Poznań Voivodeship (1921–1939)
Poznań Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1921–1939, created after World War I from the Prussian-German province of Poznań. The borders were changed in 1939: the city of Bydgoszcz passed to the Pomeranian Voivodeship, but some Eastern areas were included.
During World War II, it was occupied by Nazi Germany and annexed as Reichsgau Wartheland "".
Area and counties
Between April 1, 1938 and September 1, 1939, the Voivodeship's area was 28 089 km2, and its population - 2 339 600. It consisted of 29 powiats, 100 towns and 237 villages. Railroad density was high, with 10.1 km. per 100 km2. Forests covered 19.8% of the Voivodeship, which was lower than the national average.Poznańskie Voivodeship was one of the richest and best developed in interwar Poland. With numerous cities and well-developed rail, it also was a breadbasket of the country, its highly efficient agriculture was well-mechanized. The city of Poznań was a big industrial center, as well as a key railroad junction. Only 7.6% of population was illiterate, which was much lower than the national average of 23.1%. Poles made up the majority of the population, with 7.4% Germans and 1.9% Jews.
After World War I the number of Germans was 224 254 in 1926 and 203 135 in 1934.
This is the list of the Poznań Voivodeship counties as for August 31, 1939:
- Chodzież county,
- Czarnków county,
- city of Gniezno county,
- Gniezno county,
- Gostyń county,
- Jarocin county,
- Kalisz county,
- Kępno county,
- Koło county,
- Konin county,
- Kościan county,
- Krotoszyn county,
- Leszno county,
- Międzychód county,
- Mogilno county,
- Nowy Tomyśl county,
- Oborniki county,
- Ostrów Wielkopolski county,
- city of Poznań county,
- Poznań county,
- Rawicz county,
- Szamotuły county,
- Środa Wielkopolska county,
- Śrem county,
- Turek county,
- Wągrowiec county,
- Wolsztyn county,
- Września county,
- Żnin county.
Main cities
- Poznań,
- Kalisz,
- Gniezno,
- Ostrów Wielkopolski,
- Leszno,
- Koło
- Krotoszyn,
- Konin.
German minority
County | ethnic German population | ethnic German population |
Odolanów | 10,038 | 9,442 |
Międzychód | 4,655 | 4,377 |
Bydgoszcz | 11,016 | 10,021 |
Bydgoszcz | 13,281 | 12,211 |
Czarnków | 5,511 | 4,773 |
Gniezno | 8,616 | 7,876 |
Gostyń | 2,395 | 2,162 |
Grodzisk Wielkopolski / Nowy Tomyśl | 16,576 | 16,555 |
Inowrocław | 8,455 | 8,096 |
Jarocin / Pleszew | 4,667 | 4,019 |
Kępno / Ostrzeszów | 16,631 | 10,889 |
Chodzież | 14,246 | 12,348 |
Koźmin / Krotoszyn | 6,542 | 5,807 |
Leszno | 9,917 | 8,371 |
Mogilno / Strzelno | 8,727 | 7,770 |
Oborniki | 9,417 | 8,410 |
Poznań | 5,980 | 4,387 |
Poznań | 4,687 | 4,252 |
Rawicz | 6,184 | 5,038 |
Szamotuły | 5,029 | 4,841 |
Śmigiel / Kościan | 3,636 | 3,488 |
Śrem | 2,802 | 3,574 |
Środa Wielkopolska | 2,269 | 2,029 |
Szubin | 10,193 | 8,879 |
Wyrzysk | 13,495 | 12,410 |
Wolsztyn | 10,369 | 9,313 |
Wągrowiec | 8,401 | 7,143 |
Września | 2,436 | 2,115 |
Żnin | 5,404 | 4,539 |
Poznań Voivodship | 224,254 | 203,135 |
''Voivodes''
- Wojciech Trąmpczyński 1 August 1919 – 23 October 1919
- Witold Celichowski 1 August 1919 – 2 January 1923
- Adolf Bniński 10 January 1923 – 9 May 1928
- Piotr Dunin-Borkowski 9 May 1928 – 11 October 1929
- Roger Adam Raczyński 11 October 1929 – 31 July 1934
- Stanisław Kaucki 1 August 1934 – 15 January 1935
- Artur Maruszewski 16 June 1935 – 23 June 1935
- Mikołaj Kwaśniewski 26 June 1935 – 13 September 1935
- Tadeusz Walicki 19 September 1935 – 29 October 1935
- Artur Maruszewski 29 October 1935 – 19 May 1939
- Ludwik Bociański 19 May 1939 – 12 September 1939
- Cyryl Ratajski 4 September 1939 – 12 September 1939