from Bilgoraj: 500 Jews in April, 1942; 1,000 Jews in May, 1942; 1,200 Jews in August, 1942; 5,000 Jews in September, 1942; 500 Jews in October, 1942; and 2,000 Jews in November, 1942. On Jan. 15, 1943, the last 27 survivors who had remained in hiding were shot. Very few of the Jewish partisans from Bilgoraj survived

156-613: A part of the Lublin Voivodeship from 1945 to 1975, Zamość Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998, and once again in Lublin Voivodeship since 1999. Biłgoraj is divided into twelve districts: Biłgoraj is located away from main Polish roads. It is a junction of two voivodeship roads - road nr. 835 (north–south, from Lublin to Przemyśl ), and road nr. 858 (east–west, from Zamość to Nisko ). Nearest national road nr. 74 (Zamość - Stalowa Wola ) goes 17 kilometres (11 miles) north of

182-469: Is crossed by four small rivers: Biała Łada, Czarna Łada, Osa and Próchnica. Biłgoraj lies on the elevations ranging from 184 to 212 meters above sea level . The area of the town is 20 square kilometres (8 square miles), of which forests covers 9%. Built-up area stretches along eastern bank of the Biała Łada, for 5 km (3 mi) (north–south) and 3 km (2 mi) (west–east). The area of current Biłgoraj

208-482: Is rich with natural resources, such as salt (Bochnia, Wieliczka), gypsum, sulphur (Tarnobrzeg), natural gas (Husow, Jarosław) and petroleum. It is crossed by European route E40 , along which goes a main west–east rail line from Kraków to Lwów. Average annual temperature in the Vistula river valley is 8 °C, and annually, there are 90 to 100 days with temperatures below freezing (since mid-October until late April). In

234-488: Is visited by a number of tourists. It also has a Baroque church of Holy Trinity (17th century) and 12 different monuments. Biłgoraj is twinned with: Former twin towns: Cooperation with Kruhlaye was ended due to Belarusian involvement in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . Sandomierz Basin Sandomierz Basin ( Polish : Kotlina Sandomierska ) is a lowland, located in southeastern Poland, between

260-942: The Lesser Poland Upland , Lublin Upland and the Western Carpathians . Its name comes from the historical city of Sandomierz , and the basin has a triangular shape with the size of around 15,000 km (5,800 sq mi). It is drained by the Vistula River , as well as its eastern tributary, the San (both rivers make its northern border). Among major cities located in the Sandomierz Basin are Dębica , Jarosław , Mielec , Przemyśl , Przeworsk , Rzeszów , Stalowa Wola , Sandomierz , Tarnobrzeg , and Tarnów . Sandomierz Basin lies mostly on

286-701: The Luftwaffe bombed Biłgoraj twice (September 8 and 14). On September 15–16, 1939 units of Kraków Army and Lublin Army retreating towards Tomaszow Lubelski , fought the Wehrmacht in the Battle of Biłgoraj. The Germans tried to capture the towns several times, but they did not manage to do so until September 17, after yet another fire. On September 28, units of the Red Army entered Biłgoraj, but they retreated after

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312-747: The Vistula river line. Lublin Army was tasked with defending the crossings of the Vistula river from Modlin (north of Warsaw ) to Sandomierz in the south. Polish planners wanted to reinforce it with elements of the Prusy Army , which after the Battle of Radom had retreated from German encirclement, and managed to cross the Vistula. These elements, however, were of little military value, and were ordered to concentrate near Chelm . Instead, Lublin Army received 39th Reserve Infantry Division and improvised Sandomierz Group. Lublin Army came into contact with

338-553: The enemy on September 8, near Gora Kalwaria and Dęblin . After the first clash, the Germans concentrated their efforts on eliminating the remnants of Prusy Army. On September 12, the Wehrmacht advanced in the area of Annopol and Solec nad Wisla . Under its pressure, Polish forces retreated towards Krasnik , where they merged with Krakow Army , and together fought in the Battle of Tomaszow Lubelski (September 17–20). The Army

364-692: The hands of the Gorajski family. Throughout the 18th century, it belonged either to the Szczuka family or the Potocki family . Most houses in Biłgoraj were made of wood, which resulted in several fires. Furthermore, the wars of the mid-17th century destroyed the town twice; first in 1648, when the town was burned by the Cossacks of Bohdan Khmelnytsky ; then in 1655, by the Swedes during the deluge . Biłgoraj

390-604: The hands of the Nowakowski family until 1850, when it was sold to the Tsarist official Nikolay Platonov (Mikołaj Płatonow), and in 1864 appropriated by the government as the seat of a county. During the January Uprising , several skirmishes took place Biłgoraj and its vicinity. In 1918 Biłgoraj returned to newly created Second Polish Republic . Its population in 1921 reached 5,600. In 1928, electrification reached

416-728: The territory of three Polish provinces – Lesser Poland Voivodeship (northeastern corner), Podkarpacie Voivodeship (southwestern corner), and Lublin Voivodeship (northwestern corner). Easternmost part of it is also in Lviv Oblast in Ukraine. It is densely inhabited, with the exception of the Niepołomice Forest and the Sandomierz Forest . The basin is divided into the following geographical subregions: The basin

442-454: The town, but Biłgoraj nevertheless remained poor and underdeveloped, where most houses were constructed of wood. Historically, the town was a center of a large Jewish community, whose population in 1931 reached 4,596. On September 11, 1939, a unit of German-minority Fifth column agents set fire to the town, which destroyed most of it. A few days later Nazi German troops entered the town and immediately organized anti-Jewish pogroms. Furthermore,

468-540: The town. Biłgoraj has a rail station on a secondary-importance line from Zamość to Stalowa Wola , through the town also goes the Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line . Nearest airport, Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport , is located 110 km (68 mi) to the south. In Biłgoraj are located a headquarter and main factories of Black Red White , leading furniture manufacturer in Poland. The town is also known as

494-517: The war due to great efforts by the Nazi Germans to hunt them down in the woods. Most of Biłgoraj's Jews were murdered in the Holocaust . Only around 50 Jews survived the war. The Germans left Biłgoraj on July 24, 1944. During the war, 80% of the town was destroyed, and it lost 50% of its population. After 1945 Biłgoraj was rebuilt, becoming by 1975 a regional industrial center. The town was

520-520: The winter, there are approximately 2 hours of sunshine a day, while in the summer approximately 5 hours. In the valleys of the Vistula and the Raba there are frequent fogs. Annual precipitation is 800 mm, with snow staying on the ground for 50 to 60 days annually. The climate of Sandomierz Basin is marked by frequent changes. Lublin Army Lublin Army ( Polish : Armia Lublin )

546-664: Was an important center of the Bar Confederation , and in the area of the town several skirmishes took place between the Poles and the Russians. After the Partition of Poland , Biłgoraj was annexed by the Austrian Empire , and in 1809 it became part of Duchy of Warsaw (since 1815, Russian-controlled Congress Kingdom ). In the late 18th century its population was 3,000; and grew to 6,000 by 1865. At that time, it

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572-528: Was an improvised Polish Army created on September 4, 1939 from the Warsaw Armoured Motorized Brigade and various smaller units concentrated around the cities of Lublin , Sandomierz and upper Vistula river. It was commanded by Maj. Gen. Tadeusz Piskor . Lublin Army was not part of prewar Polish operational plans. It was improvised when it became obvious that quickly advancing Wehrmacht armored and motorized units would reach

598-491: Was covered by dense forests and swamps, where establishment of human settlements was difficult. In the first half of the 16th century, local noble family of Gorajski built first settlements in this sparsely populated corner of Lesser Poland. At that time, the villages of Gromada, Dąbrowica and Olendrów were founded. The town of Biłgoraj was officially established in 1570 by Adam Gorajski, and incorporated by King Stefan Batory at Lviv on September 10, 1578. Its main market square

624-494: Was limited. There are several “Biłgoraj-style” houses, and in the area numerous wayside shrines can be found. Biłgoraj's folklore was used by Grzegorz Ciechowski in his songs written as Grzegorz z Ciechowa. Until the 19th century, famous green Biłgoraj beer was produced in the town. Furthermore, for centuries Biłgoraj was a major national center of sieve makers. The town has a Regional Museum and an Open-air museum Zagroda Sitarska. Due to its proximity to Roztocze National Park, it

650-460: Was placed on the hill called Bialy Goraj. The town, surrounded by rivers, held a strategic position and was easy to defend. Biłgoraj quickly grew, due to a busy merchant road from Jarosław to Lublin. Biłgoraj town was surrounded by a defensive wall with watchtowers, although the town's further growth extended into suburbs. A bridge was built over the Biala Lada. Until 1693 Biłgoraj remained in

676-520: Was the third biggest town of Lublin Governorate , after Lublin and Hrubieszów . In 1806 following the Partitions , Biłgoraj – which was still privately owned and on the verge of bankruptcy – was purchased by the local entrepreneur named Stanisław Nowakowski, who built for himself a palace in Biłgoraj's district of Roznowka, modelled after Warsaw's famous Łazienki Palace . The town remained in

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