LUBLIN

city, capital of Lublin wojewdztwo (province), eastern Poland, on the Bystrzyca River. Founded as a stronghold in the late 9th century, the settlement grew up around the castle, receiving town rights in 1317. It served as a joint meeting ground for Poland and Lithuania, and in 1569 the Union of Lublin between the two kingdoms was signed there. Lublin reached its economic peak during the late 16th century. In 1795 it passed to Austria and in 1815 to Russia. The first independent temporary Polish government was proclaimed there in 1918. In 1941 the Nazis established Majdanek (q.v.) concentration and extermination camp in the southeastern Lublin suburb of that name. After World War II, Lublin was made the provisional seat of the Polish Committee of National Liberation and served briefly as the seat of the national government. Located on the route between Krakw, Warsaw, and Russia, Lublin is the industrial and cultural centre for southeastern Poland. Agricultural machinery, chemicals, automobiles and trucks, foodstuffs (especially sugar), and beer are produced. The city houses the Catholic University and the Marie Sklodowska-Curie University, as well as schools of medicine, agronomy, science, and engineering, and supports many museums, theatres, and music centres. Its notable landmarks include the medieval castle, which was restored in 1954; its chapel houses the Lublin Museum. There is a museum and memorial park at the site of the concentration camp. Pop. (1990 est.) 349,600.