Mazur Syrenka - recreation and conferences on the Krutynia River

History of Krutyń

Krutyń is a tourist place located in Masuria in the centre of the Masurian Scenic Park. The name of the village of Krutyń comes from the name of the river called Krutynia. It comes from the Old Prussian language. This language was related to the Lithuanian language. The name means "a brisk and winding river" and not "a short river" as some wrongly presume.

The beginning of Krutyń goes back to old times. It was founded during the rule of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, Frederic of Meissen, around 1500 as a borderland watchtower in the forest. The watchtower was later transformed into a hunting castle where Prince Albrecht hid during the outbreak of pague in Prussia in 1527. The castle can be found on Hennenberger's map of Prussia in 1576. Later Duke George William stayed here several times in 1620, 1621, 1627 and 1629. That was during the Thirty Years' War that also took place in Brandenburg. The castle in Krutyń was mentioned in publications in 1674. Around 1651 the castle was a seat of the forest inspector who was in charge of all the national forests in the Szestno district. Four sentries were subordinate to him: sentries of Kosewo, Kiełbonki, Marcinkowo and Prusinowo. At that time, the exploitation of the forest became more intensive in order to mulitply the Duke's income. Numerous wood tar factories and potash plants were built then. A small workers' settlement was established near the forest inspector's premises.

Later, around 1751, a steelworker named Grzegorzewski was commissioned to set up a glassworks on the krutynia River. It only existed until 1776. It was called Krutyń Glassworks which was the beginning of the village of Stara Ukta.
The settlement of Krutyń, which still was the seat of the forest inspectorate and the deputy forester, had 16 homesteads. Nearby there were two settlements: Krutyńska Karczma with one homestead and farther down the river Krutyński Piecek with three homesteads.

The first school was established before 1740 in a wooden building and in 1818 40 children attended the school. In 1935 there was a three-grade school which was located in a brick building. Two teachers taught 120 children, including children from Krutyński Piecek and Zielony Lasek. Originally, Krutyń belonged to the parish of Nawiady. Since 1846 it has belonged to Ukta. In 1939 its population was 436. At the end of 1999 there were 324 inhabitants. Behind the bridge, on the right there is a building (the former forest inspectorate of Krutyń) in which the Noble prize winner John Steinbeck stayed in 1963. In front of the Primary School building in Krutyń there is an erratic boulder with a plaque dedicated to Karol Małłek, a Masurian activist and writer, who lived in Krutyń.
The area of Krutyń is one of the most beautiful summer places in Masuria. The village and its development owe much to the aforementioned values. Before World War II there were four guesthouses here. Besides tourists and vacationers could stay in numerous private lodgings.