DANZIG, diin'tsix, in English commonly written DANTZ1C (PO). Gdansk. Lat. Gedanum). Au important seaport, manufacturing centre, and fortress, chief town of the Pro•idee of West Prussia, on the left hank of the western branch of the Vistula, about three miles from its mouth in the Baltic, and about 300 miles north east of Berlin (Map: Prussia. Il I). Danzig is surrounded by a moat and ramparts strength ened by twenty bastions and is further fortified by several detached forts on the west and a chain of works extending north along the Vistula to the fort at its mouth at the suburb of Neu fahrwasser. In addition, the garrison possesses the means of laying the surrounding country un der water on three sides. The city is traversed by the Slottlan and Radaune, tributaries of the Vistula. The former, which flows through the city in two branches. divides the older sections of the Altstadt, Rechtstadt, and Vorstadt from the newer Niederstadt and Lauggarten. The Hadatine, which enters the town through an arti ficial channel, separates the Altstadt from the Rechtstadt. Between the two branches of the \lottlau is the Speiche•insel, an island on which enormous granaries have been erected for the accommodation of the vast stores of grain ex ported from Danzig. The rivers and canals are crossed by about fifty bridges. The Lange Briicke, a quay extending along the bank of the Mottlan, opposite the island, is one of the picturesque sights of the town. The city is generally very medieval in aspect. successive old styles of its buildings having been well preserved. including in the residences the countless gable façades and a peculiar feature known aslleischliig,e—elevated. open-air landings. Many of the Danzig are narrow and crooked, but the principal streets. Langgasse and Lange Markt. intersecting it from east to west, abound in fine specimens of antique architecture, and have a most picturesque appearance. Among the most noteworthy build ings are the Church of Saint Mary, a fine struc ture, commenced in 1343, but not finished until 1503, and containing, besides a fine high altar by :Michael and other interesting objects of art. a celebrated picture of the "Last Judgment," generally attributed to the Church of Saint Catharine: Trinity Church; the fine old llathaim dating from the fourteenth century: the Artushof—or Junkerhof—the former mer chants' guild, now used as an exchange; and the old Franciscan monastery containing the munici pal musemn.
Danzig is the seat of the provincial govern ment and of a provincial court. The city's af fairs are administered by a municipal council of 00 and an executive board of 21 members. It has exhibited an enterprising spirit in the mat ter of municipal undertakings. It has excel lently organized fire and street-cleaning depart ments. Two large aqueduct, supply it with water, and a modern system of sewers connected with sewage farms on the Baltic gives the town satisfactory drainage. It has, however, a rather
high death rate, exceeding 24 per thousand. The municipality maintains gas-wo•ks, an elec tric-light plant, slaughter-houses, and a market hall. Danzig is well provided with educational institutions. which include two gymnasia. of which only one is maintained by the city, two high schools, a navigation school, military school. industrial trade and music schools. and a mu nicipal library and theatre. Its charitable insti tutions include two municipal hospitals, as well as numerous: other institutions.
Danzig has advantageous connections by rail, river, and sea. It maintains a large trade in lumber and grain, serving as a clearing place for the agricultural products of eastern Prussia and the whole of the Vistula region, which em braces a considerable part of Russian Poland. The value of the sea trade alone, which consti tutes less than one-half of the total trade of the city, exceeds 50.000,000 a year, the imports hay ing almost. doubled in value in the decade of 18S8-98. They include coal, iron. petroleum, machinery. spices, and other agricultural prod ucts of tropical countries; whereas the exports. as already stated, consist almost entirely of lumber, grain, and a few other agricultural prod nets. The growth of Danzig's sea trade has been interfered with by the competition of Stet tin ;Ind of the Russian ports on the Baltic, and it is losing its relative importance a port. The manufacture, of Danzig are developing rapidly. There :I re large ship-building yank, brew cries, distilleries, and factories for the production of firearms. machinery, and other iron ware, paper, glass, :map and candles, flour. etc. Danzig is the seat of a United State, consular agency. Population, in 1890. 120,000; in 1900, 141,000. The environs are very attractive.
Danzig is mentioned in 997, when Christian ity we, first preached there. Its possession was contended for by the Dane,, Swedes, l'omera nians. and Teutonic knights. of whom the last became masters of the town in 1310. Under their Danzig prospered exceedingly; about 1358 it joined the Jlan,eatie League. In 1400 the town declared itself a free city, under the protection of Poland. The war, of the seven teenth century destroyed its prosperity, and though it was left a city on the first parti tion of Poland, in 1772, its trade cea,ed almost entirely. In 1793 it became Prussian. Taken by the French Marshal Lefebvre (who received the title of Duke of Danzig) in 1807. it was retaken by the Allies in 1814. and restored to Prussia. Consult: Prutz, DTuciq, dos no•(liseh( l"enedi[t (Leipzig. 1808) : \Vistulanus.
schiehte der ,'staclt Don::ift (Danzig, 1891) Puttner, Danzig (ib., 1899).