About the village

The beginnings of Ludwikowice Kłodzkie are not very well known. In ancient times there was a trading route which crossed today’s village. Coins which had been found in the area, dated to Roman times, prove this fact. It is also known that the present town had been founded in the first half of the sixteenth century at the latest. In 1352 Hanns von Wustehube sold his mansion in Nowa Ruda as well as five other villages including Ludwikowice, to the von Donyn brothers. The mansion was owned by the family until 1472. After the last member of the von Donyn house had died, the Nowa Ruda possessions were taken by von Stillfried, the spouse of Ann von Donyn. After the 30 year long war, the baron von Stillfried lost part of the possessions since he had appoved the protestant fraction.

In 1631 in Ludwikowice there lived 23 landlords who paid church taxes and F. Thamm owned a bigger mansion in this area. Around 1765 the village was divided into three parts: one belonged to baron von Larish, another one to baron von Stillfried and the other into independent judges. The place was developing quickly and the creation of colonies and additions helped in this process. It was the natural outcome of the growth of homemade embroidery craftsmen in the area as well as the opening of numerous coal mines.

The development of mining and embroidery led to a very rapid growth of Ludwikowice in the first half of the nineteenth century, but it has also contributed to the division of the village among various owners. In 1825 the place consisted of 6 parts. These were major colonies neighbouring the place itself. In the area owned by von Magnis there were 47 houses, a church, catholic school, a brewery, and three watermills. The homemade embroidery was considerably developed, as there were 64 devices to manage cotton and 52 to manage linen fabrics.

In the second half of the XIX century the owner of the village became baron von Seherr-Thoss, who introduced the coal as a fuel in the mills to create the linen fabric , which , at the time, was a new technology. After the homemade craft seized to exist the place continued to develop thanks to the “Wenceslaus” mine in Miłków. The mine was expanding and joining other, smaller mines from the area. In the village in the place of homemade craftsmen there came small mechanical mills which employed ex-craftsmen. At the end of XIX century there was a big power plant built next to the mine. In the town there appeared some minor industrial facilities. The building of a railway track had also its impact and positive influence on the development of the village. It connected Nowa Ruda with Wałbrzych. At the end of XIX century an evangelic charity facility called “Ludmillastift” was created in the village.

Ludwikowice, despite the attractive location near the major track in a picturesque area did not attract many tourist, even though since the railway track was built there the town became a suitable point from where to travel into the Sowie Mountains and Włodzickie Hills. There were some inns run in the village, some of which offered accommodation. There was also a mountain trekking group of Kłodzkie Mountain Society (GGV). In the period between the wars, in the village there were several minor industrial facilities like wood mill, electrical devices company and fabric facility. A deep crisis came to the village in 1930 when 151 miners had died in the disaster inside the mine. The mine was closed after this tragedy. It was reactivated only in 1939.

The years of the second world war brought major changes in Ludwikowice. The area of the unused mine and the neighboring hills: Gontowa and Włodyka became the area of a dynamic works in the field of mining and construction, which were carried on since the start of 1944. Earlier in 1942 on the premises of the village on Wiejska Street there was a working facility for Polish jews created. It was run by the Schmelt organization. Around 600 prisoners were employed in the factory of bullets which was raised on the grounds of the unused mine. In 1944 the camp in Ludwikowice became the branch of KL Gross-Rosen. There was also another camp created and it consisted of 50 barracks. It was home for nearly 1500 prisoners, who used to work at the ammunition factory in Miłków and were probably used at the construction site of a huge underground mining area in the area of Gontowa and Włodyka. The fate of the male camp prisoners remains unknown until today. They were supposingly murdered and buried in one of the holes.

After 1945 the village remained its primary profile but the mine “Wacław” which was flooded by Germans, had not been reopened. As well as this, the ammunition factory was also destroyed. These events, however, did not stop the usage of some facilities in Ludwikowice to organize in 1945-56 one of Military Mining Corps which became an obligatory home for some recruits and soldiers from the families which were considered unappropriate by the current regime.

Some linen producing facilities were operating and on the premises of the ex-mine there started to work a woodstock and a factory of wooden boards. Other facilities and factories were created and situated in the place of the mine and the power plant. The power plant in Miłków was operative until 1962. The plans to reactivate the mine “Wacław” were considered couple of times. The last attempt of this sort was undertaken in the 70s but it was soon abandoned since the on-ground facilities belonging to the mine were completely ruined. During the first years after the war there was a tourist hostel operating locally.

All the time Ludwikowice were growing steadily. There was no outnumbering among its population, though the drop in the number of inhabitants had its place. It was the result of the joining of all small villages after the administrative reform in 1973. The town itself was transforming into an urban place of Nowa Ruda, considering the fact that the village had been a part of it for a long time.

As far as the population is concerned – approximately 2500 people – the town is second most populated area in the district of Nowa Ruda. The recent years brought some splendid facilities and buildings to the place. In the 90s another part of a House of Social Aid was built and the former primary school building hosted the Junior High School of Adam Mickiewicz. A complex renovation of the school building took one year. Interiors were rebuilt and the walls dried. All the costs were covered from the village budget. There are plans for buildings a professional training gym. The place used to enjoy three primary schools; the current one – which had been transformed into a Junior High school, and one situated at Kasprowicz Street. It is a pity though, the last facility is still empty and not used properly.

In a building which used to host the Village Center for Peasant Aid, there started a wax candles factory. On the wood field of the Jugów Forest Rangers, there are plans to run a wood processing facility.

The last flood, which took place in 1997, has done a tremendous damage to the safety walls and the banks of the river. Unfortunately the river does not belong to the Village Council but to the Local Management of Aqua Infrastructure in Wrocław. The lack of money and other problems are the reason for the fact that the Management does not help to remove the damages made by the river. The building of the Fire Brigade is being renovated constantly though. The works to finish the renovation of a small living room in the building mentioned are about to end.

In town there is no typical village cultural center since there is a Cultural Center for the Village Nowa Ruda. The inhabitants are happy that there is a functional healthcare facility. Despite some uproars and conflicts it remained its function and is still operational. Hence, the inhabitants of Ludwikowice can use this facility to get their basic medical care. A dentist is also available each working day. There is also a Post Office in Ludwikowice. Its future functioning however, is endangered since the building in which it is situated is owned by the Polish Postal Service.

The parish church of the Archangel Michael parish has been renovated recently. Some serious wall renovation as well as drying the church grounds were conveyed. The main altar as well as the two side altars had all been renovated. Other post-evangelic church of Blessing is also changing its function. The temple which used to host a sawmill is now being checked by a roman-catholic parish.

Most of the roads in the village are fully restored. Many devices which had been broken or damaged had been replaced with new ones. Other investments include; the parking at the cemetery, made free of charge, tennis court with a Jordan garden with an asphalt surface built by the Village Council as well as some pavements lining the main road.

In Ludwikowice there is operating a society of village housewives, the chariperson of which is Zofia Miśtura. Ladies meet weekly in the Centre of Culture of Nowa Ruda and frequently take part in contests, exhibitions and harvests and village community meetings. Today in close neighbourhood actively working “Harenda” - Centrum for Recreation and Training with hotel, restaurant, mini zoo, stables, fishing facilities and aquadrome where you can hire: kayak, pedal boat or sail boat. Additional trout fishing facilities could be found just behind the corner. ”Harenda” is a great location and starting point for explorations of the Kotlina Kłodzka. At Glowna 87 Street you can find another place where you could stay over night or longer and enjoy fishing for trout: Agro-Tourism Reks-Pajak. Travellers or Tourists could also enjoy restaurant “Ibiza” with free parking, bar and rooms with en-suite bathrooms and toilets.

Source:
www.sztetl.org.pl