Gdańsk Voivodeship (1945–1975)

The Gdańsk Voivodeship was a voivodeship (province) with capital in Gdańsk, that was located in the region of Pomerelia. It existed from 1945 to 1975. Until 28 June 1945, it remained under the administration of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland,Paweł Wieczorkiewicz: Historia polityczna Polski 1935–1945, Warsaw: Książka i Wiedza publishing house, 2005. ISBN 83-05-13441-5, p. 459). which then was replaced by the Provisional Government of National Unity.Aleksander Gella: Zagłada Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej 1945–1947, Warsaw, 1998. On, 19 February 1947, the provisional government was replaced by the Polish People's Republic.Andrzej Ajnenkiel: Polskie konstytucje. Warsaw: Wiedza Powszechna. 1983. ISBN 83-214-0256-9. It was established on 7 April 1945, from the parts of the territories of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, and the Masurian District, Poland.Dekret z dnia 30 marca 1945 r. o utworzeniu województwa gdańskiego. The voivodeship ceased to exist on 31 May 1975, when it was partitioned by then-established voivodeships of Elbląg, Gdańsk, and Słupsk.

History

The Gdańsk Voivodeship was established on 7 April 1945. The decree to establish the voivodeship had been signed on 30 March 1945, the day that Soviet and Polish forces captured the city of Gdańsk, during the Siege of Danzig, in the final months of the World War II.Waldemar Kowalski: W cieniu wyzwolenia – Gdańsk 1945. Biuletyn Instytutu Pamięci Narodowej, 2005. Upon its creation, it incorporated the counties from the prewar Pomeranian Voivodeship and the Free City of Danzig, both merged during occupation into the Reichsgau Danzig-Westpreußen. From the Pomeranian Voivodeship, it incorporated the counties of Kartuzy, Kościerzyna, Maritime, Starogard, Tczew, and the city county of Gdynia, while the southern part of the Pomeranian Voivodeship was awarded to the newly established Bydgoszcz Voivodeship. From the Free City of Danzig, it incorporated the Gdańsk County and the city county of Gdańsk. The city of Gdańsk was declared capital of the voivodeship. However due to the heavy destruction of the city during the conflict, for the first few months of voivodeship existence, its de facto seat of government was located in nearby city of Sopot, before it was transferred to Gdańsk, later that year.Izabella Greczanik-Filipp (editor): Wspomnienia z odbudowy Głównego Miasta, vol. 2. Gdańsk: Marpress, 1997. ISBN 83-87291-23-4.

Until 28 June 1945, it was under the administration of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland, which then had been replaced by the Provisional Government of National Unity, and on the 19 February 1947, the provisional government was replaced by the Polish People's Republic.

Upon dissolution of the Masurian District on 25 September 1945, Gdańsk Voivodeship incorporated its part containing the territories of the former Regierungsbezirk Westpreußen, namely the counties of Elbląg, Kwidzyn, Lębork, Malbork, and Sztum, as well as the counties of Bytów, Miastko, Sławno, and Słupsk from the District of the Western Pomerania.Uchwała Rady Ministrów z dnia 7 lipca 1945 r. w sprawie wyłączenia z Okręgów Pomorze Zachodnie, Mazurskiego (Prusy Wschodnie) i Śląsk Dolny niektórych powiatów i przyznania na terenie tychże powiatów wojewodom: Gdańskiemu, Białostockiemu, Pomorskiemu i Poznańskiemu uprawnień Pełnomocników Okręgowych Rządu R. P. On 28 June 1946, the counties of Bytów, Miastko, Sławno, and Słupsk, were incorporated into the Szczecin Voivodeship, and later transferred on 8 July 1950 to the newly established Koszalin Voivodeship.Journal of Laws, no. 28, position: 177, 1946. In 1946 it had an area of 10 725 km²,Rocznik Statystyczny 1947. Warsaw: Central Statistical Office, 1947, p. 15-18. and a population of 732 150 people.Powszechny Sumaryczny Spis Ludności z dn. 14 II 1946 r., Warsaw: Central Statistical Office, 1947, p. 13 (p. 29 of the PDF document).

Between 1946 and 1950, the cities of Sopot and Elbląg become the city counties.Rocznik Statystyczny 1950. Warsaw: Central Statistical Office, 1951, p. 12-14. On 1 July 1951, the Maritime County was replaced by the Wejherowo County.Rozporządzenie Rady Ministrów z dnia 23 czerwca 1951 r. w sprawie zmiany nazwy powiatu morskiego. On 1 January 1954 was established the Nowy Dwór Gdański County, from the part of the Gdańsk County.Rozporządzenie Rady Ministrów z dnia 22 sierpnia 1953 r. w sprawie utworzenia powiatu nowodworsko-gdańskiego w województwie On 1 October 1954 was established the Puck County, from the part of the Wejherowo County.Rozporządzenie Rady Ministrów z dnia 11 sierpnia 1954 r. w sprawie utworzenia powiatu puckiego w województwie gdańskim. In 1970 the voivodeship had an area of 11 036 km²,Narodowy Spis Powszechny 8 XII 1970. Struktura demograficzna i zawodowa ludności, gospodarstwa domowe. Polska. Wyniki ostateczne. Warsaw: Central Statistical Office, December 1972, p. 3-4 (p. 59-60 of the PDF document). and in 1974, it had a population of 1 564 000 people.Encyklopedia powszechna PWN, vol. 3, Warsaw: Polish Scientific Publishers PWN, 1975, p. 577.

The Gdańsk Voivodeship existed until 31 May 1975, when it was partitioned between then-established voivodeships of Elbląg, Gdańsk, and Słupsk

Subdivisions

The voivodeship was divided into counties.Polska. Zarys encyklopedyczny, Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1974, p. 772. Over the years, those were: Bytów County (seat: Bytów; 1945–1946); Elbląg (city county); Elbląg County (seat: Elbląg); Gdańsk (city county); Gdańsk County (seat: Pruszcz Gdański); Gdynia (city county); Kartuzy (seat: Kartuzy); Kościerzyna (seat: Kościerzyna); Kwidzyn County (seat: Kwidzyn); Lębork County (seat: Lębork); Nowy Dwór Gdański County (seat: Nowy Dwór Gdański; 1954–1975); Malbork County (seat: Malbork); Maritime County (seat: Wejherowo; 1945–1951); Miastko County (seat: Miastko; 1945–1946); Puck County (seat: Puck; 1954–1975); Sławno County (seat: Sławno; 1945–1946); Słupsk County (seat: Słupsk; 1945–1946); Sopot (city county); Starogard County (seat: Starogard Gdański); Sztum County (seat: Sztum); Tczew County (seat: Tczew); Wejherowo County (seat: Wejherowo; 1951–1975). Demographics YearPopulationTotalUrban (%)Rural (%)1946732 150366 313 (50.03%)365 837 (49.97%)1950Narodowy Spis Powszechny z dnia 3 grudnia 1950 r. Struktura zawodowa i demograficzna ludności. Indywidualne gospodarstwa rolne. Polska, Warsaw: Central Statistical Office, 1954, p. 3 (p. 8 of the PDF document).930 448539 463 (57.98%)390 985 (42.02%)1956Rocznik statystyczny 1957, Warsaw: Central Statistical Office, 1957, p. 9 (p. 48 of the PDF document).1 126 000727 000 (64.6%)399 000 (35.4%)1960Spis Powszechny z dnia 6 grudnia 1960 r. Wyniki ostateczne. Ludność, gospodarstwa domowe. Polska, Warsaw: Central Statistical Office, 1965, p. 6-7 (p. 5-7 of the PDF document).1 222 769811 468 (66.36%)411 301 (33.64%)1963Rocznik polityczny i gospodarczy 1964, Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, p. 32.1 312 000880 000 (67.1%)432 000 (32.9%)1965Wielka Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN, vol. 9, Warsaw: Polish Scientific Publishers PWN, 1967, p. 5.1 352 800no datano data1970Narodowy Spis Powszechny 8 XII 1970. Struktura demograficzna i zawodowa ludności, gospodarstwa domowe. Polska. Wyniki ostateczne, Warsaw: Central Statistical Office, 1965, p. 4-6 (p. 60-62 of the PDF document).1 467 7551 020 704 (69.54%)447 051 (30.46%)1971Rocznik statystyczny 1972, Warsaw: Central Statistical Office, p. 76.1 486 9001 039 000 (69.9%)447 900 (30.1%)1972Rocznik polityczny i gospodarczy 1973, Państwowe Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, p. 37.1 510 6001 060 400 (70.2%)450 200 (29.8%)1973Rocznik polityczny i gospodarczy 1974, Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne, 1975, p. 85.1 539 0001 100 000 (71.4%)439 000 (28.6%)19741 564 0001 122 000 (71.8%)442 000 (28.2%)

Leaders From 1944 to 1950, the leader of the voivodeship was the voivode. In 1950, the office of the voivode, together with several others, had been disestablished. As such, from 1950, to 1973, the leader was the chairperson of the Voivodeship National Council.Ustawa z dnia 20 marca 1950 r. o terenowych organach jednolitej władzy państwowej. The office of the voivode was reestablished in 1973, however it remained vacant until the disestablishment of the voivodeship in 1975.Ustawa z dnia 22 listopada 1973 r. o zmianie ustawy o radach narodowych.

The people in the office of the voivode, from 1944 to 1950 were: 30 March 1945 – 24 January 1946: Mieczysław Okęcki; 24 January 1946 – 25 May 1950: Stanisław Zrałek.

The people in the office of the chairperson of the Voivodeship National Council, from 1950 to 1973, were: 25 May 1950 – 28 March 1952: Mieczysław Wągrowski; 23 April 1952 – 4 March 1954: Bolesław Geraga; 4 March 1954 – 26 November 1956: Walenty Szeliga; 26 November 1956 – 16 November 1960: Józef Wołek; 16 November 1960 – 9 June 1969: Piotr Stolarek; 9 June 1969 – 20 January 1972: Tadeusz Bejm; 20 January 1972 – 9 December 1973: Henryk Śliwowski.

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