Gdansk (or Danzig in German) was originally a Polish city then became primarily German under the Hanseatic League (a trade association of Baltic towns). From 1793 to 1918 it was part of Germany. From 1918 to 1939 it was the free city of Danzig. In 1945 it was incorporated into Poland. The people there are now Polish but the architecture shows its long history of German influence.