Wrocław

Wocławy, known in German as Wotzlaff, is a village located in the Pomeranian Voivodeship on the Gdańsk Żuławy. The village is home to a Roman Catholic parish with a history dating back to the 14th century, when the original parish was established. The village was founded under German law in the second half of the 13th century, and its name derives from the Old Polish name Ocięsław. During the Middle Ages, Wocławy was a site of colonization by the Teutonic Order, which purchased land from private owners to establish settlements for colonists. In a document from 1310, Wocławy is mentioned as part of the land granted by Prince Władysław Łokietek to the castellans of Tczew, and in 1405, the village elder Mikołaj Balawa was recorded. The Catholic parish of St. Peter and Paul operated from 1868 to 1945 and was a center of life primarily for Polish and Kashubian agricultural workers. The post-war period saw the demolition of the church, with only the cemetery remaining on its site. Among the architectural monuments, the ruins of a Gothic church, which survived despite being damaged during World War II, are noteworthy. Illegible tomb slabs and an authentic Mennonite stele from 1739 have also been preserved. Wocławy is an interesting place with a rich history and cultural heritage, reflecting the influences of medieval colonization and changing religious affiliations. An intriguing fact is that the area around Wocławy included villages that, as a result of colonization by the Teutonic Knights, became part of the entirely new Gdańsk Żuławy, influencing their administration and social structure.