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'''Ann Miller''' was born on [[April 12]], [[1923]] (some sources still indicate [[1919]]) and died on [[January 22]], [[2004]]. She was an American dancer, singer and actress, who was christened '''Johnnie Lucille Collier''' in [[Chireno, Texas]] (some sources cite [[Houston, Texas]]).
'''Gdansk''' is a city in northern [[Poland]], on the coast of the [[Baltic Sea]], with a population of 460,000 (2002). When dealing with the city's pre-1945 existence, English speakers often use the German name '''Danzig'''. Part of this may have been because the city spent much of its existence under German rule, and because most English-speaking scholars are more familiar with the German language. Alternative spellings from documents from the [[Middle Ages|medieval]] and Early Modern periods are ''Gyddanzyc'', ''Dantzig'', ''Dantzigk'' or ''Dantzk''.
She was considered a child dance prodigy. She was given a contract with [[RKO]] allegedly at the tender age of thirteen (she had told them she was eighteen). She became famous for her roles in films such as [[Kiss Me, Kate]], [[Easter Parade]] and [[On the Town]]. Miller was famed for her speed in [[tap dancing]]; she claimed to be able to tap 500 times per minute.
The city is situated at the Motlawa (Mottlau) river, an arm of the [[Vistula]]. A major regional port since the [[14th century]] and subsequently a principal ship-building centre, today's Gdansk remains an important industrial centre despite the development in the [[1920s]] of the nearby port of [[Gdynia]].
Her father (from whom she would become estranged due to his infidelities to her mother) insisted on the name Johnnie because he had wanted a boy, but she was often called Annie. She took up dancing to help exercise her legs to help her [[rickets]]. Her film career effectively ended in [[1956]], but she remained active in the theatre. In [[1979]] she astounded audiences in the [[Broadway]] show [[Sugar Babies]]. In 1983 she won the [[Sarah Siddons Award]] for her work in [[Chicago]] theatre. In 2001 she took her last role as "Coco" in auteur director [[David Lynch]]'s movie [[Mulholland Drive (film)]].
=== History of the city ===
For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Ann Miller has a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 6914 Hollywood Blvd.
Settlements existed in the area for several centuries before the birth of Christ. The coast was called 'Gothiscandza' by [[Jordanes]]; Tacitus also referred to it in his ''Germania''. Both historians believed the area to be populated. Although there were already wooden structures in existence, the year [[997]] is generally considered to be the year of the foundation of the city itself: in 1997 Poland celebrated the ''1000 Years Gdansk Aniversary'' of the foundation of Gdansk by [[Mieszko I of Poland|Mieszko I]], Duke of Poland, "to compete with the ports of [[Szczecin|Stettin]] and [[Wollin]] on the [[Oder River]]". That same year, Saint [[Adalbert of Prague]] entered [[Prussia]] to convert the inhabitants. By 1148, the town had been assigned to the diocese of [[Wloclawek]]) and [[Pomerania]], while several crusades were ordered by the popes, to 'christianize' the heathen Prussians. Missionary activity was spurred both from the west in Pomerania and from the east via [[Riga]].
She died at the age of 80 (or 84) from cancer that had spread to her lungs and was interred in the [[Holy Cross Cemetery]] in [[Culver City, California]].
A city charter according to Luebeck Law for a city named Danzig was granted in [[1224]]. Merchants from the [[Hanseatic League|Hansa]] cities of [[Luebeck|Lübeck]] and [[Bremen]] were the principal founders. The new city seal read, ''Sigillum Burgensium Dantzike'' or "Seal of the city of Danzig," and was similar to the seals of Luübeck and other Hanseatic cities. Duke [[Swiatopolk I, Duke of Pomerelia|Swaitopolk I]], a subject of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] governed in this part of Pomerania-Prussia. Danzig rose to become one of the more important of the many trading and fishing ports along the [[Baltic Sea]] coast and overtook nearby [[Elblag|Elbing]] in western Prussia.
Over the years, the lands surrounding the city changed rulership, first from the duchy of Pomerelia to the Poland or margravate of Brandenburg, then, in 1309, the government of the lands came under the rule of the [[Teutonic Knights]], who started their rule by massacre of city citizens. This was the start of a series of conflicts between Poland and the Teutonic Knights.
== Filmography ==
Danzig became a full member of the Hanseatic League by [[1361]]. In [[1440]], Danzig joined the other [[Hanseatic League]] cities of Elbing and [[Torun|Thorn]] to form the [[Prussian Confederation]], which was supported by [[Casimir IV of Poland|Casimir IV]] of Poland in its rebellion ([[1454]]) against the Teutonic Order's rule. The resulting [[Thirteen Years War]] ended with the Order's defeat and the [[Second Treaty of Thorn]] in [[1466]]).
* ''[[Anne of Green Gables]]'' (1934)
* ''[[The Good Fairy]]'' (1935)
* ''[[The Devil on Horseback]]'' (1936)
* ''[[New Faces of 1937]]'' (1937)
* ''[[The Life of the Party]]'' (1937)
* ''[[Stage Door]]'' (1937)
* ''[[Radio City Revels]]'' (1938)
* ''[[Having Wonderful Time]]'' (1938)
* ''[[You Can't Take It with You]]'' (1938)
* ''[[Room Service]]'' (1938)
* ''[[Tarnished Angel]]'' (1938)
* ''[[Too Many Girls]]'' (1940)
* ''[[Hit Parade of 1941]]'' (1940)
* ''[[Melody Ranch]]'' (1940)
* ''[[Time Out for Rhythm]]'' (1941)
* ''[[Meet the Stars: Stars Past and Present]]'' (1941) (short subject)
* ''[[Screen Snapshots: Series 21, No. 1]]'' (1941) (short subject)
* ''[[Go West, Young Lady]]'' (1941)
* ''[[True to the Army]]'' (1942)
* ''[[Priorities on Parade]]'' (1942)
* ''[[Reveille with Beverly]]'' (1943)
* ''[[What's Buzzin', Cousin?]]'' (1943)
* ''[[Hey, Rookie]]'' (1944)
* ''[[Jam Session]]'' (1944)
* ''[[Carolina Blues]]'' (1944)
* ''[[Eadie Was a Lady]]'' (1945)
* ''[[Eve Knew Her Apples]]'' (1945)
* ''[[The Thrill of Brazil]]'' (1946)
* ''[[Easter Parade]]'' (1948)
* ''[[The Kissing Bandit]]'' (1948)
* ''[[Mighty Manhattan, New York's Wonder City]]'' (1949) (short subject)
* ''[[On the Town]]'' (1949)
* ''[[Watch the Birdie]]'' (1950)
* ''[[Texas Carnival]]'' (1951)
* ''[[Two Tickets to Broadway]]'' (1951)
* ''[[Lovely to Look At]]'' (1952)
* ''[[Small Town Girl]]'' (1953)
* ''[[Calamity Jane]]'' (1953) (bit part)
* ''[[Kiss Me, Kate]]'' (1953)
* ''[[Deep in My Heart]]'' (1954)
* ''[[Hit the Deck]]'' (1955)
* ''[[The Opposite Sex]]'' (1956)
* ''[[The Great American Pastime]]'' (1956)
* ''[[Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood]]'' (1976)
* ''[[A Century of Cinema]]'' (1994) (documentary)
* ''[[That's Entertainment! III]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Mulholland Dr.]]'' (2001)
== External links ==
The 15th and 16th centuries brought changes to the city's cultural heritage. We can see these changes in the arts, language, and in Danzig's contributions to the world of science. In 1471, a refurbished sailing ship under Danzig captain Paul Beneke the famous altar painting titled: Latest Judgement (''Juengste Gericht'') by artist [[Hans Memling]] to Danzig. In around 1480-1490, tablets were installed at St. Mary's church, depicting the ''Ten Commandments'' (external link: [http://artyzm.com/n/nieznani/dolnoniemiecki/e_tablica.htm]) in the Low German language. In 1566, the official language of the city's governing institutions was changed from the [[Low German language|Low German]] used throughout the Hanseatic cities to [[High German language|High German]].
* {{imdb name|id=0587900|name=Ann Miller}}
* [http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3422589.stm BBC obituary]
[[Category:1923 births|Miller, Ann]]
[[Georg Joachim Rheticus]] visited the mayor of Danzig in 1539, while he was working with Copernicus in nearby [[Frauenburg]]. The mayor of Danzig gave Rheticus financial assistance for the publication of the so-called ''Narratio Prima''. Published by the Danzig printer Rhode in 1540, the ''Narratio Prima'' is to this day considered to be the best introduction to the [[Copernican system]]. While in Danzig, Rheticus, who was also a cartographer and navigational instrument maker, interviewed Danzig pilots as to their navigational needs. He presented the ''Tabula chorographica auff Preusse'' to Duke [[Albert of Prussia]] in 1541.
[[Category:2004 deaths|Miller, Ann]]
[[Category:American actors|Miller, Ann]]
[[Category:U.S. stage actors|Miller, Ann]]
[[Category:American film actors|Miller, Ann]]
[[Category:Hollywood Walk of Fame|Miller, Ann]]
[[Category:Female singers|Miller, Ann]]
[[Category:Tap dancers|Miller, Ann]]
[[Category:People from Texas|Miller, Ann]]
The Danzig printer Andreas Huenefeld(t) (''Hunsfeldus'') (1606-1652) printed a Danzig editition of the [[Rosicrucian]] Manifestos. Later on, he published the poems of [[Martin Opitz]]. The famous poet Opitz had died in 1639 and his friend, the pastor of Danzig, known as [[Bartholomaeus Nigrinus]], together with two associates edited the Opitz poems for the Huenefeld printing house.
[[de:Ann Miller]]
In [[1606]] a distillery named ''Der Lachs'' (the Salmon) was founded , which
[[fr:Ann Miller]]
produced one of Danzig's most famous products, a liqueur named ''Danziger
[[nl:Ann Miller]]
[[Goldwasser]]'' ("Danzig gold water"), made from herbs and with small 22-carat gold flakes floating in the bottle. The recipe for this went with the expellees of [[1945]] to western Germany, where it continued to be produced.
[[sv:Ann Miller]]
From the [[14th century]] until the mid-[[17th century]] Danzig experienced rapid growth, becoming the largest city on the Baltic seaboard by the [[16th century]], due to its heavy trading with Holland and handling most of Poland's seaborne trade brought up the Vistula river. The city's prosperity was severely damaged, however, by the [[Thirty Years War]] ([[1618]]-[[1648]]) and the [[Second Northern War]] ([[1655]]-[[1660]]), and it suffered an epidemic of [[bubonic plague]] in [[1709]].
Danzig took part in all Hanseatic League conferences until the last one in 1669. By that time Holland and other long distance overseas trade had overtaken the [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]] traders such as Danzig.
In 1743 a [[Danzig Research Society]] (''Naturforschende Gesellschaft in Danzig'') was formed by [[ Daniel Gralath]].
During the time of the [[Partitions of Poland]] in the late [[18th century]]
([[1772]]), Danzig remained as a free city in the Polish Pomeranie until [[1793]], when it became part of the State of Prussia as part of the province of West Prussia, reverting under Napoleon to direct Prussian rule after a second brief period ([[1807]]-[[1814]]) as a free city.
Since the first partion of Poland, Danzig lost it's meaning as a prime Polish port on the shore of the Baltic see. It was followed by the extended time of the economic and population crisis. The position that Danzig had hold as the biggest town in Poland and the biggest port at the Baltic see until 1772, it was never again to be regained.
From [[1824]] until [[1878]], East and West Prussia were combined as a single province under the Prussian kingdom. However, even as Danzig was a part of Prussia, it was never a member of so called Deutsche Bund. For the first time to was included into newly created [[German Empire]] in 1871.
Following Germany's defeat in [[World War I]], Danzig was separated from Germany in [[1920]] under the [[Treaty of Versailles]], forming with a small surrounding territory a Free City under a commissioner appointed by the [[League of Nations]]. The League of Nations rejected the citizens' petition to have their city officially named "Freie Hansestadt Danzig" (free Hanseatic city of Danzig). However, the League recognized them as citizens of Danzig, and thus no longer holders of German citizenship.
A customs union with Poland was created and gave the Danzig Westerplatte port to the Polish republic. The separation of the Danzig port, post office and customs office under the treaty was said to be justified by Poland's need for direct access to the Baltic Sea. Poland then stationed troops in Danzig. Directly next to Danzig, Poland built a large military harbor in [[Gydnia|Gdingen]] and immediately went to war against Russia, where Poland conquered a large section of the Ukraine and surrounding lands.
Local opposition to the the war and the desire for the to rescind the League of Nations'decision on the status of Danzig's citizens spurred groundroots efforts for a reunification with Germany. It culminated in the election of a Nazi government in the Danzig elections of May [[1933]].
Danzig's reunification with Germany was one of the objectives of the [[Nazism|Nazi]] government which came to power in Germany in January 1933. Following the annexation of [[Austria]] and the [[Sudetenland]], Germany in October [[1938]] urged the territory's return to Germany. Not surprisingly, Poland refused to accept reunification and, on [[September 1]], [[1939]], Germany invaded the Danzig port [[Westerplatte]], and annexed Danzig, effectively initiating the [[World War II|Second World War]]. Danzig and areas of the "[[Polish Corridor]]" to the south and west became the German <i>Gau</i> (administrative district) of Danzig-West Prussia.
In January [[1945]] the Soviet Army overran Danzig. Already before the end of World War II, the [[Soviet Union]] had placed Danzig under Polish administration, which had immediately started to expel ethnic Germans from the city. This expulsion included both those Germans brought in as part of a Nazi resettlement programme and the so-called "Danziger burghers," ethnic Germans whose families' roots in Danzig went back many generations, sometimes hundreds of years.
Nearly all ethnic German inhabitants of Danzig were eventually removed forcibly to Germany and other countries. Polish sovereignty was recognised by the Soviet-installed East German government in [[1950]]; the Federal Republic of Germany (or West Germany acknowledged <i>de facto</i> Polish possession of the city in [[1970]]).
Now called Gdansk,the city was the scene of anti-government demonstrations which led to the downfall of Poland's communist leader [[Wladyslaw Gomulka]] in December 1970, and ten years later was the birthplace of the [[Solidarity]] trade union movement, whose opposition to the government led to the end of communist party rule ([[1989]]) and the election as president of Poland of its leader [[Lech Walesa]]. It remains today a major port and industrial city.
A list of the 173 mayors of the City of Danzig from 1347 - Mar 30,1945 was compiled by the current Gdansk city government and can be found on their recent website with the invitation for a reunion meeting of Danzigers at the "First World Gdansk Reunion". It took place in May 2002. This [[http://roots.gdansk.gda.pl/en/postacie/burmistrzowie.asp|list]] is of interest, as it demonstrates the shifting ethnicity of the city's inhabitants before and after the World Wars.
'''Famous people born in Danzig'''
* [[Johann Danticus]] 1485
* [[Bernhard von Reesen]] 1490
* [[Albrecht IV Giese]] 1524
* [[Johannes Hevelius]] 1611
* [[Georg Daniel Schultz]] 1615
* [[Andreas Schlueter]] 1660
* [[Jacob Theodor Klein]] 1685
* [[Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit]] 1686
* [[Daniel Gralath]] 1708
* [[Louise Adelgunde Gottsched]] 1713
* [[Daniel Chodowiecki]] 1726
* [[Johann Wilhelm Archenholz]] 1741
* [[Georg Forster]] 1754
* [[Johanna Schopenhauer]] 1766
* [[Johannes Daniel Falk]] 1768
* [[Arthur Schopenhauer]] 1788
* [[Max Halbe]] 1865
* [[Günter Grass]] 1927
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'''External Links:'''
* [http://www.uni-mannheim.de/mateo/desbillons/atlas/seite70.html 1598 map of Pomerania and western Prussia with ''Dan(t)zig'']
* [http://wwwtest.library.ucla.edu/libraries/mgi/maps/blaeu/prvssia.jpg <i>c</i>.1630 map of Prussia with ''Dantzk'']
* [http://home.golden.net/~medals/PortGdansk.html Free City of Danzig stamps]
* [http://www.gdansk.gda.pl/um_green/hg_historia_gdanska/hg_us_historia_gdanska.htm City History from Gdansk City Hall page]
* [http://home.ptd.net/~pjozwiak/ Web page with photographs from Gdansk]
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