Freistadt District (german: Politischer Bezirk Freistadt, , pl, Powiat polityczny Frysztat) 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 poli ...

(equivalent to okres in the Czech Republic and

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 "''powiat ...

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 ...

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existing between 1868 and 1920 (superseded by Czechoslovak ''Okres Fryštát''). Its administrative center was the town of Freistadt (now administratively a part of the city of

Karviná Karviná (; pl, Karwina, , german: Karwin) is a city in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 50,000 inhabitants. It lies on the Olza River in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia. Karviná is known as an indust ...

, Czech Republic).

History

Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire led to various social, legal and also administrative reforms. In the late December 1849 Austrian Silesia was re-established and was initially subdivided into seven political districts, 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). Freistadt became a seat of legal district in Teschen political district. 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. Freistadt became then the seat of the newly established Freistadt political district. It consisted of two legal districts: Freistadt and

Oderberg Oderberg () is a town in the district of Barnim, in Brandenburg in northeastern Germany. It is situated 16 km east of Eberswalde, and 27 km southwest of Schwedt, close to the border with Poland, and in close vicinity of Berlin. Overvie ...

(Czech: Bohumín, Polish: Bogumin; before 1855 belonging to Friedek political district). In 1880 Freistadt political district was administratively divided into 40

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

(23 in Freistadt legal district and 17 in Oderberg). Before 1890 Muglinau (Muglinov) was separated from Herzmanitz (Heřmanice) and Dittmannsdorf (Dětmarovice) was moved from Oderberg legal district to Freistadt legal district. On 1 January 1904 7 municipalities were excluded from Oderberg legal district to form a new Polnish Ostrau (Polská/Slezská Ostrava) legal district in Friedek political district. Before 1910 also Wirbitz (Vrbice) was separated from Pudlau (Pudlov), which was then merged with Oderberg. After this changes Freistadt political district consisted of 34 municipalities (24 in Freistadt legal district and 10 in Oderberg). According to the censuses conducted in 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1910 this 34 municipalities (317 km²) had a combined population of: Such a large growth in population was owing to an industrial development within the district luring a large influx of migrant workers, mostly from western Galicia. Traditionally the area in most parts was inhabited by Silesian Lachs speaking

Cieszyn Silesian dialect The Cieszyn Silesian dialect or Teschen Silesian dialect (Cieszyn Silesian: ''cieszyńsko rzecz''; pl, gwara cieszyńska or '; cs, těšínské nářečí; Silesian: ''ćeszyński djalekt'') is one of the Silesian dialects. It has its roots ...

. 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

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 T� ...

including the territory of Freistadt 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 populou ...

. 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. Majority of the municipalities became a part of Czechoslovakia (with the district being afterwards known as ''Okres Fryštát'') and only the easternmost municipalities became a part of Poland, and were then transferred to Cieszyn County.

Municipal division

As of 1910: ;Freistadt legal district (Gerichtsbezirk Freistadt) # Albersdorf # Altstadt # Darkau # Dittmannsdorf # Dombrau (market town) # Freistadt (town) # Karwin (market town) # Katschitz # Gross Kuntschitz # Klein Kuntschitz # Lazy # Lonkau # Marklowitz (now Marklowice Górne, Poland and Dolní Marklovice, Czech Republic) # Orlau (market town) # Petrowitz # Piersna # Poremba # Roj #

Seibersdorf Seibersdorf is an Austrian market town with 1,283 residents in the District of Baden in Lower Austria. Geography Seibersdorf lies in the industrial belt of Lower Austria. The municipality has an area of 20.2 km², 9.36 percent of which is fo ...

# Steinau # Mittel Suchau # Nieder Suchau # Ober Suchau # Zawada ;Oderberg legal district (Gerichtsbezirk Oderberg) # Deutschleuten #

(town) # Peterswald # Polnischleuten # Reichwaldau # Schönichel # Skrzeczon #

Wilmersdorf Wilmersdorf (), an inner-city locality of Berlin, lies south-west of the central city. Formerly a borough by itself, Wilmersdorf became part of the new borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf in Berlin's 2001 administrative reform. History The v ...

# Wirbitz # Zablacz

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freistadt Districts of Austria Habsburg Silesia Cieszyn Silesia History of Czech Silesia

History

Municipal division

See also

References