Tarnopol Voivodeship was an administrative region of interwar
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(1918–1939) with an area of 16,500 km², 17 counties, and capital in Tarnopol. At the end of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, at the insistence of Joseph Stalin during
Tehran ConferenceThe Tehran Conference was the meeting of Joseph Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill between November 28 and December 1, 1943, most of which was held at the Soviet Embassy in Tehran, Iran. It was the first World War II conference among the Big Three in which Stalin was present...
of 1943, Poland's borders were
redrawnThe territorial changes of Poland after World War II were very extensive.In 1945, following the Second World War, Poland's borders were redrawn, following the decision taken at the Teheran Conference of 1943 at the insistence of the Soviet Union...
, Polish population
forcibly resettledRepatriation of Poles can refer to:*Repatriation of Poles *Repatriation of Poles...
and Tarnopol Voivodeship was incorporated into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Since 1991, most part of it belongs to
Ternopil OblastTernopil Oblast is an oblast of Ukraine. Its administrative center is Ternopil.-History:...
in sovereign
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
.
On September 17, 1939, following
German aggression on PolandThe Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II...
(see also: Polish September Campaign) and in accordance with the secret protocol of Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Soviet forces, allied with
Nazi GermanyNazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany between 1933 and 1945, while it was led by Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Worker's Party . The name Third Reich refers to the state as the successor to the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages and the German...
,
invaded eastern PolandSoviet 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...
.
Tarnopol Voivodeship
Województwo tarnopolskie |
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| Capital city |
TarnopolTernopil , is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Eastern Galicia. It is located approximately east of Lviv, at around...
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| Area |
16,500 km² |
Population
DensityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
|
1,600,406
97 p/km² |
| Powiat A powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...
s
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17 |
Major towns
|
TarnopolTernopil , is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Eastern Galicia. It is located approximately east of Lviv, at around...
, BrodyBrody is a city in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Brodivskyi Raion , and is located in the valley of the upper Styr River, approximately 90 kilometres northeast of the oblast capital, Lviv...
BrzeżanyBerezhany is a city located in the Ternopil Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Berezhanskyi Raion , and rests about 100 km from Lviv and 50 km from the oblast capital, Ternopil. The city has a population of about 20,000, and is about 400 m above sea level...
, BuczaczBuchach is a small city located on the Strypa River in the Ternopil Oblast of western Ukraine...
, CzortkówChortkiv is a city in the Ternopil oblast in western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chortkiv Raion . Population: 29,057...
|
Ethnic composition
PolesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a Western Slavic ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. Poles are sometimes defined as people who share a common Polish culture and are of Polish descent. Their religion is predominantly Roman Catholic...
UkrainiansUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly—citizens of Ukraine...
JewThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
s |
- 789,114 (49.3%)
- 728,135 (45.5%)
- 78,932 (4.9%)
|
| Dates of existence |
1920 to 1939 |
was an administrative region of interwar
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(1918–1939) with an area of 16,500 km², 17 counties, and capital in Tarnopol. At the end of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, at the insistence of Joseph Stalin during
Tehran ConferenceThe Tehran Conference was the meeting of Joseph Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill between November 28 and December 1, 1943, most of which was held at the Soviet Embassy in Tehran, Iran. It was the first World War II conference among the Big Three in which Stalin was present...
of 1943, Poland's borders were
redrawnThe territorial changes of Poland after World War II were very extensive.In 1945, following the Second World War, Poland's borders were redrawn, following the decision taken at the Teheran Conference of 1943 at the insistence of the Soviet Union...
, Polish population
forcibly resettledRepatriation of Poles can refer to:*Repatriation of Poles *Repatriation of Poles...
and Tarnopol Voivodeship was incorporated into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Since 1991, most part of it belongs to
Ternopil OblastTernopil Oblast is an oblast of Ukraine. Its administrative center is Ternopil.-History:...
in sovereign
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
.
September 1939 and its aftermath
On September 17, 1939, following
German aggression on PolandThe Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II...
(see also: Polish September Campaign) and in accordance with the secret protocol of Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Soviet forces, allied with
Nazi GermanyNazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany between 1933 and 1945, while it was led by Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Worker's Party . The name Third Reich refers to the state as the successor to the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages and the German...
,
invaded eastern PolandSoviet 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...
. As bulk of the Polish Army was concentrated in the west, fighting Germans, the Soviets met with little resistance and their troops quickly moved westwards. Tarnopol was occupied as early as September 18, without any real opposition from the Poles, and remained in Soviet hands till
Operation BarbarossaOperation Barbarossa was the code name for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a 2,900 km front...
.
In the years 1942–1944 Tarnopol Voivodeship was one of the sites of
Volhynian genocideThe Massacres of Poles in Volhynia were part of an ethnic cleansing operation in Volhynia and its environs that took place mainly between late March 1943 and August 1947 during and after World War II....
spilling from neighboring Wołyń province, with summary
massacres of PolesThe Massacres of Poles in Volhynia were part of an ethnic cleansing operation in Volhynia and its environs that took place mainly between late March 1943 and August 1947 during and after World War II....
in literally hundreds of Tarnopol villages: i.e. Berezowica Mała (130), Łozowa (120), Ihrowica (90), Płotycza (43), etc. The slaughter of civilians, women and children alike, was conducted mostly by OUN-UPA bands of Ukrainian nationalists and lasted well into 1945, beyond the Soviet front.
Demographics
The capital of Tarnopol Voivodeship was
TarnopolTernopil , is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Eastern Galicia. It is located approximately east of Lviv, at around...
(now
Ternopil, Ukraine). In 1921, it was inhabited by 1,428,520 people, and the population density was 88 persons per km². Half of the population was Polish, around 45%
UkrainiansUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly—citizens of Ukraine...
(mainly in the countryside, villages and smaller towns), and Jews (mainly in towns) made around 5%. In 1931 the population grew to 1,600,400 and the density to 97 persons per sq. km.
Religion was 60% Greek Catholic, 31% Roman Catholic, 9% Jewish. It must be noted that ethnic
Rusyn Greek Catholics and Polish-speaking secular Jews were in some cases classified as gentile
PolesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a Western Slavic ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. Poles are sometimes defined as people who share a common Polish culture and are of Polish descent. Their religion is predominantly Roman Catholic...
in the ethnic census, and not as
UkrainiansUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly—citizens of Ukraine...
or Polish Jews; this clears the difference between the religious and ethnic census numbers.
Geography
The Voivodeship's area was 16,533 square kilometers. It was located in south-eastern corner of Poland, bordering Soviet Union to the east,
Lwów VoivodeshipLwów Voivodeship was an administrative unit of interwar Poland . According to Nazis and Soviets it ceased to exist in September 1939, following German and Soviet aggression on Poland . The Polish underground administration existed till August 1944.-Population:Its capital, biggest and most...
and Stanisławów Voivodeship to the west,
RomaniaRomania is a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory...
to the south and Volhynian Voivodeship to the north. The landscape was hilly, with the
PodolePodole may refer to:*Podolia, a region in Ukraine*Podole, Aleksandrów County in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship *Podole, Lipno County in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship...
upland covering large part of the Voivodeship. In the north-west there is the Gologory range, with the Kamula (473 meters above sea level) as the highest peak (however, the Kamula was located some 5 kilometers behind the Voivodeship's borderline, in the Lwów Voivodeship). South of the Voivodeship was known for its wineries and peach orchards.
The
DniesterThe Dniester is a river in Eastern Europe.-Geography:The Dniester rises in Ukraine, near the city of Drohobych, close to the border with Poland, and flows toward the Black Sea. Its course marks part of the border of Ukraine and Moldova, after which it flows through Moldova for , separating the...
and the
SeretSeret may refer to:* Seret River* Seret River * Seret...
were the main rivers. Border with the Soviet Union was marked by the Zbrucz river, along its whole course. Border of the Voivodeship (and at the same time - of Poland) with Romania was marked by the Dniester. The south-easternmost place was the famous Polish stronghold Okopy Swietej Trojcy (Ramparts of the Hole Trinity), which for some time was protecting Poland from the invasions of the
TurksThe Turkish people , also known as the "Turks" are defined mainly as citizens of the Republic of Turkey. An early historic text provided the definition of being a Turk as "any individual within the Republic of Turkey; whatever his/her faith or racial/ethnic background; who speaks Turkish, grows up...
and the Tartars.
Administrative subdivisions
The Tarnopol Voivodeship consisted of 17 powiats (counties), 35 towns and 1087 villages. Its capital was also its largest city, with population of some 34,000 (as for 1931). Other important municipal centers of the voivodeship were: Czortkow (pop. 19,000),
BrodyBrody is a city in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Brodivskyi Raion , and is located in the valley of the upper Styr River, approximately 90 kilometres northeast of the oblast capital, Lviv...
(pop. 16,400), Zloczow (pop. 13,000),
BrzeżanyBrzeżany may refer to the following places in Poland:*Brzeżany in Gmina Góra, Góra County in Lower Silesian Voivodeship or*Berezhany in Ukraine with the former Brzeżany Castle...
(pop. 12,000) and Buczacz (pop. 11,000).
The Tarnopol Voivodeship consisted of 17
powiatA powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...
s (
countiesA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
):
- Borszczów Powiat (1067 km²),
- Brody
Brody is a city in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Brodivskyi Raion , and is located in the valley of the upper Styr River, approximately 90 kilometres northeast of the oblast capital, Lviv...
Powiat 
(1125 km²)
- Brzeżany
Brzeżany may refer to the following places in Poland:*Brzeżany in Gmina Góra, Góra County in Lower Silesian Voivodeship or*Berezhany in Ukraine with the former Brzeżany Castle...
Powiat (1135 km²)
- Buczacz Powiat (1208 km²)
- Czortków Powiat
(734 km²)
- Kamionka Strumiłowa
Kamianka-Buzka is a city in the Lviv Oblast, of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kamianka-Buzkyi Raion . The city was previously known as Kamianka Strumilowa, and was a district city in Galicia...
Powiat (1000 km²)
- Kopyczyńce Powiat (841 km²)
- Podhajce Powiat
(1018 km²)
- Przemyślany Powiat (927 km²)
- Radziechów
Radziechów may refer to the following places in Poland:*Radziechów in Gmina Zagrodno, Złotoryja County in Lower Silesian Voivodeship *Other places called Radziechów ...
Powiat (1022 km²)
- Skałat
Skalat is a small city in the Ternopil Oblast of western Ukraine. It is located in the Pidvolochysk Raion , at around ....
Powiat 
(876 km²)
- Tarnopol Powiat
(1231 km²)
- Trembowla Powiat (789 km²)
- Zaleszczyki Powiat
(684 km²)
- Zbaraż Powiat (740 km²)
- Zborów
Zboriv is a small town in Ternopil Oblast, west Ukraine. It is located in the historical region of Galicia. The population is 7,400 . It is administrative center of the Zboriv Raion....
Powiat (941 km²)
- Zloczów Powiat (1195 km²)
Railroads and industry
Tarnopol Voivodeship was located in the so-called Poland "B", which meant that it was underdeveloped, with scarce industry. However, agricultural production was good, due to moderate climate and rich, fertile black soil common in these areas of Europe. Southern part was popular among tourists, with the main center in Zaleszczyki - a border-town, located on the Dniestr, where one could spot unique in Poland grapewines. Railroad network was better developed in the south, with numerous local connections. Major rail junctions were: Tarnopol, Krasne, Kopczynce. On January 1, 1938, total length of railroads within Voivodeship's boundaries was 931 kilometers (5.6 km. per 100 km²)
Voivodes
- Karol Olpiński 23 April 1921 – 23 January 1923
- Lucjan Zawistowski 24 February 1923 – 16 February 1927
- Mikołaj Kwaśniewski 16 February 1927 – 28 November 1928 (acting till 28 December 1927)
- Kazimierz Moszyński 28 November 1928 – 10 October 1933
- Artur Maruszewski 21 October 1933 – 15 January 1935 (acting till 6 March 1934)
- Kazimierz Gintowt-Dziewiałtowski 19 January 1935 – 15 July 1936 (acting )
- Alfred Biłyk 15 July 1936 – 16 April 1937
- Tomasz Malicki 16 April 1937 – 17 September 1939