Białystok Voivodeship (1919-1939)

Infobox Former Subdivision
native_name = Województwo białostockie
conventional_long_name = Białystok Voivodeship
common_name = Białystok
subdivision = Voivodeship
nation = Poland
year_start = 1919
date_start =
year_end = 1939
date_end =
p1 = Bialystok-Grodno District
flag_p1 = Flag of the German Empire.svg
s1 = Belastok Voblast
flag_s1 = Flag of Byelorussian SSR.svg
s2=Polish Underground State
flag_s2=Flaga PPP.svg




image_map_caption = Map of the Second Polish Republic in 1938 with the Białystok Voivodeship.
capital = Białystok |latd=53 | latm=08 | latNS=N | longd=23 | longm=09 | longEW=E
political_subdiv = Counties: (1919-1938) 13, (1938-1939) 10

Białystok Voivodeship (Polish: "Województwo białostockie") was an administrative unit of interwar Poland (1918-1939). It ceased to exist in September 1939, following German and Soviet attack on Poland.

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.

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.

Administrative Divisions

1919-1938

The Voivodeship consisted of 13 counties:
*Augustow County
*Białystok
*Białystok County
*Bielsk County
*Grodno County
*Łomża County
*Ostrołęka County
*Ostrów Mazowiecka County
*Sokolka County
*Suwalki County
*Szczuczyn County
*Wolkowysk County
*Wysokie Mazowieckie County
*Białowiesa County (4 February 1921 to 31 July 1922)

1938-1939

Since April 1, 1938 (see: Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938) it consisted of 10 counties:
*Augustow County (area 2 035 km², pop. 74 800)
*Białystok (area 39 km², pop. 91 100)
*Białystok County (area 3 079 km², pop. 140 100)
*Bielsk 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)

Cities and Towns

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).

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.

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 1930 - 8 March 1934
*Stanisław Michałowski 8 March 1934 - 29 September 1934 (acting)
*Stefan Pasławski [29 September 1934 - 14 July 1936
*Stefan Kirtiklis 17 July1936 - 9 September 1937
*Henryk Ostaszewski 9 November 1937 - 10 September 1939 (till 22 December 1937 acting)

References

* Maly rocznik statystyczny, Warszawa 1939 (Concise Statistical Year-Book of Poland, Warsaw 1939).