Kielce Voivodeship (1919–1939)

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 1 April 1938, its borders changed, see: Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on 1 April 1938. Capital city: Kielce.

Kielce Voivodeship
Województwo kieleckie
Voivodeship of Poland
1919–1939

Location of the Kielce Voivodeship (red)
within the Second Polish Republic, 1938.
CapitalKielce
Area 
• 1921
25,741 km2 (9,939 sq mi)
• 1939
22,204 km2 (8,573 sq mi)
Population 
• 1921
2,535,898
• 1931
2,935,697
Government
 • TypeVoivodeship
Voivode  
• 1919–1923
Stanisław Franciszek Pękosławski
• 1934–1939
Władysław Dziadosz
History 
• Established
14 August 1919
1 April 1938
• Annexed by Germany
September 1939
Political subdivisions18 powiats
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Radom Governorate
Kielce Governorate
Province of Upper Silesia
General Government

Location and area

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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 Świętokrzyskie Mountains located in the heart of the area. Forests covered 21.2%, with the national average 22.2% (as for January 1, 1937).

Population

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According to the 1931 Polish census, the population was 2,935,697.[1] 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

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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

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

  • Będzin county (area 459 km2, pop. 231 300),
  • Częstochowa county (area 1 855 km2, pop. 182 600),
  • city of Częstochowa county (powiat czestochowski grodzki), (area 48 km2, pop. 117 200),
  • Iłża county (area 1 835 km2, pop. 162 400),
  • Jędrzejów county (area 1 277 km2, pop. 108 800),
  • Kielce county (area 2 052 km2, pop. 244 100),
  • Kozienice county (area 1 857 km2, pop. 143 100),
  • Miechów county (area 1 353 km2, pop. 153 700),
  •  
    Map of the administrative division of Voivodeship as of 1938.
    Olkusz county (area 1 361 km2, pop. 151 300),
  • Opatów county (area 1 639 km2, pop. 186 500),
  • Pińczów county (area 1 148 km2, pop. 126 000),
  • Radom county (area 2 095 km2, pop. 166 900),
  • city of Radom county (powiat radomski grodzki) (area 25 km2, pop. 77 900),
  • Sandomierz county (area 1 186 km2, pop. 124 400),
  • city of Sosnowiec county (powiat sosnowiecki grodzki) (area 33 km2, pop. 109 000),
  • Stopnica county (area 1 590 km2, pop. 153 200),
  • Włoszczowa county (area 1 446 km2, pop. 101 600),
  • Zawiercie county (area 945 km2, pop. 131 000).

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

  • Częstochowa (pop. 117 200),
  • Sosnowiec (pop. 109 000),
  • Radom (pop. 77 900),
  • Kielce (pop. 58 200),
  • Będzin (pop. 47 600),
  • Dąbrowa Górnicza (pop. 36 900),
  • Zawiercie (pop. 32 900),
  • Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski (pop. 25 900).

Voivodes

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Plik:Woj.kieleckie-Polska spis powszechny 1931.pdf – Wikipedia, wolna encyklopedia" (PDF). commons.wikimedia.org (in Polish). 1938. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  • Maly rocznik statystyczny 1939, Nakladem Glownego Urzedu Statystycznego, Warszawa 1939 (Concise Statistical Year-Book of Poland, Warsaw 1939).

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