The bilingual status of gminas (municipalities) in Poland is regulated by the Act of 6 January 2005 on National and Ethnic Minorities and on the Regional Languages, which permits certain gminas with significant linguistic minorities to introduce a second, auxiliary language to be used in official contexts alongside Polish. So far 44 gminas have done this:
German
Polish/German bilingual gminas (Gemeinden) in Opole Voivodeship (28 municipalities) Gmina Biała / Gemeinde Zülz (since 06.03.2006) Gmina Bierawa / Gemeinde Birawa (since 23.04.2007) Gmina Chrząstowice / Gemeinde Chronstau (since 25.01.2006) Gmina Cisek / Gemeinde Czissek Gmina Dobrodzień / Gemeinde Guttentag (since 13.05.2009) Gmina Dobrzeń Wielki / Gemeinde Groß Döbern (since 22.04.2009) Gmina Głogówek / Gemeinde Oberglogau (since 22.04.2009) Gmina Gogolin / Gemeinde Gogolin Gmina Izbicko / Gemeinde Stubendorf (since 06.03.2006) Gmina Jemielnica / Gemeinde Himmelwitz (since 28.08.2006) Gmina Kolonowskie / Gemeinde Colonnowska (since 22.09.2006) Gmina Komprachcice / Gemeinde Comprachtschütz (since 04.06.2009) Gmina Lasowice Wielkie / Gemeinde Gross Lassowitz (since 18.10.2006) Gmina Leśnica / Gemeinde Leschnitz (since 17.05.2006) Gmina Łubniany / Gemeinde Lugnian Gmina Murów / Gemeinde Murow (since 22.04.2009) Gmina Pawłowiczki / Gemeinde Gnadenfeld Gmina Polska Cerekiew / Gemeinde Groß Neukirch Gmina Popielów / Gemeinde Poppelau Gmina Prószków / Gemeinde Proskau (since 11.07.2006) Gmina Radłów / Gemeinde Radlau (since 25.01.2006) Gmina Reńska Wieś / Gemeinde Reinschdorf (since 26.10.2006) Gmina Strzeleczki / Gemeinde Klein Strehlitz (since 17.05.2006) Gmina Tarnów Opolski / Gemeinde Tarnau (since 15.02.2007) Gmina Turawa / Gemeinde Turawa (since 12.09.2008) Gmina Ujazd / Gemeinde Ujest (since 28.08.2006) Gmina Walce / Gemeinde Walzen (since 04.04.2006) Gmina Zębowice / Gemeinde Zembowitz (since 23.10.2007) Silesian Voivodeship (3 municipalities) Gmina Krzanowice / Gemeinde Kranowitz Gmina Rudnik / Gemeinde Rudnik Gmina Sośnicowice / Gemeinde Kieferstädtel
Other gminas in Opole Voivodeship and Silesian Voivodeship which would be permitted by the Act to make German an auxiliary language are Olesno and Pawłowiczki.
Kashubian
Polish/Kashubian bilingual gminas in Pomeranian Voivodeship: Gmina Linia (Gmina Lëniô; since 23.04.2012) Gmina Luzino (Gmina Lëzëno; since 21.02.2014) Gmina Parchowo (Gmina Parchòwò; since 16.08.2006) Gmina Sierakowice (Gmina Serakòwice; since 23.10.2007) Gmina Żukowo (Gmina Żukòwò; since 17.07.2013)
Lithuanian Polish/Lithuanian bilingual gmina in Podlaskie Voivodeship: Gmina Puńsk (Punsko valsčius; since 25 May 2006)
Belarusian
Polish/Belarusian bilingual gminas in Podlaskie Voivodeship:
Hajnówka-urban gmina () on 3 December 2007 Gmina Czyże () on 8 February 2010 Gmina Hajnówka-rural gmina () on 28 May 2010 Gmina Narewka () on 16 September 2009 Gmina Orla () on 7 May 2009
Lemko Polish/Lemko bilingual names of localities in Małopolskie Voivodeship: Gmina Gorlice: Bielanka Gmina Uście Gorlickie: Blechnarka, Gładyszów, Konieczna, Kunkowa, Nowica, Regietów, Ropki, Zdynia
Gallery
References
External links Maciej Zych. Minority place names in Poland. United Nations Group of Experts in Geographical Names. Twenty-sixth session. Vienna 2–6 May 2011. Working Paper no. 3. List of minority place names in Poland according to Register of the communes where place-names in minority language are used provided by Ministry of Administration and Digitization as of April 9, 2019.