Białystok Voivodeship (1919-1939)
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Białystok Voivodeship (Polish: Województwo białostockie) was an administrative unit of interwar Poland (1918-1939). It ceased to exist in September of 1939, following German and Soviet attack on Poland.
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[edit] Area and location
In interwar Poland (1918-1939), Bialystok Voivodeship was located in mid-northern part of the country. It bordered Germany (East Prussia) to north-west, Lithuania to north-east, Wilno Voivodeship and Nowogródek Voivodeship to the east, Polesie Voivodeship and Lublin Voivodeship to the south and Warszawa Voivodeship to the west. Its area was 26 036 km². Landscape was flat, with the mighty Bialowieza Forest located right in the middle.
[edit] Population
Inhabited mostly by Poles (in 1931 they made 66.9% of the population), it also had significant Belarusian (16.3%) and Jewish (12.1%) minorities. Interesting is the fact that in 1931, 2.8% claimed Russian as their native tongue. Population, according to the 1931 Polish census was 1 263 300.
[edit] Cities and administrative division
Since April 1, 1938 (see: Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938) it consisted of 10 powiats (counties). These were:
- Augustow county (area 2 035 km², pop. 74 800),
- city of Bialystok county (area 39 km², pop. 91 100),
- Bialystok county (area 3 079 km², pop. 140 100),
- Bielsk Podlaski county (area 4 989 km², pop. 204 500),
- Grodno county (area 4 459 km², pop. 213 100),
- Sokolka county (area 2 333 km², pop. 103 100),
- Suwalki county (area 2 246 km², pop. 110 100),
- Szczuczyn county (area 1 451 km², pop. 68 200),
- Wolkowysk county (area 3 938 km², pop. 171 300),
- Wysokie Mazowieckie county (area 1 467 km², pop. 87 000).
According to the 1931 census, the biggest cities were:
- Bialystok (pop. 91 100),
- Grodno (pop. 49 700),
- Suwalki (pop. 21 800),
- Wolkowysk (pop. 15 100),
- Augustow (pop. 12 100).
[edit] Railroads and industry
In the interwar period, Bialystok Voivodeship was part of the so-called "Poland B". It meant that it was underdeveloped, with 23.1% of population illiterate. Railroad network was scarce (total length 1 377 km., density - 4.2 per 100 km²), forested areas covered 24.4% of Voivodeship's area. The city of Bialystok (whose population reached 107 000 in 1939), was Voivodeship's lone industrial center. Agriculture was at a low level.
[edit] Voivodes
- Stefan Badzynski 19 November 1919 - 18 October 1920
- Stefan Kołek May 1920 - September 1920 (acting
- Stefan Popielawski September 1920 - 12 July 1924 (till 3 November 1920 - acting)
- Marian Rembowski 12 August 1924 - 24 November 1927
- Karol Kirst 24 November 1927 - 10 July 1930
- Marian Zyndram-Kościałkowski v1930 - 8 March 1934
- Stanisław Michałowski 8 March 1934 - 29 September 1934 (acting)
- Stefan Pasławski [[29 September 1934 - 14 July 1936
- Stefan Kirtiklis 17 July 1936 - 9 September 1937
- Henryk Ostaszewski 9 November 1937 - 10 September 1939 (till 22 December 1937 acting)
[edit] See also
- Poland’s current Podlachian Voivodeship
[edit] References
- Maly rocznik statystyczny, Warszawa 1939 (Concise Statistical Year-Book of Poland, Warsaw 1939).
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