Story about a Port for a Pair of Shoes
On February 2, 1337, the Święcowie sold Ustka to the German burghers of Słupsk. It was in connection with this transaction that Ustka was mentioned by name for the first time in a written document as the Stolpesmunde Port, or “Słupioujście”. And so, until 1945, this was its German name. Native, Slavic, recorded in the 12th century as “Vzt”, in the 19th century it was certified by researchers of the Kashubian region as Vuska or Wusko, i.e. Ujście (The Outlet). Słupsk bought Ustka with plans to expand its commercial seaport. The price was an obligation to give both knights from the Święc family and their descendants a pair of shoes or its equivalent in the amount of 8 Slavic grosz once a year on November 11.
Maritime trade, brought big profits mainly to Słupsk, and to a lesser extent to Ustka. To this day, the impressive buildings in Gród nad Słupią, erected in the Middle Ages and later, testify to this. Sailing vessels belonging to the merchants from Słupsk, departing from Ustka, reached places like Swedish, Danish, Dutch, French and English ports as well as the Polish Gdańsk, from which the ships sailed here. Unloaded in the port were salted herring from Scandinavia, French wine, salt from Kołobrzeg, smoked salmon, wood, Słupsk beer, as well as agricultural and amber produce.
