Pomeranian Voivodeship (1919-1939)
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[edit] History
This was a unit of administration and local government in the Republic of Poland (II Rzeczpospolita) established in 1919 after World War I from the majority of the Prussian province of West Prussia which fell to Poland. Toruń was the capital. In 1938-39 the voivodeship extended to the south at the expense of Poznań Voivodeship and Warsaw Voivodeship, and was called Great Pomerania afterwards (see: Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938).
During WWII it was occupied by Nazi Germany and annexed as Reichsgau Danzig-Westpreussen "(Reich province of Gdańsk-West Prussia)." In 1945 it was annexed by Poland and superseded by Gdańsk and Bydgoszcz voivodeships. In the years 1975-98 it was reorganized into the voivodeships of Gdańsk, Elbląg, Bydgoszcz, Toruń and Włocławek.
[edit] Area and counties
Between April 1, 1938 - September 1, 1939, the Voivodeship’s area was 25 683 sq. km., and its population - 1 884 400 (according to the 1931 census). It consisted of 28 powiats (counties), 64 cities and 234 villages. Railroad density was high, with 11.4 km. per 100 sq. km. (total length of railroads within the Voivodeship’s area was 1 887 km., second in the whole country). Forests covered 26.7% of the Voivodeship, which was higher than the national average (in 1937 the average was 22.2%).
Pomorskie Voivodeship was one of the richest and best developed in interwar Poland. With numerous cities and well-developed rail, it also provided the country with access to the Baltic sea. Only 8.3% of population was illiterate, which was much lower than the national average of 23.1% (as for 1931). Poles made up majority of population (88%), with 10.1% Germans and 1.6% of Jews.
This is the list of the Pomorskie Voivodeship counties as for August 31, 1939:
- Brodnica county (area 913 sq. km., pop. 56 300),
- city of Bydgoszcz county (area 75 sq. km., pop. 117 200),
- Bydgoszcz county (area 1 334 sq. km., pop. 58 100),
- Chelmno county (area 738 sq. km., pop. 52 800),
- Chojnice county (area 1 854 sq. km., pop. 76 900),
- city of Gdynia county (area 66 sq. km., pop. 38 600),
- city of Grudziadz county (area 28 sq. km., pop. 54 000),
- Grudziadz county (area 758 sq. km., pop. 42 800),
- city of Inowroclaw county (area 37 sq. km., pop. 34 400),
- Inowroclaw county (area 1 267 sq. km., pop. 67 500),
- Kartuzy county (area 1 302 sq. km., pop. 68 700),
- Koscierzyna county (area 1 162 sq. km., pop. 51 700),
- Lipno county (area 1 535 sq. km., pop. 104 500),
- Lubawa county (area 833 sq. km., pop. 53 600),
- sea county (powiat morski), with capital in Wejherowo (area 1 281 sq. km., pop. 79 900),
- Nieszawa county (area 1 278 sq. km., pop. 117 900),
- Rypin county (area 1 188 sq. km., pop. 84 900),
- Sepolno Krajenskie county (area 681 sq. km., pop. 31 600),
- Starogard Gdanski county (area 1 127 sq. km., pop. 71 800),
- Szubin county (area 917 sq. km., pop. 47 800),
- Swiecie county (area 1 533 sq. km., pop. 88 000),
- Tczew county (area 716 sq. km., pop. 67 400),
- city of Torun county (area 59 sq. km., pop. 61 900),
- Torun county (area 864 sq. km., pop. 52 300),
- Tuchola county (area 1 039 sq. km., pop. 41 200),
- Wabrzezno county (area 673 sq. km., pop. 49 900),
- Wloclawek county (area 1 325 sq. km., pop. 147 800),
- Wyrzysk county (area 1 101 sq. km., pop. 64 900).
[edit] Main cities
Biggest cities of the Voivodeship were (data according to the 1931 Polish census):
- Bydgoszcz (pop. 117 200),
- Torun (pop. 61 900),
- Wloclawek (pop. 56 000),
- Grudziadz (pop. 54 000),
- Gdynia (pop. 38 600),
- Inowroclaw (pop. 34 400)
- Tczew (pop. 22 500),
- Chojnice (pop. 14 100).
[edit] References
- Maly rocznik statystyczny 1939, Nakladem Glownego Urzedu Statystycznego, Warszawa 1939 (Concise Statistical Year-Book of Poland, Warsaw 1939).
