The town is situated in Lublin Voivodeship, some 10 kilometers east of the Vistula River, and is the capital of Opole Lubelskie County.

In 1368, by decree of King Casimir III the Great, Opole received Środa municipal rights, which was confirmed in documents issued in 1419.

In the late 18th century, Rozalia Lubomirska spent a few years in the palace of her husband Aleksander, located in the village of Niezdów, near Opole Lubelskie.

Before the German occupation of World War II, 4,325 Jews lived in Opole Lubelskie,[1] comprising more than two thirds of the population.

In September 1939 Opole was occupied by the Germans and the Polish population of the city immediately looted Jewish property.

By March 1941, 8,000 Jews lived in Opole Lubelskie, including the native population, the Austrians, and others from nearby communities such as Kazimierz Dolny and Puławy.

The crowding and lack of indoor plumbing and fresh water led to a typhus epidemic in the winter of 1941 from which hundreds died.

From May 1941, men and women capable of work were deployed as forced labourers in Dęblin, Golab, Józefów, and elsewhere.

The German authorities killed several dozen hospital patients in July 1941 and raped and murdered Jewish teenagers in 1942.