Pomeranian Voivodeship (1919–1939)


The Pomeranian Voivodeship or Pomorskie Voivodeship was an administrative unit of Interwar-Poland. It ceased to function in September 1939, following the German and Soviet invasion of Poland.
Most of the territory of Pomeranian province became part of the current Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, of which one of two capitals is the same as the interwar voivodeship's Toruń; the second one is Bydgoszcz.
The name Pomerania derives from the Slavic po more, meaning "by the sea" or "on the sea".

History

This was a unit of administration and local government in the Republic of Poland established in 1919 after World War I from the majority of the Prussian province of West Prussia.
During World War II, it was occupied by Nazi Germany and unilaterally annexed as Reichsgau Danzig-Westpreußen. Poles and Jews were classified as untermenschen by German authorities and their intended fate slavery and extermination. In 1945, the region was returned to Poland. In 1945 out of its northern territory, the new voivodeship of Gdańsk was formed, including annexed territories of the Free City of Danzig and of German Prussian Province of Pomerania and German Prussian Province of East Prussia. The bulk of the old voivodeship was enlarged by annexed territories of the German Prussian Province of Pomerania and later renamed into Bydgoszcz voivodeship. In the years 1975–1998, it was reorganized into the voivodeships of Gdańsk, Elbląg, Bydgoszcz, Toruń, and Włocławek.

Area and counties

Between April 1, 1938 and September 1, 1939, the Voivodeship's area was 25 683 km2, and its population - 1 884 400. It consisted of 28 powiats, 64 cities, and 234 villages. Railroad density was high, with 11.4 km. per 100 km2. Forests covered 26.7% of the voivodeship, which was higher than the national average.
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%. Poles made up majority of population.
After World War I, the number of Germans was 117,251 in 1926 and 107,555 in 1934. As of 1931, 9.8% of the populace were ethnic Germans and 0.3% Jews.
This is the list of the Pomorskie Voivodeship counties as of August 31, 1939:

Main cities

Biggest cities of the Voivodeship were :

Ethnic and religious structure

According to the 1921 census the voivodeship was inhabited by 935,643 people, of whom by nationality 757,801 were Poles, 175,771 were Germans, 419 were Jews and 1,652 were all others. By religion - according to the census of 1921 - 744,699 were Roman Catholics, 186,224 were Protestants of all kinds, 2,927 were Jews and 1,793 were all others.
The detailed results of the 1931 census by county are presented below:
CountyPop.Polish%Yiddish & Hebrew%German%Other language %Roman Catholic%Jewish%Protestant%Other religion %
Brodnica562875099090.6%960.2%51009.1%0.2%5064290.0%1260.2%52819.4%0.4%
Chełmno527654470084.7%230.0%793015.0%0.2%4394483.3%530.1%835415.8%0.8%
Chojnice769356899989.7%80.0%76319.9%0.4%7396096.1%860.1%26803.5%0.3%
Działdowo427163964592.8%1170.3%28626.7%0.2%3544883.0%1730.4%697916.3%0.3%
Gdynia City332173255498.0%240.1%3291.0%0.9%3220597.0%840.3%5151.6%1.2%
Grudziądz City540144963691.9%4540.8%36086.7%0.6%4855489.9%6771.3%38057.0%1.8%
Grudziądz County428013490281.5%00.0%776018.1%0.3%3403779.5%160.0%795318.6%1.9%
Kartuzy686746410393.3%190.0%44456.5%0.2%6419293.5%500.1%43586.3%0.1%
Kościerzyna517164565888.3%00.0%597811.6%0.2%4536287.7%340.1%620212.0%0.2%
Lubawa536215181296.6%650.1%16123.0%0.2%5162796.3%860.2%16403.1%0.5%
Maritime County852957965893.4%1040.1%52136.1%0.4%8009193.9%2290.3%46245.4%0.4%
Sępólno295631753859.3%310.1%1194240.4%0.2%1966166.5%1400.5%958532.4%0.6%
Starogard718296793794.6%2580.4%34334.8%0.3%6792294.6%3510.5%32614.5%0.4%
Świecie879987417184.3%1290.1%1342215.3%0.3%7380983.9%3380.4%1315615.0%0.8%
Tczew673996283293.2%640.1%43596.5%0.2%6384394.7%1120.2%31984.7%0.4%
Toruń City539935100694.5%2720.5%24504.5%0.5%5045393.4%4930.9%26174.8%0.8%
Toruń County602145290987.9%390.1%712411.8%0.2%5249187.2%530.1%732612.2%0.6%
Tuchola412493799092.1%30.0%31517.6%0.3%3882994.1%670.2%22375.4%0.3%
Wąbrzeźno498524234684.9%2590.5%705114.1%0.4%4195084.1%2790.6%704114.1%1.2%
Total108013896938689.7%19650.2%1054009.8%0.3%96902089.7%34470.3%1008129.3%0.6%

German minority

In 1926 and 1934 German minority in Pomeranian Voivodeship carried out their own censuses, counting themselves. Here are their results:
County
ethnic German population ethnic German population
Kościerzyna (Berent)6,8845,974
Wąbrzeźno (Briesen)7,6157,344
Chełmno (Culm)7,9057,673
Tczew (Dirschau)/ Gniew (Mewe)/ Świecie (Schwetz)20,44617,571
Grudziądz (Graudenz, town)3,5423,875
Grudziądz (Graudenz, district)9,3178,190
Kartuzy (Karthaus)4,8003,927
Chojnice (Konitz)9,0228,070
Lubawa (Löbau)2,0781,689
Wejherowo (Neustadt)/ Puck (Putzig)6,5566,305
Starogard Gdański (Pr. Stargard)2,9093,418
Działdowo (Soldau)/ Brodnica (Strasburg)12,77910,733
Toruń (Thorn, town)2,2552,057
Toruń (Thorn, district)7,1076,738
Tuchola (Tuchel)3,1702,861
Sępólno Krajeńskie (Zempelburg)10,86611,130
Pomeranian Voivodship 117,251107,555

Voivodes