Bielitz District (german: Politischer Bezirk Bielitz, pl, Powiat polityczny Bielsko) was a

political district An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other polit ...

(equivalent to

powiat A ''powiat'' (pronounced ; Polish plural: ''powiaty'') is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture ( LAU-1, formerly NUTS-4) in other countries. The term "''powia ...

in Poland) in

Austrian Silesia Austrian Silesia, (historically also ''Oesterreichisch-Schlesien, Oesterreichisch Schlesien, österreichisch Schlesien''); cs, Rakouské Slezsko; pl, Śląsk Austriacki officially the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia, (historically ''Herzogth ...

of the

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...

(and since 1867 of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

) existing between 1850–1855 and 1868–1920. Seat of its district captaincy and administrative center was the city of Bielitz (now

Bielsko-Biała Bielsko-Biała (; cs, Bílsko-Bělá, german: Bielitz-Biala, szl, Bjylsko-Bjoło) is a city in southern Poland, with a population of approximately 168,319 as of December 2021, making it the 22nd largest city in Poland, and an area of . It is a ...

, Poland).

History

Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire The Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire were a set of revolutions that took place in the Austrian Empire from March 1848 to November 1849. Much of the revolutionary activity had a nationalist character: the Empire, ruled from Vienna, incl ...

led to various social, legal and also administrative reforms. In late December 1849, Austrian Silesia was re-established and was initially subdivided into seven political districts, including one with the seat in Bielitz. Political districts were additionally divided into

legal district A judicial district or legal district denotes the territorial area for which a legal court (usually a district court) has jurisdiction. By region Europe Austria In texts concerning Austria, "judicial district" (german: Gerichtsbezirk) refers ...

s (German: Gerichtsbezirk). Bielitz political district consisted of three legal districts: Bielitz, Skotschau (Skoczów) and Schwarzwasser (Strumień). In the era of Bach's neo-absolutism political districts were abolished and replaced by district offices (German: Bezirksamt) encompassing territories of the abolished legal districts. Political districts were re-established in 1868. Two years later the town of Bielitz was excluded from the district to form statutory city, but remained the seat of the district. After this the area of the district did not change significantly and up to 1920 was encompassing 758 km² divided into 67 municipalities (17 in Bielitz legal district, 15 in Schwarzwasser, 34 in Skotschau). According to the censuses conducted in 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1910 the population was as follows: Traditionally the territory of those two legal districts was inhabited partly by

Cieszyn Vlachs The Cieszyn Vlachs ( pl, Wałasi cieszyńscy, cs, Těšínští Valaši) are a Polish ethnographic group (subgroup of Silesians) living around the towns of Cieszyn and Skoczów, one of the four major ethnographic groups in Cieszyn Silesia, the on ...

especially around Skotschau, speaking Cieszyn Silesian and Bielsko with surrounding villages was forming a German

language island A language island (a calque of German ''Sprachinsel''; also language enclave, language pocket) is an enclave of a language that is surrounded by one or more different languages. The term was introduced in 1847. Peter Auer, Frans Hinskens, Paul Ker ...

(German: ''Bielitz-Bialaer Sprachinsel''). The results of those censuses and factors shaping national identity of the local population became a perennial subject of the political squabbles in the region. In addition to the Polish and German national orientations there was another group living in the area, the ''Ślązakowcy'', who advocated a distinct Silesian national identity. Throughout

Cieszyn Silesia Cieszyn Silesia, Těšín Silesia or Teschen Silesia ( pl, Śląsk Cieszyński ; cs, Těšínské Slezsko or ; german: Teschener Schlesien or ) is a historical region in south-eastern Silesia, centered on the towns of Cieszyn and Český Tě ...

this group enjoyed especially popular support among

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

living in the district. Additionally in terms of religion in 1910 the population with permanent residence consisted of

Roman Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

(52,456 or 63.3%),

(28,760 or 34.7%),

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

(1,533 or 1.9%). After

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and fall of

the region of

including the territory of Bielitz political district became disputed land between

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

and

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

. Local Germans also had a different aspirations. This led to

Polish–Czechoslovak War The Poland–Czechoslovakia War, also known mostly in Czech sources as the Seven-day war ( cs, Sedmidenní válka) was a military confrontation between Czechoslovakia and Poland over the territory of Cieszyn Silesia in early 1919. After a vai ...

and the division of the region and district on 28 July 1920, by a decision of the Spa Conference. The district of Bielitz/Bielsko as a whole became a part of Poland and was transformed into Bielsko County, without excluded part of municipalities of the former Skotschau/Skoczów legal district that were transferred to Cieszyn County.

Municipal division

As of 1910: Siegelmarke K

;Bielitz legal district (Gerichtsbezirk Bielitz) # Alexanderfeld # Alt Bielitz # Batzdorf # Bistrai # Braunau # Czechowitz # Dziedzitz # Ellgoth # Ernsdorf # Heinzendorf # Kamitz # Nieder Kurzwald # Ober Kurzwald #

Lobnitz Lobnitz & Company was a Scottish shipbuilding company located at Renfrew on the River Clyde, west of the Renfrew Ferry crossing and east of the confluence with the River Cart. The Lobnitz family lived at Chapeltoun House in East Ayrshire. Th ...

# Matzdorf # Nikelsdorf #

Zabrzeg Zabrzeg is a village in Gmina Czechowice-Dziedzice, Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has a population of 3,107 (2008). The name is of topographic origin and is a composition of two words: ''za'' (behind) and ''brzeg'' (c ...

;Schwarzwasser legal district (Gerichtsbezirk Schwarzwasser) # Bonkau # Chybi # Drahomischl # Fröhlichhof # Illownitz #

Landek Landek is a village in Gmina Jasienica, Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has a population of 601 (2016). Landek lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia. History The village was created in the 16th century by ...

# Mnich # Ochab # Pruchna # Riegersdorf # Schwarzwasser (town) # Zablacz # Zaborz # Zarzicz # Zbitkau ;Skotschau legal district (Gerichtsbezirk Skotschau) # Baumgarten # Bielowitzko # Brenna # Godzischau # Golleschau # Grodzietz # Klein Gurek # Gross Gurek # Harbutowitz # Hermanitz # Iskrzyczyn # Kisielau # Kitschitz # Kostkowitz # Kowali # Nieder Kozakowitz # Ober Kozakowitz # Lazy # Lippowetz # Lonczka # Miendzyswietz #

Nierodzim Nierodzim is a district (osiedle) of Ustroń, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It was a separate municipality, but became administratively a part of Ustroń on January 1, 1973. History The village was first mentioned in 1439 as ''Nerodzim''. Politi ...

# Perstetz # Pogorz # Rostropitz # Schimoradz # Skotschau (town) # Swientoszuwka # Ustron M. (market town) # Weichsel # Wieszczont # Willamowitz # Wislitz # Zeislowitz

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bielitz Districts of Austria Habsburg Silesia Cieszyn Silesia