In the early the Middle Ages, Pszczyna was a stronghold of the
Piast dynasty and several dukes of Poland. The town belonged to the historical region of
Lesser Poland until 1177, when it became part of the
Duchy of Racibórz. From this time on, it also was part of the
Bishopric of Kraków. In 1548, the palace was sold to the noble Promnitz family from Saxony and given a
Renaissance appearance, which it lost after a fire. It was subsequently rebuilt in a more
baroque style. In 1705, Baroque composer
Georg Philipp Telemann became
Kapellmeister to
Erdmann II of Promnitz, privy Councillor to
Augustus II the Strong, elector of Saxony and king of Poland, and spent considerable time at the Pszczyna Palace when the latter's court summered there. This gave Telemann an opportunity to study Polish and Moravian folk music, which fascinated and inspired him. In 1742 Pless became part of the
Kingdom of Prussia. In 1848 the
Duchy of Pless became a
principality, ruled by the Hochberg-Fuerstenstein family until 1939. Between 1870 and 1876, reconstruction of the palace was directed by the
French architect Gabriel-Hippolyte Destailleur. During the
First World War, the palace, then in the Prussian
Province of Silesia, at times hosted
William II, German Emperor, and there are pictures on display of him together with Generals such as
Erich Ludendorff and
Paul von Hindenburg discussing military operations. After the war and a plebiscite in 1921, the town became again part of
Poland. Following the joint German-Soviet
invasion of Poland in September 1939 at the start of
World War II, the complex was occupied by the
Wehrmacht. After the Second World War,
Upper Silesia became part of the
Polish People's Republic. For a brief period there was a
Soviet military hospital in the palace, but in May 1946 it was turned into a
museum, which still operates today. == Interior ==