Kielce Voivodeship (1919–39)

Kielce Voivodeship
Województwo kieleckie
Voivodeship of Poland
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Coat of arms

Location of the Kielce Voivodeship (red)
within the Second Polish Republic, 1938.
Capital Kielce
Government Voivodeship
Voivode
 • 1919–1923 Stanisław Franciszek Pękosławski
 • 1934–1939 Władysław Dziadosz
History
 • Established 14 August 1919
 • Annexed by Germany September 1939
Area
 • 1921 25,741 km2 (9,939 sq mi)
 • 1939 22,204 km2 (8,573 sq mi)
Population
 • 1921 2,535,898 
Density 98.5 /km2  (255.2 /sq mi)
 • 1931 2,671,000 
Political subdivisions 18 powiats

Kielce Voivodeship (Polish: województwo kieleckie) - a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1921–1939. At that time, it covered northern counties of the historic province of Lesser Poland, including such cities as Radom, Częstochowa and Sosnowiec. On April 1, 1938, its borders changed, see: Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938. Capital city: Kielce.

Location and area

In early 1939, Voivodeship's area was 22 204 square kilometers. It was located in central Poland, bordering Germany and Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship to the west, Łódź Voivodeship and Warsaw Voivodeship to the north, Lublin Voivodeship and Lwów Voivodeship to the east and Kraków Voivodeship to the south. Landscape was flat in the northern part and hilly in mid and south, with the Swietokrzyskie Mountains located in the heart of the area. Forests covered 21.2%, with the national average 22.2% (as for January 1, 1937).

Population

According to the 1931 Polish census, the population was 2 671 000. Poles made 88.9% of population, Jews - 10.7%. The latter preferred to live in the cities and towns - in 1931 Jews made 28.7% of Voivodeship's cities inhabitants. Illiterate (in 1931) was 25.7%, higher than the national average of 23.1%.

Industry

Kielce Voivodeship was very divided in industrial terms. Its western part, with such cities as Częstochowa, Sosnowiec or Będzin was highly industrialized and urbanized, with numerous coalmines. Also Radom, located in the north, was a big industrial center, together with newly built or newly industrialized nearby towns Pionki and Starachowice. Eastern part, on the other hand, was backward, with little industry and underdeveloped agriculture. In mid-1930s Polish government started a huge public works program, called Centralny Okreg Przemyslowy, which was a great boost to overpopulated and poor central and eastern counties.

Cities and administrative divisions

Between April 1, 1938, and September 1, 1939, it consisted of 18 powiats (counties). These were:

According to the 1931 census, biggest cities in Kielce Voivodeship were:

Voivodes

See also

References

Coordinates: 50°52′21″N 20°37′55″E / 50.872500°N 20.631944°E / 50.872500; 20.631944

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