Editing Gołdap (section)

==History==
===Early history===
[[File:Gołdap - Konkatedra NMP Matki Kościoła.jpg|thumb|left|Mater Ecclesiae Co-cathedral]]
[[Masurians]] began to settle the region in the 16th century while it was part of the [[Duchy of Prussia]], a fief and part of the [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Kingdom of Poland]]. Systematic settlement began in 1565, while the town was officially founded by Caspar von Nostitz on May 15, 1570. Located at a profitable location on the crossing of several trade routes near the Prussian border with [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania|Lithuania]], Gołdap grew rapidly. Its [[coat of arms]] depicts the [[House of Hohenzollern]] and [[coat of arms of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]], while the letter "S" stands for [[Sigismund II Augustus]], King of Poland, who was the suzerain of the region.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uzdrowiskogoldap.pl/informacje-o-miescie/herb-i-logo-goldapi/|title=Herb i logo Gołdapi, Uzdrowisko Gołdap-Mazurski Zdrój|access-date=June 5, 2019}}</ref> In 1656, during the [[Deluge (history)|Polish-Swedish War]], Polish troops under command of [[Dymitr Jerzy Wiśniowiecki]] were stationed in Gołdap.<ref name=WMP>Tomasz Darmochwał, Marek Jacek Rumiński, ''Warmia Mazury. Przewodnik'', Agencja TD, Białystok, 1996. {{ISBN|83-902165-0-7}}, p. 210-212</ref>

The town became a part of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] in 1701 and [[German Empire|Germany]] in 1871. Between 1757 and 1762 it was occupied by [[Russian Empire|Russians]].<ref name=WMP/>

From 1709 to 1711 eastern Prussia suffered from a [[Bubonic plague|plague]]. The deceased were replaced by [[Germans]] from [[Margraviate of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]], [[Duchy of Pomerania|Pomerania]], [[Duchy of Magdeburg|Magdeburg]], [[Principality of Halberstadt|Halberstadt]], the [[Electorate of the Palatinate]], and [[Nassau (state)|Nassau]], as well as [[Swiss people|Swiss]] and [[Lithuanians]]. In 1732 [[Protestantism|Protestants]] expelled from [[Archbishopric of Salzburg|Salzburg]] also resettled the area. In the 19th century Gołdap's population consisted mainly of Poles, Lithuanians and Germans, mostly Protestants. [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] services took place in all three languages.<ref name=SLO>{{cite book|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich|volume=II|year=1881|language=pl|location=Warszawa|page=668}}</ref> In 1831, the Polish pastor's house was burnt down.<ref name=SLO/>

In 1807, Polish troops of General [[Jan Henryk Dąbrowski]] were stationed in the town.<ref>Uchwala Nr XL/258/2017 Rady Miejskiej w Gołdapi z dnia 30 maja 2017 r., p. 39</ref> In 1863, Poles smuggled weapons through the town to the [[Russian Partition]] of Poland to support the [[January Uprising]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historia-polski.com/xix/rok_1863.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210152723/http://www.historia-polski.com/xix/rok_1863.htm|archive-date=10 February 2019|title=Wydarzenia roku 1863|website=Historia Polski|access-date=7 January 2023|url-status=usurped|language=pl}}</ref>

In the 18th and 19th centuries Goldap was a notable centre of commerce and production of various goods for the local market, as well as an important centre of grain production. In 1818 it became a seat of [[Kreis Goldap|Landkreis Goldap]]. In 1825, the county (including the town) had 24,911 inhabitants, including (by [[First language|mother tongue]]): 17,412 (~70%) [[German language|German]], 3,940 (~16%) [[Polish language|Polish]] and 3,559 (~14%) [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gsj1FBg0gvUC&pg=RA1-PA78|title=Die ländliche verfassung in den einzelnen provinzen der Preussischen Monarchie|last=von Haxthausen|first=August|publisher=Gebrüder Borntraeger Verlagsbuchhandlung|year=1839|location=Königsberg|pages=78–81|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jasiński|first=Grzegorz|date=2009|title=Statystyki językowe powiatów mazurskich z pierwszej połowy XIX wieku (do 1862 roku)|url=http://bazhum.muzhp.pl/media//files/Komunikaty_Mazursko_Warminskie/Komunikaty_Mazursko_Warminskie-r2009-t1/Komunikaty_Mazursko_Warminskie-r2009-t1-s97-130/Komunikaty_Mazursko_Warminskie-r2009-t1-s97-130.pdf|journal=Komunikaty Mazursko-Warmińskie|language=pl|volume=1|pages=97–130|via=BazHum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Belzyt|first=Leszek|date=1996|title=Zur Frage des nationalen Bewußtseins der Masuren im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert (auf der Basis statistischer Angaben)|url=https://www.zfo-online.de/index.php/zfo/article/viewFile/134/134|journal=Zeitschrift für Ostmitteleuropa-Forschung|language=de|volume=Bd. 45, Nr. 1|pages=35–71|via=zfo-online|access-date=2019-10-03|archive-date=2019-10-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191003002444/https://www.zfo-online.de/index.php/zfo/article/viewFile/134/134|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1879 the town was linked to a railway.

===World War I and II===
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2021}}
[[File:Goldap, Ostpreußen - Ruinen mit der alten Kirche (Zeno Ansichtskarten).jpg|thumb|left|World War I destructions of Gołdap]]
During [[World War I]] Goldap was a scene of fierce fighting on the [[Eastern Front (World War I)|Eastern Front]], which passed through the town twice. As a result, it was almost completely destroyed. The town was rebuilt, and soon after the war ended it reached a similar number of inhabitants it had had before. It was occupied by the Russian army from the 18th August-10 September 1914, and again from 5 November 1914-11 February 1915.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldap.info/goldap/10464-powstanie-szlak-frontu-wchodnieg1-ws|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250513185553/https://www.goldap.info/goldap/10464-powstanie-szlak-frontu-wchodnieg1-ws|archive-date=13 May 2025|title=Powstanie „Szlak Frontu Wschodniego I WŚ”|access-date=13 May 2025|language=pl}}</ref>

During [[World War II]] Goldap was planned by the [[OKH|German staff]] as one of the strongholds guarding the rest of East Prussia from the [[Red Army]] on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]]. As a result of heavy fighting for the city and the regions directly east of it, in August and September 1944, 90% of the town was yet again destroyed. According to German war-time reports, about 50 civilians were murdered (some [[rape]]d) by the Red Army on its initial entry into Goldap in October 1944. It was the first town of [[Nazi Germany]] to fall. However, in November 1944 the [[Wehrmacht]] reconquered Goldap and would be able to keep it until the end of December of the same year. In January, the German positions in far-eastern East Prussia collapsed completely.

===Post-war Poland===
[[File:Gołdap - dawne kasyno oficerskie.jpg|thumb|Former Officers' Mess]]
After German surrender,  the Soviets ceremoniously transferred sovereignty over the town to Polish authorities on June 10, 1945.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.vffow.de/assets/downloads/dateien/Pr.%20Holland-Die%20Wende%201945_Diss.pdf|title=Preußisch Holland/Paslek – Die Wende des Jahres 1945. Die Vertreibung/Aussiedlung der deutschen Bevölkerung|author=Joanna Ewa Wisniewska|pages=91}}</ref> The already established Polish rule was accepted at the [[Potsdam Conference]], however, on preliminary terms. The transfer was confirmed by the [[German–Polish Border Treaty]]. The town was renamed to its historic Polish name ''Gołdap'' and rebuilt. The town retained its status as a seat of a [[powiat]] until 1975, when all powiats were abolished. After their re-establishment in 1999, Gołdap was not restored as a county seat, being instead assigned in the years 1999-2001 to the Olecko-Gołdap County. The town has subsequently reclaimed the original status, following re-establishment of a standalone [[Gołdap County]].

Today the town of Gołdap remains an important centre of local trade and commerce. There are several small food production facilities (milk plant, industrial [[slaughterhouse]], mill) located there, as well as a paper mill and a small tourist equipment works. In addition, it is one of the centres of tourism, with many skiing, swimming, sailing and leisure centres located both in the town and around it.