The Main Town charter mentions it in 1342/43 as the "green around St. Gertrude's churchyard," which was granted to the city as a "liberty" -- meaning the square was to enjoy the same legal status as the city itself, though it was expressly stipulated that it could not be incorporated into the Main Town's encircling wall. Already by the mid-15th century, this square outside the western city gates served the coal trade. In 1473 the Dominik's Fair, previously held within the city walls, was relocated here, as is evident from Kaspar Weinreich's note: "Item don wart der domnik zu Dantzke gelegt vor die stadt zwischen s. gerdrud und der stadt an den graben jormark aldo zu halden." From then on the square also bore the name Dominiksplan.

When it was finally incorporated into the fortifications during the construction of the ramparts in the 17th century, the stalls of the flea market arose on its western side, the so-called Tagnete or Große Vendet -- so named to distinguish it from the Kleine Vendet, today's Tagnetergasse. The section of the square adjoining the Arsenal was later also called Erbsenmarkt (Pea Market).

The Kohlenmarkt was separated from the Holzmarkt (Timber Market) by a wall erected in 1483 that ran from the Holy Spirit Gate -- the later Bell Gate -- to the Timber Gate, forming the link between the Main Town and Old Town walls. A gate, the later so-called Brandenburg Gate, facilitated traffic between the two squares; it was torn down in 1805.

In 1933 the Kohlenmarkt was renamed Theaterplatz. This last renaming either never reached many Danzigers at all, or it was simply ignored. Neither in my family nor among acquaintances did I ever hear the name Theaterplatz. Only from a city map of 1939 did I learn that such a thing existed in my hometown. The Erbsenmarkt was still present in our family until 1978.

History