![[Kowary town flag]](../images/p/pl-ds-kw.gif)
Last modified: 2018-12-15 by rob raeside
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image by Jarig Bakker, 26 Mar 2008
Flagdescription: two horizontal stripes white - green, in center of
white the communal arms. Flagproportions: 3:5.
Coat of Arms: vert a rearing horse argent; in chief sinister a hammer noir.
The origin and the development of Kowary is connected to mining of iron
and smithery. In 1148, on the slope of the Rudnik Mountain, miner from
Walonnia called Laurentius Angelus discovered an iron ore and 10 years
later at command of the contemporary duke of Poland Bolesław Kędzierzawy
an exploitation of iron ores was started, a village was found, an iron
began to be forged and many various iron tools began to be produced.
In 1513 the contemporary king of Bohemy and Hungary Władysław Jagiellończyk,
as the liege of świdnicko-jaworskie dukedom, issued a foundation act granting
Kowary civic rights. In second half of XVI ct Kowary was also a famous
centre of fire-arms manufacture while the local gunsmiths acquired a reputation
of very skilled worksmen. One of their clients was the king of Poland Zygmunt
August who ordered 2000 barrels for muskets. In the beginning of XVIIct
Kowary were still prospering but later Thirty Years War (1618-1648) destroyed
the town and decimated its people.
During this war the mines were flooded and they weren't reopened ever
later. The period of mining prosperity ended. After Thirty Years War the
period of weaving development began. In 1747 as a result of Austrian-Prussian
War Kowary together with whole Lower Silesia was joined to Prussia.
In XVIII and XIXct some efforts to renew mining activity were undertaken
but they caused no meaningful effect. The town prospered mostly on weaving.
After the First World War for a very short period of time the exploitation
of iron mines was being continued to satisfy demands of Reich war industry
which was developing then. Also after Second World War the iron ore was
being mined as well as, in top secret, an ore of uranium. Uranium ores
were being exploited first of fall on the turn of 40s & 50s. After
Second World War the town prospered mostly on activity of Industry Plants
R1 which were related to uranium exploitation and also on textile industry
producing flaxen linen and carpets which are still very famous.
Source: Kowary
website.
Jarig Bakker, 26 Mar 2008
![[Kowary coat of arms]](../images/p/pl-ds)kw.gif)
image by Jarig Bakker, 26 Mar 2008
LEGEND OF HERALDIC ARMS OF KOWARY
Once in medieval times a brigand used to maraud in neighbourhood of
Kowary. He forced the residents to plough his fields and to pay him a tribute
both in money and in kind. At last the local people were fed up. They thought
hard about how to get rid of this oppressor. The brigand used to visit
Kowary very often, to capture some workers and take the tribute from rich
and hard-working peasants. Usually he used to come with his companions
yet once he came alone. The rumour of it had spread at once round the town
and people decided to take advantage of the situation and carry into effect
the intentions they had undertaken recently. The brigand stopped before
a forge to have his horse shoed. Seeing him, the smith told his aids to
hide and declared he would shoe the brigand's horse but being alone he
would need someone to hold it in place during horse-shoeing. When the brigand
turned his back to the smith to grasp his mount's bridle the smith hit
him with his hammer so strong that he fell at once dead. When the frightened
horse started to escape the smith, being careful not to let the brigandś
companions know about their chief's death, flung the same hammer at it
and killed it too.
That is the legendary justification of the Kowarian heraldic arms. On
it one can see a balking horse on a green field and a hammer hanging over
its back.
Source: Kowary
website.
