1919–1939 → → Established 14 August 1919 Founded 1921 | 1934–1939 Władysław Dziadosz Area 22,204 km² | |
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1919–1923 Stanisław Franciszek Pękosławski | ||
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 April 1, 1938, its borders changed, see: Territorial changes of Polish Voivodeships on April 1, 1938. Capital city: Kielce.
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Location and area
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 Swietokrzyskie Mountains located in the heart of the area. Forests covered 21.2%, with the national average 22.2% (as for January 1, 1937).
Population
According to the 1931 Polish census, the population was 2 671 000. 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
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
Between April 1, 1938, and September 1, 1939, it consisted of 18 powiats (counties). These were:
According to the 1931 census, biggest cities in Kielce Voivodeship were: