Darmian

Darmian is a village located in the administrative district of Gmina Strzelin, within Wrocław County in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of southwestern Poland. The settlement lies approximately five kilometers north of the town of Strzelin and about thirty kilometers south of the regional capital Wrocław, positioned on the historic trade route between Wrocław and Opole.

The first recorded mention of Darmian dates to 1388, when it appeared in the royal treasury register under the name “Darmyn.” The village was primarily agricultural, with its economy historically based on wheat and rye cultivation, and in the 18th and 19th centuries also on meadowland meadows for cattle grazing. During the period of German rule (1871–1945), Darmian’s German name was “Darmeyer.” After World War II, the village was incorporated into the restored Polish state, and the German population was largely displaced.

The central landmark of Darmian is the 15th‑century Church of Saint Catherine, a wooden structure that exemplifies the local Gothic style and contains a 17th‑century altar painted by a regional artist. Nearby there is a small communal forest that has been used for timber and recreation since the early 20th century.

According to the 2002 national census, Darmian had a population of 415 residents. The population is predominantly ethnic Poles, with a small number of residents in the neighboring German minority community. The village is served by a primary school and a volunteer fire department. Most inhabitants commute to Strzelin or Wrocław for employment, and the local economy has diversified in recent years to include small-scale agri‑tourism ventures.