There is a web page that describes Kolmar / Chodziez which appears to be the result of a cultural exchange program between some students in Nottuln, Germany and in Chodziez, Poland. The text is in German, but there are some very good pictures, including an aerial view of the city center. Gil Torbeck has translated the text into English as follows:

This is our sister city: Chodziez, Poland

Geographical location:
Chodziez is located in the northern part of Poland, in the Chodzieskie
lakelands. The most important characteristics of this lakeland area are
its typical postglacial landforms, forests, and lakes. For this reason,
the city's surroundings are known as " the Switzerland of Chodziez."

Five kilometers west of Chodziez, at the edge of the Chodzieskie lakelands,
Mt. Gontyniec rises 192 meters above sea level as the highest peak in a
chain of moraine hills; at the same time it has the highest elevation in
northern Poland. Deep valleys and ridges covered with a 100-year old beech
forest ensure diversified surroundings. The town {?} of Gontyniec is
located about 150 meters above the Notec river valley 7 km to the north.

There are three lakes within city limits: Miejskie (0.4 sq. mile surface
area), Karczewnik (0.1 sq. mile surface area), and Strzeleckie (0.07 sq.
mile surface area). In the 1920s, a tuberculosis sanatorium was
established here because of the special climate. It was converted recently
into a hospital for railroadmen.

As a result of the division of Poland in 1772, the city became part of
Prussia. The establishment of a district (Kreis) of which Chodziez became
the capital in 1818, was of great importance for the city's development.
Over the years, it gained the character of a local administrative center,
which it remained until 1975, when the division of Poland into districts
{the older Kreise} was abolished.

Chodziez's traditional importance within the sector of ceramics began when
two German businessmen opened the first faience factory in 1855. Then, in
1897, a porcelain factory went into operation. The city's development was
significantly influenced by the opening up of the railroad line [Poznan --
Chodziez --Pila] in 1879.

Regarding the city's history:
Chodziez's beginnings go back to the 1400's. A turning point was reached
on 3 March 1434, when Wladyslaw Jagiello issued a privilege giving the
king's approval of the city's foundation in accordance with the Magdeburg
Law. For many centuries it was a private city, and it received its coat of
arms "Grzymala" in honor of its last owners, the Grzymalita family.

The arrival of a group of clothmakers from Leszno around 1656 played an
important role in the development of Chodziez. Beside the oldest, medieval
site in the city, the market place, a new city sprang up in the middle of
the 1700's, as the home of weavers and clothmakers. Today, this part of
the city (Kogciuszki road) is marked by the characteristic gables of houses
situated on rectangular plots of land. Wooden structures were once located
to the rear of each plot, and were used store wool and cloth.

With the end of the World War I and the outbreak of the Polish rebellion,
there was renewed hope for a return to Polish sovereignty. The inhabitants
of Chodziez took part in the battle for the city, which they took on 8
January 1919. However, the decision on the return of the city to Poland
had to wait for final resolution in the Treaty of Versailles. On 19
January 1920, Polish military and political authorities marched into the
city. In the period between the two world wars, Chodziez was considered as
an important administrative center in the border area between Poland and
Germany. It had a working class character, which was related to the
development of the faience factory.

Since the city was located near the border, 30% of the population {of}
(8,500) was German. During the German occupation, the extermination of the
native population was carried out through executions and terror. Within
four years, the number of inhabitants of Chodziez had decreased by almost
half. With the entry of Soviet troops on the night of 22-23 January 1945,
the German occupation came to an end.

The city administration received honorific prizes and awards on several
occasions to recognize the city's cleanliness and aesthetics. In 1974, the
city was awarded the title of "the Polish Master of Economics." Later, in
1979, it was awarded the Labor Medal, 1st Class, by the Council of State
for the city's achievements in production. In recent years, the rate of
economic development in the city has decreased somewhat.

No doubt the most important task, for which considerable financial means
must be made available, is the building of an urban purification plant.
The planning stage of this investment will continue until the end of the
current century, and will take into consideration the needs of the coming
generations. This is part of the town council's program under which
Chodziez is to be transformed into an ecologically clean center for tourism
and relaxation. In view of this, industry moved into the background.

This picturesque city still has a great deal of attractiveness for
tourists. Since there is a rich postglacial ridge here covered with pines
and mixed woodlands, this area is also known as the "Switzerland of
Chodziez." Within the five square miles of city area, there are three
lakes: Miejskie, Strzeleckie, and Karczewnik, which make up about 13% of
the total area. Sports facilities such as an indoor swimming pool, a
soccer stadium and tennis courts, are available for active relaxation.
Sailing and motorboat contests take place each year on the municipal lakes.
The latter have European and world-class rank: in 1993, motorboat contests
took place in the class 0..350. In addition, every May, the Grzmylita-Run
promotes sport for the masses.

Local music traditions have continued to the present day by means of a
brass orchestra that was founded right after the end of the German
occupation. First it was connected to the ceramics factory but currently
it works with the Chodziez cultural institute. In the 70's, the annual
jazz-workshops began, which allowed new talents to be discovered through
encounters between young people and artists from Poland and abroad.

The newest regular events are the National Children's Song Festivals that
began in 1991. In 1995, Chodziez was the co-organizer of the XIII National
Voluntary Fire Department Brass Orchestra Festival.

For further information contact Mr. Skipinski, Tel. 0048 678,235 26, or
0048 678,200 40. Jednostki Organizacyjne Rady Miejskiej, Urzad Miejski,
ul. Paderewskiego 2,
Tel. centr. (0-67) 820,401; fax 830,442,
Burmistrz - mgr Wojciech Nowaczyk Tel. 820,442.