Poznań Voivodeship (1921-1939)

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[edit] History

Poznaƒ Voivodeship 1921-1939 (Polish: Województwo Poznaƒskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1921-1939, created after World War I from the Prussian-German province of Poznaƒ (Province of Posen). The borders were changed in 1939: the city of Bydgoszcz passed to the Pomeranian Voivodeship, but some Eastern areas were included (see: Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938). During WWII it was occupied by Nazi Germany and annexed as Reichsgau Wartheland "(Reich province of the Land of the Warta river)."

[edit] Area and counties

Between April 1, 1938 - September 1, 1939, the Voivodeship’s area was 28 089 sq. km., and its population - 2 339 600 (according to the 1931 census). It consisted of 29 powiats (the highest number in Poland, however, most of them were very small, both in area and population), 100 towns (the highest number in Poland) and 237 villages. Railroad density was high, with 10.1 km. per 100 sq. km. (total length of railroads within the Voivodeship’s area was 2 684 km., the highest in the whole country). Forests covered 19.8% of the Voivodeship, which was lower than the national average (in 1937 the average was 22.2%).

Poznanskie Voivodeship was one of the richest and best developed in interwar Poland. With numerous cities and well-developed rail, it also was a breadbasket of the country, its highly efficient agriculture was well-mechanized. The city of Poznan was a big industrial center, as well as a key railroad junction. Only 7.6% of population was illiterate, which was much lower than the national average of 23.1% (as for 1931). Poles made majority of population (90.5%), with 7.4% Germans and 1.9% of Jews.

This is the list of the Pomorskie Voivodeship counties as for August 31, 1939:

- Chodziez county (area 893 sq. km., pop. 44 500),

- Czarnkow county (area 919 sq. km., pop. 43 300),

- city of Gniezno county (area 18 sq. km., pop. 30 700),

- Gniezno county (area 1 126 sq. km., pop. 57 300),

- Gostyn county (area 701 sq. km., pop. 55 900),

- Jarocin county (area 1 124 sq. km., pop. 87 500),

- Kalisz county (area 1 478 sq. km., pop. 196 700),

- Kepno county (area 1 179 sq. km., pop. 86 900),

- Kolo county (area 1 097 sq. km., pop. 109 800),

- Konin county (area 2 152 sq. km., pop. 168 000),

- Koscian county (area 1 057 sq. km., pop. 78 900),

- Krotoszyn county (area 915 sq. km., pop. 75 500),

- Leszno county (area 827 sq. km., pop. 61 200),

- Miedzychod county (area 755 sq. km., pop. 31 000),

- Mogilno county (area 1 059 sq. km., pop. 70 300),

- Nowy Tomysl county (area 1 276 sq. km., pop. 87 300),

- Oborniki county (area 966 sq. km., pop. 50 400),

- Ostrow Wielkopolski county (area 1 194 sq. km., pop. 104 100),

- city of Poznan county (area 77 sq. km., pop. 246 500),

- Poznan county (area 1 227 sq. km., pop. 91 200),

- Rawicz county (area 523 sq. km., pop. 49 900),

- Szamotuly county (area 1 076 sq. km., pop. 67 700),

- Sroda Wielkopolska county (area 800 sq. km., pop. 49 900),

- Srem county (area 921 sq. km., pop. 57 300),

- Turek county (area 1 591 sq. km., pop. 130 500),

- Wagrowiec county (area 1 037 sq. km., pop. 54 300),

- Wolsztyn county (area 754 sq. km., pop. 47 900),

- Wrzesnia county (area 608 sq. km., pop. 43 700),

- Znin county (area 739 sq. km., pop. 41 500).

[edit] Main cities

Biggest cities of the Voivodeship were (data according to the 1931 census):

- Poznan (pop. 246 500),

- Kalisz (pop. 68 300),

- Gniezno (pop. 30 700),

- Ostrow Wielkopolski (pop. 24 400),

- Leszno (pop. 19 400),

- Kolo (pop. 13 800)

- Krotoszyn (pop. 13 000),

- Konin (pop. 10 300).

==References==

• Maly rocznik statystyczny 1939, Nakladem Glownego Urzedu Statystycznego, Warszawa 1939 (Concise Statistical Year-Book of Poland, Warsaw 1939).