Białystok Voivodeship (1919–39)

See also: Białystok Voivodeship (1945–1975) and Białystok Voivodeship (1975–1998)

Białystok Voivodeship Województwo białostockie
Voivodeship of Poland
← 1919–1939 →   →   →
Coat of arms
Location of Białystok Location of the Białystok Voivodeship (red) within the Second Polish Republic, 1938.
Capital		Białystok
Government		Voivodeship
Voivode
•	1919–1920	Stefan Badzynski
•	1937–1939	Henryk Ostaszewski
History
•	Established	14 August 1919
•	Annexed	September 1939
Area
•	1921	32,450 km2 (12,529 sq mi)
•	1939	26,036 km2 (10,053 sq mi)
Population
•	1921	1,305,284
	Density	40.2 /km2  (104.2 /sq mi)
•	1931	1,263,300
Political subdivisions		13 counties (powiaty) (1919–38) 10 counties (1938–1939)

Białystok Voivodeship (Polish: Województwo białostockie) was an administrative unit of interwar Poland (1918–1939). It ceased to exist in September 1939, following the German and Soviet invasion of Poland.

Area and location

In interwar Poland (1918–1939), Bialystok Voivodeship was located in mid-northern part of the country. It bordered Germany (East Prussia) to north-west, Lithuania to north-east, Wilno Voivodeship and Nowogródek Voivodeship to the east, Polesie Voivodeship and Lublin Voivodeship to the south and Warsaw Voivodeship to the west. Its area was 26 036 km². Landscape was flat, with the mighty Bialowieza Forest located right in the middle.

Population

Inhabited mostly by Poles (in 1931 they made 66.9% of the population), it also had significant Belarusian (16.3%) and Jewish (12.1%) minorities. Interesting is the fact that in 1931, 2.8% claimed Russian as their native tongue. Population, according to the 1931 Polish census was 1 263 300.

According to Polish data from April 1939, the population of Białystok voivodship was divided as follows: 71,1% Poles, 13,5% Belarusians, 11,9% Jews, 2,2% Russians, 0,9% Lithuanians, 0,5% Germans.

History

From 10 July 1930 to the end of February 1934, Marian Zyndram-Kościałkowski was the Voivode of Białystok. During this time, he streamlined administration, increased supervision of officials, and prioritized the development of sewers and streets in Bialystok. He also founded the Regional Committee for Unemployment, as well as had their share in the creation of the Agricultural Chamber of Białystok and ensuring the participation of entrepreneurs in the second Bialystok Fair Vilnius. He was also one of the founders of Jagiellonia Białystok Sports Club (of which he was honorary president of the club).

In November 1930, Marian Zyndram-Kościałkowski once again became a member of Parliament (he was 17th on the list of the Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government (BBWR).

In 1932, Zyndram-Kościałkowski remained at the disposal of the Head of the Department and the Ministry of Defense Corps.

Administrative divisions

1919–1938

File:Podzial wojewodztwa bialostockiego 1937.png

Counties of the Białystok Voivodeship from 1919–1921 and 1922–1939.

The Voivodeship consisted of thirteen counties (powiaty):

• Augustów County
• Białystok
• Białystok County
• Bielsk County
• Grodno County
• Łomża County
• Ostrołęka County
• Ostrów Mazowiecka County
• Sokółka County
• Suwałki County
• Szczuczyn County
• Wołkowysk County
• Wysokie Mazowieckie County
• Białowieża County (4 February 1921 to 31 July 1922)

1938–1939

Further information: Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938

After 1 April 1938, the Voivodeship consisted of ten counties:

• Augustow County (area 2 035 km², pop. 74 800)
• Białystok (area 39 km², pop. 91 100)
• Białystok County (area 3 079 km², pop. 140 100)
• Bielsk County (area 4 989 km², pop. 204 500)
• Grodno County (area 4 459 km², pop. 213 100)
• Sokolka County (area 2 333 km², pop. 103 100)
• Suwalki County (area 2 246 km², pop. 110 100)
• Szczuczyn County (area 1 451 km², pop. 68 200)
• Wolkowysk County (area 3 938 km², pop. 171 300)
• Wysokie Mazowieckie County (area 1 467 km², pop. 87 000)

Cities and towns

According to the 1931 census, the biggest cities were:

• Bialystok (pop. 91 100),
• Grodno (pop. 49 700),
• Suwalki (pop. 21 800),
• Wolkowysk (pop. 15 100),
• Augustow (pop. 12 100).

Railroads and industry

In the interwar period, Bialystok Voivodeship was part of the so-called "Poland B". This meant that it was underdeveloped, with 23.1% of population illiterate. Railroad network was scarce (total length 1 377 km., density - 4.2 per 100 km²), forested areas covered 24.4% of Voivodeship's area. The city of Bialystok (whose population reached 107 000 in 1939), was Voivodeship's lone industrial center. Agriculture was at a low level.

Voivodes

• Stefan Badzynski 19 November 1919 – 18 October 1920
• Stefan Kołek May 1920 – September 1920 (acting)
• Stefan Popielawski September 1920 – 12 July 1924 (till 3 November 1920 - acting)
• Marian Rembowski 12 August 1924 – 24 November 1927
• Karol Kirst 24 November 1927 – 10 July 1930
• Marian Zyndram-Kościałkowski 10 July 1930 – 8 March 1934
• Stanisław Michałowski 8 March 1934 – 29 September 1934 (acting)
• Stefan Pasławski 29 September 1934 – 14 July 1936
• Stefan Kirtiklis 17 July 1936 – 9 September 1937
• Henryk Ostaszewski 9 November 1937 – 10 September 1939 (till 22 December 1937 acting)

References

• (Polish) Maly rocznik statystyczny, Warszawa 1939 (Concise Statistical Year-Book of Poland, Warsaw 1939).