Kulm law, Culm law or Chełmno Law (; ; ) was a legal constitution for a municipal form of government used in several Central European cities in the Middle Ages and early modern period.
It was initiated on 28 December 1233 in the Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights by Grand Master Hermann von Salza and Hermann Balk when the towns of Toruń (Thorn) and Chełmno (Kulm) received German town law, in particular as a modification of Magdeburg rights. Named after the town it was signed in, the original document (Kulmer Handfeste) was lost in 1244 when the town hall burned due to an attack by Świętopełk II, Duke of Pomerania. The renewed charter of 1 October 1251 was based on a copy in Toruń, but the rights were reduced. The town hall in Chełmno was the seat of the higher court of Chełmno law until 1458.
This type of law was mostly granted by the Teutonic Order to cities within their monastic state, and by the neighboring Duchy of Masovia, but also elsewhere in Poland and Lithuania. The law introduced a number of advantages for residents over Magdeburg rights, including the right to elect the local judge, and the right of inheritance by descendants of both genders. From the 13th to the 18th century, at least 224 towns were vested with the law. In addition, the Kulm law was expanded, independently from the Knights, to a larger set of laws called Alter Kulm.
During World War II the charter of 1251 was stolen by the German occupiers from the Old Town City Hall in Toruń, but was restored to Poland after the war. It is held in the State Archive in Toruń since 1959. It is listed on the Polish National List of the Memory of the World Register, which includes candidates for the international register.
Cities and towns
Cities located under Chełmno Law are currently mostly located in northern and central Poland, in the regions of Dobrzyń Land, Krajna, Kuyavia, Masuria, Mazovia, Podlachia, Pomerania, Powiśle, Warmia, with some in southern Poland (Lesser Poland), and in Lithuania and Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast). The largest are Polish capital Warsaw, major cities on the Vistula River Płock, Toruń and Grudziądz, major port cities of Gdańsk, Kaliningrad and Klaipėda, plus Olsztyn.
The historic centers of Toruń and Warsaw are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with the historic centers of Chełmno, Gdańsk and Tykocin, and major landmarks of Czerwińsk nad Wisłą, Grudziądz, Kwidzyn, Lidzbark Warmiński, Malbork, Olsztyn, Płock and Pułtusk additionally listed as Historic Monuments of Poland.
Cities include: In the Monastic state of PrussiaInitially fief and part of Poland, then once again fief and part of Poland since 1466. In the Duchy of MasoviaFief and part of Poland. Elsewhere in Poland and LithuaniaKulm (Chełmno) - 1233 Thorn (Toruń) - 1233 Marienwerder (Kwidzyn) - 1233 Radzyń Chełmiński - 1234 Königsberg (Kaliningrad) - 1286 Malbork - 1286 Dzierzgoń - 1288 Grudziądz - 1291 Tolkmicko - 1296 Gniew - 1297 Pasłęk - 1297 Nowe - 1301 Święta Siekierka (Mamonovo) - 1301 Iława - 1305 Zalewo - 1305 or 1320 or 1334 Łasin - 1306 Lidzbark Warmiński - 1308 Melzak (Pieniężno) - 1312 Cynty (Kornevo) - 1313 Orneta - 1313 Susz - Krzyżbork (Slavskoye) - 1315 Brodnica - 1317 Skarszewy - 1320 Lubawa - 1326Replaced previous town rights. Dąbrówno - 1326 Morąg - 1327 Młynary - or 1338 Dobre Miasto - 1329 Ostróda - 1329 Prabuty - 1330 Kisielice - 1331 Biskupiec Pomorski - 1331 Wąbrzeźno - Bartoszyce - 1332 Miłomłyn - 1335 Górowo Iławeckie - 1335 Frydląd (Pravdinsk) - 1335 Welawa (Znamensk) - Reszel - 1337 Świecie - 1338 Jeziorany - 1338 Lębork - 1341 Gdańsk - 1343Replaced previous Magdeburg rights. Działdowo - 1344 Bytów - 1346 Tuchola - 1346 Olsztyn - 1348 Człuchów - 1348 Starogard - 1348 Puck - 1348 Sępopol - 1351 Nowe Miasto Lubawskie - 1353 Debrzno - 1354 Rastembork (Kętrzyn) - 1357 Łeba - 1357 Olsztynek - 1359 Wartembork (Barczewo) - 1364 Tczew - between 1364 and 1383 Nidzica - 1381 Biały Bór - 1382 or 1395 Bisztynek - 1385 Pasym - 1386 Biskupiec - 1395 Czarne - 1395 Kościerzyna - 1398 Gerdauen (Zheleznodorozhny) - 1398 Alembork (Druzhba) - 1400 Domnovo - 1400 Bobrowniki - 1403 Dryfort (Srokowo) - 1405 Nordenbork (Krylovo) - 1407 Ządźbork (Mrągowo) - Sztum - 1416 Ełk - 1445 Memel (Klaipėda) - 1475Replaced previous Lübeck law.Płock - 1237 Pułtusk - 1257 Gąbin - 1322 or earlier Warsaw - 1334 Rawa - between 1345 and 1350 Bodzanów - 1351 Zaździerz - 1356 Bielsk - 1373 Ostrołęka - 1373 or 1427 Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki - 1374 Magnuszew - 1377 Różan - 1378 Błonie - 1380 Gostynin - 1382 Goszczyn - 1382 or 1386 Szreńsk - 1383 Kuczbork - 1384 Sochocin - 1385 Czersk - 1386 Nasielsk - 1386 Wyszogród - 1398 Ciechanów - 1400 Radzanów - 1400 Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą - 1400 Płońsk - Bieżuń - 1406 Budziszewice - 1407 Serock - 1417 or 1425 Łomża - 1418 Grójec - 1419 Nowe Miasto - 1420 Latowicz - 1420 or 1423 Mińsk Mazowiecki - Liw - 1421 Maków Mazowiecki - 1421 Janowo - 1421 Czerwińsk nad Wisłą - 1422 Garwolin - 1423 Kolno - 1425 Tykocin - 1425 Raciąż - 1425 Przasnysz - 1427 Głowno - 1427 Mława - 1429 Piaseczno - 1429 Zambrów - 1430 or earlier Nur - 1434 Sochaczew - 1434 Ostrów Mazowiecka - 1434 Nowogród - 1434 Wizna - 1435 Wąsosz - 1436 Mszczonów - 1437 Osmolin - 1439 Mielnik - 1440 Bielsk Podlaski - 1440 Węgrów - 1441 Głowaczów - 1445 Zakroczym - 1448 Nadarzyn - 1453 Radziłów - 1466 Miastków Kościelny - 1472 Radzymin - 1475 Brok - 1501 Wyszków - 1502 Niedzbórz - 1505 Stanisławów - 1523 Siennica - 1526 Kalabona (Zwola Poduchowna) - 1526Rypin - between 1323 and 1326 Górzno - 1327 or 1385 Lipno - 1349 Kamień Krajeński - 1359 Fordon - 1382 Wadowice - 1430 Skępe - 1445 Nieszawa - 1460 Janów Podlaski - 1465 Mordy - 1488 Medininkai (Varniai) - 1491 Mokobody - 1496 Waniewo - 1510 Narew - 1514 Dobrzyń nad Wisłą - 1519Confirmation of Chełmno town rights. Bolimów - 1519 Kowal - 1519 Kleszczele - 1523 Grabowo - 1524 Dobre - 1530 Goniądz - 1547 Karczew - 1548 Seroczyn - 1548 Osieck - 1558 Skuodas - 1572 Wejherowo - 1650 Korycin - 1671 Prosperów - 1701 Biała - 1723In Ducal Prussia,vassal duchy of PolandTylża (Sovetsk) - 1552 Olecko - 1560 Gołdap - 1570 Węgorzewo - 1571 Wystruć (Chernyakhovsk) - 1583 Iławka (Bagrationovsk) - 1585 Łuczany (Giżycko) - 1623 Barciany - 1628 Labiawa (Polessk) - 1642 Pisz - 1645 Cities and towns for which it was a replacement of a previous municipal charter in italics.
See also German town law Lübeck law Magdeburg rights Håndfæstning
References
Literature
Jus Culmense ex ultima revisione, oder das vollständige culmische Recht, mit Anmerkungen. Danzig: Johann Friedrich Battels, 1767.
Janicka, Danuta. Prawo karne w trzech rewizjach prawa chełmińskiego z XVI wieku. Toruń: TNT, 1992. Janicka, Danuta. Nauka o winie i karze w dziejach klasycznej szkoły prawa karnego w Niemczech w 1 połowie XIX wieku. Toruń: Wydaw. Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika, 1998. Johanek, Peter. "Alter Kulm." In Die deutsche Literatur des Mittelalters. Verfasserlexikon, vol. 1, edited by Kurt Ruh, 267–269. Berlin: Auflage, 1978. Rogatschewski, Alexander. "Zur Geschichte des 'Alten Kulms' und anderer preußischer Rechtsbücher nach St. Petersburger Quellen." In Deutschsprachige Literatur des Mittelalters im Östlichen Europa: Forschungsstand und Forschungsperspektiven, edited by R. G. Päsler and D. Schmidtke, 199–244. Heildelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter, 2006. Päsler, Ralf G. Deutschsprachige Sachliteratur im Preußenland bis 1500: Untersuchungen zu ihrer Überlieferung, 197, 222–224, 243–252. Köln: Bohlau, 2003.
Urban, William. The Prussian Crusade, 123–128. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1980.