NationMaster - Encyclopedia: West Belarus

West Belarus is the name used sometimes in a historical context to denote the territory of modern Belarus that belonged to Second Polish Republic between Polish-Soviet War and World War II. Most of the Belarusian minority in Poland lived in that region. Anthem: Mazurek DÄ…browskiego Capital Warsaw Language(s) Polish Government Republic President List Prime minister List Legislature Sejm Historical era Interwar period - World War I November 11, 1918 - Invasion November 2, 1939 Area - 1939 388,600 km2 150,039 sq mi Population - 1939 est. ... Combatants Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic Republic of Poland Ukrainian Peoples Republic Commanders Mikhail Tukhachevsky Semyon Budyonny JÃ³zef PiÅ‚sudski Edward Rydz-ÅšmigÅ‚y Strength 950,000 combatants 5,000,000 reserves 360,000 combatants 738,000 reserves Casualties Dead estimated at 100,000... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Belarusian minority in Poland is composed of 48,700 people according to the Polish census of 2002. ...

Location and administration

The territory included most of today's western part of Belarus. In particular, Hrodna and Brest voblasts, as well as part of the Minsk and Vitebsk voblasts. Categories: Belarus-related stubs | Regions of Belarus ... Brest voblast is one of the administrative regions in the Republic of Belarus located in the south-west of Poland and Ukraine. ... At the higher administrative level, Belarus is divided into 6 voblasts and one municipality (horad, i. ... Categories: Stub | Regions of Belarus ... Categories: Stub | Regions of Belarus ...

Administration

NowogrÃ³dek Voivodeship in Second Polish Republic NowogrÃ³dek Voivodeship (Polish: , Belarusian: ) was an unit of administrative division of the Second Polish Republic between 1919 and 1939, with the capital in the town of owogrodek (now Navahrudak, Belarus). ... Polesie Voivodeship (Polish: , Belarusian: ) was an administrative unit of interwar Poland (1918-1939). ... Poleszuk (Polish), Poliszuk or Polishchuk (local Ukrainian dialect), Palyashchuk (Belarusian), or Poleshchuk (Russian) is the name given to the people who populated the swamps of Polesie. ... BiaÅ‚ystok Voivodeship, 1975. ... Wilno Voivodeship The Wilno Voivodeship (Polish: , Lithuanian: , Belarusian: ) (or Vilnius Voivodeship) was the capital voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 15th century and later the capital Voivodeship of Lithuanian part in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until the partitions of Poland in 1795. ...

Population

Template:Main:Belorussian minority in Poland The population of West Belarus included Belarusians, Poles, Jews, Russians. Many peasants declared themselves as Local people, (Poleszuks), or Orthodox, rather than Belarusians. Many of them used dialects belonging to the West Palyesian dialect group, related to the Ukrainian language. Poleszuk (Polish), Poliszuk or Polishchuk (local Ukrainian dialect), Palyashchuk (Belarusian), or Poleshchuk (Russian) is the name given to the people who populated the swamps of Polesie. ... Ukrainian (ÑƒÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ—ÌÐ½ÑÑŒÐºÐ° Ð¼Ð¾ÌÐ²Ð°, ukrayinska mova, ) is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. ...

History

In 1921, at the end of the Polish-Soviet War, Belarusian territories were divided between Poland and Soviet Russia under the terms of the Peace of Riga. The part that belonged to Poland was named West Belarus in Soviet Russia, and in Poland it was known as central part of Kresy. Several thousand Poles were settled in the area pursuant to the legislation of December 20, 1920. In the elections of November 1922, a Belarusian party (in the Blok Mniejszości Narodowych coalition) obtained 14 seats in the Polish parliament (11 of them in the lower chamber, Sejm).^[1] In the spring of 1923, Polish prime minister Władysław Sikorski ordered a report on the situation of the Belarusian minority in Poland. That summer, a new regulation was passed allowing for the Belarusian language to be used officially both in courts and in schools. Obligatory teaching of the Belarusian language was introduced in all Polish gymnasia in areas inhabited by Belarusians in 1927. Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Bolshevist Russia is a common term that refers to the Bolshevik side in the Russian Civil War, or more specifically the Russian government between the October Revolution (November 7, 1917) and the constitution of the Soviet Union (December 30, 1922). ... Central and Eastern Europe after the Treaty of Riga See also Riga Peace Treaty for other treaties concluded in Riga. ... Polish voivodeships 1922-1939. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... The Polish legislative election, 1922 lasted from 2 to 12 November and was the second election in the Second Polish Republic. ... Blok MniejszoÅ›ci Narodowych (IPA: [], Polish for Bloc of National Minorities) was a political party in the Second Polish Republic, representing a coalition of various ethnic minorities in Poland, primarily Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews and Germans. ... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ... The Sejm building in Warsaw. ... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw Eugeniusz Sikorski (May 20, 1881 â€“ July 4, 1943; pronounced ) was a Polish military and political leader. ... Belarusian minority in Poland is composed of 48,700 people according to the Polish census of 2002. ... The Belarusian or Belorussian language (Ð±ÐµÐ»Ð°Ñ€ÑƒÑÐºÐ°Ñ Ð¼Ð¾Ð²Ð°, BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: bjelaruskaja mova) is the language of the Belarusian people and is spoken in Belarus and abroad, chiefly in Russia, Ukraine, Poland. ... A gymnasium (pronounced with or, in Swedish, as opposed to ) is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English Grammar Schools and U.S. High Schools. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After an early period of liberalization, tensions between increasingly nationalistic Polish government and various increasingly separatist ethnic minorities started to grow, and Belarusian minority was no exception. Belarusian organization, Belarusian Peasants' and Workers' Union, was banned in 1927, and opposition to Polish government was met with state repressions. In 1935, after the death of Józef Piłsudski, a new wave of repressions was released upon the minorities, with many Orthodox churches and Belorussian schools being closed. Nonetheless compared to the (larger) Ukrainian minority, Belarusian was much less politically aware and active. After Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939, portrayed by Soviet propaganda as 'liberation of West Belarus and Ukraine', some Belarusians welcomed unification with Belorussian SSR, although attitudes of many changed after experiencing the Soviet terror. Nonetheless from 1939, with the exception of a brief period of Nazi occupation, almost all Belarusians previously living in Poland would live in the Belorussian SSR. ^[1]^[2] The Belarusian Peasants and Workers Union (Belarusian: , Lacinka: BieÅ‚aruskaja Sialanska-Rabotnickaja Hramada) was a socialist political party in Poland-cotrolled West Belarus that demanded independence of Belarus and social rights for discriminated Belarusian minority in mid-war Poland. ... Office Chief of State, Marshal of Poland Term of office from November 14, 1918 until December 9, 1922 Profession Statesman Political party none (see Sanacja for details), formerly PPS Spouse Maria PiÅ‚sudska Aleksandra PiÅ‚sudska Date of birth December 5, 1867 Place of birth ZuÅ‚Ã³w, in todays... Separate articles treat Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Orthodox Judaism. ... Ukrainian minority in Poland (Ukrainian: , Ukraintsi, Polish: ) is composed of 27,172 people according to the Polish census of 2002. ... For Nazi Germanys military action against Poland under the same alliance, see Nazi Germanys invasion of Poland (1939). ... language None. ...

However, during the rest of the interwar period, the Belarusian minority relations with the Polish government worsened, and it was increasingly repressed, with many schools and regional organizations closed.

Under the terms of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Poland was divided between the Soviet Union and Germany and was invaded by these countries in September 1939 (see German invasion of Poland and Soviet invasion of Poland). Western Belarus in its entirety was made part of the Byelorussian SSR. It was initially planned to move the capital of the Byelorussian SSR to Vilnius. However, the same year Stalin ordered that the city and surrounding region be transferred to Lithuania, which some months later was annexed by Soviet Union and became a new Soviet Republic. Minsk therefore was proclaimed the capital of the enlarged BSSR. The borders of the BSSR were again altered somewhat after the war (notably the largely Polish area around the city of Białystok was returned to Poland) but in general they coincide with the borders of the modern Republic of Belarus. Molotov signs the German-Soviet non-aggression pact. ... Combatants Poland Germany Soviet Union Slovakia Commanders Edward Rydz-ÅšmigÅ‚y Fedor von Bock (Army Group North), Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group South), Mikhail Kovalev (Belorussian Front), Semyon Timoshenko (Ukrainian Front), Ferdinand ÄŒatloÅ¡ (Field Army BernolÃ¡k) Strength 39 divisions, 16 brigades, 4,300 guns, 880 tanks, 400 aircraft Total... Soviet invasion of Poland can refer to: the second phase of the Polish-Soviet War of 1920 when Soviet armies marched on Warsaw, Poland Soviet invasion of Poland of 1939 when Soviet Union allied with Nazi Germany attacked Second Polish Republic Category: ... State motto: Belarusian: ÐŸÑ€Ð°Ð»ÐµÑ‚Ð°Ñ€Ñ‹Ñ– ÑžÑÑ–Ñ… ÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ–Ð½, ÑÐ´Ð½Ð°Ð¹Ñ†ÐµÑÑ! Translation: Workers of the world, unite! Capital Minsk Official language Belarusian, Russian Established In the USSR: - Since - Until January 1, 1919 December 30, 1922 August 25, 1991 Area - Total - Water (%) Ranked 6th in the USSR 207,600 kmÂ² negligible Population - Total - Density Ranked 5th in the USSR... Not to be confused with Vilnius city municipality. ... Iosif (usually anglicized as Joseph) Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин), original name Ioseb Jughashvili (Georgian: იოსებ ჯუღაშვი&#4314... State motto: Belarusian: ÐŸÑ€Ð°Ð»ÐµÑ‚Ð°Ñ€Ñ‹Ñ– ÑžÑÑ–Ñ… ÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ–Ð½, ÑÐ´Ð½Ð°Ð¹Ñ†ÐµÑÑ! Translation: Workers of the world, unite! Capital Minsk Official language Belarusian, Russian Established In the USSR: - Since - Until January 1, 1919 December 30, 1922 August 25, 1991 Area - Total - Water (%) Ranked 6th in the USSR 207,600 kmÂ² negligible Population - Total - Density Ranked 5th in the USSR... Coordinates: , Country Poland Voivodeship Podlachian Powiat city county Gmina BiaÅ‚ystok Established 14th century City Rights 1692 Government - Mayor Tadeusz Truskolaski Area - City 102 kmÂ² (39. ...

After entering the Soviet Union, the people of Western Belarus, especially those who favored democracy and Belarusian independence, immediately faced violent repression from the NKVD, which may explain incidents of local collaboration with Germans during the Nazi occupation of Belarus. The NKVD (Narodny Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del ) (Russian: , ) or Peoples Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the leading secret police organization of the Soviet Union that was responsible for political repressions during Stalinism. ...

Polonization

Belarusians in Western Belarus faced extensive Polonization. Polonization (Polish: ) is the assumption (complete or partial), of the Polish language or another real or supposed Polish attribute. ...

According to the Polish national census of 1921, there were around 1 million Belarusians in the country. Most historians, however, estimate the number of Belarusians in Poland at that time to be 1.7 million^[2] or even up to 2 million.^[3] In the 1921-1926 period Poland did not have a consistent policy towards its ethnic minorities. Belarusian schools, not being subsidised by the Polish government, were facing severe financial problems by 1921. Image:1870 census Lindauer Weber 01. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After the 1930 elections in Poland, Belarusian representation in the Polish parliament was reduced and in the early 1930s the Polish government started to introduce policies intended to Polonize minorities. In 1938 about 100 Orthodox churches were destroyed or converted to Roman Catholic ones in the eastern parts of Poland, the majority of them in Western Ukraine.^[4] Use of the Belarusian language was discouraged. Not a single Belarusian school survived until the spring of 1939, and only 44 schools teaching the Belarusian language still existed in Poland at the beginning of World War II. Satirical drawing from HasÅ‚o ÅÃ³dzkie newspaper, 5 October 1930. ... The Sejm building in Warsaw. ... Polonization (Polish: ) is the assumption (complete or partial), of the Polish language or another real or supposed Polish attribute. ... Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Western Ukraine (Західно-українська Народна Республіка, West-Ukrainian Peoples Republic) was a short-lived republic that existed in late... The Belarusian or Belorussian language (Ð±ÐµÐ»Ð°Ñ€ÑƒÑÐºÐ°Ñ Ð¼Ð¾Ð²Ð°, BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: bjelaruskaja mova) is the language of the Belarusian people and is spoken in Belarus and abroad, chiefly in Russia, Ukraine, Poland. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Refugees from Western Belarus were arrested by Soviet authorities and frequently executed, Kurapaty graves contain many products from Poland - cloths, shoes. The most prominent victim of NKVD was the activist and linguist Branislaw Tarashkyevich. Kurapaty (Belarusian: ÐšÑƒÑ€Ð°Ð¿Ð°Ñ‚Ñ‹) is a wooded area on the outskirts of Minsk, Belarus, where in 1941 a vast number of people were executed. ... Branislaw Tarashkyevich (Belarusian: ; January 20, 1892 â€” November 29, 1938) â€” Belarusian public figure and politician, linguist. ...

Notes

References

Norman Davies, Warsaw (Poland), October 7, 2004 Norman Davies (born June 8, 1939 in Bolton, Lancashire) is an English historian of Welsh descent, noted for his publications on the history of Poland, Europe and the British Isles. ... Gods Playground is a book about history of Poland written by Norman Davies. ...

Contents

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