Szreńsk

Szreńsk is a historic village located in Mława County within the Masovian Voivodeship of north-central Poland. Situated in the Zawkrze region, it serves as the administrative seat for the local gmina. While currently classified as a village with a population of approximately 1,200 residents, its origins date back to 1383 when Duke Siemowit IV granted it town rights under Chełmno law. For centuries, it functioned as a private town and the ancestral seat of the noble Szreński family, who bore the Dołęga coat of arms. Administratively, it was historically part of the Płock Voivodeship within the Greater Poland Province of the Kingdom of Poland.

The site is architecturally significant due to a castle constructed by Feliks Szreński, the Voivode of Płock, which was built upon the foundations of an older stronghold. Although the castle itself is not described in detail regarding its current structural condition, the village retains important historical markers, including the Saint Adalbert church. This church houses a notable Renaissance tombstone dedicated to Feliks Szreński, linking the location to the artistic heritage of the period. The town also held military importance, serving as a station for the 1st Polish National Cavalry Brigade during the early 19th century.

Throughout the 20th century, Szreńsk endured significant turmoil, particularly during World War II when it was occupied by German forces from 1939 until 1945 following the joint German-Soviet invasion. The area was once home to a vibrant Jewish community, a history commemorated through external archives and the memory of notable figures such as Martin Rosenberg, a musician and Holocaust victim born there. Today, Szreńsk remains a quiet settlement that preserves its medieval legacy and noble associations within the broader landscape of Mazovia.