History of the Area

Although the first mention of the settlement dates back to 1223, it was inhabited long before that. In 1260, Kazimierz I of Kujawy stayed in Tuszyn, confirming the monastery in Sulejów in a Latin document, where the town was recorded as Tusine. In 1416, Władysław Jagiełło established a royal town here, instructing the starosta of Pobiedziska, Dobek Kobyla "de Żary," to establish a town on the lands of the village of Tuszyn. In the 15th century, it was a popular place for royal hunts in the surrounding forest. Among others, King Kazimierz IV Jagiellończyk visited Tuszyn three times for this purpose. In the 16th century, the town saw the development of the forestry industry, beekeeping, shepherding, and milling. The most important role was played by beer production, which was the main occupation of the population at that time. Trade also played a significant role. In 1655, Tuszyn was completely burned and plundered by Swedish troops during the Deluge. The town became depopulated and declined for a while, but the influx of Jewish people at the end of the 17th century somewhat improved the economic situation. During the partitions, Tuszyn successively became part of Prussia, the Duchy of Warsaw, the Congress Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Poland. 4o

In 1956, the Puppet Film Studio was established in Tuszyn, separated from the Feature Film Studio in Łódź. A few years later, it was transformed into the Small Film Forms Studio "Se-Ma-For." It was here that the famous puppet series, such as Miś Uszatek, Miś Colargol, and Pingwin Pik-Pok, were created, raising entire generations of Poles.