Racławice Śląskie

Racławice Śląskie is a village located in the Opole Voivodeship, in the Prudnik district, with a rich history dating back to the 13th century. The village was established under German law, and its original name derives from its founder, a Czech named Racław. The German name Deutsch Rasselwitz was used until 1945, when the village was renamed Racławice Śląskie. The architectural treasures of the locality include primarily the Baroque parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the 16th century, which bears the legacy of the Italian architect Michał Clement. The area also features numerous chapels and a rectory from 1824. An interesting site is the railway station complex, built in 1876 as part of the Sudeten Main Line. Racławice Śląskie is a place rich in history, where during the Thirty Years' War the village was destroyed by the Swedes, and in the 20th century, it experienced turbulent events related to World War I and World War II. In 1921, during the plebiscite in Upper Silesia, the residents almost unanimously voted to belong to Germany. After the war, the area of Racławice Śląskie underwent demographic changes when the Polish administration began expelling the German population and settling Poles from the Eastern Borderlands in their place. Today, the village is home to a local community that engages in cultural activities through the Community Hall, the Rural Women's Circle, and many other associations. A railway picnic is held annually, and in 2019, a monument commemorating the victims of the death march was unveiled. The village has rail and bus connections, facilitating access to nearby cities and promoting tourism, including cycling trails. Racławice Śląskie is not only a village with a rich history but also a dynamically developing space for local community life.