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 The
oldest signs of settlement in Chełm area, go back to the late Palaeolithic times approximately 10 thousand years BC. In the first half of
XIII century a fortified castle was founded here by Prince Halicko-Wlodzimierski Daniel Romantowicz, who transferred the capital of his principality
from Halicz to Chełm, and established the Episcopate of Eastern Ceremonial.
The location of the city on one of the main transport routes of Medieval Eastern Europe facilitated its economic development, and its well
fortified castle withstood the Tatar invasion. During the reign of Kazimierz Wielki the town was returned to Poland and in 1392 it received from Władysław
Jagiełło town right of Magdeburg. Since the XV century till the period partitions of Poland the town was a seat of castellans and star sty
of castle.
After the prosperous times of the XVI and the beginning of the XVII century the reign of Jan Kazimierz and his successor, was disastrous for
the town. Poland was first attacked by the Cossacks whose invasion was followed by Swedish assault called
' The Swedish Deluge', and finally by
Moscow forces, bringing about destruction and death, which consequently led to the deterioration of the internal condition of the country.
 It
was in the XVIII century that the situation improved and peace and stabilisation were restored, making it possible to recover after destruction
caused by permanent wars.
Chełm, which was burnt down and plundered has been gradually rebuilt however, wood has been replaced by stone.
The years of prosperity were violently broken by the partitions of Poland, which resulted in the loss of its statehood. Initially, after the
second partition, between 1793 and 1795 the town was a seat of the authorities of the recently created Province of Chełm. Directly afterwards
though, Chełm land was annexed by Austria(1795-1809) thus becoming its sector. There was a little brighter period connected with the
establishment of the Warsaw Duchy ( 1809-1812-1815). However after Napoleon's defeat and the Vienna, Chełm found itself under
Russian occupation. The time of Russian rule in the territory of Warsaw Duchy was a span of persecution, imprisonment, exile to Siberia and ruthless justifications
of the country.
 After regaining independence in 1918, period
of considerate economic prosperity and extension of the town arrived. It was at this time that a new housing estate called
'Dyrekcja' together
with an impressive seat of the management of National Railways was built. The decision was made by the first Marshal of Poland Józef Piłsudski
- an honourable citizen of the town- who was the prime minister and the minister of the army. The edifice and housing estate of
'Dyrekcja' was
designed for 25 thousand people, which at that time was the largest, after Gdynia, town-planning undertaking.
The
period of the II world war, was devastating for the economy and brought about persecutions of the Polish and Jewish people. The city was liberated
from German occupation in July 1944.
Gradually new housing estates, factories and a network of commercial institutions were created. In 60's cement works was built in Chełm and
later on, footwear plant and many others kinds of plants. The number of inhabitants increased and new schools were built.
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