Grand Duchy of Posen

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Großherzogtum Posen
Wielkie Księstwo Poznańskie
Grand Duchy of Posen

Client state of Prussia
← Coat of arms
 1815 – 1848 Flag →
Flag Coat of arms
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Posen
The Grand Duchy was administrated as the Province of Posen, within the Kingdom of Prussia.
Capital Poznań
52°24′N 16°55′E
Government Monarchy
King
 - 1815-1840 Frederick William III
 - 1840-1849 Frederick William IV
Prince-Governor
 - 1815-1831 Antoni Radziwiłł
History
 - Established June 9, 1815
 - Uprising defeated May 9, 1848
 - Frankfurt Parliament June 28, 1848
Area
 - 1905 28,970 km2
11,185 sq mi
Population
 - 1905 est. 2,099,831 
     Density 72.5 /km² 
187.7 /sq mi
The White Eagle, symbol of Polish statehood
Polish Statehood


The Grand Duchy of Posen (German: Großherzogtum Posen) or Grand Duchy of Poznań (Polish: Wielkie Księstwo Poznańskie) was an autonomous province of the Kingdom of Prussia in the Polish lands commonly known as "Great Poland" between the years 1815-1848. The name was unofficially used afterwards for denoting the territory, especially by Poles, and today is used by modern historians to describe different political entities until 1918. Its capital was Poznań (German: Posen).

Contents

[edit] Area and population

The area was 28,951 km² and contained most of the territories of the historical province of Greater Poland, which comprised the western parts of the Duchy of Warsaw (Departments of Poznań, Bydgoszcz, partly Kalisz) that were ceded to Prussia according to the Congress of Vienna (1815) with an international guarantee of self-administration and free development of the Polish nation.

Population:

  • 776,000 (1815)
  • 820,000 (1816)
  • 1,350,000 (1849)
  • 2,100,000 (1910)

[edit] Territorial administration

The monarch of the duchy, with title of Grand Duke of Poznań, was the Hohenzollern king of Prussia and his representative was the Duke-Governor: the first was Prince Antoni Radziwiłł (1815-1831), who was married to Princess Luise of Prussia, the king's cousin. The governor was assigned to give advice in matters of Polish nationality, and had the right to veto the administration decisions; in reality, however, all administrative power was in the hands of the Prussian over-president of the province.

The Prussian administrative unit that covered the territory of the Duchy was called the Province of the Grand Duchy of Poznań in the years 1815-1849, and later to simplify just the Province of Poznań (Polish: Prowincja Poznańska, German: Provinz Posen).

The territory of the duchy was divided into two districts (Polish: Rejencja, German: Regierungsbezirk): Poznań District, Bydgoszcz District, which were further divided into 26 original counties (Polish: Powiat(y), German: Kreis(e)) administered by the "landrats" ("county councils"). Later, these were redivided into 40 counties, plus 2 urban districts. In 1824, the Duchy also received the provincial council (term started in 1827) but with little administrative power, limited to providing advice. In 1817, Chełmno Land was moved to West Prussia.

The territorial administration in 1897:

[edit] Poznań District, (Rejencja Poznańska), Poznań

(English county name, Polish county name, county town)

[edit] Bydgoszcz District (Rejencja Bydgoska), Bydgoszcz

(English county name, Polish county name, county town)

[edit] History

The Prussian province of Posen. Yellow colour: Polish-speaking areas
Enlarge
The Prussian province of Posen. Yellow colour: Polish-speaking areas

Up to 1830 the Prussian authorities were relatively tolerant to the Polish people, although the Prussian administrative schemes were introduced and the role of the German language was strengthened in education.

[edit] Repression system after 1830

The 1830 November Uprising within Congress Poland against the Russian Empire was significantly supported by Poles from the Grand Duchy of Poznań, Afterwards, the Prussian administration under over-president Edward Flotwell introduced a system of police and repression against the Poles. He started to expel the Poles from administration, tried to weaken the Polish nobility by buying its lands, and after 1832 the role of the Polish language in education was significantly suppressed.

[edit] Milder period after 1840

to be written

[edit] Autonomy abolished 1848

During the Revolutions of 1848 the Frankfurt Parliament attempted to divide the Duchy into two parts: the Province of Poznań, which would have been given to the Germans and annexed to a newly-created German Empire, and the Province of Gniezno, which would have been given to the Poles and held outside Germany, but because of the protest of Polish parliamentarians these plans failed and the integrity of the duchy was preserved. However on February 9, 1849, after a series of broken assurances, the Prussian administration renamed the duchy to the Province of Poznań (Provinz Posen). The line that divided the two proposed parts was ignored. However the Grand Duchy of Poznań remained a possession of the Hohenzollern dynasty and the name remained in unofficial use until 1918.

[edit] Kulturkampf

In the 1880s Chancellor Otto von Bismarck started the Germanization policies, such as an increase of police forces, a colonization commission, the German Society for the Eastern Borders (Hakata), and the Kulturkampf. In 1904 special legislation was passed against the Polish population. The legislation of 1908 allowed the confiscation of Polish landed property. The Prussian authorities did not allow the development of industries, so the Duchy's economy was dominated by high-level agriculture.

[edit] The liberation 1918-1919

After World War I, the fate of the Grand Duchy was undecided. The Poles demanded that this historically Polish region be included in the newly independent Second Polish Republic, while the Germans refused any territorial concessions. The Greater Poland Uprising that broke out on 27 December 1918, a day after the speech of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, allowed the region to be liberated from German occupation. The Treaty of Versailles decided that most of the territory of the Grand Duchy would be included in Poland.

[edit] Polish organizations in the Grand Duchy of Poznań

[edit] German organizations in the Grand Duchy of Poznań

[edit] Famous people of the Grand Duchy of Poznań

Poznań town hall
Enlarge
Poznań town hall

(in alphabetical order)

  • Stanisław Adamski (1875-1967), Polish priest, social and political activist of the Union of Catholic Societies of Polish Workers (Związek Katolickich Towarzystw Robotników Polskich), founder and editor of the 'Robotnik' (Worker) weekly
  • Tomasz K. Bartkiewcz (1865-1931), Polish composer and organist, co-founder of the Singer Circles Union (Związek Kół Śpiewackich)
  • Józef Brzeziński
  • Hipolit Cegielski (1815-1868), Polish businessman, social and cultural activist
  • Dezydery Chłapowski (1788-1879), Polish general, business and political activist
  • Bernard Chrzanowski (1861-1944), Polish social and political activist, president of the Union of the Greater Poland Falcons (Związek Sokołów Wielkopolskich)
  • August Cieszkowski (1814-1894), Polish philosopher, social and political activist, co-founder of the Polish League (Liga Polska), co-founder and president of the PTPN
  • Czesław Czypicki (1855-1926), Polish lawyer from Kożmin, activist for the singers' societies
  • Bolesław Dembiński (1833-1914), Polish composer and organist, activist fo the singers societies
  • Franciszek Dobrowolski (1830-1896), Polish theatre director, editor of Dziennika Poznańskiego (Poznań Daily)
  • Michał Drzymała (1857-1937) - famous Polish peasant
  • Tytus Działyński (1796-1861), Polish political activist, protector of arts
  • Ewaryst Estkowski (1820-1856), Polish teacher, education activist, editor of Szkoła Polska (Polish School) magazine
  • Edward H. Flotwell (1786-1865), Prussian politician, over-president of the Grand Duchy of Poznań
  • Maksymilian Jackowski (1815-1905), Polish activist, secretary-general of the Central Economic Society (Centralne Towarzystwo Gospodarcze), patron of the agricultural circles
  • Kazimierz Jarochowski (1828-1888), Polish historian, publicist of the Dziennik Poznański (Poznań Daily), co-founder of PTPN
  • Ferdinand Hansemann (1861-1900), Prussian politician, co-founder of the German Eastern Marches Society
  • Hermann Kennemann (1815-1910), Prussian politician, co-founder of the German Eastern Marches Society
  • Józef Kościelski (1845-1911), Polish politician and parliamentarian, co-founder of the Straż (Guard) society
  • Konstanty Kościnski, author of The Guide to Poznań and the Grand Duchy of Poznań (Przewodnik pod Poznaniu i Wielkim Księstwie Poznańskiem), Poznań 1909
  • Antoni Kraszewski (1797-1870), Polish politician and parliamentarian
  • Józef Krzymiński [1858-1940), Polish physician, social and political activist, member of parliament
  • Karol Libelt (1807-1875), Polish philosopher, political and social activist, president of PTPN
  • Karol Marcinkowski (1800-1848), Polish physician, social activist, founder of the Poznań Bazar
  • Władysław Marcinkowski (1858-1947), Polish sculptor who created a monument of Adam Mickiewicz in Milosław
  • Teofil Matecki (1810-1886), Polish physician, social activist, member of PTPN, founder of the Adam Mickiewicz monument of Poznań
  • Maciej Mielzyński
  • Ludwik Mycielski, Polish political, president of the National Council (Rada Narodowa) in 1913
  • Andrzej Niegolewski (1787-1857), Polish colonel during the Napoleonic Wars, member of parliament, shareholder of the Poznań Bazar
  • Władysław Niegolewski (1819-1885), Polish liberal politician and member of parliament, insurgent in 1846, 1848 and 1863, cofounder of TCL and CTG
  • Władysław Oleszczyński (1808-1866), Polish sculptor, who created a monument of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań
  • Gustaw Potworowski (1800-1860), Polish activist, founder of the Kasyno in Gostyń, activist of the Polish League (Liga Polska)
  • Edward Raczyński (1786-1845), Polish conservative politician, protector of arts, founder of the Raczynski Library in Poznań
  • Antoni Radziwiłł (1775-1833), Polish duke, composer, and politician, governor-general of the Grand Duchy of Poznań
  • Cyryl Ratajski (1875-1942), president of Poznań 1922-34
  • Karol Rzepecki (1865-1931), Polish bookseller, social and political activist, editor of Sokół (Falcon) magazine
  • Walenty Stefański (1813-1877), Polish bookseller, political activist, co-founder of the Polish League (Liga Polska)
  • Florian Stablewski (1841-1906), Polish priest archbishop of Poznań and Gniezno, Polish member of Prussian parliament
  • Antoni Stychel (1859-1935), Polish priest, member of parliament, president of the Union of the Catholic Societies of Polish Workers (Związek Katolickich Towarzystw Robotników Polskich)
  • Roman Szymański (1840-1908), Polish political activist, publicist, editor of Orędownik magazine
  • Heinrich Tiedemann (1840-1922), Prussian politician, co-founder of the German Eastern Marches Society
  • Aniela Tułodziecka (1853-1932), Polish educational activist of the Warta Society (Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Wzajemnego Pouczania się i Opieki nad Dziećmi Warta)
  • Teofil Walicki
  • Piotr Wawrzyniak (1849-1910), Polish priest, economic and educational activist, patron of the Union of the Earnings and Economic Societies (Związek Spółek Zarobkowych i Gospodarczych)
  • Leon Wegner (1824-1873), Polish economist and historian, co-founder of PTPN
  • Richard Witting (1812-1912), Prussian politician, over-president of Poznań City 1891-1902

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Gazeta Wielkiego Księstwa Poznańskiego
  • Konstanty Kościnski, Przewodnik pod Poznaniu i Wielkim Księstwie Poznańskiem, Poznań 1909
  • T. Dohnalowa, Z dziejów postępu technicznego w Wielkopolsce w pierwszej połowie XIX wieku, in: S.Kubiak, L.Trzeciakowski (ed.), Rola Wielkopolski w dziejach narodu polskiego
  • F. Genzen, Z.Grot, F.Paprocki, Zabór pruski w Powstaniu Styczniowym. Materiały i dokumenty, Wrocław-Warszawa-Kraków 1968
  • B. Grześ, J.Kozłowski, A.Kramarski, Niemcy w Poznańskiem wobec polityki germanizacyjnej 1815-1920, Poznań 1976
  • Witold Jakóbczyk, Przetrwać nad Wartą 1815-1914. Dzieje narodu i państwa polskiego, vol. III-55, Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, Warszawa 1989
  • Witold Jakóbczyk (ed.), Studia nad dziejami Wielkopolski w XIX w., vol.I-III, Poznań 1951-1967
  • Witold Jakóbczyk (ed.), Wielkopolanie XIX w., Poznań 1969
  • Witold Jakóbczyk (ed.), Wielkopolska. Wybór źródeł, t. I 1815-1850, Wrocław 1952
  • Witold Jakóbczyk (ed.), Wielkopolska. Wybór źródeł, t. II 1851-1914, Wrocław 1954
  • T. Klanowski, Germanizacja gimnazjów w Wielkim Księstwie Poznańskim i opór młodzieży polskiej w latach 1870-1814, Poznań 1962
  • Czesław Łuczak, Życie społeczno-gospodarcze w Poznaniu 1815-1918, Poznań 1965
  • K. Malinowski (ed.), X wieków Poznania, Poznań-Warszawa 1956
  • Witold Molik, Kształtowanie się inteligencji wielkopolskiej w Wielkim Księstwie Poznańskim 1840-1870, Warszawa-Poznań 1979
  • F. Paprocki, Wielkie Księstwo Poznańskie w okresie rządów Flottwella (1830-1842), Poznań 1970
  • L. Plater, Opisanie historyczno-statystyczne Wielkiego Księstwa Poznańskiego, wyd. J. N. Bobrowicz, Lipsk 1846
  • B. Pleśniarski, Poglądy Wielkopolan na sprawy wychowawcze i oświatowe w świetle prasy Księstwa Poznańskiego 1814-1847,
  • A. Skałkowski, Bazar Poznański. Zarys stuletnich dziejów (1838-1938), Poznań 1938
  • L. Słowiński, Nie damy pogrześć mowy. Wizerunki pedagogów poznańskich XIX wieku, Poznań 1982
  • J. Stoiński, Szkolnictwo średnie w Wielkim Księstwie Poznańskim w I połowie XIX wieku (1815-1850), Poznań 1972
  • J. Topolski (ed.), Wielkopolska przez wieki, Poznań 1973
  • S. Truchim, Geneza szkół realnych w Wielkim Księstwie Poznańskim, Warszawa 1936
  • S. Truchim, Historia szkolnictwa i oświaty polskiej w Wielkim Księstwie Poznańskim 1815-1915, Łódź 1967
  • Lech Trzeciakowski, Kulturkampf w zaborze pruskim, Poznań 1970
  • Lech Trzeciakowski, Pod pruskim zaborem 1850-1914, Warszawa 1973
  • Lech Trzeciakowski, Walka o polskość miast Poznańskiego na przełomie XIX i XX wieku, Poznań 1964
  • Lech Trzeciakowski, W dziewiętnastowiecznym Poznaniu, Poznań 1987
  • Wielkopolski Słownik Biograficzny, 2nd edition, Warszawa-Poznań 1983


 
Greater Poland		 Coat of Arms of Greater Poland
Historical administrative divisions
Duchy of Greater Poland (12th-13th centuries) • Poznań Voivodeship and Kalisz Voivodeship (until 1768) • Poznań Voivodeship, Kalisz Voivodeship, Gniezno Voivodeship, and Netze District (until 1793) • South Prussia (until 1806) • Poznań Department, Kalisz Department and Bydgoszcz Department (until 1815) • Grand Duchy of Poznań (until 1846) • Province of Posen (until 1918) • Poznań Voivodeship (until 1939) • Reichsgau Posen (1939) • Reichsgau Wartheland (until 1945) • Poznań Voivodeship (until 1975) • Poznań Voivodeship, Kalisz Voivodeship, Leszno Voivodeship, Konin Voivodeship and Piła Voivodeship (until 1998) • Greater Poland Voivodeship


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