...in the past
An interesting initiative was undertaken by the Municipal Council in 1755. The planting of mulberry trees began along the town’s streets and squares; as is known, these were the main food source for silkworms. The town’s aim was to increase the supply of raw material for silk production. We do not know whether silk was produced locally or exported. In the same year, construction began on an orphanage and a home for the elderly. In 1760, a printing house was established in the Orphanage. The printer Christian Wilhelm Reimers settled in Bolesławiec and lived here for 32 years. Two printing presses also made it possible to print books. In 1761, a library was established in the orphanage building—150 volumes, some of them originating from a community collection and donations. In 1788, the printing house published the first chronicle of Bolesławiec. The opening in 1784 of a puppet theatre in the Lower Suburb (today Zgorzelecka Street) was undoubtedly an important event. The theatre had a revolving stage and operated until 1797. The beginning of the 19th century started with an event in Bolesławiec worth recording. In 1801, the Conference of the St. John Masonic Lodge was held.
Freemasonry operated in Bolesławiec until 1885. It was dissolved by a decision of the Council, and the building was taken over by the town. It is also worth noting that well-known Poles visited Bolesławiec. On 17–18 October 1804, Stanisław Staszic stayed in Bolesławiec. In 1808, Princess Izabela Czartoryska and Leon Dembowski—the father of the later leader of the 1846 Kraków Uprising—also visited. The Napoleonic era in Bolesławiec deserves a separate chapter. It left traces that remain visible to this day.
The Municipal Council continued to take action in important areas. From 1815, the status of Bolesławiec changed significantly. That year, 11 counties were established in the Legnica Regency District, including Bolesławiec County. The town’s importance therefore grew, and greater opportunities emerged for it as a county centre.
As early as 1816, a vocational school and a teacher-training seminary were established in the town; the course initially lasted two years and later three. Teachers were trained for the needs of the county’s rural schools. In 1820, the town installed street pumps. In 1823, the Council decided to build an Arsenal, which was later renamed the municipal theatre (today the MDK theatre). In 1823, large-scale clean-up and improvement works began around the old town. The most important decision was to fill in the moat and castle pond (today Piastowska Street and Górne Młyny). The Municipal Council was already aware of the problems of caring for the elderly and homeless. In 1829, construction began on a home for the elderly and pensioners. (A monastery on Zgorzelecka Street is located there today.) In 1835, King Fryderyk Wilhelm III visited Bolesławiec, which undoubtedly strained the Municipal Council’s budget.
In the mid-19th century, what we would today call the town’s entry into Europe meant connecting it by rail with other centres. Bolesławiec received railway connections relatively early, as early as 1843, with Wrocław, Legnica, Żary and Gubin (1846), and after the viaduct over the Bóbr was completed (1846), also with Węgliniec, Zgorzelec and Dresden. The town’s county character forced the Municipal Council to build administrative and educational facilities. In 1849, the town purchased tenement houses on Lwówecka Street to serve as the seat of the County Court (today the Vocational Schools Complex on K. Paryska Street). In 1857, construction began on a bathing and spa facility (on today’s Prusa Street).
In 1861, construction began on the county grammar-school building (today the District Court building). The needs of the wealthy bourgeoisie were met by the opening in 1862 of the famous local restaurant “ODEON” (today the Zodiak building).
Through the efforts of the Municipal Council, the Gasworks was commissioned in 1860. This was an event of both industrial and social significance.
In 1872, the town undertook a major effort by beginning construction of one of the largest hospitals for the mentally ill in Silesia.
It is worth noting the publication in 1881 of the first issue of a Bolesławiec monthly magazine issued by the Independent Silesian Peasants’ Association. In 1900, Bolesławiec had 14,500 inhabitants. It was entering the difficult 20th century.