Zwoleń ( Zvolin) is a town in eastern Poland, in Masovian Voivodeship, about east of Radom. It is the capital of Zwoleń County. Population is 8,048 (2009). Zwoleń belongs to Sandomierz Land of the historic province of Lesser Poland, and is located on the Zwoleńka river. History The history of the town dates back to the early 15th century, when Zwoleń was founded on a privilege issued by King Władysław II Jagiełło. The first wójt was Jan Cielątko. Zwoleń was a royal town of Poland, administratively located in the Radom County in the Sandomierz Voivodeship in the Lesser Poland Province of the Polish Crown. In the 16th century, it already was a center of local trade, located along the road from Lublin to Radom and Greater Poland. In 1566–1575, Polish Renaissance poet and writer Jan Kochanowski worked at a local Roman Catholic parish. Kochanowski, who died in Lublin, was buried in the local Holy Cross church. During the Swedish invasion known as the Deluge (1655-1660), Zwoleń was destroyed to such a degree that it never recovered its regional significance. In late 18th century, during Partitions of Poland, Zwoleń was annexed by the Austrian Empire. Between 1807 and 1815, it was part of the French-controlled Polish Duchy of Warsaw, established by Napoleon. In 1815 it became part of Congress Poland, a protectorate of the Russian Empire. After the January Uprising, in 1869, Russian authorities deprived Zwoleń of its town rights, as a punishment for residents' support of the insurgents. The village of Zwoleń stagnated for years, and did not regain its town rights until 1925, after Poland regained sovereignty in 1918. In 1921 Zwoleń had 8,544 residents, of which 3,787 were Jews. World War II The Nazi German invasion of Poland in 1939 was a disastrous period for the town. Almost 80% of buildings were destroyed in air attacks and artillery bombardments. Houses around the market square and the local synagogue were burned. German occupiers carried out numerous mass executions of underground resistance fighters (from Home Army to Bataliony Chłopskie). At the beginning of 1941, the Nazi German administration established a ghetto in the southern part of Zwoleń for local Jews as well as all transports from neighbouring villages. In March 1941, Jews from Przytyk were transferred to Zwoleń (fact disputed by some scholars claiming that by then Jews of Przytyk were already removed). On December 22, 1941 the Jüdischer Wohnbezirk