Świdnik

Infobox Settlement
name = Świdnik

---

imagesize = 250px
image_caption = SM-1 helicopter near PZL factory
image_shield = POL Świdnik COA.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Lublin
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Świdnik County
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Świdnik (urban gmina)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Waldemar Jakson
established_title = Established
established_date = 14th century
established_title3 = Town rights
established_date3 = 1954
area_total_km2 = 20.35
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 40037
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 51 | latm = 13 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 22 | longm = 42 | longs = | longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 21-040
area_code = +48 81
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = LSW
website = http://www.swidnik.pl

Świdnik [IPA-pl|'|ś|f|i|d|n|i|k] is a town in eastern Poland with 42,797 inhabitants (2004), situated in the Lublin Voivodeship, very near the city of Lublin. It is the capital of Świdnik County.

History

The village of Świdnik is first mentioned in historical records from 1392. It remained a village until the end of the 19th century when it began to develop as a spa, due to its good location and climate.

Before World War II an airfield was built, which probably influenced the postwar decision of Poland's Communist government to locate a factory there. This factory, created in 1951 under the name Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego (WSK for short, Transportation Equipment Factory in English), became one of the main centres of helicopters' production both in the Eastern bloc and Europe. The workers arriving to work in the factory created the modern town, which formally received its charter in 1954. In 1957 the factory was formally renamed WSK "PZL-Świdnik".

The first helicopter produced in Świdnik, the Soviet-designed SM-1 (Mil Mi-1), flew in 1956 - around 1800 were produced in Świdnik. In 1965 production switched to the Mil Mi-2, of which 5,450 were produced over the next three decades. The factory was its exclusive manufacturer. In the 1980s the factory started producing helicopters of Polish design - PZL W-3 Sokół and PZL SW-4 Puszczyk.

On July 8, 1980 a strike started in the WSK factory, which quickly spread to other factories in the Lublin region and essentially brought its economy to a standstill. The Communist government eventually managed to quell these mass strikes by granting the workers many of their demands. However, the pressure for change generated by these strikes in turn led to the August strikes in Gdańsk and elsewhere on Poland's Baltic Coast, which shortly after led to the emergence of the Solidarity movement.

See also

* Avia Świdnik

External links

* [http://www.swidnik.pl/ Official Website of the town] (Polish, English)
* [http://www.pzl.swidnik.pl/AN0000/0000_a_stronaglowna.htm English page of the PZL-Świdnik company]
* [http://www.swidnik.inovator.pl/ Large photo gallery]