Bilingual communes in Poland
The bilingual status of gminas (communes) in Poland is regulated by the Act of 6 January 2005 on National and Ethnic Minorities and on the Regional Languages, which permits certain gminas with significant linguistic minorities to introduce a second, auxiliary language to be used in official contexts alongside Polish. So far 30 gminas have done this:
Polish/German
Polish/German bilingual gminas (Gemeinden) in Opole Voivodeship (part of Silesia):
- Gmina Biała / Gemeinde Zülz (since 06.03.2006)
- Gmina Bierawa / Gemeinde Birawa (since 23.04.2007)
- Gmina Chrząstowice / Gemeinde Chronstau (since 25.01.2006)
- Gmina Dobrodzień / Gemeinde Guttentag (since 13.05.2009)
- Gmina Dobrzeń Wielki / Gemeinde Groß Döbern (since 22.04.2009)
- Gmina Głogówek / Gemeinde Oberglogau (since 22.04.2009)
- Gmina Izbicko / Gemeinde Stubendorf (since 06.03.2006)
- Gmina Jemielnica / Gemeinde Himmelwitz (since 28.08.2006)
- Gmina Kolonowskie / Gemeinde Colonnowska (since 22.09.2006)
- Gmina Komprachcice / Gemeinde Comprachtschütz (since 04.06.2009)
- Gmina Lasowice Wielkie / Gemeinde Gross Lassowitz (since 18.10.2006)
- Gmina Leśnica / Gemeinde Leschnitz (since 17.05.2006)
- Gmina Murów / Gemeinde Murow (since 22.04.2009)
- Gmina Prószków / Gemeinde Proskau (since 11.07.2006)
- Gmina Radłów / Gemeinde Radlau (since 25.01.2006)
- Gmina Reńska Wieś / Gemeinde Reinschdorf (since 26.10.2006)
- Gmina Strzeleczki / Gemeinde Klein Strehlitz (since 17.05.2006)
- Gmina Tarnów Opolski / Gemeinde Tarnau (since 15.02.2007)
- Gmina Turawa / Gemeinde Turawa (since 12.09.2008)
- Gmina Ujazd / Gemeinde Ujest (since 28.08.2006)
- Gmina Walce / Gemeinde Walzen (since 04.04.2006)
- Gmina Zębowice / Gemeinde Zembowitz (since 23.10.2007)
Other gminas in Opole Voivodeship and Silesian Voivodeship which are permitted by the Act to make German an auxiliary language are: Cisek, Krzanowice, Łubniany, Olesno, Pawłowiczki, Polska Cerekiew. (An outdated map can be found on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration .)
Polish/Kashubian
Polish/Kashubian bilingual gminas in Pomeranian Voivodeship:
- Gmina Linia (Gmina Lëniô; since 23.04.2012)
- Gmina Luzino (Gmina Lëzëno; since 21.02.2014)
- Gmina Parchowo (Gmina Parchòwò; since 16.08.2006)
- Gmina Sierakowice (Gmina Serakòwice; since 23.10.2007)
- Gmina Żukowo (Gmina Żukòwò; since 17.07.2013)
Polish/Lithuanian
Polish/Lithuanian bilingual gmina in Podlaskie Voivodeship:
- Gmina Puńsk (Punsko valsčius; since 25.05.2006)
Polish/Belarusian
Polish/Belarusian bilingual gmina in Podlaskie Voivodeship:
- Hajnówka-urban gmina (Гайнаўка) on 3 December 2007
- Gmina Czyże (Гміна Чыжы) on 8 February 2010
- Gmina Hajnówka-rural gmina (Гміна Гайнаўка) on 28 May 2010
- Gmina Narewka (Гміна Нараўка) on 16 September 2009
- Gmina Orla (Гміна Орля) on 7 May 2009
Polish/Lemko
Polish/Lemko bilingual names of localities in Małopolskie Voivodeship:
- Gmina Gorlice: Bielanka
- Gmina Uście Gorlickie: Blechnarka, Gładyszów, Konieczna, Kunkowa, Nowica, Regietów, Ropki, Zdynia
Gallery
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Polish/Lemko place-name sign in Bielanka
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Polish/Kashubian street name sign in Jastarnia
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Polish/Kashubian road sign with the village name (Dolina Jadwigi)
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Bilingual Polish/Belarusian sign in Oleksze
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Polish/German place-name sign in Kosorowice
External links
- Maciej Zych. Minority place names in Poland. United Nations Group of Experts in Geographical Names. Twenty-sixth session. Vienna 2-6 May 2011. Working Paper no. 3.
- List o minority place names in Poland according to Register of the communes where place-names in minority language are used provided by Ministry of Administration and Digitization as of March 8, 2012.
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