Pomeranian Voivodeship (1919-1939)

Pomeranian Voivodeship or Pomorskie Voivodeship (Polish: "Województwo Pomorskie") was an administrative unit of interwar Poland (1918-1939). It ceased to exist in September 1939, following German and Soviet aggression on Poland (see: Invasion of Poland)

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 World War II 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 In 1945 it was annexed by Poland and superseded by Gdańsk and Bydgoszcz voivodeships.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.

Area and counties

Between April 1, 1938 - September 1, 1939, the Voivodeship's area was 25 683 km², 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 km² (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 km², pop. 56 300),
* city of Bydgoszcz county (area 75 km², pop. 117 200),
* Bydgoszcz county (area 1 334 km², pop. 58 100),
* Chełmno county (area 738 km², pop. 52 800),
* Chojnice county (area 1 854 km², pop. 76 900),
* city of Gdynia county (area 66 km², pop. 38 600),
* city of Grudziądz county (area 28 km², pop. 54 000),
* Grudziądz county (area 758 km², pop. 42 800),
* city of Inowrocław county (area 37 km², pop. 34 400),
* Inowrocław county (area 1 267 km², pop. 67 500),
* Kartuzy county (area 1 302 km², pop. 68 700),
* Kościerzyna county (area 1 162 km², pop. 51 700),
* Lipno county (area 1 535 km², pop. 104 500),
* Lubawa county (area 833 km², pop. 53 600),
* sea county (powiat morski), with capital in Wejherowo (area 1 281 km², pop. 79 900),
* Nieszawa county (area 1 278 km², pop. 117 900),
* Rypin county (area 1 188 km², pop. 84 900),
* Sepolno Krajenskie county (area 681 km², pop. 31 600),
* Starogard Gdański county (area 1 127 km², pop. 71 800),
* Szubin county (area 917 km², pop. 47 800),
* Świecie county (area 1 533 km², pop. 88 000),
* Tczew county (area 716 km², pop. 67 400),
* city of Toruń county (area 59 km², pop. 61 900),
* Toruń county (area 864 km², pop. 52 300),
* Tuchola county (area 1 039 km², pop. 41 200),
* Wąbrzeźno county (area 673 km², pop. 49 900),
* Włocławek county (area 1 325 km², pop. 147 800),
* Wyrzysk county (area 1 101 km², pop. 64 900).

Main cities

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

* Bydgoszcz (pop. 117 200)
* Toruń (pop. 61 900)
* Włocławek (pop. 56 000)
* Grudziądz (pop. 54 000
* Gdynia (pop. 38 600)
* Inowrocław (pop. 34 400)
* Tczew (pop. 22 500)
* Chojnice (pop. 14 100)

Voivodes

*Stefan Łaszewski – 19 October 1919-2 July 1920
*Jan Brejski – 2 July 1920-24 March 1924
*Stanisław Wachowiak – 24 October 1924-August 1926
*Mieczysław Seydlitz – August 1926-October 1926
*Kazimierz Młodzianowski – 12 October 1926-4 July 1928
*Wiktor Wrona-Lamot – 28 August 1928-18 November 1931
*Stefan Kirtiklis – 18 November 1931-14 July 1936
*Władysław Raczkiewicz – 16 July 1936-30 September 1939

ee also

*Poland's current Pomeranian and Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeships

References

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