Zgorzelec

Zgorzelec ([zɡɔˈʐɛlɛt͡s] , German: Görlitz, Upper Sorbian: Zhorjelc [ˈzhɔʁʲɛlts] , Czech: Zhořelec, Lower Sorbian: Zgórjelc) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in southwestern Poland, with 30,374 inhabitants (2019). It is the seat of Zgorzelec County and of Gmina Zgorzelec (although it is not part of the territory of the latter, as the town is an urban gmina in its own right). Zgorzelec is located on the Lusatian Neisse river, on the Polish-German border adjoining the German town of Görlitz, of which it constituted the eastern part up to 1945. Through its history it has been at various times under German, Polish, and Czech rule. In recent history, it became known as the location of a major German-operated prisoner-of-war camp for Allied soldiers of various nationalities during World War II, the place of signing of the Treaty of Zgorzelec, and the home of the successful Turów Zgorzelec basketball team, which played in the Euroleague and EuroCup.