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{{Infobox settlement
| name = Ryki
| image_shield = POL Ryki COA.svg
| pushpin_map = Poland
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| image_skyline = Ryki Poniatowski Palace 2012.08-1.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption = [[House of Poniatowski|Poniatowski's Palace]]
| image_flag =
| image_seal =
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = {{POL}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Voivodeships of Poland|Voivodeship]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Lublin Voivodeship|Lublin]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Powiat|County]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Ryki County|Ryki]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[Gmina]]
| subdivision_name3 = [[Gmina Ryki|Ryki]]
| leader_party = [[Law and Justice|PiS]]
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Jarosław Żaczek
| area_total_km2 = 27.22
| population_as_of = 2006
| population_total = 9716
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset = +1
| timezone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset_DST = +2
| coordinates = {{coord|51|38|N|21|56|E|region:PL|display=title,inline}}
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = 08-500
| blank_name = [[Polish car number plates|Car plates]]
| blank_info = LRY
| website = http://www.ryki.pl
}}
'''Ryki''' {{IPAc-pl|'|r|y|k|J|i}} is a [[town]] in eastern [[Poland]] between [[Warsaw]] and [[Lublin]]. It has 9,767 inhabitants (as of 2007). Situated in the [[Lublin Voivodeship]] (since 1999). It is the [[Capital (political)|capital]] of [[Ryki County]]. Ryki belongs to [[Lesser Poland]], and historically is part of ''Ziemia Stężycka'' (''The Land of [[Stężyca, Lublin Voivodeship|Stężyca]]'', an ancient [[powiat|county]], the only part of historic [[Sandomierz Voivodeship]] which was located on the right bank of the [[Vistula]] river). The town is located in the northwest corner of Lublin Voivodeship. The distance to the Polish capital is 100&nbsp;km, the distance to Lublin – 64&nbsp;km. Its name first appears in documents in 1439 as Riki.
== History ==
The first urban center of this part of Lesser Poland was located in [[Sieciechów, Masovian Voivodeship|Sieciechów]], whose parish church controlled areas both east and west of the [[Vistula]]. In the 14th century, Sieciechów's significance diminished, and in the mid-15th century, the ''County of Stężyca'' was created, as part of [[Sandomierz Voivodeship]]. The royal village of Ryki (Riki), which belonged to the County of Stężyca, was first mentioned in 1424. In 1570, Ryki had a wooden church of St. Jacob the Apostle, as well as a parish school. In 1591 a hospital was founded, and the seat of a [[starosta]] was established here. Ryki received its city charter in 1782 but lost it in 1810.
Until the [[Partitions of Poland|Third Partition of Poland]], Ryki remained in Sandomierz Voivodeship. Then, between 1795 and 1809, it briefly belonged to [[Austrian Empire]]’s province of [[West Galicia]]. During the [[Napoleonic Wars]], the town became part of the [[Duchy of Warsaw]], later [[Congress Poland]], governed by the Russians. It was an important center of Chassidic movement, and in 1908, Jews made 94% of town's population. On August 2, 1919, Ryki was added to [[Garwolin]] County, part of [[Lublin Voivodeship]]. Garwolin County became part of [[Warsaw Voivodeship (1919–39)|Warsaw Voivodeship]] on 1 April 1939.
In September 1939 German [[Luftwaffe]] destroyed the centre of Ryki.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sztetl.org.pl/en/towns/r/714-ryki/99-history/137971-history-of-community | title=History &#124; Virtual Shtetl }}</ref> During [[World War II]], the Jewish residents of the town—between 3,000 and 4,000 Jews—were murdered in the [[Holocaust]], either in [[Treblinka extermination camp]], or [[Sobibor extermination camp]].<ref name="Holocaust1">{{cite web|url=https://sztetl.org.pl/en/towns/r/714-ryki/99-history/137971-history-of-community|title=Virtual Sztetl|date=2018-07-21|language=en}}</ref> Some Jewish children, such as Shloime Judensznajder (now [[Solly Irving]]), were rescued by Polish families.<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.het.org.uk/news-and-events/658-solly-irving-1930-2017
| title = Solly Irving, 1930-2017
| publisher = Holocaust Educational Trust
}}</ref> Their descendants live currently in Poland, the UK and Israel.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Gilbert
| first = Martin
| author-link = Martin Gilbert
| date = 1997
| title = Holocaust Journey: Travelling in Search of the Past, 1999
| publisher = Weidenfeld and Nicolson
| page = 291
}}</ref>
The town and its county was a major center of [[Home Army]], whose units liberated Ryki on July 26, 1944. After the war, Ryki belonged to [[Warsaw Voivodeship (1945–75)|Warsaw Voivodeship]], and in 1975, the town was moved again to Lublin Voivodeship. In 2000, [[FM- and TV-mast Ryki]] was built. Ryki again officially became a town in 1957.
Today Ryki is an important road junction. In the neighboring village of Moszczanka, two national roads cross – the 48th ([[Kock]] – [[Tomaszów Mazowiecki]]), and the 17th (Lublin – Warsaw). The town has a rail station, and bus connections with several locations.
== Famous namesakes ==
The surname of [[Hyman G. Rickover]], a [[US Navy]] [[Admiral]] and considered the [[Father of the Nuclear Navy]], is derived from Ryki. Born in 1900 in [[Maków Mazowiecki]], the young Rickover emigrated with his [[Jewish]] family in 1906 to the United States. The Admiral served on active duty for 63 years, longer than any other U.S. military officer.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z095cIB0coAC&q=Rickover+%2263+years%22&pg=PA87 |title=Rickover: father of the nuclear Navy – Thomas B. Allen, Norman Polmar |via= Google Boeken |year=2007|isbn=9781574887044 |access-date=2012-02-02|last1=Allen |first1=Thomas B. |last2=Polmar |first2=Norman }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/bios/rickover.htm |title=Admiral Hyman G. Rickover – Biography |publisher=History.navy.mil |access-date=2012-02-02}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Ryki County}}
{{Gmina Ryki}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Cities and towns in Lublin Voivodeship]]
[[Category:Ryki County]]
[[Category:Holocaust locations in Poland]]