Sand bar peninsula in northern Poland

Peninsula in Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland

Hel

Peninsula

Hel Peninsula as seen from Landsat satellite in 2000

Hel

Coordinates: 54°38′30″N 18°46′53″E / 54.64167°N 18.78139°E / 54.64167; 18.78139Coordinates: 54°38′30″N 18°46′53″E / 54.64167°N 18.78139°E / 54.64167; 18.78139
Country| Poland
Voivodeship| Pomeranian
County| Puck

Hel Peninsula as seen from the tallest building in Władysławowo

Wooden house from circa 1850, now a restaurant

Kitesurfing, Hel Peninsula

Seal at the Oceanography Institute

Hel Peninsula (listen (help·info); Polish: Mierzeja Helska, Półwysep Helski; Kashubian: Hélskô Sztremlëzna; German: Halbinsel Hela or Putziger Nehrung) is a 35-kilometre-long (22 mi) sand bar peninsula in northern Poland separating the Bay of Puck from the open Baltic Sea. It is located in Puck County of the Pomeranian Voivodeship.

## Name[edit]

The name of the peninsula might come from either the Old Polish word hyl/hel, meaning "empty or exposed place," or the Germanic word heel, which is derived from the form of the peninsula and the fact that the area was first settled by the Goths, an East Germanic tribe.[1]

## Geography[edit]

The width of the peninsula varies from approximately 300 metres (980 ft) near Jurata to 100 metres (330 ft) in the most narrow part to over 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) at the tip. Since the peninsula was formed entirely of sand, it is frequently turned into an island by winter storms. Until the 17th century, the peninsula was a chain of islands that formed a strip of land only in the summer.

A road and a railroad run along the peninsula from the mainland to the town at the furthest point, Hel, a popular tourist destination. Other towns, ports, and tourist resorts are Jurata, Jastarnia, Kuźnica, Chałupy, and Władysławowo.

Bus transport on peninsula consists of only one route, the 666.[2][3]

## Military importance[edit]

The Hel (German: Hela) Peninsula was part of Prussia and then Germany from 1772 to 1919. After the peninsula became part of the Second Polish Republic after World War I, it acquired considerable military significance (Polish Corridor) and was turned into a fortified region, with a garrison of about 3,000. In the course of the Battle of Hel in 1939, Polish forces dynamited the peninsula at one point and turned it into an island.

During the years of German occupation of Poland (1939–1945), Hel's defenses were further expanded, and a battery of three 40.6 cm SK C/34 gun was constructed, but the guns were soon moved to the Atlantic Wall in occupied France. Hel peninsula remained in German hands until the end of World War II, when the defending forces surrendered on 14 May 1945, six days after Germany capitulated.

After the war, when the peninsula again became part of Poland, it continued to have military significance, with much of its area reserved for military use. Additional gun batteries were built in the 1940s and the 1950s. Many of the fortifications and batteries are open to tourists today, but some areas of the peninsula still belong to the Polish Armed Forces.

## Gallery[edit]

* Hel

* Jastarnia

* Kuźnica

* Chalupy

## See also[edit]

* Hel Fortified Area
* Westerplatte
* Hel lighthouse

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego/hyl – Wikiźródła, wolna biblioteka". pl.wikisource.org.
2. ^ "Rozkład jazdy – PKS GDYNIA".
3. ^ "Linia 666 do Helu wzbudza kontrowersje". 26 July 2018.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hel Peninsula.

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Geography of Pomerania

Regions|

| Current|

* Western Pomerania
* Farther Pomerania
* Pomerelia
* Gdańsk Pomerania
* Kashubia
* Kociewie
* Tuchola Forest
* Chełmno Land
* Michałów Land
* Lubawa Land

|

Former|

* Circipania
* Lauenburg and Bütow Land
* Lands of Schlawe and Stolp

Administration|

* Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
* Brandenburg
* West Pomeranian Voivodeship
* Pomeranian Voivodeship
* Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
* Pomerania Euroregion

Cities and towns|

* Anklam
* Barth
* Demmin
* Gartz
* Greifswald
* Grudziądz
* Heringsdorf
* Kołobrzeg
* Koszalin
* Ribnitz-Damgarten
* Sagard
* Sassnitz
* Słupsk
* Stargard
* Starogard Gdański
* Stralsund
* Świnoujście
* Szczecin
* Tczew
* Toruń
* Tricity metro
* Gdańsk
* Gdynia
* Sopot
* Ueckermünde
* Wejherowo
* Wolgast
* Zingst

* List of towns in Western Pomerania
* List of towns in Farther Pomerania
* List of placenames in the Province of Pomerania
* A–H
* I–P
* Q–Z

Inhabited islands|

* Kirr
* Hiddensee
* Ummanz
* Dänholm
* Rügen
* Öhe
* Riems
* Vilm
* Greifswalder Oie
* Görmitz
* Usedom
* Karsibór
* Wolin
* Wolińska Kępa
* Chrząszczewska
* Pucka
* Grodzka
* Kępa Parnicka
* Zaleskie Łęgi
* Zielona
* Łasztownia
* Ostrów Grabowski
* Salt Island
* Młyńska Island
* Port
* Ołowianka
* Ostrów
* Sobieszewo

Peninsulae and headlands|

* Darß-Zingst
* Jasmund
* Hel
* Mönchgut
* Reddevitz Höft
* Rewa Sandbar
* Cape Rozewie
* Cape Rzucewo
* Westerplatte
* Wittow
* Cape Arkona
* Bug
* Schaabe
* Zudar
* Palmer Ort

Rivers|

* Brda
* Drawa
* Drwęca
* Dziwna
* Grabowa
* Gwda
* Ina
* Łeba
* Motława
* Oder
* West
* East
* Regalica
* Parsęta
* Peene
* Peenestrom
* Piaśnica
* Płonia
* Radunia
* Randow
* Recknitz
* Reda
* Rega
* Ryck
* Słupia
* Świna
* Tollense
* Trebel
* Uecker
* Vistula
* Leniwka
* Śmiała Wisła
* Martwa Wisła
* Przekop Canal
* Wda
* Wieprza
* Wierzyca

Lakes|

* Charzykowskie Lake
* Dąbie Lake
* Drawsko Lake
* Gardno Lake
* Jamno Lake
* Lake Kummerow
* Łebsko Lake
* Miedwie Lake
* Raduńskie Lake
* Wdzydze Lake
* Wicko Lake

Bays, lagoons|

* Achterwasser
* Balmer See
* Darss-Zingst Bodden Chain
* Bodstedter Bodden
* Barther Bodden
* Grabow
* Bay of Gdańsk
* Bay of Puck
* Bay of Pomerania
* Bay of Greifswald
* Rügischer Bodden
* Hagensche Wiek
* Having
* Wreecher See
* Kamieński Lagoon
* North Rügen Bodden
* Wieker Bodden
* Rassower Strom
* Großer Jasmunder Bodden
* Kleiner Jasmunder Bodden
* Prorer Wiek
* Szczecin Lagoon
* Nowe Warpno Bay
* Neuwarper See
* Tromper Wiek
* West Rügen Bodden
* Vitter Bodden
* Schaproder Bodden
* Udarser Wiek
* Kubitzer Bodden
* Liebitz

National parks|

* Western Pomerania Lagoon Area
* Jasmund
* Lower Oder Valley
* Wolin
* Drawa
* Słowiński
* Bory Tucholskie

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History of Pomerania

* 10,000 BC - 600 AD
* 600-1100
* 1100-1300
* 1300-1500
* 1500-1806
* 1806-1933
* 1933-1945
* 1945-present

Administrative

Western Pomerania

* Billung March
* Northern March
* Principality of Rügen
* Duchy of Pomerania
* House of Pomerania
* List of Dukes
* Gützkow
* Partitions
* Pomerania-Demmin
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* Szczecin Voivodeship 1975–1998
* Contemporary
* Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
* Brandenburg
* West Pomeranian Voivodeship

|

Farther Pomerania

* Duchy of Pomerania
* House of Pomerania
* List of Dukes
* Cammin
* Schlawe-Stolp
* Partitions
* Pomerania-Stolp
* Brandenburgian Pomerania
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* List of placenames
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* Koszalin Voivodeship 1950–1975
* Szczecin Voivodeship 1975–1998
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* Słupsk Voivodeship 1975–1998
* Contemporary
* West Pomeranian Voivodeship
* Pomeranian Voivodeship

Lauenburg-Bütow
classified as
Farther Pomerania
or Pomerelia|

* Duchy of Pomerania
* House of Pomerania
* List of Dukes
* Partitions
* Royal Prussia
* Pomeranian Voivodeship
* Lauenburg-Bütow Pawn
* Brandenburgian Pomerania
* Lauenburg and Bütow Land
* Province of Pomerania 1815–1945
* Köslin Region
* Szczecin Voivodeship 1946–1975
* Koszalin Voivodeship 1950–1975
* Słupsk Voivodeship 1975–1998
* Contemporary
* Pomeranian Voivodeship

Pomerelia
(Kashubia,
Kociewie,
Tuchola Forest,
Chełmno Land)|

* Polish Pomerelia
* Danish Pomerelia
* Duchy of Pomerelia
* Samborides
* Duchy of Gdańsk
* Duchy of Świecie and Lubiszewo
* Duchy of Białogarda
* Duchy of Lubiszewo
* Duchy of Świecie
* State of the Teutonic Order
* Royal Prussia 1466–1793
* Pomeranian Voivodeship
* Chełmno Voivodeship
* Free City of Danzig 1807–1814
* West Prussia
* Posen-West Prussia Region
* Pomeranian Voivodeship 1919-1939 (Polish Corridor)
* Free City of Danzig 1920-1939
* Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia
* Gdańsk Voivodeship 1946–1975
* Bydgoszcz Voivodeship 1946–1975
* Szczecin Voivodeship 1946–1975
* Koszalin Voivodeship 1950–1975
* Gdańsk Voivodeship 1975–1998
* Koszalin Voivodeship 1975–1998
* Słupsk Voivodeship 1975–1998
* Bydgoszcz Voivodeship 1975–1998
* Toruń Voivodeship 1975–1998
* Contemporary
* Pomeranian Voivodeship
* West Pomeranian Voivodeship
* Gmina Biały Bór
* Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship

Ecclesiastical

| Roman Catholic|

| Historical|

* Christianization of Pomerania
* Diocese of Wollin/Cammin
* Diocese of Kolberg
* Diocese of Chełmno
* Diocese of Roskilde
* Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Germany
* Prince-Episcopal Delegation for Brandenburg and Pomerania
* Apostolic Administration of the Free City of Danzig
* Apostolic Administration of Tütz
* Prelature of Schneidemühl
* Apostolic Administration of Kamień (Cammin), Lubusz (Lebus) and the Prelature of Piła (Schneidemühl) with see in Gorzów Wielkopolski 1945–1972

|

Extant|

* Archdiocese of Berlin
* Diocese of Bydgoszcz
* Archdiocese of Gdańsk
* Diocese of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg
* Diocese of Pelplin
* Archdiocese of Szczecin-Kamień
* Diocese of Toruń
* Diocese of Włocławek

Protestant|

| Historical|

* Protestant Reformation

* Evangelical State Church in Prussia
* Pomeranian Evangelical Church

|

Extant|

* Evangelical Church in Germany
* Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany
* Lutheran Diocese of Mecklenburg and Pomerania
* Evangelical Reformed Church in Germany
* Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland
* Lutheran Diocese of Pomerania-Greater Poland
* Lutheran Diocese of Wrocław
* Pentecostal Church in Poland

Demography and anthropology

| Archaeological cultures|

* Hamburg
* Maglemosian
* Ertebølle-Ellerbek
* Linear Pottery
* Funnelbeaker
* Havelland
* Corded Ware
* Comb Ceramic
* Nordic Bronze Age
* Lusatian
* Jastorf
* Pomeranian
* Oksywie
* Wielbark
* Gustow
* Dębczyn (Denzin)

|

Peoples|

* Gepids
* Goths
* Lemovii
* Rugii
* Vidivarii
* Vistula Veneti
* Slavic Pomeranians
* Prissani
* Rani
* Ukrani
* Veleti
* Lutici
* Velunzani
* German Pomeranians
* Kashubians
* Poles
* Slovincians

Major demographic events|

* Migration Period
* Ostsiedlung
* WWII flight and expulsion of Germans
* Post-WWII settlement of Poles and Ukrainians

Languages and dialects|

| West Germanic|

* Low German
* Low Prussian
* Central Pomeranian
* Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch
* East Pomeranian
* West Pomeranian
* Standard German

|

West Slavic|

* Polabian
* Polish
* Pomeranian
* Kashubian
* Slovincian

Treaties

| 1200-1500|

* Kremmen (1236)
* Landin (1250)
* Kępno (1282)
* Soldin (1309)
* Templin (1317)
* Ueckermünde (1327)
* Kalisz (1343)
* Stralsund (1354)
* Stralsund (1370)
* Pyzdry (1390)
* Raciążek (1404)
* Thorn, First (1411)
* Eberswalde, First (1415)
* Melno (1422)
* Perleberg (1427)
* Eberswalde, Second (1427)
* Łęczyca (1433)
* Brześć Kujawski (1435)
* Soldin (1466)
* Thorn, Second (1466)
* Prenzlau (1448/1468/1472/1479)
* Pyritz (1493)

|

1500-1700|

* Thorn (1521)
* Kraków (1525)
* Grimnitz (1529)
* Augsburg (1555)
* Lublin (1569)
* Stettin (1570)
* Franzburg (1627)
* Stettin (1630)
* Westphalia (1648)
* Stettin (1653)
* Labiau (1656)
* Wehlau and Bromberg (1657)
* Oliva (1660)
* Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1679)
* Lund (1679)

1700-present|

* Stockholm (1719 / 1720)
* Frederiksborg (1720)
* Polish Partitions Treaties (1772/1773, 1793, 1795)
* Tilsit (1807)
* Kiel (1814)
* Vienna (1815)
* North German Confederation Treaty (1866)
* Peace of Prague (1866)
* Versailles (1919)
* Polish Concordat (1925)
* Prussian Concordat (1929)
* Reichskonkordat (1933)
* Molotov–Ribbentrop (1939)
* Potsdam (1945)
* Zgorzelec (1951)
* Moscow (1970)
* Warsaw (1970)
* Helsinki Accords (1975)
* Polish-East German Maritime Border Agreement (1989)
* Two Plus Four (1990)
* German Reunification Treaty (1990)
* German–Polish Border Treaty (1991)
* Treaty of Good Neighbourship (1991)
* Polish Concordat (1993)
* Convention on the International Commission on the Protection of the Oder against Pollution (1996)
* Treaty of Accession 2003

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Places on the Baltic coast of Poland

* Bay of Pomerania
* Świnoujście
* Uznam
* Międzyzdroje
* Wolin
* Wolin National Park
* Grodno
* Międzywodzie
* Dziwnów
* Dziwnówek
* Trzebiatowski Coast
* Łukęcin
* Pobierowo
* Pustkowo
* Trzęsacz
* Rewal
* Niechorze
* Pogorzelica
* Mrzeżyno
* Rogowo
* Dźwirzyno
* Grzybowo
* Kołobrzeg
* Slovincian Coast
* Sianożęty
* Ustronie Morskie
* Pleśna
* Gąski
* Sarbinowo
* Chłopy
* Mielno
* Unieście
* Łazy
* Dąbkowice
* Dąbki
* Bobolin
* Żukowo Morskie
* Darłowo
* includes Darłówko
* Wicie
* Jarosławiec
* Wicko Morskie
* Modlinek
* Ustka
* Orzechowo
* Poddąbie
* Dębina
* Rowy
* Rówek
* Czołpino
* Słowiński National Park
* Łeba
* Osetnik
* Kopalino
* Lubiatowo
* Białogóra
* Dębki
* Karwia
* Ostrowo
* Jastrzębia Góra
* Cape Rozewie
* Rozewie
* Chłapowo
* Władysławowo
* includes Cetniewo
* Chałupy
* Kuźnica
* Jastarnia
* Jurata
* Hel
* Hel Peninsula
* Coastal Landscape Park
* Swarzewo
* Puck
* Bay of Puck
* Błądzikowo
* Rzucewo
* Osłonino
* Rewa
* Mechelinki
* Gdynia
* Sopot
* Gdańsk
* includes Wyspa Portowa
* Wyspa Sobieszewska
* Bay of Gdańsk
* Mikoszewo
* Jantar
* Stegna
* Sztutowo
* Kąty Rybackie
* Skowronki
* Krynica Morska
* includes Przebrno
* Nowa Karczma
* Vistula Spit
* Vistula Spit canal

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