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Warsaw Voivodeship (1919-1939)
Encyclopedia
| Województwo warszawskie | |
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| (Coat of Arms Coat of arms of Warsaw The Coat of Arms of Warsaw consists of a syrenka in a red field. Polish syrenka is cognate with siren, but she is more properly a fresh-water mermaid called “Melusina.” This imagery has been in use since at least the mid-14th century... ) |
Historical regions of Central Europe
There are many historical regions of Central Europe. For the purpose of this list, Central Europe is defined as the area contained roughly within the south coast of the Baltic Sea, the Elbe River, the Alps, the Danube River, the Black Sea and the Dnepr River. Note that these regions come from...
Warsaw Voivodeship was a voivodeship
Voivodeship
Voivodship is a term denoting the position of, or more commonly the area administered by, a voivod. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia....
of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in the years 1919–1939. Its capital and biggest city was Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
.
Location and area
In the years 1919–1939, Warsaw Voivodeship covered north-central part of Poland, bordering East PrussiaEast Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
to the north, Pomorze Voivodeship and Łódź Voivodeship to the west, Kielce Voivodeship to the south and both Lublin Voivodeship and Białystok Voivodeship to the east. Its area, after April 1, 1938 was 31 656 km² (see: Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938
Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938
On April 1, 1938, borders of several western and central Voivodeships changed considerably. This included such Voivodeships as Pomerania, Poznan, Warsaw, Lodz, Bialystok, Lublin and Kielce. Pomerania gained most, while Bialystok lost most...
). The landscape was flat. Forests covered only 11.4% of the area, compared to the national average of 22.2%, as of January 1, 1937.
Population
According to the 1931 Polish census, the population was 2 460 900. Poles made up 88.3% of population, JewsJews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
- 9.7% and Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
- 1.6%. The Jews and the Germans preferred to live in the cities and towns, especially in Warsaw itself. In Warsaw, in 1931, only 70.7% of population was Polish, with 28.3% Jews. In the whole Voivodeship, 21.8% of the population was illiterate as of 1931.
Industry
The Voivodeship's biggest industrial center was the city of Warsaw, together with towns in its suburbs (ŻyrardówZyrardów
Żyrardów is a town in central Poland with 41,400 inhabitants . It is situated in the Masovian Voivodship ; previously, it was in Skierniewice Voivodship 45 km West of Warsaw. It is the capital of Żyrardów County...
, Pruszków
Pruszków
Pruszków is a town in central Poland, situated in the Masovian Voivodeship since 1999. It was previously in Warszawa Voivodeship . Pruszków is the capital of Pruszków County, located along the western edge of the Warsaw urban area...
, Piaseczno
Piaseczno
Piaseczno is a town in central Poland with 32,610 inhabitants .It is situated in the Masovian Voivodeship, approximately 16 kilometers south of Warsaw. It is a popular residential area and a suburb of Warsaw and is strongly linked to the capital, both economically and culturally...
). Warsaw was one of key centers of Polish industry, with numerous factories of various kinds. It was also the biggest city of the country. The Voivodeship's railroad density was 5.2 km. per 100 km² (with total length of railroads 1 548 km.)l
Cities and administrative divisions
Warsaw Voivodeship in mid-1939 consisted of 22 powiats (counties), 53 cities and towns and 293 villages. The counties were:- Błonie county (area 1 074 km², pop. 143 900),
- CiechanówCiechanówCiechanów is a town in north-central Poland with 45,900 inhabitants . It is situated in Masovian Voivodeship . It was previously the capital of Ciechanów Voivodeship.-History:The grad numbered approximately 3,000 armed men....
county (area 1 209 km², pop. 78 800), - Działdowo county (area 842 km², pop. 42 700),
- GarwolinGarwolinGarwolin is a town on the Wilga river in eastern Poland, capital of Garwolin County, situated in the southeast part of the Garwolin plateau in Masovian Voivodeship , 62 km southeast of Warsaw, 100 km northwest of Lublin...
county (area 2 044 km², pop. 175 700), - GostyninGostyninGostynin is a town in Central Poland with 19,414 inhabitants . It is situated in the Masovian Voivodship since 1999 and was previously in the Płock Voivodship from 1975 to 1998. It is the capital of Gostynin County.-External links:*...
county (area 1 147 km², pop. 81 600), - GrojecGrojecGrojec is a historic village in Oświęcim County in Lesser Poland Voivodeship in Poland. It lies approximately south of Oświęcim and west of the regional capital Kraków....
county (area 1 699 km², pop. 132 400), - Łomża county (area 2 657 km², pop. 168 200),
- Maków MazowieckiMaków MazowieckiMaków Mazowiecki is a town in Poland, in the Masovian Voivodship. It is the powiat capital of Maków County . Its population is 10,850....
county (area 1 136 km², pop. 65 600), - Mińsk MazowieckiMinsk MazowieckiMińsk Mazowiecki is a town in central Poland with 38 181 inhabitants . It is situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , previously in Siedlce Voivodeship...
county (area 1 228 km², pop. 111 100), - Mława county (area 1 486 km², pop. 103 100),
- Ostrołęka county (area 2 281 km², pop. 112 600),
- Ostrów MazowieckaOstrów MazowieckaOstrów Mazowiecka is a town in northeastern Poland with 23,486 inhabitants . Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , previously in Ostroleka Voivodeship . It is the capital of Ostrów Mazowiecka County....
county (area 1 467 km², pop. 99 800), - Płock county (area 1 485 km², pop. 128 100),
- Płońsk county (area 1 289 km², pop. 81 400),
- PrzasnyszPrzasnyszPrzasnysz is a town in Poland. Located in the Masovian Voivodship, about 110 km north of Warsaw and about 115 km south of Olsztyn, it's the capital of Przasnysz County. It has 18,093 inhabitants . One of the most important towns in Mazovia during the Middle Ages. City laws - 1427.-Famous...
county (area 1 410 km², pop. 69 100), - Pułtusk county (area 1 527 km², pop. 118 100),
- RadzyminRadzyminRadzymin is a town in Poland and is one of the distant suburbs of the city of Warsaw. It is located in the powiat of Wołomin of the Masovian Voivodeship. The town has 8,818 inhabitants .Radzymin was located by Bolesław IV of Warsaw in 1440...
county (area 1 076 km², pop. 97 500), - SierpcSierpcSierpc is a town in Poland, in the north-west part of the Masovian Voivodeship, about 125 km northwest of Warsaw. It is the capital of Sierpc County. Its population is 18,777 . It is located near the national road No 10, which connects Warsaw and Toruń...
county (area 1 204 km², pop. 84 900), - SochaczewSochaczewSochaczew is a town in central Poland, with 38,300 inhabitants . Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , previously in Skierniewice Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sochaczew County....
county (area 1 052 km², pop. 75 200), - Sokołów Podlaski county (area 1 276 km², pop. 83 900),
- Warszawa county (area 1 766 km², pop. 318 500),
- WęgrówWegrówWęgrów is a town in eastern Poland with 12,561 inhabitants . Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , it is the capital of Węgrów County.First mentioned in historical records in 1414, it received its citycharter in 1441...
county (area 1 301 km², pop. 88 800).
The city of Warsaw, with the area of 141 km² (134 km² of built-up area plus 7 km² of the Vistula river) and population of 1 179 500 (as of 1931) was considered a separate unit, just like any other Voivodeship. It was divided into 4 counties. These were:
- South Warsaw county (area 50 km², pop. 307 100),
- North Warsaw county (area 31 km², pop. 478 200),
- Warsaw-Praga county (area 43 km², pop. 176 100),
- Central Warsaw county (area 10 km², pop. 218 100). It was the smallest and the most densely populated county in Poland in the 1930s. Population density there was 22 415 persons per km².
The biggest cities of the Voivodeship were (population according to the 1931 Polish census):
- Warsaw (pop. 1 179 500),
- Płock (pop. 33 000),
- Żyrardów (pop. 25 100),
- Łomża (pop. 25 000),
- Pruszków (pop. 23 700),
- Mława (pop. 19 600),
- Ostrów Mazowiecka (pop. 17 600),
- Pułtusk (pop. 16 800),
- Grodzisk Mazowiecki (pop. 15 700),
- Otwock (pop. 15 100),
- Ostrołęka (pop. 14 100),
- Wolomin (pop. 14 100),
- Ciechanów (pop. 13 900).
Voivodes
- Władysław Sołtan 19 November 1919 – 24 November 1927
- Stanisław Twardo 28 November 1927 – 3 July 1934
- Bronisław Nakoniecznikow-Klukowski 3 July 1934 – 5 February 1938
- Jerzy Paciorkowski 22 January 1938 – September 1939 (acting till 5 February 1938)
See also
- Poland's current MasovianMasovian Voivodeship-Administrative division:Masovian Voivodeship is divided into 42 counties : 5 city counties and 37 "land counties"...
and Kuyavian-PomeranianKuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship-Transportation:Transportation infrastructure is of critical importance to the voivodeship's economy. Kuyavia-Pomerania is a major node point in the Polish transportation system. Railway lines from the South and East pass through Bydgoszcz in order to reach the major ports on the Baltic Sea...
VoivodeshipsVoivodeships of PolandThe voivodeship, or province, called in Polish województwo , has been a high-level administrative subdivision of Poland since the 14th century....