![Tarnow Rynek 20080708 4154](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Tarnow_Rynek_20080708_4154.jpg)
Lesser Poland, often known by its
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
name Małopolska ( la, Polonia Minor), is a
historical region
Historical regions (or historical areas) are geographical regions which at some point in time had a cultural, ethnic
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that ...
situated in southern and south-eastern
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 ...
. Its capital and largest city is
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a separate culture featuring diverse architecture,
folk costumes,
dances
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...
, cuisine, traditions and a rare
Lesser Polish dialect. The region is rich in historical landmarks, monuments, castles, natural scenery and
UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The region should not be confused with the modern
Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Lesser Poland Voivodeship or Lesser Poland Province (in pl, województwo małopolskie ), also known as Małopolska, is a voivodeship (province), in southern Poland. It has an area of , and a population of
3,404,863 (2019).
It was created on 1 ...
, which covers only the southwestern part of Lesser Poland. Historical Lesser Poland was much larger than the current
voivodeship that bears its name. It reached from
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 ...
in the southwest as far as to
Siedlce
Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
in the northeast. It consisted of the three voivodeships of
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
,
Sandomierz and
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
.
It comprised almost 60,000 km
2 in area; today's population in this area is about 9,000,000 inhabitants. Its landscape is mainly hilly, with the
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at . The range stretches ...
and
Tatra Mountain Range in the south; it is located in the basin of the upper
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
river. It has been noted for its mighty
aristocracy
Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'.
At t ...
(''
magnat
The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders, or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...
eria'') and wealthy
nobility
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
(''
szlachta
The ''szlachta'' (Polish: endonym, Lithuanian: šlėkta) were the noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth who, as a class, had the dominating position in the ...
'').
Between the 14th and 18th century, the
also encompassed the historical region of
Red Ruthenia. In the era of
partitions
Partition may refer to:
Computing Hardware
* Disk partitioning, the division of a hard disk drive
* Memory partition, a subdivision of a computer's memory, usually for use by a single job
Software
* Partition (database), the division of a ...
, the southern part of Lesser Poland became known as
Galicia, which was under
Austrian control until Poland regained its independence in 1918. As a result of this long-lasting division, many inhabitants of the northern part of Lesser Poland (including those in such cities as
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
,
Radom,
Kielce
Kielce (, yi, קעלץ, Keltz) is a city in southern Poland, and the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 2021, it had 192,468 inhabitants. The city is in the middle of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Holy Cross Mountains), on the bank ...
and
Częstochowa
Częstochowa ( , ; german: Tschenstochau, Czenstochau; la, Czanstochova) is a city in southern Poland on the Warta River with 214,342 inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-largest city in Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship (admin ...
) do not recognize their Lesser Polish identity.
However, while
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
''(Lubelskie)'' was declared an independent Voivodeship as early as 1474, it still has speakers of the
Lesser Polish dialect.
Across history, many ethnic and religious minorities existed in Lesser Poland as they fled persecution from other areas or countries. Poland's once tolerant policy towards these minorities allowed them to flourish and create separate self-governing communities. Some minorities still remain, but are on the verge of extinction, most notably
Wymysorys
Wymysorys (, or ), also known as Vilamovian or Wilamowicean, is a West Germanic language spoken by the ethnic Vilamovian minority in the small town of Wilamowice, Poland ( in Wymysorys, ), on the border between Silesia and Lesser Poland, near ...
-speaking
Vilamovians,
Halcnovians,
Gorals,
Lemkos, and once
Polish Jews
The history of the Jews in Poland dates back at least 1,000 years. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Ashkenazi Jewish community in the world. Poland was a principal center of Jewish culture, because of the lo ...
and
Walddeutsche Germans.
Geography and boundaries
![ProwincjaMalopolska](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/ProwincjaMalopolska.png)
Lesser Poland lies in the area of the upper confluence of the
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
river and covers a large upland, including the
Świętokrzyskie Mountains with the
Kraków-Częstochowa Upland
The Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, also known as the Polish Jurassic Highland or Polish Jura ( pl, Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska), is part of the Jurassic System of south–central Poland, stretching between the cities of Kraków, Częstochowa an ...
further west,
Małopolska Upland Małopolska Upland ( pl, Wyżyna Małopolska, also known as Lesser Poland Upland or Lesser Polish Upland) is an upland located in southern part of Poland, in the historic region of Lesser Poland. It extends from the valley of the upper Vistula, betw ...
,
Sandomierz Basin, and
Lublin Upland
Lublin Upland () is a geographical region in southeastern Poland, located in Lublin Voivodeship, between the rivers Vistula and Bug, around the city of Lublin.
Its area is about 7,200 km² and its highest elevation 314 m above sea level. It ...
. Unlike other historical parts of the country, such as
Kujawy
Kuyavia ( pl, Kujawy; german: Kujawien; la, Cuiavia), also referred to as Cuyavia, is a historical region in north-central Poland, situated on the left bank of Vistula, as well as east from Noteć River and Lake Gopło. It is divided into three t ...
,
Mazovia,
Podlachia
Podlachia, or Podlasie, ( pl, Podlasie, , be, Падляшша, translit=Padliašša, uk, Підляшшя, translit=Pidliashshia) is a historical region in the north-eastern part of Poland. Between 1513 and 1795 it was a voivodeship with the c ...
,
Pomerania
Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...
, or
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed ...
, Lesser Poland is mainly hilly, with Poland's highest peak,
Rysy
Rysy (; ; german: Meeraugspitze, hu, Tengerszem-csúcs) is a mountain in the crest of the High Tatras, eastern part of the Tatra Mountains, lying on the border between Poland and Slovakia. Rysy has three summits: the middle at ; the north-wester ...
, located within the borders of the province. Flat are northern and central areas of the province – around
Tarnobrzeg,
Stalowa Wola,
Radom and
Siedlce
Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
, also valleys of the main rivers – the Vistula, the
Pilica, and the
San. Apart from Rysy, there are several other peaks located in the province –
Pilsko
Pilsko is the second highest mountain, , in the Żywiec Beskids ( Oravské Beskydy in Slovakia) mountain range, on the border between Poland and Slovakia. It is a hiking destination in summer and a skiing area in winter. The name Pilsko is freque ...
,
Babia Góra
Babia Góra (in Polish), or Babia hora (in Slovak), literally Old Wives' or Witches' Mountain, is a massif situated on the border between Poland and Slovakia in the Western Beskid Mountains. The name is also applied to the culmination of the ...
,
Turbacz
Turbacz is the highest peak of the Gorce Mountains, a mountain range located in southern Lesser Poland. It lies in the middle of the range, and according to most sources, it is 1310 meters high. The peak itself is surrounded by dense pine forest, ...
, as well as
Łysica
Łysica is the highest mountain in Świętokrzyskie Mountains of Poland. Its height is . It is located in the Świętokrzyski National Park and there is an abbey below it, on a site that might have been a pagan temple before the times of baptism ...
in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. The southern part of the province is covered by the
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at . The range stretches ...
, which are made of smaller ranges, such as
Pieniny,
Tatry, and
Beskidy
The Beskids or Beskid Mountains ( pl, Beskidy, cs, Beskydy, sk, Beskydy, rue, Бескиды (''Beskydŷ''), ua, Бескиди (''Beskydy'')) are a series of mountain ranges in the Carpathians, stretching from the Czech Republic in the west a ...
.
![Palm Sunday in Poland](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Palm_Sunday_in_Poland.PNG)
Almost the whole area is located in the Vistula Basin, with the exception of the western and southern parts, belonging to the
Odra Odra may refer to:
Rivers
* Odra (Poland), also known as Oder, a river in Czech Republic, Poland and Germany
* Odra (Kupa), a river in Croatia
* Odra (Spain), a river in Spain
Populated places
* Odra, Silesian Voivodeship, a village in southern ...
and
Dunaj Basins. The main rivers of the province are the Vistula, upper
Warta,
Soła
The Soła () is a river in southern Poland, a right tributary of the Vistula.
Soła originates in the Western Beskids mountain range near the border with Slovakia. It is made up of the confluence of several small creeks at the village of Rajcza. ...
,
Skawa
Skawa (german: Schaue) is a river in southern Poland, a right tributary of the Vistula. It originates in the Western Carpathians (Beskids), is long and drains . It passes several towns: Jordanów, Maków Podhalański, Sucha Beskidzka, Wadowice a ...
,
Raba,
Dunajec
The Dunajec (); Goral dialects: ''Dónajec'') is a river running through northeastern Slovakia and southern Poland. It is also regarded as the main river of the Goral Lands. It is a right tributary of the Vistula River. It begins in Nowy Targ at t ...
,
Wisłok
Wisłok is a river in south-eastern Poland, a tributary of the San River, with a length of 220 kilometres and a basin area of 3,538 km2 (all in Poland). The root of the name ''Vis-lok'' is Indo-European or pre-Indo-European.
The first meta ...
,
Wisłoka,
San,
Wieprz
The Wieprz (, ; ua, Вепр, Vepr) is a river in central-eastern Poland, a tributary of the Vistula. It is the country's ninth longest river, with a total length of 349 km and a catchment area of 10,497 km2, all within Poland. Its cour ...
,
Przemsza
Przemsza (german: Przemsa) is a river in the south of Poland, a tributary of the Vistula. According to one view, it originates at the confluence of the Black ( pl, Czarna) Przemsza and White (''Biała'') Przemsza, between the towns of Mysłowice a ...
,
Nida,
Kamienna,
Radomka
The Radomka is a river in central Poland and a left tributary of the Vistula. It has a length of 98 km and a basin area of over 2000 km2 (all in Poland). The river has its source in forests 4 km south from Przysucha, at the height o ...
, and Pilica. The major lakes of the province are
Lake Rożnów
Lake Rożnow ( pl, Jezioro Rożnowskie) is an artificial lake, built in 1935–1941. It is located in southernmost part of Poland ( Lesser Poland Voivodeship). The lake was built in the interwar period to regulate the Dunajec river flowing t ...
,
Lake Czchów,
Lake Dobczyce {{Infobox lake
, name = Jezioro Dobczyckie Lake Dobczyce
, image = Dobczyce_tama_A.jpg
, caption = View of Lake Dobczyce together with the dam
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Lesser Poland Voivodeship
, coords = {{ ...
,
Lake Czorsztyn
Lake Czorsztyn ( pl, Jezioro Czorsztyńskie) is a man-made reservoir on the Dunajec river, southern Poland, between the Pieniny and the Gorce Mountains. It exists due to a dam in the village of Niedzica.
The dam itself was completed in 1995. Its ...
,
Lake Czaniec
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...
,
Lake Międzybrodzie,
Lake Klimkówka and
Żywiec Lake
Żywiec Lake (Polish: ''Jezioro Żywieckie'') is a reservoir on the Soła river in southern Poland, near the town of Żywiec. It was created in 1966, when several villages in the area, such as Zarzecze, Tresna, Zadziel and Old Żywiec were flooded ...
. Most of them are man-made reservoirs.
Lesser Poland stretches from the
Carpathians
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Ural Mountains, Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at . The ...
in the south to Pilica and
Liwiec rivers to the north. It borders Mazovia to the north,
Podlaskie to the northeast,
Red Ruthenia to the east,
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
to the south,
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
to the west, and Greater Poland to the northwest. Currently, the region is divided between Polish
voivodeships –
Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Lesser Poland Voivodeship or Lesser Poland Province (in pl, województwo małopolskie ), also known as Małopolska, is a voivodeship (province), in southern Poland. It has an area of , and a population of
3,404,863 (2019).
It was created on 1 ...
(whole), Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (whole),
Silesian Voivodeship (eastern half),
Podkarpackie Voivodeship (western part),
Masovian Voivodeship (southern part),
Łódź Voivodeship (southeastern corner), and
Lublin Voivodeship (western part).
In Silesian Voivodeship, the border between
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
and Lesser Poland is easy to draw, because, with only a few exceptions, it goes along boundaries of local
counties. In the south, it goes along the western boundary of the ancient
Duchy of Teschen
The Duchy of Teschen (german: Herzogtum Teschen), also Duchy of Cieszyn ( pl, Księstwo Cieszyńskie) or Duchy of Těšín ( cs, Těšínské knížectví), was one of the Duchies of Silesia centered on Cieszyn () in Upper Silesia. It was split o ...
, with the borderline along the
Biała river, with
Zwardoń,
Milówka and
Rajcza
Rajcza is a village in Żywiec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in the historic province of Lesser Poland, close to the border with Slovakia. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Rajcza. It lies approximately south o ...
located in Lesser Poland.
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 ...
is a city made up of two parts – Lesser Poland's Biala (also called ''Biala Krakowska''), makes up the eastern half of the city, and only in 1951 was it merged with Silesian Bielsko. Further north, the border goes along the western boundaries of the cities of
Jaworzno, and
Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec is an industrial city county in the Dąbrowa Basin of southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship, which is also part of the Silesian Metropolis municipal association.—— Located in the eastern part of the Upper Silesian Industria ...
, along the
Przemsza
Przemsza (german: Przemsa) is a river in the south of Poland, a tributary of the Vistula. According to one view, it originates at the confluence of the Black ( pl, Czarna) Przemsza and White (''Biała'') Przemsza, between the towns of Mysłowice a ...
and
Brynica rivers. Then it goes northwest, leaving
Czeladź
Czeladź (; yi, טשעלאַדזש, Chelodz) is a town in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie (part of historic Lesser Poland), in southern Poland, near Katowice and Sosnowiec. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river (tributary of the Vistul ...
,
Siewierz
Siewierz is a town in southern Poland, in the Będzin County in the Silesian Voivodeship, seat of Gmina Siewierz.
History
Siewierz was first mentioned in 1125, and was administered by the Castellan of Bytom. In 1177, Casimir II of Poland grante ...
,
Koziegłowy,
Blachownia
Blachownia is a town in Częstochowa County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It lies about west of the city of Częstochowa. The town belongs to historic Lesser Poland. As of December 2021, it has a population of 9,383.
History
The history of ...
,
Kłobuck
Kłobuck (german: Klobutzko) is a town in southern Poland, with 12,934 inhabitants (2019). Located in the Silesian Voivodeship, about 15 km northwest of Częstochowa, it is the capital of Kłobuck County. Historically, Kłobuck belongs to Le ...
and
Krzepice
Krzepice (german: Krippitz) is a Polish town near Częstochowa, in Kłobuck County, Silesian Voivodeship, in northwestern corner of Lesser Poland. It is located near the historic border of Lesser Poland and Silesia, which goes along the Liswarta ...
within Lesser Poland.
From Krzepice, the border goes eastwards, towards
Koniecpol
Koniecpol is a town in Częstochowa County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,910 inhabitants (2019). In the times of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth it was the seat of the Koniecpolski
The House of Koniecpolski (plural: Koniecpolscy) is the ...
, and along the Pilica river, with such towns as
Przedborz, Opoczno,
Drzewica
Drzewica is a town in Opoczno County, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,778 inhabitants as of December 2021. From 1975 to 1998 the town was a part of Radom Voivodeship. Located on the Drzewiczka river (a tributary to the Pilica (river), Pilica ...
,
Białobrzegi
Białobrzegi is a town in Poland, in Masovian Voivodeship, about south of Warsaw. It is the capital of the Białobrzegi County and Gmina Białobrzegi (commune). The town is located on the border of the ''Białobrzegi Valley'' and ''Radom Plai ...
, and
Kozienice
Kozienice (; yi, קאזשניץ ''Kozhnits''; german: Koschnitz) is a town in eastern Poland with 21,500 inhabitants (1995). Located four miles from the Vistula, it is the capital of Kozienice County.
Even though Kozienice is part of Lesser Pol ...
located within Lesser Poland. East of Białobrzegi, the boundary goes mainly along the
Radomka
The Radomka is a river in central Poland and a left tributary of the Vistula. It has a length of 98 km and a basin area of over 2000 km2 (all in Poland). The river has its source in forests 4 km south from Przysucha, at the height o ...
river, to the Vistula. East of the Vistula, the boundary goes north of
Łaskarzew
Łaskarzew is a town in Garwolin County ( from Garwolin), Masovian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,948 inhabitants (2004). It is located on the Promnik river, which is a tributary of the Vistula, near the ''Garwolin Forests'', on the border of histo ...
and
Żelechów
Żelechów (Yiddish language, Yiddish זשעלעכאָוו) is a town in east Poland in Masovian Voivodeship in Garwolin County. It is the seat of Gmina Żelechów. Żelechów is from Warsaw and far from Lublin. More than 4000 people live in t ...
, and south of Mazovian town of
Garwolin, turning northwest. The northernmost point of the province is marked by the
Liwiec river, with both
Siedlce
Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
, and
Łuków being part of Lesser Poland. The line then goes south, with
Miedzyrzec Podlaski being part of the historical
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
, and
Radzyń Podlaski
Radzyń Podlaski is a town in eastern Poland, about 60 km north of Lublin, with 15,808 inhabitants (2017). Situated in the Lublin Voivodeship since 1999, previously it was part of the Biała Podlaska Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capi ...
as well as
Parczew left in Lesser Poland.
Between the
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
and the
Bug Rivers, the eastern border of Lesser Poland goes west of
Leczna, but east of
Krasnystaw
Krasnystaw ( uk, Красностав, Krasnostav) is a town in southeastern Poland with 18 630 inhabitants (31 december 2019). Situated in the Lublin Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Chełm Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital o ...
and
Szczebrzeszyn
Szczebrzeszyn (; yi, שעברעשין, Shebreshin; uk, Щебрешин, Shchebreshyn) is a city in southeastern Poland in Lublin Voivodeship, in Zamość County, about 20km west of Zamość. From 1975–1999, it was part of the Zamość Voivo ...
, both of which historically belong to
Red Ruthenia. Further south, Lesser Poland includes
Frampol, and
Biłgoraj, which lie in the southeastern corner on Lesser Poland's historical Lublin Voivodeship, close to the border with Red Ruthenia. The border then goes west of Biłgoraj, turning south, towards
Leżajsk
Leżajsk (; yi, ליזשענסק-Lizhensk; uk, Лежа́йськ, Lezháysʹk), officially the Free Royal City of Leżajsk ( pl, Wolne Królewskie Miasto Leżajsk), is a town in southeastern Poland with 13,871 inhabitants. It has been situated ...
(which belongs to Red Ruthenia). The boundary between Lesser Poland and Red Ruthenia was described by Ukrainian historian and geographer Myron Korduba as being along the line
Dukla
Dukla is a town and an eponymous municipality in southeastern Poland, in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. As of December 2021, the town has a population of 2,017. The total area of the commune is . Dukla belongs to Lesser Poland, and until the P ...
–
Krosno
Krosno (in full ''The Royal Free City of Krosno'', pl, Królewskie Wolne Miasto Krosno) is a historical town and Krosno County, county in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in southeastern Poland. The estimated population of the town is 47,140 inha ...
–
Domaradz –
Czudec
Czudec is a town in Strzyżów County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Czudec. It lies in Lesser Poland, approximately north-east of Strzyżów and south-we ...
–
Krzeszów nad Sanem. The border towns of Lesser Poland were:
Rudnik,
Kolbuszowa
Kolbuszowa ( yi, קאלבאסאוו) is a small town in south-eastern Poland, with 9,190 inhabitants (02.06.2009).
Situated in the Sandomierz Forest in the Subcarpathian Voivodship (since 1999), it is the capital of Kolbuszowa County. Kolbuszo ...
,
Ropczyce,
Sędziszów Małopolski
Sędziszów Małopolski is a town in Ropczyce-Sędziszów County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland, with a population of 12,226 (1 January 2019). Sędziszów is located in eastern Lesser Poland, near the historic boundary between Lesser Poland a ...
,
Strzyżów,
Jasło,
Gorlice, and
Biecz. The southern border of Lesser Poland goes along the
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at . The range stretches ...
, and, except in a few cases, it has not changed for centuries. The cities of
Leżajsk
Leżajsk (; yi, ליזשענסק-Lizhensk; uk, Лежа́йськ, Lezháysʹk), officially the Free Royal City of Leżajsk ( pl, Wolne Królewskie Miasto Leżajsk), is a town in southeastern Poland with 13,871 inhabitants. It has been situated ...
,
Rzeszów,
Sanok,
Brzozów
Brzozów ( uk, Березів, ''Bereziv''; yi, ברעזשוב ''Brezhov''; lat. ''Brozovia'', or ''Prozzow'') is a town in south-eastern Poland, with 7,336 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is situated in Subcarpathian Voivodeship (since 19 ...
, and
Krosno
Krosno (in full ''The Royal Free City of Krosno'', pl, Królewskie Wolne Miasto Krosno) is a historical town and Krosno County, county in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in southeastern Poland. The estimated population of the town is 47,140 inha ...
do not belong to historical Lesser Poland, as they are part of Red Ruthenia (
Lwów Voivodeship, around today's
Lviv
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine ...
, Ukraine).
![Kazimierz-obrazy-na-rynku](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Kazimierz-obrazy-na-rynku.jpg)
Historically, Lesser Poland was divided into two lands - Kraków Land and Sandomierz Land, both of which emerged after the
Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty. In the 14th century,
Sandomierz Voivodeship
Sandomierz Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo Sandomierskie, la, Palatinatus Sandomirensis) was a unit of administration and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of the Lesser Poland ...
and
Kraków Voivodeship Kraków Voivodeship may also refer to:
*Kraków Voivodeship (14th century – 1795)
* Kraków Voivodeship (1816–1837)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1919–1939)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1945–1975)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998)
The Kraków Voivodeshi ...
were created, and in 1474,
Lublin Voivodeship was carved out of three Sandomierz Voivodeship counties, located on the right bank of the
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
. Historian Adolf Pawiński, who in the late 19th century was the director of the
Polish Central Archives of Historical Records
Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw ( pl, Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie, AGAD) is one of Poland's four national archives. It holds records ranging from 12th century until World War I. The current headquarters is located ...
, estimated in his book "Polska XVI wieku pod względem geograficzno-statystycznym", that the size of Kraków Voivodeship was 19,028 km
2. Sandomierz Voivodeship had an area of 25,762 km
2, and Lublin Voivodeship had an area of 11,033 km
2. Together with the
Duchy of Siewierz (607 km
2), and the parts of
Spiš that belonged to Poland after the
Treaty of Lubowla (1211 km
2), the total area of Lesser Poland was 57,640 square kilometers. Apart from the three historic lands, Lesser Poland includes other smaller regions, such as
Podhale,
Ponidzie, and
Zagłębie Dąbrowskie Zagłębie in Polish means coalfield. It can refer to:
*Górnośląskie Zagłębie Węglowe, a mining region
*Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, a mining region
*Zagłębie Sosnowiec, an association football club
*Zagłębie Lubin, an association football clu ...
.
Etymology
Zygmunt Gloger in his work ''Historical geography of land of ancient Poland'' (''Geografia historyczna ziem dawnej Polski'') states that according to a Polish custom, whenever a new village was formed next to an older one, the name of the new entity was presented with an adjective ''little'' (or ''lesser''), while the old village was described as ''greater''. The same procedure was used in naming two Polish provincesthe "older" one, the cradle of the Polish state, was called ''Greater Poland'', and its "younger sister", which became part of Poland a few years later, was called ''Lesser Poland''. The name Greater Poland (''Polonia Maior'') was for the first time used in 1242, by princes
Boleslaw and
Przemysław I, who named themselves ''Duces Majoris Poloniae'' (''Princes of the Older Poland''). Lesser Poland, or ''Polonia Minor'', appeared for the first time in historical documents in 1493, in the
Statutes of Piotrków
The Piotrków Statutes () were a set of laws enacted in the Kingdom of Poland in 1496. King John I Albert made a number of concessions to the nobility, whose support he required in war. Among other things, the nobles were relieved of certain ta ...
, during the reign of King
Jan Olbracht
John I Albert ( pl, Jan I Olbracht; 27 December 1459 – 17 June 1501) was King of Poland from 1492 until his death in 1501 and Duke of Głogów (Glogau) from 1491 to 1498. He was the fourth Polish sovereign from the Jagiellonian dynasty, the ...
, to distinguish this province from Greater Poland (''Polonia Maior'').
History
Early period and Kingdom of Poland
In the first years of Polish statehood, southern Lesser Poland was inhabited by the
West Slavic tribe of
Vistulans
The Vistulans, or Vistulanians ( pl, Wiślanie), were an early medieval Lechitic tribe inhabiting the western part of modern Lesser Poland."The main tribe inhabiting the reaches of the Upper Vistula and its tributaries was the Vislane (Wislanie) ...
, with two major centers in Kraków and
Wiślica. Their land, which had probably been part of
Great Moravia
Great Moravia ( la, Regnum Marahensium; el, Μεγάλη Μοραβία, ''Meghálī Moravía''; cz, Velká Morava ; sk, Veľká Morava ; pl, Wielkie Morawy), or simply Moravia, was the first major state that was predominantly West Slavs, Wes ...
, and
Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
, was annexed by
Mieszko I of Poland
Mieszko I (; – 25 May 992) was the first ruler of Poland and the founder of the first independent Polish state, the Duchy of Poland. His reign stretched from 960 to his death and he was a member of the Piast dynasty, a son of Siemomysł and ...
some time in the late 10th century. Cosmas of Prague in his ''Chronicle of Bohemians'' wrote: "Polish prince Mieszko, a cunning man, seized by ruse the city of Kraków, killing with sword all Czechs he found there". Northern part of Lesser Poland (Lublin and Sandomierz) was probably inhabited by another tribe, the
Lendians, and Dr Antoni Podraza, historian of the
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University (Polish: ''Uniwersytet Jagielloński'', UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and the 13th oldest university in ...
claims that ancient division of Lesser Poland into two major parts – Land (Duchy) of Kraków, and Land (Duchy) of Sandomierz, is based on the existence of two Slavic tribes in the area. However, exact location of the Lendians has not been determined to this day. Some historians speculate that they occupied Red Ruthenia, and their center was in
Przemyśl
Przemyśl (; yi, פשעמישל, Pshemishl; uk, Перемишль, Peremyshl; german: Premissel) is a city in southeastern Poland with 58,721 inhabitants, as of December 2021. In 1999, it became part of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship; it was pr ...
.
Around the year 1000, the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kraków
The Archdiocese of Kraków ( la, Cracovien(sis), pl, Archidiecezja krakowska) is an archdiocese located in the city of Kraków in Poland. As of 2013 weekly mass attendance was 51.3% of the population (fourth highest in Poland after the dioceses ...
was created, and its borders covered whole area of Lesser Poland. During the reign of
Casimir I the Restorer, Kraków for the first time became the capital of Poland (around 1040), since Greater Poland and
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
, with main Polish urban centers, such as
Gniezno and
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John ...
were ravaged by Duke
Bretislaus I
Bretislav I ( cs, Břetislav I.; 1002/1005 – 10 January 1055), known as the "Bohemian Achilles", of the Přemyslid dynasty, was Duke of Bohemia from 1034 until his death.
Youth
Bretislav was the son of Duke Oldřich and his low-born concubine ...
of
Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
. In 1138, following the
Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty, the country was divided between his sons (see also
Fragmentation of Poland).
Bolesław III Wrymouth created the
Seniorate Province
Seniorate Province, also known as the Senioral Province, , was a district principality in the Duchy of Poland that was formed in 1138, following the fragmentation of the state. Its ruler held the title of the High Duke, ruling all duchies wit ...
, which, among others, consisted of Kraków. At the same time, Lesser Poland was divided into two parts, when its eastern part formed the
Duchy of Sandomierz
The Duchy of Sandomierz was a district principality and a fiefdom of the Kingdom of Poland. It was formed in 1138 from the territories of the Kingdom of Poland, following its fragmentation, that was started by the testament of Bolesław III Wr ...
, carved by the ruler for his son
Henry of Sandomierz
Henry I of Sandomierz ( pl, Henryk) (1131 – 18 October 1166) was the duke of Sandomierz from 1138 until his death. He took part in the Second Crusade. Upon his return from the Holy Land, Henry organized a battle against the Prussians and died ...
.
During the
fragmentation period, both lands of Lesser Poland were frequently ruled by the same prince. Among them were
Bolesław IV the Curly,
Mieszko III the Old,
Casimir II the Just
Casimir II the Just ( pl, Kazimierz II Sprawiedliwy; 28 October 1138 – 5 May 1194) was a Lesser Polish Duke of Wiślica from 1166–1173, and of Sandomierz after 1173. He became ruler over the Polish Seniorate Province at Kraków and thereby Hig ...
,
Leszek I the White,
Bolesław V the Chaste,
Leszek II the Black,
Władysław I the Elbow-high, and
King of Bohemia
The Duchy of Bohemia was established in 870 and raised to the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198. Several Bohemian monarchs ruled as non-hereditary kings beforehand, first gaining the title in 1085. From 1004 to 1806, Bohemia was part of the Holy Roman ...
,
Wenceslaus II of Bohemia, who united Lesser Poland in 1290/1291. The province was pillaged during the Mongol invasion of Poland, when a combined army of Kraków and Sandomierz was destroyed by
Baidar in the
Battle of Chmielnik
The Battle of Chmielnik occurred on 18 March 1241 during the Mongol invasion of Poland. It ended in the defeat of the Polish armies of Sandomierz and Kraków provinces. The Mongols were able to move unimpeded, and plunder the abandoned city of K ...
. The loss was so heavy that
Norman Davies
Ivor Norman Richard Davies (born 8 June 1939) is a Welsh-Polish historian, known for his publications on the history of Europe, Poland and the United Kingdom. He has a special interest in Central and Eastern Europe and is UNESCO Professor at ...
wrote: "At Chmielnik, the assembled nobility of Małopolska perished to a man." During their
1241
Year 1241 ( MCCXLI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
* March 18 – Battle of Chmielnik ( Mongol invasion of Poland): The Mongols overwhelm the feudal Polish armi ...
,
1259
Year 1259 ( MCCLIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place Europe
* September – Battle of Pelagonia: The Empire of Nicaea defeats the Principality of Ac ...
, and
1287
Year 1287 (Roman numerals, MCCLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Europe
* January 17 – Aragonese forces led by King Alfonso III of Arago ...
invasions, the Mongols burned major cities of Lesser Poland, killing thousands of people. Furthermore, the province, especially its northeastern part, was often raided by the
Lithuanians
Lithuanians ( lt, lietuviai) are a Baltic ethnic group. They are native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,378,118 people. Another million or two make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Uni ...
,
Rusyns
Rusyns (), also known as Carpatho-Rusyns (), or Rusnaks (), are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group from the Carpathian Rus', Eastern Carpathians in Central Europe. They speak Rusyn language, Rusyn, an East Slavic languages, East Slavi ...
,
Yotvingians, and
Old Prussians. The city of Lublin suffered most frequently – among others, it was burnt by the Rusyns in 1244, the Lithuanians 1255, the Prussians in 1266, and the Yotvingians in 1282. Another center of the province, Sandomierz, was destroyed by the Tartars in 1260, and burnt by the Lithuanians in 1349.
![Zamek w Będzinie](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Zamek_w_B%C4%99dzinie.jpg)
Unlike other Polish provinces, especially
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
, Lesser Poland did not undergo further fragmentation, and in the early 14th century became the core of the reunited nation (together with Greater Poland). The period of nation's fragmentation came to a symbolic end on 30 January 1320, when
Władysław I the Elbow-high was crowned as
King of Poland
Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16t ...
. The ceremony took place in Kraków's
Wawel Cathedral
The Wawel Cathedral ( pl, Katedra Wawelska), formally titled the Royal Archcathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslaus, is a Roman Catholic cathedral situated on Wawel Hill in Kraków, Poland. Nearly 1000 years old, it is part of the ...
, and the king of the reunited country decided to choose Kraków as the capital. Through 14th and 15th centuries, Lesser Poland's position as the most important province of the nation was cemented. It became visible during the reign of
Casimir III the Great, who favored less known Lesser Poland's noble families, at the expense of Greater Poland's nobility. The reign of Casimir the Great was a period of growing prosperity of Lesser Poland. With high density of population, fertile soils and rich deposits of minerals (especially salt in
Bochnia and
Wieliczka
Wieliczka (German: ''Groß Salze'', Latin: ''Magnum Sal'') is a historic town in southern Poland, situated within the Kraków metropolitan area in Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. The town was initially founded in 1290 by Premislaus II of P ...
, as well as lead in
Olkusz), the province was the richest part of Poland. After annexation of
Red Ruthenia, Lesser Poland lost its status of the borderland, and both regions created an economic bridge between Poland and the ports of the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
. The king, who drew Jewish
settlers from across Europe to his country, built several castles along western border of Lesser Poland, with the most notable ones in
Skawina
Skawina is a town in southern Poland with 27,328 inhabitants (2008). Situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998), Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998). The town is located on the Skawinka r ...
,
Pieskowa Skała
Pieskowa Skała (; Polish for ''Little Dog's Rock'') is a limestone cliff in the valley of river Prądnik, Poland, best known for its Renaissance castle. It is located within the boundaries of the Ojców National Park, 27 km north of Krak ...
,
Będzin,
Lanckorona
Lanckorona is a village located south-west of Kraków in Lesser Poland. It lies on the Skawinka river, among the hills of the Beskids, above sea level. It is known for the Lanckorona Castle, today in ruins. Lanckorona is also known for the Bat ...
,
Olkusz,
Lelów
Lelów ( yi, לעלוב - ''Lelov'') is a village in Częstochowa County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Lelów. It lies on the Białka river, approximately east of ...
,
Bobolice,
Krzepice
Krzepice (german: Krippitz) is a Polish town near Częstochowa, in Kłobuck County, Silesian Voivodeship, in northwestern corner of Lesser Poland. It is located near the historic border of Lesser Poland and Silesia, which goes along the Liswarta ...
,
Ogrodzieniec,
Ojców
Ojców is a village in Gmina Skała, in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is one of the sights of the Eagle Nests Trail (''Szlak Orlich Gniazd''), as there are the ruins of a gothic castle near the village. Th ...
,
Olsztyn
Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini''
* Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county rights. ...
,
Bobolice,
Mirów (see also
Eagle Nests Trail). Furthermore, he built or strengthened castles in other parts of the province, such as
Szydlow,
Chęciny
Chęciny (Yiddish: חענטשין – Khantchin or Chentshin) is a town in Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, southern Poland, with 104,361 inhabitants as of December 2021. It was first mentioned in historical documents from 1275, and ...
,
Wiślica, Radom,
Niedzica
Niedzica ( sk, Nedeca, hu, Nedec) is a resort village in Nowy Targ County of Lesser Poland province, Poland, located on the banks of Lake Czorsztyn. It is famous for Niedzica Castle, also known as Dunajec Castle. It lies approximately north-eas ...
, Opoczno,
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
,
Sandomierz, as well as the
Wawel Castle
The Wawel Royal Castle (; ''Zamek Królewski na Wawelu'') and the Wawel Hill on which it sits constitute the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland. A fortified residency on the Vistula River in Kraków, it was established on ...
. Also, during his reign (1333–1370), Casimir the Great founded on
Magdeburg rights
Magdeburg rights (german: Magdeburger Recht; also called Magdeburg Law) were a set of town privileges first developed by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (936–973) and based on the Flemish Law, which regulated the degree of internal autonomy within ...
several cities,
urbanizing hitherto rural province. Among major Lesser Poland's cities founded by the King, there are:
:
![Pałac w Kurozwękach](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Pa%C5%82ac_w_Kurozw%C4%99kach.jpg)
In the
Kingdom of Poland, Lesser Poland was made of three
voivodeships –
Kraków Voivodeship Kraków Voivodeship may also refer to:
*Kraków Voivodeship (14th century – 1795)
* Kraków Voivodeship (1816–1837)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1919–1939)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1945–1975)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998)
The Kraków Voivodeshi ...
,
Sandomierz Voivodeship
Sandomierz Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo Sandomierskie, la, Palatinatus Sandomirensis) was a unit of administration and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of the Lesser Poland ...
, and
Lublin Voivodeship, created in 1474 out of eastern part of the Sandomierz Voivodeship.
[Antoni Podraza, Małopolska w przeszłości i dziś. Wspólnota Małopolska, 1 June 1999](_blank)
Borders of the province remained unchanged until 1772. The only exception was large part of contemporary
Upper Silesia (the area around
Bytom
Bytom (Polish pronunciation: ; Silesian: ''Bytōm, Bytōń'', german: Beuthen O.S.) is a city in Upper Silesia, in southern Poland. Located in the Silesian Voivodeship of Poland, the city is 7 km northwest of Katowice, the regional capital ...
,
Toszek
Toszek (german: Tost) is a small town in southern Poland. It is situated within Gliwice County in the Silesian Voivodeship (province), and its population was estimated at 3,600 inhabitants in 2019.
History
The beginning of the settlement and fo ...
,
Siewierz
Siewierz is a town in southern Poland, in the Będzin County in the Silesian Voivodeship, seat of Gmina Siewierz.
History
Siewierz was first mentioned in 1125, and was administered by the Castellan of Bytom. In 1177, Casimir II of Poland grante ...
, and
Oświęcim
Oświęcim (; german: Auschwitz ; yi, אָשפּיצין, Oshpitzin) is a city in the Lesser Poland ( pl, Małopolska) province of southern Poland, situated southeast of Katowice, near the confluence of the Vistula (''Wisła'') and Soła rive ...
), which belonged to Duchy of Kraków until 1179. In that year, prince of Kraków
Casimir II the Just
Casimir II the Just ( pl, Kazimierz II Sprawiedliwy; 28 October 1138 – 5 May 1194) was a Lesser Polish Duke of Wiślica from 1166–1173, and of Sandomierz after 1173. He became ruler over the Polish Seniorate Province at Kraków and thereby Hig ...
, handed these lands to Prince of
Opole
Opole (; german: Oppeln ; szl, Ôpole) ;
* Silesian:
** Silesian PLS alphabet: ''Ôpole''
** Steuer's Silesian alphabet: ''Uopole''
* Silesian German: ''Uppeln''
* Czech: ''Opolí''
* Latin: ''Oppelia'', ''Oppolia'', ''Opulia'' is a city loc ...
Mieszko I Tanglefoot
Mieszko IV Tanglefoot ( pl, Mieszko IV Plątonogi) (c. 1130 – 16 May 1211) was Duke of Kraków and High Duke of Poland from 9 June 1210 until his death one year later. He was also Duke of Silesia from 1163 to 1173 (with his brother as co-ruler) ...
. The
Duchy of Siewierz, ruled since 1443 by the
Archbishop of Kraków, merged with Lesser Poland in 1790. Other Silesian realms lost in 1179, also returned to Lesser Poland –
Duchy of Zator
The Duchy of Zator was one of many Duchies of Silesia.
It was split off the Duchy of Oświęcim, when after eleven years of joint rule the sons of Duke Casimir I in 1445 finally divided the lands among themselves, whereby his eldest son Wences ...
(in 1513), and
Duchy of Oświęcim
The Duchy of Oświęcim ( pl, Księstwo Oświęcimskie), or the Duchy of Auschwitz (german: Herzogtum Auschwitz), was one of many Duchies of Silesia, formed in the aftermath of the fragmentation of Poland.
It was established about 1315 on the Le ...
(1564). Both duchies merged into a Silesian County of the Kraków Voivodeship, and shared the fate of Lesser Poland. Apart from Jews, among other ethnic minorities of the province were the
Walddeutsche
Walddeutsche (lit. "Forest Germans" or ''Taubdeutsche'' – "Deaf Germans"; pl, Głuchoniemcy – "deaf Germans") was the name for a group of German-speaking people, originally used in the 16th century for two language islands around Łańcut an ...
, who settled the borderland of Lesser Poland and Red Ruthenia (14th through 17th centuries). In the Middle Ages, the Germans inhabited several cities of Lesser Poland, especially Kraków and Sandomierz (see
Rebellion of wójt Albert
Mayor Albert's Rebellion ( pl, bunt wójta Alberta) was a 1311–12 rebellion by the burghers of the Polish city of Kraków against Duke Władysław I the Elbow-high. The rebellion was led by Albert, the ''wójt'' ( la, advocatus), who under Magde ...
).
In the late
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, Lesser Poland gradually became the center of Polish statehood, with Kraków being the capital of the country from the mid-11th century until 1596. Its nobility ruled Poland when
Queen Jadwiga was too young to control the state, and the
Union of Krewo with the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
was the brainchild of Lesser Poland's
szlachta
The ''szlachta'' (Polish: endonym, Lithuanian: šlėkta) were the noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth who, as a class, had the dominating position in the ...
.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Lesser Poland remained the most important part of the country. After the death of Casimir the Great, Lesser Poland's nobility promoted
Louis I of Hungary
Louis I, also Louis the Great ( hu, Nagy Lajos; hr, Ludovik Veliki; sk, Ľudovít Veľký) or Louis the Hungarian ( pl, Ludwik Węgierski; 5 March 132610 September 1382), was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1342 and King of Poland from 1370 ...
as the new king, later supporting his daughter
Jadwiga of Poland in exchange for
Privilege of Koszyce
The Privilege of Koszyce or Privilege of KassaClifford Rogers (editor): ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology'', Oxford University Press, 201/ref> was a set of concessions made by Louis I of Hungary to the Polish s ...
. Since Jadwiga, crowned on 16 October 1384, was too young to rule the country, Poland was in fact governed by the Lesser Poland's nobility, who decided to find her a husband,
Grand Duke of Lithuania
The monarchy of Lithuania concerned the monarchical head of state of Lithuania, which was established as an absolute and hereditary monarchy. Throughout Lithuania's history there were three ducal dynasties that managed to stay in power—House ...
,
Jogaila. Consequently, unions of Poland and Lithuania at
Krewo and
Horodło
Horodło () is a village in Hrubieszów County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland, close to the border with Ukraine. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Horodło. It lies approximately north-east of Hrubieszów ...
were the brainchildren of Lesser Poland's nobility, among whom the most influential individuals were
Spytek z Melsztyna Spycimir, also Spyćmier, Spyćmir, Spyćmierz, Spićymierz, etc., is an old Polish masculine given name. Etymology: ''spyci-'': "in vain", ''-mir'': "peace". Diminutives: Spytko, Spytek. Its name day is 26 April.Bogdan Kupis, ''Nasze imiona'', 1991 ...
, and cardinal
Zbigniew Olesnicki. Other famous Lesser Poland's families are
Lubomirski family
The House of Lubomirski is a Polish princely family. The Lubomirski family's coat of arms is the Drużyna coat of arms, which is similar to the Szreniawa coat of arms but without a cross.
Origin and the coat of arms
The Lubomirski fam ...
,
Kmita family Szreniawa coat of arms of the Kmita family
Piotr Kmita Sobieński
Gravestone of Piotr Kmita (died 1505) located in Wawel Cathedral, Kraków.
The Kmita (plural: Kmitowie) was a magnate family from Little Poland.
History
The progenitor of the ...
,
Tarnowski family
The House of Tarnowski (plural: Tarnowscy) is the name of a Polish noble and aristocratic family (see: Szlachta). Because Polish adjectives have different forms for the genders, Tarnowska is the form for a female family member.
History
The ...
,
Potocki family
The House of Potocki (; plural: Potoccy, male: Potocki, feminine: Potocka) was a prominent Polish noble family in the Kingdom of Poland and magnates of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Potocki family is one of the wealthiest and ...
,
Sobieski family,
Koniecpolski family
The House of Koniecpolski (plural: Koniecpolscy) is the name of the Polish noble family.
History
The Koniecpolski was a magnate family. The family appears in the historical annals beginning in the 15th century. The family originated from the v ...
,
Ossolinski family,
Poniatowski family.
Since Lesser Poland was the most important province of
the country
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
, several important events took place on its territory. In 1364, Casimir the Great called the
Congress of Kraków, and in 1401, the
Union of Vilnius and Radom
The Pact of Vilnius and Radom ( pl, Unia wileńsko-radomska, lt, Vilniaus-Radomo sutartis) was a set of three acts passed in Vilnius, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and confirmed by the Crown Council in Radom, Kingdom of Poland in 1401. The union ame ...
was signed. In 1505 in Radom, the Sejm adopted the
Nihil novi title, which forbade the King to issue laws without the consent of the nobility. In the same year, also in the same city, Polish law was codified in the
Łaski's Statute, and the
Crown Tribunal
The Crown Tribunal ( pl, Trybunał Główny Koronny, la, Iudicium Ordinarium Generale Tribunalis Regni) was the highest appellate court in the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland for most cases. Exceptions were if a noble landowner was threatened with ...
(the highest appeal court in the Crown of the Polish Kingdom) held its sessions in Lublin. In 1525, the
Treaty of Kraków was signed, ending the
Polish–Teutonic War. Lesser Poland also is home to the oldest Polish university – the
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University (Polish: ''Uniwersytet Jagielloński'', UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and the 13th oldest university in ...
, founded in 1364 by Casimir the Great, and several outstanding figures of early Polish culture were born here, such as
Jan Kochanowski,
Mikołaj Rej,
Jan z Lublina
Jan z Lublina, or Joannis de Lublin, was a Polish composer and organist who lived in the first half of the 16th century. Not much is known about his life - he was a member of the Order of Canons Regular of the Lateran, circa 1540 he was possibly t ...
,
Mikołaj Gomółka
Mikołaj Gomółka (c. 1535 – after 30 April 1591, most probably 5 March 1609) was a Polish Renaissance composer, and member of the royal court of Sigismund II Augustus, where he was a singer, flutist and trumpeter.
Gomółka was born in Sando ...
,
Maciej Miechowita
Maciej Miechowita (also known as ''Maciej z Miechowa, Maciej of Miechów, Maciej Karpiga, Matthias de Miechow''; 1457 – 8 September 1523) was a Polish renaissance scholar, professor of Jagiellonian University, historian, chronicler, geograp ...
,
Marcin Kromer
Marcin Kromer (Latin: ''Martinus Cromerus''; 11 November 1512 – 23 March 1589) was Prince-Bishop of Warmia (Ermland), a Polish cartographer, diplomat and historian in the Kingdom of Poland and later in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He wa ...
,
Łukasz Górnicki
Łukasz Ogonczyk Coat of Arms, Ogończyk Górnicki (1527 in Oświęcim – 22 July 1603 in Lipniki, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Lipniki by Tykocin), was a Polish Renaissance, poet, humanist, political commentator as well as secretary and chancellor of ...
, and
Mikołaj Radomski
Mikołaj is the Polish cognate of given name Nicholas, used both as a given name and a surname. It may refer to people:
In Polish (or Polish-Lithuanian) nobility:
* Mikołaj Firlej (died 1526), Polish nobleman, Hetman, diplomat, and expert of so ...
.
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
In the 16th century, Lesser Poland retained its position as the most important province of the country. As no major conflicts took place on its territory, it was the center of
Renaissance in Poland
The Renaissance in Poland ( pl, Renesans, Odrodzenie; literally: the Rebirth) lasted from the late 15th to the late 16th century and is widely considered to have been the Golden Age of Polish culture. Ruled by the Jagiellonian dynasty, the Crown ...
. The province was home to numerous scholars, writers and statesmen, and it was here where
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
was created in 1569 (see
Union of Lublin
The Union of Lublin ( pl, Unia lubelska; lt, Liublino unija) was signed on 1 July 1569 in Lublin, Poland, and created a single state, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest countries in Europe at the time. It replaced the pe ...
). In the Commonwealth, Lesser Poland proper was the base of the
Province of Lesser Poland, which covered southern lands of the vast country. The province was made of Lesser Poland itself, also
Red Ruthenia,
Volhynia
Volhynia (also spelled Volynia) ( ; uk, Воли́нь, Volyn' pl, Wołyń, russian: Волы́нь, Volýnʹ, ), is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between south-eastern Poland, south-western Belarus, and western Ukraine. Th ...
,
Podolia
Podolia or Podilia ( uk, Поділля, Podillia, ; russian: Подолье, Podolye; ro, Podolia; pl, Podole; german: Podolien; be, Падолле, Padollie; lt, Podolė), is a historic region in Eastern Europe, located in the west-central ...
, and
Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
voivodeships –
Kijów Voivodeship (
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
),
Czernihów Voivodeship
Czernihów (Chernihiv) Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo czernihowskie, links=no) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Kingdom of Poland (part of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) from 1635 until Khmelnytsky Uprising in ...
(
Chernihiv), and
Bracław Voivodeship (
Bratslav), which, until 1569, had been part of the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
.
The period in Polish history known as the
Polish Golden Age was very fortunate for Lesser Poland. Kings of the
Jagiellonian dynasty
The Jagiellonian dynasty (, pl, dynastia jagiellońska), otherwise the Jagiellon dynasty ( pl, dynastia Jagiellonów), the House of Jagiellon ( pl, Dom Jagiellonów), or simply the Jagiellons ( pl, Jagiellonowie), was the name assumed by a cad ...
, especially
Sigismund I the Old
Sigismund I the Old ( pl, Zygmunt I Stary, lt, Žygimantas II Senasis; 1 January 1467 – 1 April 1548) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until his death in 1548. Sigismund I was a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty, the ...
(himself born in Lesser Poland's
Kozienice
Kozienice (; yi, קאזשניץ ''Kozhnits''; german: Koschnitz) is a town in eastern Poland with 21,500 inhabitants (1995). Located four miles from the Vistula, it is the capital of Kozienice County.
Even though Kozienice is part of Lesser Pol ...
), and his son
Sigismund II Augustus (born in Kraków), resided in Kraków, which was the capital of the immense Polish – Lithuanian Commonwealth. Lesser Poland's prosperity was reflected in numerous examples of
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
architecture complexes, built across the province. In 1499, hitherto
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
Wawel Castle
The Wawel Royal Castle (; ''Zamek Królewski na Wawelu'') and the Wawel Hill on which it sits constitute the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland. A fortified residency on the Vistula River in Kraków, it was established on ...
was damaged in a fire, and a few years later, Sigismund I, with help of the best native and foreign artists (such as Francesco the Florentine, Bartholomeo Berrecci or Niccolo Castiglione) refurbished the complex into a splendid Renaissance palace. Furthermore, in the early 16th century, several palaces were built in Lesser Poland – in
Drzewica
Drzewica is a town in Opoczno County, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,778 inhabitants as of December 2021. From 1975 to 1998 the town was a part of Radom Voivodeship. Located on the Drzewiczka river (a tributary to the Pilica (river), Pilica ...
,
Szydłowiec
Szydłowiec (; Hebrew: שידלוביץ, Yiddish: שידלאָווצע; German: ''Schiedlowietz'') is a town in Szydłowiec County, Mazovian Voivodeship, south-central Poland, with 5,243 inhabitants (December 31, 2005). It is the seat of Gmina ...
,
Ogrodzieniec, and
Pieskowa Skała
Pieskowa Skała (; Polish for ''Little Dog's Rock'') is a limestone cliff in the valley of river Prądnik, Poland, best known for its Renaissance castle. It is located within the boundaries of the Ojców National Park, 27 km north of Krak ...
. The province became rich mostly due to the
grain trade
The grain trade refers to the local and international trade in cereals and other food grains such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Grain is an important trade item because it is easily stored and transported with limited spoilage, unlike other ...
, conducted along the Vistula, and among cities which prospered in the 16th century, there are Kraków, Sandomierz, Lublin,
Kazimierz Dolny
Kazimierz Dolny () is a small historic town in eastern Poland, on the right (eastern) bank of the Vistula river in Puławy County, Lublin Voivodeship. Historically it belongs to Lesser Poland, and in the past it was one of the most important citie ...
,
Pilzno
Pilzno is a town in Poland, in Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in Dębica County. It has 4,943 inhabitants as of 2018. It is located at the junction of important roads – West-East European E40 Highway, and National Road 73 (''Droga Krajowa nr. 73 ...
,
Tarnów
Tarnów () is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. From 1975 to 1998, it was the capital of the Tarnów ...
, Radom,
Biecz. In later years of the 16th century, further palaces were built or remodelled in
Baranow Sandomierski Baranow may refer to:
*Baranow, Edmonton, a neighbourhood in Edmonton, Canada
*Baranów Sandomierski
Baranów Sandomierski is a small town in southern Poland, in the Subcarpathian Voivodship, Tarnobrzeg County on the Vistula River, with 1,420 ...
, and
Niepołomice.
![Zamek Pieskowa Skała, ogród włoski](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Zamek_Pieskowa_Ska%C5%82a%2C_ogr%C3%B3d_w%C5%82oski.jpg)
In the early 16th century,
Protestant Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
spread across the Commonwealth, and Lesser Poland became one of early centers of the movement, when students from
Wittenberg
Wittenberg ( , ; Low Saxon language, Low Saxon: ''Wittenbarg''; meaning ''White Mountain''; officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg (''Luther City Wittenberg'')), is the fourth largest town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Wittenberg is situated on the Ri ...
brought the news to Cracow. In the first years of the century, professor of Jagiellonian University Jakub of
Iłża
Iłża () is a small town in Masovian Voivodeship, Poland. In 2006 Iłża had approximately 5,165 inhabitants. The town belongs to the historical region of Lesser Poland, and from its foundation until 1795, it was part of Lesser Poland’s Sandom ...
(Jakub z Ilzy, died 1542) became one of the main promoters of the movement in the region. He actively supported the notions of
Martin Luther
Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...
, and in 1528 was called to the Bishop of Kraków's court. Convinced of heresy, he was forced to leave Poland in 1535. Reformation soon became very popular among Lesser Poland's nobility, especially
Calvinism
Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Cal ...
, and according to one estimate, some 20% of local
szlachta
The ''szlachta'' (Polish: endonym, Lithuanian: šlėkta) were the noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth who, as a class, had the dominating position in the ...
converted from Roman Catholicism. They were attracted by Calvinism's democratic character, and Lesser Poland's center of the movement was set in the town of
Pińczów, which came to be known as ''Sarmatian Athens''. It was in Pińczów, where a local nobleman converted a Roman Catholic parish into a Protestant one, opened a Calvinist Academy, and published its Antitrinitarian confession in 1560 and in 1561. Several Calvinist synods took place in Lesser Poland – the first one in
Słomniki
Słomniki is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998). Słomniki lies north of Kraków, among the hills of Lesser Poland Upland. On December 31, 2010, it ...
(1554), Pińczów (the first united Synod of Poland and Lithuania – 1556 1561), and Kraków (1562). In 1563, also in Pińczów, the so-called
Brest Bible
The Brest Bible ( pl, Biblia Brzeska) was the first complete Protestant Bible translation into Polish, published by Bernard Wojewodka in 1563 in Brest and dedicated to King Sigismund II Augustus.
Polish full original title: ''Biblia święta, T ...
was translated into Polish. In 1570, the
Sandomierz Agreement
The Sandomierz Agreement (or Sandomierz Consensus; lat. ''Consensus Sendomiriensis'') was an agreement reached in 1570 in Sandomierz between a number of Protestant groups in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was intended to unite different ...
was signed by a number of Protestant groups, with the exception of the
Polish Brethren, another religious group very influential in Lesser Poland. The Brethren had their center in Lesser Poland's village of
Raków, where a main Arian printing press, as well as a college, known as Akademia Rakowska (''Gymnasium Bonarum Artium'') founded in 1602 were located. Among distinguished European scholars associated with the school, there were
Johannes Crellius
Johannes Crellius (Polish: ''Jan Crell'', English: John Crell; 26 July 1590 in Hellmitzheim – 11 June 1633 in Raków) was a Polish and German theologian.
Life
Johann Crell's father, Johann Crell Sr., was pastor of the church at Hellmitzheim, ( ...
,
Corderius, and
Valentinus Smalcius Valentinus Smalcius (german: Valentin Schmalz or ''Schmaltz''; pl, Walenty Smalc) (Gotha, 1572 – Raków, Kielce county 1622) was a German Socinian theologian. He is known for his German translation of the Racovian Catechism, and Racovian New Test ...
(who translated into German the
Racovian Catechism).
In 1572, the Jagiellon dynasty died out, and next year,
Henry III of France
Henry III (french: Henri III, né Alexandre Édouard; pl, Henryk Walezy; lt, Henrikas Valua; 19 September 1551 – 2 August 1589) was King of France from 1574 until his assassination in 1589, as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of ...
became first elected king of the country. After his short reign, and
War of the Polish Succession (1587–88)
The War of the Polish Succession ( pl, Wojna o sukcesję polską; 1733–35) was a major European conflict sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II of Poland, which the other European powers widened in pursuit of their ...
, which also took place in Lesser Poland, the new ruler was
Stephen Báthory of Poland
Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...
, who died in 1586. The ruler from
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
was followed by
Sigismund III Vasa of Sweden, whose election marked gradual decline of the province. Sigismund's eyes were set on Sweden, and for many years he concentrated his efforts on a futile attempt to regain his former Swedish throne (see
Polish–Swedish union
The Polish–Swedish union was a short-lived personal union between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Kingdom of Sweden between 1592 and 1599. It began when Sigismund III Vasa, elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, was c ...
,
War against Sigismund). Therefore, Lesser Poland, located in southwestern corner of the Commonwealth, began to lose its importance, which was marked in 1596, when Sigismund moved his permanent residence, court and the crown headquarters to centrally-located Warsaw.
![Śmierguśnicy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/%C5%9Amiergu%C5%9Bnicy.jpg)
Even though first half of the 17th century was filled with wars, all major conflicts did not reach Lesser Poland, and the province continued to prosper, which was reflected in its castles and palaces, such as the enormous
Krzyztopor. Apart from minor wars, such as
Zebrzydowski Rebellion, and
Kostka-Napierski Uprising
The Kostka Napierski uprising () was a peasant revolt in Poland in 1651.
It took place at the same time as the more important Khmelnytsky Uprising, in the south-east part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and during the Swedish prepara ...
, the province remained safe.
Cossack
The Cossacks , es, cosaco , et, Kasakad, cazacii , fi, Kasakat, cazacii , french: cosaques , hu, kozákok, cazacii , it, cosacchi , orv, коза́ки, pl, Kozacy , pt, cossacos , ro, cazaci , russian: казаки́ or ...
s of the
Khmelnytsky Uprising
The Khmelnytsky Uprising,; in Ukraine known as Khmelʹnychchyna or uk, повстання Богдана Хмельницького; lt, Chmelnickio sukilimas; Belarusian language, Belarusian: Паўстанне Багдана Хмяльніц ...
reached as far west as
Zamość and
Lwów
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine ...
, but did not enter Lesser Poland. The province did not witness other wars, such as
Polish–Swedish War (1626–29),
Polish–Muscovite War (1605–18),
Polish–Ottoman War (1620–21), and
Smolensk War. Nevertheless, Lesser Poland's nobility took active part in these conflicts –
Marina Mniszech, the daughter of Voivode of Sandomierz,
Jerzy Mniszech
Jerzy Mniszech (c. 1548 – 1613) was a Poles, Polish Szlachta, nobleman and diplomat in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Member of the Mniszchowie, House of Mniszech. Krajczy koronny in 1574, castellan of Radom in 1583, voivode of Sandom ...
, was wife of
False Dmitriy I, as well as
False Dmitriy II
False Dmitry II ( rus, Лжедмитрий II, Lzhedmitrii II; died ), historically known as Pseudo-Demetrius II and also called "тушинский вор" ("rebel/criminal of Tushino"), was the second of three pretenders to the Russian throne w ...
. Furthermore, Lesser Poland's lands, especially its northeastern part, became a base for Polish troops, fighting the Cossacks, and King
John II Casimir Vasa often stayed in Lublin with his court, preparing military campaigns in Ukraine. The situation changed with the outbreak of the
Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)
The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667, also called the Thirteen Years' War and the First Northern War, was a major conflict between the Tsardom of Russia and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1655 and 1660, the Swedish invasion was a ...
. In October 1655, the Russo-Cossack armies under
Ivan Vyhovsky
Ivan Vyhovsky ( uk, Іван Виговський; pl, Iwan Wyhowski / Jan Wyhowski; date of birth unknown, died 1664), a Ukrainian military and political figure and statesman, served as hetman of the Zaporizhian Host and of the Cossack Hetma ...
entered eastern Lesser Poland, reaching the Vistula, and pillaging Lublin,
Puławy, and
Kazimierz Dolny
Kazimierz Dolny () is a small historic town in eastern Poland, on the right (eastern) bank of the Vistula river in Puławy County, Lublin Voivodeship. Historically it belongs to Lesser Poland, and in the past it was one of the most important citie ...
. The invaders quickly retreated, but a few months later, Lesser Poland was
flooded
A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrolog ...
by the
Swedes
Swedes ( sv, svenskar) are a North Germanic ethnic group native to the Nordic region, primarily their nation state of Sweden, who share a common ancestry, culture, history and language. They mostly inhabit Sweden and the other Nordic countr ...
.
![ST40s-09c locomotive](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/ST40s-09c_locomotive.jpg)
Swedish invasion of Poland had catastrophic consequences for the hitherto prosperous province. The attackers, supported by their allies from
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
, seized whole Lesser Poland, reaching as far south as
Nowy Targ,
Nowy Sącz
Nowy Sącz (; hu, Újszandec; yi, Tzanz, צאַנז; sk, Nový Sonč; german: Neu-Sandez) is a city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County as a separate administrative unit. It has ...
, and
Żywiec. All major cities were looted and burned, and some of them, like Radom, did not recover until the 19th century. The Swedes captured and pillaged Sandomierz (where they destroyed the Royal Castle, and after the invasion, the city never recovered), Opoczno, Lublin, Kazimierz Dolny Pilzno, Szydlow, Szydłowiec, Tarnów, Kielce, Kraśnik, and Kraków. The invaders seized the capital of Lesser Poland after a
short siege, and their occupation of the province was confirmed after their victories in the
Battle of Wojnicz
The Battle of Wojnicz was fought around the medieval town of Wojnicz in Lesser Poland as part of the Second Northern War on October 3, 1655 between forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth commanded by Field Crown Hetman Stanisław Lanckoro ...
, and the
Battle of Golab
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
. In those years, one of the most important and symbolic events in the history of the nation took place in Lesser Poland. It was the
Siege of Jasna Góra
The siege of Jasna Góra (also known less accurately as the ''Battle of Częstochowa'', pl , Oblężenie Jasnej Góry) took place in the winter of 1655 during the Second Northern War, or 'The Deluge' – as the Swedish invasion of t ...
, which, according to some accounts, turned the course of the war. Furthermore, following the
Treaty of Radnot, Lesser Poland was invaded in January 1657 by
George II Rákóczi
en, George II Rákóczi, house=Rákóczi, father=, mother=Zsuzsanna Lorántffy, religion=CalvinismGeorge II Rákóczi (30 January 1621 – 7 June 1660), was a Hungarian nobleman, Prince of Transylvania (1648-1660), the eldest son of George I ...
, whose troops caused more destruction. Foreign armies were not chased out of Lesser Poland until 1657, Kraków itself was recaptured on 18 August 1657. After these invasions, the province was ruined, with hundreds of villages, towns and cities burned. The population decreased (the urban population by nearly half), the peasantry starved, and like other parts of the Commonwealth, Lesser Poland was devastated. The period of peace lasted for about forty years, when in 1700, another major conflict, the
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedi ...
began. Lesser Poland once again became a battleground, with
Battle of Kliszów taking place there in 1702, and the
Sandomierz Confederation
The Sandomierz Confederation was an anti-Swedish confederation, formed on 20 May 1704 in defense of the King of Poland, August II the Strong. It was formed in reaction to the Warsaw Confederation, and its marshal was Stanisław Ernest Denhoff. The ...
formed in 1704.
After the conflict, Lesser Poland began a recovery, which was hampered by several other factors. Province's cities frequently burned (Lublin 1719, Nowy Targ 1784, Nowy Sącz, Dukla 1758, Wieliczka 1718, Miechów 1745, Drzewica), there also were numerous outbreaks of plagues and typhus (in 1707–1708, some 20,000 died in Kraków and its area)
Lesser Poland was one of main centers of the
Bar Confederation
The Bar Confederation ( pl, Konfederacja barska; 1768–1772) was an association of Polish nobles (szlachta) formed at the fortress of Bar in Podolia (now part of Ukraine) in 1768 to defend the internal and external independence of the Polish ...
. On 21 June 1786 in Kraków, local confederation was announced, and on the same day Voievode of Kraków, Michal Czarnocki, urged his citizens to join the movement. Soon afterwards, Kraków was captured by the Russian troops, and the center of Lesser Poland's insurgency moved to the mountainous south – areas around Dukla and Nowy Sącz. During the Confederation, several battles and skirmishes took place there. In 1770, after the Battle of Iwonicz, the Russians ransacked Biecz. The movement ended in 1772, and its decline was connected with the
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 12 ...
. Another local center of the movement was
Jasna Góra Monastery
The Jasna Góra Monastery ( pl, Jasna Góra , ''Luminous Mount'', hu, Fényes Hegy, lat, Clarus Mons) in Częstochowa, Poland, is a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary and one of the country's places of pilgrimage. The image of the Black Mad ...
in Częstochowa, which was defended by
Kazimierz Pulaski
Kazimierz Michał Władysław Wiktor Pułaski of the Ślepowron coat of arms (; ''Casimir Pulaski'' ; March 4 or March 6, 1745 Makarewicz, 1998 October 11, 1779) was a Polish nobleman, soldier, and military commander who has been called, tog ...
for almost two years (1770–1772).
Partitions of Poland (1772–1918)
The
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 12 ...
began earlier in Lesser Poland than in other provinces of the country. In 1769,
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, ...
annexed a small territory of
Spisz, and next year, the towns of
Czorsztyn
Czorsztyn (German: ''Schorstin'') is a village in Poland, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Nowy Targ County. The village lies in Pieniny, the mountain range on the current Polish- Slovak border. It is famous for the ruins of a 14th-17th-century ...
, Nowy Sącz and Nowy Targ. In 1771, the Russians and the Prussians agreed on the first partition of the country, and in early 1772, Austrian Emperor
Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' (in her own right). ...
decided to join the two powers. In the first partition of the Commonwealth, the Austrians seized the territory which would later be called
Galicia, and which included southwestern corner of Lesser Poland (south of the Vistula river), with Żywiec, Tarnów, and Biecz, but without major urban centers of the province, such as Kraków, Sandomierz, Radom, Lublin, Częstochowa, and Kielce.
![Sandomierz Wisła Statki](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Sandomierz_Wis%C5%82a_Statki.jpg)
Second Partition of Poland (1793) did not result in significant changes of boundaries in the area, as the Austrian Empire did not participate in it. However, the
Prussians moved on, and in 1793 they annexed northwestern corner of the province, together with the city of Częstochowa,
and its vicinity, which became part of the newly created province of
South Prussia. Therefore, in late 1793, Lesser Poland was already divided between three countries – Austrian Empire (south of the Vistula), Kingdom of Prussia (Częstochowa and northwestern corner), and still existing Commonwealth. After the Third Partition (1795), most of Lesser Poland was annexed by Austria, with all major cities. Prussia managed to seize a small, western part of the province, with the towns of
Siewierz
Siewierz is a town in southern Poland, in the Będzin County in the Silesian Voivodeship, seat of Gmina Siewierz.
History
Siewierz was first mentioned in 1125, and was administered by the Castellan of Bytom. In 1177, Casimir II of Poland grante ...
,
Zawiercie,
Będzin, and
Myszków
Myszków is a town in Poland, with 31,650 inhabitants (2019). Situated on the Warta river in the Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Częstochowa Voivodeship (1975–1998), it is the capital of Myszków County. Myszków historically ...
, calling this land
New Silesia, while the Austrians decided to name newly acquired lands of northern Lesser Poland
West Galicia
New Galicia or West Galicia ( pl, Nowa Galicja or ''Galicja Zachodnia'', german: Neugalizien or ''Westgalizien'') was an administrative region of the Habsburg monarchy, constituted from the territory annexed in the course of the Third Partition ...
. In 1803, West Galicia was merged with
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, but retained some autonomy. Lesser Poland was one of major centers of Polish resistance against the occupiers. On 24 March 1794 in Kraków,
Tadeusz Kościuszko
Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko ( be, Andréj Tadévuš Banavientúra Kasciúška, en, Andrew Thaddeus Bonaventure Kosciuszko; 4 or 12 February 174615 October 1817) was a Polish Military engineering, military engineer, statesman, an ...
announced the general insurrection (see
Kościuszko Uprising
The Kościuszko Uprising, also known as the Polish Uprising of 1794 and the Second Polish War, was an uprising against the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia led by Tadeusz Kościuszko in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Pr ...
), mobilising all able males of Lesser Poland. Two weeks later,
Battle of Racławice
The Battle of Racławice was one of the first battles of the Polish-Lithuanian Kościuszko Uprising against Russia. It was fought on 4 April 1794 near the village of Racławice in Lesser Poland.Storozynski, A., 2009, The Peasant Prince, New Yo ...
took place, ending with a Polish victory. The uprising was suppressed by combined Prusso – Russian forces, and among battles fought in Lesser Poland, there is
Battle of Szczekociny
The Battle of Szczekociny was fought on the 6 June 1794 near the town of Szczekociny, Lesser Poland, between Poland and the combined forces of the Russian Empire and Kingdom of Prussia. Polish forces were led by Tadeusz Kościuszko, and the Russ ...
.
During
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, the
Duchy of Warsaw was created by
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
out of Polish lands which had been granted to Prussia in the Partitions. In 1809, after the
Polish–Austrian War, and the
Treaty of Schönbrunn, the Duchy was expanded, when northern Lesser Poland was added to its territory (with Kielce, Radom, and Lublin). Following the
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
, Duchy of Warsaw was turned into Russian-ruled
Congress Poland
Congress Poland, Congress Kingdom of Poland, or Russian Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna as a semi-autonomous Polish state, a successor to Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. It w ...
, and historical capital of the province, Kraków, was turned into
Free City of Kraków
Free may refer to:
Concept
* Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything
* Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism
* Emancipate, to proc ...
, which also included the towns of
Trzebinia,
Chrzanów,
Jaworzno, and
Krzeszowice
Krzeszowice (german: 1941-45 Kressendorf) is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. As of 2004, its population was 9,993. Krzeszowice belongs to ''Kraków Metropolitan Area'', and lies 25 kilometers west of the ...
. In Congress Poland, the lands of Lesser Poland were initially divided between four palatinates – Palatinate of Kraków (with capital in Kielce), Palatinate of Sandomierz (with capital in Radom), Palatinate of Lublin, and Palatinate of Podlasie (with capital in Siedlce), (see also
Administrative division of Congress Poland
Congress Poland was subdivided several times from its creation in 1815 until its dissolution in 1918. Congress Poland ("Russian Poland") was divided into departments, a relic from the times of the French-dominated Duchy of Warsaw. In 1816 the ...
). Later, the palatinates were turned into
governorates
A governorate is an administrative division of a state. It is headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either State (administrative division), states or province, provinces, the term ''govern ...
. Thus, Russian part of Lesser Poland was divided into
Kielce Governorate
Kielce Governorate (russian: Келецкая губерния (pre-1917 orthography: Кѣлецкая губернія); pl, Gubernia kielecka) was an administrative unit (governorate) of Congress Poland.
History
It was created in 1841 from th ...
,
Lublin Governorate
Lublin Governorate (russian: Люблинская губерния, pl, Gubernia lubelska) was an administrative unit (Governorates of the Russian Empire, governorate) of Congress Poland.
History
The Lublin Governorate was created in 1837 fro ...
,
Radom Governorate,
Siedlce Governorate
Siedlce Governorate (russian: Седлецкая Губерния (pre-1917 orthography: Сѣдлецкая Губернія), pl, Gubernia siedlecka) was an administrative unit ( governorate) of Congress Poland.
History
It was created in 1867 ...
, and
Piotrków Governorate
Piotrków Governorate (russian: Петроковская губерния; pl, Gubernia piotrkowska) was one of the administrative divisions ( ; ) in the Kingdom of Poland, established in 1867 by splitting some areas of the Radom and Warsaw Gover ...
(western counties, with Częstochowa and industrial area of
Zagłębie Dąbrowskie Zagłębie in Polish means coalfield. It can refer to:
*Górnośląskie Zagłębie Węglowe, a mining region
*Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, a mining region
*Zagłębie Sosnowiec, an association football club
*Zagłębie Lubin, an association football clu ...
). Borders of these administrative units did not reflect historical boundaries of the province.
![Wappen Königreich Galizien & Lodomerien](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Wappen_K%C3%B6nigreich_Galizien_%26_Lodomerien.png)
Most of the
November Uprising
The November Uprising (1830–31), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution,
was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in W ...
, which began in 1830, missed Lesser Poland, as major battles took place in the area around Warsaw. In early 1831, when Russian forces advanced into Congress Poland, some skirmishes took place in northern counties of the province – at Puławy, Kurow, and Kazimierz Dolny. In early 1846, a group of Polish patriots attempted a failed
uprising
Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority.
A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...
in the Free City of Kraków. The insurrection was quickly suppressed by the Austrian troops, and as a result, the Free City was annexed by the Austrian Empire. In the same year, Austrian part of Lesser Poland was witness to a massacre of Polish nobility by the peasantry, known as
Galician slaughter
The Galician Slaughter, also known as the Galician Rabacja, peasant uprising, Peasant Uprising of 1846 or the Szela uprising (german: Galizischer Bauernaufstand; pl, Rzeź galicyjska or ''Rabacja galicyjska''), was a two-month uprising of pov ...
. The peasants, led by
Jakub Szela, murdered about 1000 nobles, and destroyed about 500 manors. These events took place in three counties –
Sanok,
Jasło and
Tarnów
Tarnów () is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. From 1975 to 1998, it was the capital of the Tarnów ...
.
Northern and central Lesser Poland (the part of the province which was taken by the Russian Empire) was one of the main centers of the
January Uprising
The January Uprising ( pl, powstanie styczniowe; lt, 1863 metų sukilimas; ua, Січневе повстання; russian: Польское восстание; ) was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at ...
(1863–1864). In the first days of the insurrection, skirmishes with the Russian Army took place in such towns, as
Łuków,
Kraśnik,
Szydłowiec
Szydłowiec (; Hebrew: שידלוביץ, Yiddish: שידלאָווצע; German: ''Schiedlowietz'') is a town in Szydłowiec County, Mazovian Voivodeship, south-central Poland, with 5,243 inhabitants (December 31, 2005). It is the seat of Gmina ...
,
Bodzentyn
Bodzentyn is a town in Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,168 inhabitants as of December 2021. Bodzentyn belongs to Lesser Poland, and was granted town charter in 1355. The town lies in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, her ...
, and
Suchedniów
Suchedniów is a town in Skarżysko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering ...
. Since the Poles were poorly armed, the Russians did not have major problems with them, and soon afterwards, the insurrectionists decided to organize military camps. Among biggest camps in Lesser Poland, there were
Ojców
Ojców is a village in Gmina Skała, in Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is one of the sights of the Eagle Nests Trail (''Szlak Orlich Gniazd''), as there are the ruins of a gothic castle near the village. Th ...
(3000 soldiers), and
Wąchock
Wąchock is a town in Starachowice County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland, near Starachowice, within the historical region of Lesser Poland. In 2006, it had 2,777 inhabitants.
History
Wachock received its town charter in 1454, lost it i ...
, where
Marian Langiewicz
Marian Langiewicz, full name Marian Antoni Melchior Langiewicz (; 5 August 1827, Krotoszyn – 11 May 1887, Istanbul), was a Polish patriot notable as a military leader of the January Uprising in 1863.
Biography
He was born in the province of ...
gathered up to 1500 people. The uprising died out by early spring of 1864, and among counties where it continued for the longest time, was the extreme northeastern corner of Lesser Poland, around Łuków, where reverend
Stanisław Brzóska
Stanisław Brzóska (December 30, 1832, Dokudów Pierwszy – May 23, 1865, Sokołów Podlaski) was a Polish priest, general, one of leaders of the Polish insurgency and the last partisan of the January Uprising. He commanded the Polish detachme ...
was active. Since Russian military supremacy was crushing, the Poles were forced to limit their actions to guerrilla warfare. Among the biggest battles which took place in Lesser Poland there are: Battle of
Szydłowiec
Szydłowiec (; Hebrew: שידלוביץ, Yiddish: שידלאָווצע; German: ''Schiedlowietz'') is a town in Szydłowiec County, Mazovian Voivodeship, south-central Poland, with 5,243 inhabitants (December 31, 2005). It is the seat of Gmina ...
(23 January 1863); Battle of
Miechów
Miechów is a town in Poland, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, about north of Kraków. It is the capital of Miechów County. Population is 11,852 (2004). Miechów lies on the Miechówka river, along European route E77. The area of the town is , ...
(17 February 1863); Battle of
Małogoszcz
Małogoszcz is a town in the Jędrzejów County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland. The Battle of Małogoszcz. one of the biggest battles of the 1863 January Uprising, took place there. Małogoszcz belongs to Lesser Poland; the name of the ...
(24 February 1863); Battle of
Staszów
Staszów is a town in southeastern Poland, in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (historic province of Lesser Poland), about southeast of Kielce, and northeast of Kraków. It is the capital of Staszów County. The population is 15,108 (2010), whi ...
(17 February 1863); Battle of
Pieskowa Skała
Pieskowa Skała (; Polish for ''Little Dog's Rock'') is a limestone cliff in the valley of river Prądnik, Poland, best known for its Renaissance castle. It is located within the boundaries of the Ojców National Park, 27 km north of Krak ...
(4 March 1863); two Battles of
Opatów (25 November 1863, 21 February 1864).
As a result of their support of the failed insurrection, several Lesser Poland's towns lost their charters and were turned into villages. Among them were
Kraśnik,
Bodzentyn
Bodzentyn is a town in Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,168 inhabitants as of December 2021. Bodzentyn belongs to Lesser Poland, and was granted town charter in 1355. The town lies in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, her ...
,
Opatów,
Iłża
Iłża () is a small town in Masovian Voivodeship, Poland. In 2006 Iłża had approximately 5,165 inhabitants. The town belongs to the historical region of Lesser Poland, and from its foundation until 1795, it was part of Lesser Poland’s Sandom ...
,
Małogoszcz
Małogoszcz is a town in the Jędrzejów County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland. The Battle of Małogoszcz. one of the biggest battles of the 1863 January Uprising, took place there. Małogoszcz belongs to Lesser Poland; the name of the ...
,
Wąchock
Wąchock is a town in Starachowice County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland, near Starachowice, within the historical region of Lesser Poland. In 2006, it had 2,777 inhabitants.
History
Wachock received its town charter in 1454, lost it i ...
,
Busko-Zdrój
Busko-Zdrój () is a spa town in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, southern Poland. It is the capital of Busko County. As of December 2021, it has a population of 15,310.
History
The origin of Busko goes back to the 12th century, when a group of sh ...
, Jędrzejów,
Cmielow,
Zwoleń
Zwoleń ( yi, זוואלין ''Zvolin'') is a town in eastern Poland, in Masovian Voivodeship, about east of Radom. It is the capital of Zwoleń County. Population is 8,048 (2009). Zwoleń belongs to Sandomierz Land of the historic province ...
,
Drzewica
Drzewica is a town in Opoczno County, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,778 inhabitants as of December 2021. From 1975 to 1998 the town was a part of Radom Voivodeship. Located on the Drzewiczka river (a tributary to the Pilica (river), Pilica ...
,
Wierzbica,
Czeladź
Czeladź (; yi, טשעלאַדזש, Chelodz) is a town in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie (part of historic Lesser Poland), in southern Poland, near Katowice and Sosnowiec. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river (tributary of the Vistul ...
,
Kazimierz Dolny
Kazimierz Dolny () is a small historic town in eastern Poland, on the right (eastern) bank of the Vistula river in Puławy County, Lublin Voivodeship. Historically it belongs to Lesser Poland, and in the past it was one of the most important citie ...
,
Wolborz,
Stopnica
Stopnica is a town in Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Stopnica. It lies in Lesser Poland, approximately east of Busko-Zdrój and south-east ...
,
Daleszyce
Daleszyce is a town in Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,830 inhabitants as of December 2021. It became a town at the start of 2007. Daleszyce lies among the hills of the Malopolska Upland, in the historic province of Le ...
,
Wiślica,
Pajęczno
Pajęczno is a town in Poland, in Łódź Voivodeship, about north of Częstochowa. It is the capital of Pajęczno County (''powiat pajęczański''). Population is 6,651 (2020).
History
First mentioned in historical sources from 1140, when ...
,
Lipsko
Lipsko is a town in eastern Poland, in northern Lesser Poland, Masovian Voivodeship. It is the capital of Lipsko County. The population is 5,895 (2004). Lipsko’s coat of arms is the Dębno, which was used by previous owners of the town.
Geog ...
,
Pacanów
Pacanów , sometimes referred to as the European Capital of Fable, is a town in Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship in south-central Poland. It is the seat of Gmina Pacanów. It had a population of 1137 in 2003. In modern times the village ...
,
Ożarów
Ożarów () is a town in Poland, in the province of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in Opatów county (Powiat of Opatów), historic Lesser Poland, with 10,399 inhabitants as of December 31, 2021. Ożarów received its town charter in 1569, during t ...
,
Wolbrom
Wolbrom (german: Wolfram) Wojciech Blajer: ''Bemerkungen zum Stand der Forschungen uber die Enklawen der mittelalterlichen deutschen Besiedlung zwischen Wisłoka und San''. n:Późne średniowiecze w Karpatach polskich. red. Prof. Jan Gancarski. ...
,
Proszowice
Proszowice is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998). Its population numbers 6,206 inhabitants (2004). It is the capital of Proszowice County, and the t ...
,
Nowe Miasto Korczyn
Nowy Korczyn is a small town in Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Nowy Korczyn. It lies in Lesser Poland, approximately south of Busko-Zdró ...
,
Włoszczowa
Włoszczowa is a town in southern Poland, in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, about west of Kielce. It is the capital of Włoszczowa County. Population is 10,756 (2004). Włoszczowa lies in historic Lesser Poland, and from its foundation until 1795 ...
,
Przysucha,
Opole Lubelskie
Opole Lubelskie is a town in eastern Poland. As of 2004, it had 8,879 inhabitants. The town is situated in Lublin Voivodeship, some 10 kilometers east of the Vistula River, and is the capital of Opole Lubelskie County. It was founded in the 14th ...
.
![Collegium Maius 07](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Collegium_Maius_07.JPG)
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Lesser Poland remained one of the centers of Polish culture, especially the city of Kraków, where Jagiellonian University was one of only two Polish-language colleges of that period (the other one was
University of Lwów). Another significant center of national culture was the town of
Puławy, where in the late 18th century, a local palace owned by Czartoryski family became a museum of Polish national memorabilia and a major cultural and political centre. A number of prominent artists, both representing
Romanticism
Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...
, and
Positivism
Positivism is an empiricist philosophical theory that holds that all genuine knowledge is either true by definition or positive—meaning ''a posteriori'' facts derived by reason and logic from sensory experience.John J. Macionis, Linda M. G ...
was born in Lesser Poland, including
Wincenty Pol (born in Lublin),
Stefan Żeromski (born near Kielce),
Aleksander Świętochowski
Aleksander Świętochowski (18 January 1849 – 25 April 1938) was a Polish writer, educator, and philosopher of the Positivist period that followed the January 1863 Uprising.
He was widely regarded as the prophet of Polish Positivism, spreading ...
(born near Łuków in extreme northeast corner of Lesser Poland),
Walery Przyborowski (born near Kielce),
Piotr Michałowski
Piotr Michałowski (July 2, 1800 – June 9, 1855) was a Polish painter of the Romantic period, especially known for his many portraits, and oil studies of horses. Broadly educated, he was also a social activist, legal advocate, city administr ...
,
Helena Modjeska
Helena Modrzejewska (; born Jadwiga Benda; 12 October 1840 – 8 April 1909), known professionally as Helena Modjeska, was a Polish actress who specialized in Shakespearean and tragic roles. She was successful first on the Polish stage. After e ...
,
Henryk Wieniawski
Henryk Wieniawski (; 10 July 183531 March 1880) was a Polish virtuoso violinist, composer and pedagogue who is regarded amongst the greatest violinists in history. His younger brother Józef Wieniawski and nephew Adam Tadeusz Wieniawski were al ...
(born in Lublin),
Leon Wyczółkowski (born near Siedlce),
Juliusz Kossak
Juliusz Fortunat Kossak (Nowy Wiśnicz, 15 December 1824 – 3 February 1899, Kraków) was an Austrian Polish historical painter and master illustrator who specialized in battle scenes, military portraits and horses. He was the progenitor of an ...
(born in
Nowy Wiśnicz
Nowy Wiśnicz ( yi, ווישניצא Vishnitsa) is a small town in Bochnia County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,728 inhabitants (2019). Located south of Bochnia, Nowy Wiśnicz is renowned for its Italianate fortified castle which d ...
),
Józef Szujski
Józef Szujski ( Tarnow, 16 June 1835 – Cracow, 7 February 1883) was a Polish politician, historian, poet and professor of the Jagiellonian University.
Life
He studied at Tarnow, then at Cracow (1854) and at Vienna (1858-9). He began his ...
(born in Tarnów). In the early 20th century, Lesser Poland, especially its part which belonged to Austria-Hungary, was a center of a cultural movement called
Young Poland
Young Poland ( pl, Młoda Polska) was a modernist period in Polish visual arts, literature and music, covering roughly the years between 1890 and 1918. It was a result of strong aesthetic opposition to the earlier ideas of Positivism. Young Pola ...
. Many artists associated with the movement were born in Lesser Poland, with the most prominent including
Władysław Orkan
Władysław Orkan (27 November 1875 – 14 May 1930) (actually born as ''Franciszek Ksawery Smaciarz'', changed surname to Smreczyński, but primarily known under his pen name, Orkan) was a Polish writer and poet from the Young Poland perio ...
,
Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer
Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer (12 February 1865 – 18 January 1940) was a Polish Goral poet, novelist, playwright, journalist and writer. He was a member of the Young Poland movement.
Life
Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer was born in Ludźmierz in Pod ...
,
Xawery Dunikowski,
Jacek Malczewski
Jacek Malczewski (; 15 July 1854 – 8 October 1929) was a Polish symbolist painter who is one of the most revered painters of Poland, associated with the patriotic Young Poland movement following a century of Partitions. He is regarded as the f ...
,
Józef Mehoffer, and
Stanisław Wyspiański.
Since Austrian part of Poland enjoyed a wide autonomy, the province of Galicia, whose western part was made of Lesser Poland, became a hotbed of Polish conspirational activities. In anticipation of a future war, Galician Poles, with help of their brethren from other parts of the divided country, created several paramilitary organizations, such as
Polish Rifle Squads
The Polish Rifle Squads () was a Polish pro-independence paramilitary organization, founded in 1911 by the Youth Independence Organization in the Austro-Hungarian sector of partitioned Poland. Among its founders were Norwid Neugebauer, Marian ...
, and
Riflemen's Association
The Polish Riflemen's Association known as ''Związek Strzelecki'' (or more commonly, in the plural form as ''Związki Strzeleckie'') formed in great numbers prior to World War I. One of the better known associations called "Strzelec" (Riflemen's ...
. The capital of Lesser Poland, Kraków, was a key center of pro-independence movements, with such individuals, as
Józef Piłsudski, being actively involved in those activities. In August 1914, after the outbreak of World War I,
Pilsudski's Legions crossed the Austrian – Russian border north of Kraków, and entered
Congress Poland
Congress Poland, Congress Kingdom of Poland, or Russian Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna as a semi-autonomous Polish state, a successor to Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. It w ...
. However, the Pilsudski and his soldiers were disappointed to see that the inhabitants of Kielce did not welcome them with joy. The division of Lesser Poland was more visible than ever.
![43](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/43._TKB_-_Fickowa_Pokusa_z_Jele%C5%9Bni_01.JPG)
During World War I, Lesser Poland became one of main theaters of the
Eastern Front. Russian push into the territory of Austria – Hungary resulted in the
Battle of Galicia
The Battle of Galicia, also known as the Battle of Lemberg, was a major battle between Russia and Austria-Hungary during the early stages of World War I in 1914. In the course of the battle, the Austro-Hungarian armies were severely defeated and ...
. Among other major battles which took place in Lesser Poland, there are the
Battle of the Vistula River, and the
Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive. After Russian troops
had retreated east, whole province was under control of the Austrians and the Germans, and northern Lesser Poland was part of the German-sponsored
Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918)
The Kingdom of Poland ( pl, Królestwo Polskie; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a state in Central Europe. It may refer to:
Historical political entities
*Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom existing from 1025 to 1031
*Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom exist ...
. In later stages of the conflict, the divided province once again became a center of Polish independence movement. An independent Polish government was re-proclaimed in northern Lesser Poland's city of Lublin, on 7 November 1918. Soon afterwards, it formed the basis of the new government of the country. In other parts of the province, other governments were formed –
Polish Liquidation Commission in Kraków, also the short-lived
Republic of Tarnobrzeg.
The division of Lesser Poland along the Vistula river, which lasted from 1772 until 1918, is visible even today. For more than 100 years, southern Lesser Poland (
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
,
Tarnów
Tarnów () is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. From 1975 to 1998, it was the capital of the Tarnów ...
,
Biala Krakowska, and
Nowy Sącz
Nowy Sącz (; hu, Újszandec; yi, Tzanz, צאַנז; sk, Nový Sonč; german: Neu-Sandez) is a city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County as a separate administrative unit. It has ...
) was administered by Austria, while northern, larger part of the province (
Częstochowa
Częstochowa ( , ; german: Tschenstochau, Czenstochau; la, Czanstochova) is a city in southern Poland on the Warta River with 214,342 inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-largest city in Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship (admin ...
,
Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec is an industrial city county in the Dąbrowa Basin of southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship, which is also part of the Silesian Metropolis municipal association.—— Located in the eastern part of the Upper Silesian Industria ...
, Kielce, Radom, Lublin,
Sandomierz) was forcibly part of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
. Inhabitants of Austrian part of Poland enjoyed limited autonomy, with Polish language institutions, such as
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University (Polish: ''Uniwersytet Jagielloński'', UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and the 13th oldest university in ...
. At the same time, Russian-controlled Poland was subject to
Russification
Russification (russian: русификация, rusifikatsiya), or Russianization, is a form of cultural assimilation in which non-Russians, whether involuntarily or voluntarily, give up their culture and language in favor of the Russian cultur ...
. As a result of decades of this division, most inhabitants of the areas stolen by Russia are not aware of their Lesser Poland's heritage. Furthermore, current administrative boundaries of the country still reflect the defunct border between the former Russian and Austria–Hungarian Empires.
Interwar Poland (1918–1939)
In 1918, when
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 1918 and 1939. The state was established on 6 November 1918, before the end of ...
was created, whole historical Lesser Poland became part of restored
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 ...
. The historical area of the province was divided between four voivodeships:
Kraków Voivodeship Kraków Voivodeship may also refer to:
*Kraków Voivodeship (14th century – 1795)
* Kraków Voivodeship (1816–1837)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1919–1939)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1945–1975)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998)
The Kraków Voivodeshi ...
(whole),
Kielce Voivodeship (whole),
Lwów Voivodeship (northwestern corner), and
Lublin Voivodeship (western part). Furthermore, in the counties of central Lesser Poland, another administrative unit,
Sandomierz Voivodeship
Sandomierz Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo Sandomierskie, la, Palatinatus Sandomirensis) was a unit of administration and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of the Lesser Poland ...
was planned, but due to the outbreak of World War II, it was never created. Boundaries between two major Lesser Poland voivodeships – Kraków, and Kielce, were the same as pre-1914 boundaries of Austria-Hungary, and Russia. Nevertheless, in the interbellum period, the notion of Lesser Poland was frequently associated only with former Austrian province of
Galicia.
Therefore, Western Galicia to the
San river, was called ''Western Lesser Poland'', while Eastern Galicia, east of the San, with the city of Lwów (
Lviv
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine ...
), was called ''Eastern Lesser Poland'' (voivodeships of
Tarnopol
Ternópil ( uk, Тернопіль, Ternopil' ; pl, Tarnopol; yi, טאַרנאָפּל, Tarnopl, or ; he, טארנופול (טַרְנוֹפּוֹל), Tarnopol; german: Tarnopol) is a city in the west of Ukraine. Administratively, Ternopi ...
,
Stanisławów, and
Lwów
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine ...
). According to a Polish historian
Jan Pisuliński, using the term ''Eastern Lesser Poland'' to denomine Eastern Galicia is incorrect, as it has no historical justification, being only a designation of nationalist and propaganda significance (similarly to analogous term ''
Western Ukraine
Western Ukraine or West Ukraine ( uk, Західна Україна, Zakhidna Ukraina or , ) is the territory of Ukraine linked to the former Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, which was part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Austria ...
'' used at the same time by the Ukrainian side), which served in the 1920s and 1930s to make a stronger connection of the area between rivers of San and
Zbruch
The Zbruch ( uk, Збруч, pl, Zbrucz) is a river in Western Ukraine, a left tributary of the Dniester.[Збруч]
...
with the Polish state and to emphasize the allegedly indigenously Polish nature of that region.
In late 1918, Lesser Poland emerged as one of main centers of fledgling Polish administration and independence movement. According to historian Kazimierz Banburski of Tarnów's District Museum,
Tarnów
Tarnów () is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. From 1975 to 1998, it was the capital of the Tarnów ...
was the first Polish city which became independent, after 123 years of
oppression
Oppression is malicious or unjust treatment or exercise of power, often under the guise of governmental authority or cultural opprobrium. Oppression may be overt or covert, depending on how it is practiced. Oppression refers to discrimination w ...
. On 31 October 1918, at 8 am, Tarnów's inhabitants began disarming demoralized Austrian soldiers, and after three hours, the city was completely in Polish hands. On 28 October 1918,
Polish Liquidation Committee
The Polish Liquidation Committee of Galicia and Cieszyn Silesia ( pl, Polska Komisja Likwidacyjna Galicji i Śląska Cieszyńskiego) was a temporary Polish government body that operated in Galicia at the end of World War I. Created on 28 October ...
was created in Kraków. A few days later, socialist peasants founded the
Republic of Tarnobrzeg. In the night of 6/7 November 1918, ''Polish People's Republic'' was proclaimed in Lublin, by
Ignacy Daszynski Ignacy is a Polish given name. Notable people with the name include:
*Ignacy Tadeusz Baranowski (1879–1917), Polish historian
*Piotr Ignacy Bieńkowski (1865–1925), Polish classical scholar and archaeologist, professor of Jagiellonian Universit ...
and other activists. In 1919,
the legislative election took place in Lesser Poland without major problems.
![Wieliczka salt mine](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Wieliczka_salt_mine.jpg)
At that time Lesser Poland, like other provinces of the country, faced several problems. Even though major post-World War I conflicts (such as
Polish–Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War (Polish–Bolshevik War, Polish–Soviet War, Polish–Russian War 1919–1921)
* russian: Советско-польская война (''Sovetsko-polskaya voyna'', Soviet-Polish War), Польский фронт (' ...
) did not take place there, it suffered from unemployment, overpopulation, and poverty, especially in towns and countryside. Furthermore, Polish government had to connect parts of the hitherto divided country. There was no direct rail link between Kraków, and Kielce, Radom, and Lublin, and until 1934, when line from Kraków to
Tunel
Tunel or Tünel may refer to:
* TUNEL assay (Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling assay), in genetics, a method for detecting DNA fragmentation
* Tunel (band), Yugoslav rock band
* Tunel (railroad station), railroa ...
was opened, all travelers had to go via
Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec is an industrial city county in the Dąbrowa Basin of southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship, which is also part of the Silesian Metropolis municipal association.—— Located in the eastern part of the Upper Silesian Industria ...
– Maczki. Lack of rail communication between former Austrian and former Russian parts of Lesser Poland is visible even today. Between Kraków and
Dęblin
Dęblin is a town at the confluence of Vistula and Wieprz rivers, in Lublin Voivodeship, Poland. Dęblin is the part of the agglomeration with adjacent towns of Ryki and Puławy, which altogether has over 100 000 inhabitants. The population of ...
, there are only two rail bridges along the Vistula. Residents of the province tried to improve their conditions using legal means, but when it turned out to be impossible, they took to fighting (
1923 Kraków riot
The 1923 Kraków riot was a violent riot that took place during a strike on 6 November 1923 in Kraków, Poland. The incident is also called the 1923 Kraków uprising, particularly by Marxist sources. Demonstrators took control of the Main Mark ...
,
1937 peasant strike in Poland 1937 peasant strike in Poland, also known in some Polish sources as the Great Peasant Uprising ( pl, Wielki Strajk Chłopski) was a mass strike and demonstration of peasants organized by the People's Party and aimed at the ruling ''sanacja'' gover ...
). As if to exacerbate the desperate situation, Lesser Poland witnessed
a catastrophic flood in 1934, after which the government decided to construct dams on local rivers.
Even though Lesser Poland's countryside was almost exclusively Polish, its towns and cities were inhabited by numerous
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 ...
, whose communities were very vibrant. In Kraków, Jews made 25% of the population, in Lublin – 31%, in Kielce – 30%, and in Radom – 32%. Apart from the Jews, and Gypsies scattered in the south, there were no other significant national minorities in interbellum Lesser Poland.
Since Lesser Poland was safely located in the middle of the country, away from both German and Soviet border, in the mid-1930s Polish government initiated one of the most ambitious project of the Second Polish Republic –
Central Industrial Region, which was located almost exclusively in Lesser Poland. Even though the project was never completed, several plants were constructed, both in
Old-Polish Industrial Region {{unreferenced, date=March 2017
Staropolski Okręg Przemysłowy (Old Polish Industrial Region) is an industrial region in northern part of Lesser Poland. It is the oldest and in terms of area covered, largest of Polish industrial regions. Most of th ...
, and in other counties of the province. The brand new city of Stalowa Wola was established in dense forests, around a
steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-finish ...
. In the late 1930s, Lesser Poland was quickly changing, as construction of several factories, and job opportunities caused influx of rural inhabitants to the towns. Such towns, as
Dębica
Dębica (; yi, דעמביץ ''Dembitz'') is a town in southeastern Poland with 44,692 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the capital of Dębica County. Since 1999 it has been situated in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship; it had previously been in ...
,
Starachowice
Starachowice is a city in southeastern Poland (historic Lesser Poland), with 49,513 inhabitants (31.12.2017). Starachowice is situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (since 1999); it was formerly in the Kielce Voivodeship (1975–1998). It ...
,
Puławy, or
Kraśnik, quickly grew, with their population rising. Earlier, in 1927, Lesser Poland's
Dęblin
Dęblin is a town at the confluence of Vistula and Wieprz rivers, in Lublin Voivodeship, Poland. Dęblin is the part of the agglomeration with adjacent towns of Ryki and Puławy, which altogether has over 100 000 inhabitants. The population of ...
became a major center of Polish aviation, when
Polish Air Force Academy
The Polish Air Force Academy (Polish: ''Wyższa Szkoła Oficerska Sił Powietrznych'' (1994-2018); ''Lotnicza Akademia Wojskowa'' (since 2018)) is located in Dęblin, eastern Poland. Established in 1927 during the interwar period, the Polish Air ...
was opened there, and in
Mielec,
PZL Mielec was opened, which was the largest aerospace manufacturer in Poland. Central Industrial Region, however, did not affect western counties of Lesser Poland, which had already been urbanized and industrialized (
Biala Krakowska,
Żywiec,
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
,
Jaworzno,
Zagłębie Dąbrowskie Zagłębie in Polish means coalfield. It can refer to:
*Górnośląskie Zagłębie Węglowe, a mining region
*Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, a mining region
*Zagłębie Sosnowiec, an association football club
*Zagłębie Lubin, an association football clu ...
,
Zawiercie, and
Częstochowa
Częstochowa ( , ; german: Tschenstochau, Czenstochau; la, Czanstochova) is a city in southern Poland on the Warta River with 214,342 inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-largest city in Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship (admin ...
). The government of Poland planned further investments, such as a major East – West rail line, linking
Volhynia
Volhynia (also spelled Volynia) ( ; uk, Воли́нь, Volyn' pl, Wołyń, russian: Волы́нь, Volýnʹ, ), is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between south-eastern Poland, south-western Belarus, and western Ukraine. Th ...
, and
Upper Silesia, but they never materialized. Desperate situation and lack of jobs caused thousands of inhabitants of Lesser Poland (especially from its southern part) to leave their land, mostly for the United States of America, but also Brazil, and Canada.
![JohannesPaul2-portrait](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/JohannesPaul2-portrait.jpg)
Lesser Poland remained a center of Polish culture, with Kraków's
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University (Polish: ''Uniwersytet Jagielloński'', UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and the 13th oldest university in ...
,
AGH University of Science and Technology, and
Catholic University of Lublin
John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin ( pl, Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II, la, Universitas Catholica Lublinensis Ioannis Pauli II, abbreviation KUL), established in 1918. It is the only private college in Poland with the s ...
, which was opened in 1918. Several important figures of interbellum political, military, and cultural life of Poland were born in Lesser Poland. Among them were
Wincenty Witos
Wincenty Witos (; 22 January 1874 – 31 October 1945) was a Polish politician, prominent member and leader of the Polish People's Party (PSL), who served three times as the Prime Minister of Poland in the 1920s.
He was a member of the Polish Peo ...
,
Władysław Sikorski,
Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski
Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski (30 December 1888, Kraków – 22 August 1974, Kraków) was a Polish politician and economist, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, government minister and manager of the Second Polish Republic.
Biography
He studied at the pr ...
,
Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki
Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki (Iosif Romanovich while in the Russian military; sometimes also Dowbór-Muśnicki; ; 25 October 1867 – 26 October 1937) was a Russian military officer and Polish general, serving with the Imperial Russian and then Poli ...
,
Józef Haller,
Władysław Belina-Prażmowski
Władysław Zygmunt Belina-Prażmowski (3 May 1888 in Ruszkowiec – 13 October 1938 in Venice), was a Polish cavalryman, colonel and politician.
He was a member of Związek Walki Czynnej since 1909, later Związek Strzelecki. Student of Lwów P ...
,
Tadeusz Kutrzeba
Tadeusz Kutrzeba (15 April 1885 – 8 January 1947) was a general of the army during the Second Polish Republic. He served as a major general in the Polish Army in overall command of Army Poznań during the 1939 German Invasion of Poland. :pl:Tad ...
,
Feliks Koneczny,
Stefan Żeromski,
Tadeusz Peiper
Tadeusz Peiper (3 May 1891, Kraków – 10 November 1969, Warsaw) was a Polish poet, art critic, theoretician of literature and one of the precursors of the avant-garde movement in Polish poetry. Born to a Jewish family, Peiper converted to Cathol ...
,
Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska
Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska, ''née'' Kossak (24 November 1891 – 9 July 1945), was a prolific Polish poet known as the ''Polish Sappho'' and "queen of lyrical poetry" during Poland's interwar period. ,
Witold Gombrowicz
Witold Marian Gombrowicz (August 4, 1904 – July 24, 1969) was a Polish writer and playwright. His works are characterised by deep psychological analysis, a certain sense of paradox and absurd, anti-nationalist flavor. In 1937 he published his f ...
,
Jan Kiepura,
Stefan Jaracz
Stefan Jaracz (24 December 1883 – 11 August 1945) was a Polish actor and theater producer. He served as the artistic director of Ateneum Theatre in Warsaw during the interwar period (1930–32), and within a short period raised its reputation ...
. In 1920, in Lesser Poland's town of
Wadowice,
Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II, was born.
World War II
On 1 September 1939, armed forces of
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
attacked Poland (see:
Invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week aft ...
). Lesser Poland, due to its proximity to the then-border with Germany, became a battleground on the first day of the invasion. The Germans attacked the province both in its northwest (area west of Częstochowa), and in the south (
Podhale), along the border with
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
, which also
participated in the invasion.
Lesser Poland was defended by the following Polish armies:
*
Karpaty Army Karpaty Army ( pl, Armia Karpaty, , Carpathian Army) was formed on 11 July 1939 under Major General Kazimierz Fabrycy after Nazi Germany created a puppet state of Slovakia and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was proclaimed after the events t ...
, which covered southern, mountainous border of the province,
*
Kraków Army Kraków Army ( pl, Armia Kraków) was one of the Polish armies which took part in the Polish Defensive War of 1939. It was officially created on March 23, 1939 as the main pivot of Polish defence. It was commanded by Gen. Antoni Szylling. Original ...
, guarding western part of the province, together with adjacent Polish part of
Upper Silesia. Later in the course of war it joined the Karpaty Army, forming the ''Lesser Poland Army'' (''Armia Małopolska''),
*
Łódź Army
Łódź Army ( pl, Armia Łódź) was one of the Polish armies that took part in the Invasion of Poland of 1939. It was officially created on 23 March 1939 with the task of filling the gap between Poznań Army in the north and Kraków Army in the ...
, which protected extreme northwestern corner of the province, north of Częstochowa,
*
Prusy Army, which was main reserve of the Commander in Chief, and was concentrated in central and northern Lesser Poland (between Radom and Kielce),
*
Lublin Army, improvised after 4 September, and concentrated in the area of Lublin and Sandomierz in northeastern Lesser Poland.
![Brygada Świętokrzyska 1945](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Brygada_%C5%9Awi%C4%99tokrzyska_1945.jpg)
After a few days the
Battle of the Border was lost, and forces of German
Army Group South advanced deep into Lesser Poland's territory. Polish troops resisted fiercely, and among major battles in initial stages of the war, which took place in Lesser Poland, there are
Battle of Mokra
The Battle of Mokra took place on 1 September 1939 near the village of Mokra, 5 km north of Kłobuck and 23 km north-west of Częstochowa, Poland. It was one of the first battles of the Invasion of Poland, during the Second World War, ...
,
Battle of Jordanów
The Battle of Jordanów took place on 1–3 September 1939, during the Invasion of Poland and the opening stages of World War II. It was fought between the German XVIII Panzer Corps of Gen.E.Beyer and the Polish 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade ...
, and
Battle of Węgierska Górka
The Battle of Węgierska Górka was a two-day-long defence of a Polish fortified area in south of Silesia during the opening stages of the Invasion of Poland of 1939.
Although the Polish position was not completed and only five bunkers were mann ...
. By 6 September, Polish forces were in general retreat and Marshal of Poland
Edward Rydz-Śmigły ordered all troops to fall back to the secondary lines of defences at the Vistula and
San Rivers. German units entered Częstochowa on 3 September (where on the next day they
murdered hundreds of civilians), Kielce on 5 September, Kraków on 6 September, and Radom on 8 September (see also
Battle of Radom
The Battle of Radom, also known as the Battle of Iłża, was part of the Invasion of Poland during the Second World War. It lasted from 8 September 1939 to 9 September 1939. Polish troops of the Prusy Army, under General Stanisław Skwarczyńsk ...
). Within a week, almost whole Lesser Poland was under Nazi occupation. Northeastern part of the province, the area of Lublin, was held by the Poles until 17 September, but eventually, and after fierce battles (see
Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski), all Lesser Poland was firmly under Nazi control. First draft of
Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
, long_name = Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
, image = Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H27337, Moskau, Stalin und Ribbentrop im Kreml.jpg
, image_width = 200
, caption = Stalin and Ribbentrop shaking ...
stipulated that northeastern Lesser Poland (east of the Vistula river) was to be occupied by the Soviet Union, and forces of the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
reached the area of Lublin after 20 September, but withdrew east on 28 September.
On 12 October 1939, upon a decree of
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
,
General Government
The General Government (german: Generalgouvernement, pl, Generalne Gubernatorstwo, uk, Генеральна губернія), also referred to as the General Governorate for the Occupied Polish Region (german: Generalgouvernement für die be ...
, a separate region of the
Greater German Reich was created, with
Hans Frank
Hans Michael Frank (23 May 1900 – 16 October 1946) was a German politician and lawyer who served as head of the General Government in Nazi-occupied Poland during the Second World War.
Frank was an early member of the German Workers' Party ...
as its
Governor-General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
. Its capital was established in Kraków, and it covered most of the area of historical Lesser Poland, except for its western counties, which were directly incorporated into Nazi Germany's
Upper Silesia Province
The Province of Upper Silesia (german: Provinz Oberschlesien; Silesian German: ''Provinz Oberschläsing''; szl, Prowincyjŏ Gōrny Ślōnsk; pl, Prowincja Górny Śląsk) was a province of the Free State of Prussia from 1919 to 1945. It comprise ...
(
Będzin,
Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec is an industrial city county in the Dąbrowa Basin of southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship, which is also part of the Silesian Metropolis municipal association.—— Located in the eastern part of the Upper Silesian Industria ...
,
Zawiercie,
Biała,
Żywiec,
Chrzanów,
Olkusz).
In Lesser Poland, like in all provinces of the occupied country, the Nazis ruled with savage brutality, killing hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, both Polish and Jewish (see:
World War II crimes in Poland,
Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)
The occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during World War II (1939–1945) began with the German-Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939, and it was formally concluded with the defeat of Germany by the Allies in May ...
,
Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Poland
The Holocaust in Poland was part of the European-wide Holocaust organized by Nazi Germany and took place in German-occupied Poland. During the genocide, three million Polish Jews were murdered, half of all Jews murdered during the Holocaust.
...
,
Nazi crimes against ethnic Poles,
German AB-Aktion in Poland
, location = Palmiry Forest and similar locations in occupied Poland
, date = Spring–summer 1940
, incident_type = Mass murder with automatic weapons
, perpetrators = Wehrmacht, ''Einsatzgruppen''
, participants =
, or ...
,
Sonderaktion Krakau). The
Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...
, located at the border of Lesser Poland and Upper Silesia, was opened on 14 June 1940, and on 1 October 1941, the Germans opened
Majdanek concentration camp
Majdanek (or Lublin) was a Nazi concentration and extermination camp built and operated by the SS on the outskirts of the city of Lublin during the German occupation of Poland in World War II. It had seven gas chambers, two wooden gallows, a ...
on the outskirts of Lublin. The third concentration camp in Lesser Poland was in
Kraków's district of Płaszów. In late 1939 and early 1940, in Lesser Poland's spa of
Zakopane
Zakopane ( Podhale Goral: ''Zokopane'') is a town in the extreme south of Poland, in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998, it was part of Nowy Sącz Voivodeship; since 1999, it has been par ...
, and in Kraków, several
Gestapo–NKVD Conferences took place, during which the mutual cooperation between Nazi Germany and Soviet Union was discussed.
Anti-Nazi resistance was particularly strong in Lesser Poland, and it was in the extreme northwestern corner of the province (around Opoczno), that armed struggle against the occupiers began in late 1939 and early 1940 (see
Henryk Dobrzański). Structures of the
Home Army
The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) esta ...
were well-developed in the region. Lesser Poland's independent areas of the Home Army were located in Kraków, Kielce-Radom, and Lublin. During
Operation Tempest in mid-1944, several Lesser Poland's towns were liberated, also
uprising in Kraków was prepared, but never realized. Apart from the Home Army, other resistance groups were strong in the province, such as pro-Communist
Armia Ludowa, peasant's
Bataliony Chłopskie
Bataliony Chłopskie (BCh, Polish ''Peasants' Battalions'') was a Polish World War II resistance movement, guerrilla and partisan organisation. The organisation was created in mid-1940 by the agrarian political party People's Party and by 19 ...
, and right-wing
National Armed Forces
National Armed Forces (NSZ; ''Polish:'' Narodowe Siły Zbrojne) was a Polish right-wing underground military organization of the National Democracy operating from 1942. During World War II, NSZ troops fought against Nazi Germany and communist pa ...
, with its
Holy Cross Mountains Brigade
The Holy Cross Mountains Brigade ( pl, Brygada Świętokrzyska) was a tactical unit of the Polish National Armed Forces established on 11 August 1944. It did not obey orders to merge with the Home Army in 1944 and was a part of the Military Organ ...
.
In all major Lesser Poland's cities, Jewish ghettos were opened, with the biggest ones in
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
, and
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
. At first the Nazis were planning to create a so-called "reservation" for European Jews, located around Lesser Poland's town of
Nisko (see
Nisko Plan), but they changed the plan, and decided to murder all Jews. Condemned to death, Jews in Lesser Poland took to fighting (see
Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising
The Częstochowa Ghetto uprising was an insurrection in Poland's Częstochowa Ghetto against German occupational forces during World War II. It took place in late June 1943, resulting in some 2,000 Jews being killed.
The ghetto was established ...
), but their efforts failed. As a result of
The Holocaust in Poland
The Holocaust in Poland was part of the European-wide Holocaust organized by Nazi Germany and took place in German-occupied Poland. During the genocide, three million Polish Jews were murdered, half of all Jews murdered during the Holocaust.
...
, once thriving and numerous Jewish population of Lesser Poland was decimated.
In the summer of 1944, after
Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive, Red Army pushed the Wehrmacht from eastern Lesser Poland. The city of Lublin was captured by the Soviets on 22 July 1944, Stalowa Wola – on 1 August, and Sandomierz, on the left bank of the Vistula – on 18 August. The front line stabilized along the Vistula for about six months (with some bridgeheads on the western bank on the Vistula – see
Battle of Studzianki
The Battle of Studzianki was a tactical engagement between elements of the Soviet Red Army's 2nd Guards Tank Army employed as a cavalry mechanized group of the 1st Belorussian Front, together with Polish 1st Armoured Brigade and elements of th ...
), and in early 1945, Soviet
Vistula–Oder Offensive began, which pushed Germans to the gates of Berlin. The Soviets entered Kielce on 15 January, Częstochowa – on 17 January, and Kraków on 19 January. On 27 January, the Red Army entered Sosnowiec. In took the Soviets much longer to clear the areas in the mountains – they did not enter Żywiec until 5 April 1945.
Post-World War II
Together with the Red Army,
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (russian: Наро́дный комиссариа́т вну́тренних дел, Naródnyy komissariát vnútrennikh del, ), abbreviated NKVD ( ), was the interior ministry of the Soviet Union.
...
and Soviet authorities followed, whose purpose was to make Poland a Communist country, with a puppet government, formed as
Polish Committee of National Liberation
The Polish Committee of National Liberation (Polish: ''Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego'', ''PKWN''), also known as the Lublin Committee, was an executive governing authority established by the Soviet-backed communists in Poland at the lat ...
. Since 1 August 1944, the provisional government was officially headquartered in Lesser Poland's Lublin. Thousands of people took to the forests, to continue their fight for free Poland (see
Anti-communist resistance in Poland (1944–46) Anti-communist resistance in Poland may refer to:
* Anti-communist resistance in Poland (1944–1953), armed partisan struggle
* Anti-communist resistance in Poland (1944–1989)
Anti-communist resistance in Poland can be divided into two types: t ...
). Lesser Poland again was one of the main centers of the resistance. Several skirmishes took place in the province, including
Battle of Kuryłówka
The Battle of Kuryłówka, fought between the Polish anti-communist resistance organization, National Military Alliance (NZW) and the Soviet Union's NKVD units, took place on May 7, 1945, in the village of Kuryłówka, southeastern Poland. The ...
. The Communists did not hesitate to kill those rebels they captured (
Public execution in Dębica (1946)
A public execution in Dębica was carried out in 1946 when three members of the Polish anti-communist National Armed Forces (NSZ) organization, Józef Grębosz, Józef Kozłowski, and Noster Franciszek, were publicly executed by the communist P ...
), and by 1947, the resistance movement was crushed. The last Polish
cursed soldier,
Józef Franczak
Józef Franczak (17 March 1918 – 21 October 1963) was a soldier of the Polish Army, Armia Krajowa World War II resistance, and last of the cursed soldiers – members of the militant anti-communist resistance in Poland. He used cod ...
, was killed in 1963 near
Świdnik in northeastern Lesser Poland. Also, all victims of the
1951 Mokotów Prison execution
Events
January
* January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950).
* January 9 – The Government of the United K ...
were members of Lesser Poland's branch of
Freedom and Independence
Freedom and Independence Association ( pl, Zrzeszenie Wolność i Niezawisłość, or WiN) was a Polish underground anticommunist organisation founded on September 2, 1945 and active until 1952.
Political goals and realities
The main purpose of it ...
. Another well-known anti-Communist fighter from Lesser Poland is
Józef Kuraś
Józef Kuraś (23 October 1915 – 22 February 1947), noms-de-guerre "Orzeł" (Eagle) and from June 1943 "Ogień" (Fire), was born in Waksmund near Nowy Targ. He served as lieutenant in the Polish Army during the invasion of Poland, and became ...
, who was active in the southern region of
Podhale.
In early 1945, the lands of Lesser Poland were divided between three voivodeships – those of Kraków, Lublin, and Kielce. Since summer 1945, several counties were transferred to neighboring voivodeships – eastern Lesser Poland (Dębica, Jasło, Mielec) became part of
Rzeszów Voivodeship
Rzeszów Voivodeship () can refer to one of two political entities in Poland:
Rzeszów Voivodeship (1) was a unit of administrative division and local government from 1975 to 1998, superseded by Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Major cities and towns i ...
, while western counties of Będzin and Zawiercie were transferred to
Katowice Voivodeship. In 1950, the city of Częstochowa became part of Katowice Voivodeship, and next year, the city of
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 ...
was created out of Lesser Poland's Biala Krakowska, and Upper Silesia's Bielsko. The new city became part of Katowice Voivodeship. Lesser Poland was further divided in 1975, when territorial reform was carried out (see
Voivodeships of Poland (1975–1988)). Counties were abolished, and several small voivodeships were created, in such Lesser Poland's towns and cities, as Tarnobrzeg, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Bielsko-Biała, Radom, Częstochowa, and Siedlce.
The government of Communist Poland invested in heavy industry, following the pre-1939 idea of Central Industrial Area. In Kraków, a new district of
Nowa Huta
Nowa Huta (, literally "The New Steel Mill") is the easternmost district of Kraków, Poland. With more than 200,000 inhabitants, it is one of the most populous areas of the city. Until 1990, the neighbouring districts were considered expansions o ...
was constructed in the 1950s. In Częstochowa and Zawiercie, the steelworks were significantly expanded, and in early 1970, the government initiated construction of Katowice Steelworks, which, despite its name, is located in Lesser Poland's
Dąbrowa Górnicza. To connect Katowice Steelworks with Soviet plants, in late 1970s
Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line
Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line ( pl, links=no, Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa, LHS) is the longest broad gauge railway line in Poland.
Except for this line and a few very short stretches near border crossings, Poland uses standard gauge. The singl ...
was opened, which crossed Lesser Poland from west to east. Among other major factories, opened in Lesser Poland during Communist rule, there are:
*
FSC Lublin
The FSC Lublin was a light commercial vehicle, light commercial van produced by the Polish automaker FSC Lublin Automotive Factory, FSC in Lublin. Production started in 1993, and was intended to replace the aging FSC Żuk, Żuk, which was finall ...
, opened in 1951,
*
FSC Star
Fabryka Samochodów Ciężarowych "Star" (FSC Star), also known simply as Star, was a Polish truck manufacturer. The name comes from the City of Starachowice, where the factory is located. Their first vehicle was the ''Star 20'' in 1948. The mos ...
in
Starachowice
Starachowice is a city in southeastern Poland (historic Lesser Poland), with 49,513 inhabitants (31.12.2017). Starachowice is situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (since 1999); it was formerly in the Kielce Voivodeship (1975–1998). It ...
, opened in 1948, and based on earlier factory,
*
PZL-Świdnik
PZL-Świdnik S.A. (''Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego PZL-Świdnik S.A.'') is the biggest helicopter manufacturer in Poland. Its main products are PZL W-3 Sokół and PZL SW-4 Puszczyk helicopters. In early 2010 the factory was acquired by ...
, opened in 1951,
* Zaklady Azotowe
Puławy, opened in 1965,
*
Połaniec Power Station
Połaniec Power Station is a coal-fired and biomass power station near Połaniec in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland. It consists of 8 units each with a generation capacity of 225 MW. The power station went into service between 1979 and 19 ...
, opened in 1979,
* Skawina Power Station, opened in 1957,
* Nowiny Cement Plant, opened in 1960,
*
Kozienice Power Station, opened in 1973.
![Star S2000PSP](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Star_S2000PSP.JPG)
Other Lesser Poland's major plants were significantly expanded after 1945, including
Żywiec Brewery
Żywiec Brewery (pronounced ; ) is one of the largest breweries and beer producers in Poland. Founded in 1856 in the town of Żywiec, the brewery manufactures pale lager with a 5.6% alcohol volume. Grupa Żywiec S.A. consists of five main breweri ...
,
Okocim Brewery
Okocim Brewery (), in Brzesko in southeastern Poland, is a brewery founded in 1845.
History
The brewery was established in 1845 by Johann Evangelist Götz (1815-1893), a German beer maker born in Wirtemberg together with Joseph Neumann, fro ...
,
Fablok,
Łucznik Arms Factory,
FŁT-Kraśnik,
Jaworzno Power Station
The Jaworzno Power Station is a complex of coal-fired thermal power stations at Jaworzno, Poland.
The largest plant of the Jaworzno power plant complex is called Jaworzno III. It has an installed electrical generating capacity of 1,345 MW, as w ...
, Siersza Power Plant,
Huta Stalowa Wola
Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW SA) is a defense contractor that operates a steel mill in the city of Stalowa Wola, Poland. It is a major producer of military equipment and one of the largest heavy construction machinery producers in East-Central Europe. ...
,
Janina Coal Mine
The Janina coal mine is a large mine in the south of Poland in Libiąż, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, 350 km south-west of the capital, Warsaw. The mine has been erected by ''Compagnie Galicienne de Mines'', a French mining company, in 1907. Be ...
,
Sobieski Coal Mine,
Zakłady Azotowe Tarnów-Mościce. Furthermore, in early 1950s significant
sulfur
Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...
resources were discovered in Tarnobrzeg, as a result of which Siarkopol company was founded, and the city of Tarnobrzeg quickly grew. In 1975, coal was discovered northeast of Lublin, and soon afterwards,
Bogdanka Coal Mine
The Bogdanka Coal Mine (Lubelski Węgiel "Bogdanka" S.A.) is a coal mine in the village of Bogdanka near Łęczna, in the vicinity of Lublin, 197 km south-east of Poland's capital, Warsaw, in the Lublin Coal Basin. The mineral-obtaining l ...
and
Piaski Coal Mine were opened.
Between 1971 and 1977,
Central Trunk Line was opened, which goes along western boundary of the province, and which connects Kraków and Katowice, with Warsaw. In the early 1980s, construction of a highway between Kraków and Katowice began. The 61-kilometer road is now run by Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska, and is part of
A4 highway.
Residents of Lesser Poland frequently protested against Communist government. Major centers of anti-Communist resistance were in Kraków, Nowa Huta, Radom, and Lublin. Among major protests that took place in the province were
1968 Polish political crisis
The Polish 1968 political crisis, also known in Poland as March 1968, Students' March, or March events ( pl, Marzec 1968; studencki Marzec; wydarzenia marcowe), was a series of major student, intellectual and other protests against the ruling Poli ...
(with Kraków as one of major centers of protests),
June 1976 protests (in Radom),
Lublin 1980 strikes The 1980 Lublin strikes (also known as Lublin July, pl, Lubelski Lipiec) were the series of workers' strikes in the area of the eastern city of Lublin ( People's Republic of Poland), demanding better salaries and lower prices of food products. The ...
,
31 August 1982 demonstrations in Poland
The 1982 demonstrations in Poland refers to anti-government street demonstrations organized by underground Solidarity to commemorate the second anniversary of the Gdańsk Agreement. The bloodiest protest occurred in southwestern Poland, in the ...
(in several locations),
1988 Polish strikes
The 1988 Polish strikes were a massive wave of workers' strikes which broke out from 21 April, 1988 in the Polish People's Republic. The strikes, as well as street demonstrations, continued throughout spring and summer, ending in early September 1 ...
(with Stalowa Wola as one of major centers). Several anti-Nazi, and anti-Communist leaders hailed from Lesser Poland:
Jan Piwnik,
Emil August Fieldorf
August Emil Fieldorf (''nom de guerre''; “''Nil''”; 20 March 1895 – 24 February 1953) was a Polish brigadier general who served as deputy commander-in-chief of the Home Army after the suppression of the Warsaw Uprising (August 1944 – ...
,
Leopold Okulicki
General Leopold Okulicki (noms de guerre ''Kobra'', ''Niedźwiadek''; 1898 – 1946) was a general of the Polish Army and the last commander of the anti-Nazi underground Home Army during World War II. He was arrested after the war by the Sovi ...
,
Ryszard Siwiec,
Stanisław Pyjas
Stanisław Włodzimierz Pyjas (1953–1977) was a Polish student of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, member of the anticommunist student movements. He died on May 7, 1977 in Kraków. The exact circumstances of Pyjas’ death are still a ...
,
Hieronim Dekutowski,
Andrzej Gwiazda,
Andrzej Czuma
Andrzej Bobola Czuma (born 7 December 1938 in Lublin) is a Polish politician, lawyer and historian. He was an activist of the Polish anti-Communist opposition in the Polish People's Republic and was oppressed and imprisoned by the Communist autho ...
.
A number of key personalities of Communist government were born in Lesser Poland, including
Józef Cyrankiewicz,
Bolesław Bierut,
Edward Gierek,
Wojciech Jaruzelski,
Czesław Kiszczak
Czesław Jan Kiszczak (19 October 1925 – 5 November 2015) was a Polish general, communist-era interior minister (1981–1990) and prime minister (1989).
In 1981 he played a key role in imposing martial law and suppression of the '' Solidar ...
,
Stanisław Kania
Stanisław Kania (; 8 March 1927 – 3 March 2020) was a Polish communist politician.
Life and career
Kania joined the Polish Workers' Party in April 1945 when the Germans were driven out by the Red Army and Polish Communists began to take contr ...
,
Hilary Minc,
Edward Ochab
Edward Ochab (; 16 August 1906 – 1 May 1989) was a Polish Communism, communist politician and top leader of Poland between March and October 1956.
As a member of the Communist Party of Poland from 1929, he was repeatedly imprisoned for his ac ...
,
Michał Rola-Żymierski,
Józef Oleksy
Józef Oleksy (; 22 June 1946 – 9 January 2015) was a Polish left-wing politician, former chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance (''Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej'', SLD).
Early life and education
In his youth he lived in Nowy Sącz, and was ...
.
Among prominent personalities of Polish cultural life of the 20th century, who were born in Lesser Poland, there are:
Xawery Dunikowski,
Witold Gombrowicz
Witold Marian Gombrowicz (August 4, 1904 – July 24, 1969) was a Polish writer and playwright. His works are characterised by deep psychological analysis, a certain sense of paradox and absurd, anti-nationalist flavor. In 1937 he published his f ...
,
Gustaw Herling-Grudziński
Gustaw Herling-Grudziński (; May 20, 1919 − July 4, 2000) was a Polish writer, journalist, essayist, World War II underground fighter, and political dissident abroad during the communist system in Poland. He is best known for writing a personal ...
,
Sławomir Mrożek
Sławomir Mrożek (29 June 1930 – 15 August 2013) was a Polish dramatist, writer and cartoonist.
Mrożek joined the Polish United Workers' Party during the reign of Stalinism in the People's Republic of Poland, and made a living as a politica ...
,
Tadeusz Kantor,
Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz
Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz (born 13 October 1942 in Nowy Targ) is a Polish composer and musician, known for his collaboration with Marek Grechuta and his compositions for stage and film.
Biography
Born in the town of Nowy Targ, he studied music and ...
,
Marek Kondrat,
Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska
Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska, ''née'' Kossak (24 November 1891 – 9 July 1945), was a prolific Polish poet known as the ''Polish Sappho'' and "queen of lyrical poetry" during Poland's interwar period. , Krzysztof Penderecki, Zbigniew Preisner, Leon Schiller, Jerzy Stuhr, Jan Sztaudynger, Grzegorz Turnau, Jerzy Turowicz.
Local Government Reorganization Act (1998)
![Sosnowiec collage N](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Sosnowiec_collage_N.png)
In 1998, the government of Poland carried out administrative reform of the country. For the first time in history,
Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Lesser Poland Voivodeship or Lesser Poland Province (in pl, województwo małopolskie ), also known as Małopolska, is a voivodeship (province), in southern Poland. It has an area of , and a population of
3,404,863 (2019).
It was created on 1 ...
was created, with capital in Kraków, and area of 15,108 square kilometers. The new province covers only a small, southwestern part of historical Lesser Poland.
Today, Lesser Poland is divided between several voivodeships: whole Lesser Poland Voivodeship, whole Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, western half of
Lublin Voivodeship, western part of Subcarpathian Voivodeship, eastern half of
Silesian Voivodeship, southern part of Mazovian Voivodeship and southeastern corner of
Łódź Voivodeship (around Opoczno).
There were suggestions that Lesser Poland voivodeship should stretch from
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 ...
, to Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and
Sandomierz. Furthermore, creation of Old Poland Voivodeship was proposed, on the historical lands of northern Lesser Poland. Also, since about half of territory of current Silesian Voivodeship belongs to historical Lesser Poland, there are suggestions to rename it into ''Silesian – Lesser Poland Voivodeship''.
Major cities and towns (by size)
The list is based on the Polish Central Statistical Office list of 100 biggest cities of Poland, as for 30 June 2008.
In the
Kingdom of Poland and
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
, several other locations used to be important urban centers of Lesser Poland, but in the course of the time, their significance declined. The main example is
Sandomierz, which for hundreds of years was one of the most important cities of Poland, but now is a town of 25,000. Other examples of historically important places, which are now little towns or villages are:
*
Biecz, a town of 5,000, once the seat of a Biecz County, county, incorporated in 1257,
* Chęciny, a village now, once the seat of a Chęciny County, county, with a royal castle,
* Czchów, a town of 2,000, incorporated before 1333, once the seat of a county,
* Goraj, Lublin Voivodeship, Goraj, a village now, which used to be one of urban centers of Lublin Voivodeship,
*
Iłża
Iłża () is a small town in Masovian Voivodeship, Poland. In 2006 Iłża had approximately 5,165 inhabitants. The town belongs to the historical region of Lesser Poland, and from its foundation until 1795, it was part of Lesser Poland’s Sandom ...
, a town of 5,000, incorporated before 1294, with a royal castle,
*
Kazimierz Dolny
Kazimierz Dolny () is a small historic town in eastern Poland, on the right (eastern) bank of the Vistula river in Puławy County, Lublin Voivodeship. Historically it belongs to Lesser Poland, and in the past it was one of the most important citie ...
, which enjoyed its greatest prosperity in the 16th and the first half of the 17th century,
* Koprzywnica, a village now, a town in 1268–1869,
* Książ Wielki, a town in 1385–1875, once the seat of a Książ County, county,
*
Lelów
Lelów ( yi, לעלוב - ''Lelov'') is a village in Częstochowa County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Lelów. It lies on the Białka river, approximately east of ...
, a village now, which used to be the seat of a Lelów County, county. Incorporated in 1314, with a royal castle,
* Nowy Korczyn, Nowe Miasto Korczyn, a town in 1258–1869, with a royal castle, where general sejmiks of Lesser Poland took place,
*
Opatów, a town of 7,000, incorporated in 1282, once the seat of sejmiks,
*
Parczew, now a town of 10,000, once a major urban center of northeast Lesser Poland,
*
Pilzno
Pilzno is a town in Poland, in Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in Dębica County. It has 4,943 inhabitants as of 2018. It is located at the junction of important roads – West-East European E40 Highway, and National Road 73 (''Droga Krajowa nr. 73 ...
, now a town of 4,000, once the seat of a Pilzno County, county,
* Sieciechów, Masovian Voivodeship, Sieciechów, a village now, once an important town, incorporated in 1232,
* Stężyca, Lublin Voivodeship, Stężyca, a village now. Once the seat of a Stężyca Land, county, which used to be a town in 1330–1869,
* Szczyrzyc, a village now, which used to be the seat of a Szczyrzyc County, county,
*
Szydłowiec
Szydłowiec (; Hebrew: שידלוביץ, Yiddish: שידלאָווצע; German: ''Schiedlowietz'') is a town in Szydłowiec County, Mazovian Voivodeship, south-central Poland, with 5,243 inhabitants (December 31, 2005). It is the seat of Gmina ...
, a town of 12,000, with a royal castle, which in the Renaissance period was an important urban center of northern Lesser Poland,
* Szydłów, a village now, which used to be a major urban center of
Sandomierz Voivodeship
Sandomierz Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo Sandomierskie, la, Palatinatus Sandomirensis) was a unit of administration and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of the Lesser Poland ...
,
* Urzędów, a village now, which in 1405–1869 used to be a town and the seat of a Urzędów County, county,
*
Wiślica, a village now, which was probably the capital of the
Vistulans
The Vistulans, or Vistulanians ( pl, Wiślanie), were an early medieval Lechitic tribe inhabiting the western part of modern Lesser Poland."The main tribe inhabiting the reaches of the Upper Vistula and its tributaries was the Vislane (Wislanie) ...
, and the seat of a Wiślica County, county,
* Wojnicz, now a town of 3,500, incorporated in 1278, used to be the seat of a county,
* Zawichost, a town of 2,000, once a royal town with a castle, incorporated before 1255.
Economy and industry
History of industry in Lesser Poland goes back to prehistoric times, when in
Świętokrzyskie Mountains, first bloomery, bloomeries were constructed. In the Middle Ages, first plants were opened in that area, and as a result,
Old-Polish Industrial Region {{unreferenced, date=March 2017
Staropolski Okręg Przemysłowy (Old Polish Industrial Region) is an industrial region in northern part of Lesser Poland. It is the oldest and in terms of area covered, largest of Polish industrial regions. Most of th ...
was created, which was a major industrial region of the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
. In the 17th century, first Polish blast furnaces were constructed in Samsonów by Italian engineer Hieronim Caccio. Apart from iron products, used for military purposes, Old-Polish Industrial Region also manufactured charcoal and glass. In 1782, in Poland there were 34 bloomeries, out of which 27 were located in Old-Polish Industrial Region. Another major industrial area of Lesser Poland is
Zagłębie Dąbrowskie Zagłębie in Polish means coalfield. It can refer to:
*Górnośląskie Zagłębie Węglowe, a mining region
*Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, a mining region
*Zagłębie Sosnowiec, an association football club
*Zagłębie Lubin, an association football clu ...
, where in the 16th century, lead, silver, and zinc were found. As early as in the 15th century, coal was extracted in
Trzebinia – Siersza, and in the following centuries, especially in the 19th century, several coal mines and steel mills were opened in Zagłębie and in Zagłębie Krakowskie (first coal mine in
Jaworzno was opened in 1792). In nearby
Olkusz, the history of zinc mining dates to the 12th century when Casimir II the Just set up a mining settlement. Also, in the towns of
Wieliczka
Wieliczka (German: ''Groß Salze'', Latin: ''Magnum Sal'') is a historic town in southern Poland, situated within the Kraków metropolitan area in Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. The town was initially founded in 1290 by Premislaus II of P ...
and
Bochnia, salt mines were established in the 12th and 13th centuries (see Bochnia Salt Mine, Wieliczka Salt Mine).
In the 20th century, natural resources were also discovered in central and eastern counties Lesser Poland.
In 1964, the world's largest open-pit sulfur mine was opened in Machów near
Tarnobrzeg. Other sulfur deposits in the area of Tarnobrzeg are Jeziorko, Grzybów-Gacki, and Grębów-Wydza. The mine at Machów is now closed. In the late 1960s, eastern Lesser Poland became one of three coal basins of the country, when Lublin Basin was created. Major coal mine in the area is Bogdanka Coal Mine, KWK Bogdanka near Łęczna, which is the only coal mine in Poland which has continuously generated a profit. Other Polish coal mines located in Lesser Poland are those found in western part of the province, along the boundary with Upper Silesia – Janina Coal Mine, KWK Janina in Jaworzno, Sobieski Coal Mine, KWK Sobieski, and also in Jaworzno. Copper and silver are extracted in
Myszków
Myszków is a town in Poland, with 31,650 inhabitants (2019). Situated on the Warta river in the Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Częstochowa Voivodeship (1975–1998), it is the capital of Myszków County. Myszków historically ...
(see Myszków mine).
In the late 1930s, the government of the
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 1918 and 1939. The state was established on 6 November 1918, before the end of ...
created
Central Industrial Region, which was almost exclusively located in Lesser Poland. Currently, within borders of the province, there are following industrial regions:
* ''Bielsko Industrial Region'' (''Bielski Okręg Przemysłowy''), which includes both towns from Lesser Poland, and Upper Silesia (Andrychów,
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 ...
, Cieszyn, Kęty, Pszczyna, Skoczów, Żywiec),
* ''Częstochowa Industrial Region'' (''Częstochowski Okręg Przemysłowy''), which includes Częstochowa,
Myszków
Myszków is a town in Poland, with 31,650 inhabitants (2019). Situated on the Warta river in the Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Częstochowa Voivodeship (1975–1998), it is the capital of Myszków County. Myszków historically ...
, and
Zawiercie.
* Upper Silesian Industrial Region (''Górnośląski Okręg Przemysłowy''). Despite the name, it also includes cities from Lesser Poland's
Zagłębie Dąbrowskie Zagłębie in Polish means coalfield. It can refer to:
*Górnośląskie Zagłębie Węglowe, a mining region
*Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, a mining region
*Zagłębie Sosnowiec, an association football club
*Zagłębie Lubin, an association football clu ...
– Sosnowiec,
Będzin,
Czeladź
Czeladź (; yi, טשעלאַדזש, Chelodz) is a town in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie (part of historic Lesser Poland), in southern Poland, near Katowice and Sosnowiec. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river (tributary of the Vistul ...
,
Dąbrowa Górnicza, Wojkowice,
* ''Jaworzno – Chrzanów Industrial Region'' (''Jaworznicko-Chrzanowski Okręg Przemysłowy''), with the towns of Jaworzno,
Chrzanów,
Trzebinia, Libiąż, Chełmek, Bukowno, Alwernia,
Krzeszowice
Krzeszowice (german: 1941-45 Kressendorf) is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. As of 2004, its population was 9,993. Krzeszowice belongs to ''Kraków Metropolitan Area'', and lies 25 kilometers west of the ...
,
* ''Carpathian Industrial Region'' (''Karpacki Okręg Przemysłowy''), which stretches from
Nowy Sącz
Nowy Sącz (; hu, Újszandec; yi, Tzanz, צאַנז; sk, Nový Sonč; german: Neu-Sandez) is a city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County as a separate administrative unit. It has ...
, through
Jasło and
Gorlice, to
Sanok,
* ''Kraków Industrial Region'' (''Krakowski Okręg Przemysłowy'') – the city of Kraków and the towns of
Wieliczka
Wieliczka (German: ''Groß Salze'', Latin: ''Magnum Sal'') is a historic town in southern Poland, situated within the Kraków metropolitan area in Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. The town was initially founded in 1290 by Premislaus II of P ...
,
Skawina
Skawina is a town in southern Poland with 27,328 inhabitants (2008). Situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998), Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998). The town is located on the Skawinka r ...
, Myślenice,
Bochnia,
* '' Lublin Industrial Region'' (''Lubelski Okręg Przemysłowy'') – the city of Lublin and the towns of
Świdnik,
Puławy, Łęczna,
* ''Tarnobrzeg Industrial Area'' (''Tarnobrzeski Okręg Przemysłowy'') –
Stalowa Wola,
Tarnobrzeg,
Nisko,
Staszów
Staszów is a town in southeastern Poland, in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (historic province of Lesser Poland), about southeast of Kielce, and northeast of Kraków. It is the capital of Staszów County. The population is 15,108 (2010), whi ...
, Janów Lubelski, Gorzyce, Tarnobrzeg County, Gorzyce, Połaniec,
Mielec,
* ''Tarnów – Rzeszów Industrial Region'' (''Tarnowsko-Rzeszowski Okręg Przemysłowy''), which stretches from Tarnów to Rzeszów, with such towns, as
Dębica
Dębica (; yi, דעמביץ ''Dembitz'') is a town in southeastern Poland with 44,692 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the capital of Dębica County. Since 1999 it has been situated in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship; it had previously been in ...
, Niedomice,
Sędziszów Małopolski
Sędziszów Małopolski is a town in Ropczyce-Sędziszów County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland, with a population of 12,226 (1 January 2019). Sędziszów is located in eastern Lesser Poland, near the historic boundary between Lesser Poland a ...
,
Ropczyce.
In 2009, Polityka weekly made its own list of 500 biggest Polish companies. According to the list, second biggest company of the country was Polska Grupa Energetyczna, which, as Polityka stated, is headquartered in Lublin. Third biggest company of Poland in 2009 was ''Fiat Auto Poland'' from Bielsko-Biała. Other Lesser Polish companies which ranked high were: ''BP, BP Poland'' from Kraków (ranked 12th), ''Emperia Holding'' from Lublin (ranked 26th), Kolporter Holding from Kielce (ranked 43rd), and
Żywiec Brewery
Żywiec Brewery (pronounced ; ) is one of the largest breweries and beer producers in Poland. Founded in 1856 in the town of Żywiec, the brewery manufactures pale lager with a 5.6% alcohol volume. Grupa Żywiec S.A. consists of five main breweri ...
(ranked 44th). Other major companies of Lesser Poland are ''Azoty Tarnów'', Bank BPH,
Bogdanka Coal Mine
The Bogdanka Coal Mine (Lubelski Węgiel "Bogdanka" S.A.) is a coal mine in the village of Bogdanka near Łęczna, in the vicinity of Lublin, 197 km south-east of Poland's capital, Warsaw, in the Lublin Coal Basin. The mineral-obtaining l ...
, Carlsberg Polska, Comarch, ''Dębica SA'', ''Huta Częstochowa'', ''Huta Katowice'',
Fablok,
FŁT-Kraśnik,
Huta Stalowa Wola
Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW SA) is a defense contractor that operates a steel mill in the city of Stalowa Wola, Poland. It is a major producer of military equipment and one of the largest heavy construction machinery producers in East-Central Europe. ...
, ''Instal-Lublin'',
Janina Coal Mine
The Janina coal mine is a large mine in the south of Poland in Libiąż, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, 350 km south-west of the capital, Warsaw. The mine has been erected by ''Compagnie Galicienne de Mines'', a French mining company, in 1907. Be ...
,
Jaworzno Power Station
The Jaworzno Power Station is a complex of coal-fired thermal power stations at Jaworzno, Poland.
The largest plant of the Jaworzno power plant complex is called Jaworzno III. It has an installed electrical generating capacity of 1,345 MW, as w ...
,
Kozienice Power Station,
Łucznik Arms Factory, ''Nowiny Cement Plant'' near Kielce,
Połaniec Power Station
Połaniec Power Station is a coal-fired and biomass power station near Połaniec in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland. It consists of 8 units each with a generation capacity of 225 MW. The power station went into service between 1979 and 19 ...
,
PZL Mielec,
PZL-Świdnik
PZL-Świdnik S.A. (''Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego PZL-Świdnik S.A.'') is the biggest helicopter manufacturer in Poland. Its main products are PZL W-3 Sokół and PZL SW-4 Puszczyk helicopters. In early 2010 the factory was acquired by ...
,
Sobieski Coal Mine, Tadeusz Sendzimir Steelworks.
Since the lands of historical Lesser Poland belong now to different voivodeships, unemployment rate differs from one region to another. In January 2010, in Poland the unemployment rate was 12,7%. In Silesian Voivodeship, eastern half of which is Lesser Poland, it was 9,9%, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship – 10,5%, in Subcarpathian Voivodeship – 16,3%, in Holy Cross Voivodeship – 15,5%, in Lublin Voivodeship – 13,6%, and in Mazovian Voivodeship (southern part of which is Lesser Poland) – 9,6%. In Lesser Poland's cities, the best situation was in Kraków (as for November 2009), where 4,1% had no job. In Bielsko-Biała, the rate was 5,7%, in Lublin – 8,8%, in Siedlce – 9,1%, in Tarnów – 9,2%, in Nowy Sącz – 10%, in Kielce and Częstochowa – 10,1%, in Jaworzno – 10,2%, in Dąbrowa Górnicza – 10,3%, in Sosnowiec – 12,2%, and in Tarnobrzeg – 14,3%. The worst situation on the job market (as for November 2009) was in Radom, where unemployment rate was 20,9% (it made Radom second worst city county of the nation, only after Grudziądz).
Transport
Roads
Several European roads (see International E-road network) cross Lesser Poland. The most important one is the European route E40, which goes from west to east, across whole Europe. In Lesser Poland, the E40 goes from Jaworzno, via Kraków and Tarnów, towards eastern border of the country. Another main European road in Lesser Poland is the European route E77, E77, which goes from north to south, via Radom, Kielce and Kraków, to southern border of Poland at Chyżne. Third major European road in Lesser Poland is the European route E30, E30, which crosses the territory of the province in its extreme northeast corner, in
Siedlce
Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
. Apart from these roads, Lesser Poland is crossed by the following European routes:
* European route E371, E371, which begins in Radom, and goes via Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Tarnobrzeg, and Rzeszów to the border crossing at Barwinek, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Barwinek,
* European route E372, E372, which begins in Warsaw, and via northeastern Lesser Poland (Lublin, Świdnik), goes to Ukrainian border at Hrebenne, Tomaszów Lubelski County, Hrebenne,
* European route E462, E462, which goes through southwestern corner of the province, from Czech border and Bielsko-Biała, to John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice,
* European route E75, E75, which crosses western counties of Lesser Poland – from Częstochowa, through Dąbrowa Górnicza and Jaworzno, to Bielsko-Biała and Polish – Czech border.
Airports
Within borders of historical Lesser Poland, there are two airports – John Paul II International Airport Kraków – Balice, and Katowice International Airport, which is located in the village of Pyrzowice, on the border between Lesser Poland and Upper Silesia. Pyrzowice is part of Gmina Ożarowice, which after
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 12 ...
, and
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
belonged to Będzin County of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
. In the interbellum, the area of future airport belonged to Lesser Poland's
Kielce Voivodeship, and in 1945, was transferred to Katowice Voivodeship (initially ''Silesian-Dąbrowa Voivodeship''). In 1998, Ożarowice, together with the airport, was attached to Tarnowskie Góry County, despite the fact that it is not located in Upper Silesia
Further airports in Lesser Poland will be opened in the future – Lublin – Świdnik, Kielce – Obice, and Radom – Sadków. Also, Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport is located on eastern border of the province.
Railroads
Railroad network of Lesser Poland is very unevenly distributed. It is very dense in the west, along the border with Upper Silesia, and sparse in the east, especially along the Vistula, and around Lublin. All major cities of the province are connected with each other, however traveling from Kraków to Lublin is time-consuming, as trains have to take an extended route, via Kielce, Radom, and Dęblin. Also, there is no direct connection between Tarnów and Kielce, as these cities belonged to different countries before 1918. Underdevelopment of the railroads in northern and eastern Lesser Poland is the result of the policy of the Russian Empire. For military reasons, the Russians were not interested in construction of a dense network of lines along the border with Germany and Austria-Hungary, allowing only the construction of narrow-gauge connections. Along the Vistula, between Kraków and Dęblin (the distance of some 320 kilometers), there are only four rail bridges – in Dęblin (rebuilt after the war, in 1947), in Sandomierz (built in 1928), in Tarnobrzeg-Nagnajów (built in 1961, together with a road bridge), and in Zaduszniki, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Zaduszniki (built in 1979 for the
Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line
Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line ( pl, links=no, Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa, LHS) is the longest broad gauge railway line in Poland.
Except for this line and a few very short stretches near border crossings, Poland uses standard gauge. The singl ...
). In Kraków itself, there are three rail bridges over the Vistula.
Among rail hubs of Lesser Poland, there are Bielsko-Biała, Chabówka, Częstochowa, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Dębica, Dęblin, Jaworzno-Szczakowa, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Lanckorona (PKP station), Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Lanckorona, Kielce,
Koniecpol
Koniecpol is a town in Częstochowa County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,910 inhabitants (2019). In the times of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth it was the seat of the Koniecpolski
The House of Koniecpolski (plural: Koniecpolscy) is the ...
, Kozłów, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Kozłów, Kraków, Lublin,
Łuków, Muszyna, Nowy Sącz, Oświęcim, Siedlce, Spytkowice, Wadowice County, Spytkowice, Skarżysko-Kamienna, Stalowa Wola, Stróże, Nowy Sącz County, Stróże, Sucha Beskidzka, Radom, Tarnów,
Trzebinia,
Tunel
Tunel or Tünel may refer to:
* TUNEL assay (Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling assay), in genetics, a method for detecting DNA fragmentation
* Tunel (band), Yugoslav rock band
* Tunel (railroad station), railroa ...
, Zawiercie, and
Żywiec.
In the late 1970s, the Communist government built the broad-gauge
Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line
Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line ( pl, links=no, Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa, LHS) is the longest broad gauge railway line in Poland.
Except for this line and a few very short stretches near border crossings, Poland uses standard gauge. The singl ...
, which crosses Lesser Poland from west to east along the Vistula.
Tourism and nature
The historical capital of Lesser Poland –
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
– is regarded as the cultural capital of Poland, while
Zakopane
Zakopane ( Podhale Goral: ''Zokopane'') is a town in the extreme south of Poland, in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998, it was part of Nowy Sącz Voivodeship; since 1999, it has been par ...
is considered the winter capital of Poland. In 1978, UNESCO placed Kraków's Old Town on the list of World Heritage Sites. From Sandomierz to Kraków goes the re-established Lesser Polish Way, one of the routes of the medieval Way of St. James. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists come to Lesser Poland, to see its historic cities – Sandomierz,
Kazimierz Dolny
Kazimierz Dolny () is a small historic town in eastern Poland, on the right (eastern) bank of the Vistula river in Puławy County, Lublin Voivodeship. Historically it belongs to Lesser Poland, and in the past it was one of the most important citie ...
,
Zakopane
Zakopane ( Podhale Goral: ''Zokopane'') is a town in the extreme south of Poland, in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998, it was part of Nowy Sącz Voivodeship; since 1999, it has been par ...
,
Biecz,
Opatów, Szydłów, Lublin, and Kraków. Famous
Jasna Góra Monastery
The Jasna Góra Monastery ( pl, Jasna Góra , ''Luminous Mount'', hu, Fényes Hegy, lat, Clarus Mons) in Częstochowa, Poland, is a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary and one of the country's places of pilgrimage. The image of the Black Mad ...
in Częstochowa, spiritual capital of the country, attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, as well as
Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...
(also placed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List
). Lesser Poland has many museums, the city of Kraków itself has about sixty of them. Among the most famous are The Czartoryski Museum, The Galicia Jewish Museum, The National Museum, Kraków, Polish Aviation Museum, Sukiennice Museum, and
Wawel Castle
The Wawel Royal Castle (; ''Zamek Królewski na Wawelu'') and the Wawel Hill on which it sits constitute the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland. A fortified residency on the Vistula River in Kraków, it was established on ...
. There are museums in other locations of the province, such as Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Bielsko-Biała Museum, Holy Father John Paul II Family Home in Wadowice, ''
Jacek Malczewski
Jacek Malczewski (; 15 July 1854 – 8 October 1929) was a Polish symbolist painter who is one of the most revered painters of Poland, associated with the patriotic Young Poland movement following a century of Partitions. He is regarded as the f ...
Museum in Radom'', ''Lublin Museum'', ''Museum of Częstochowa'', ''Museum of Sandomierz Diocese'', ''Museum of Żywiec Brewery'', ''Museum of Zagłębie in Będzin'', Przypkowscy Clock Museum, ''Regional Museum in
Wiślica'', ''Regional Museum in Siedlce'', ''Tytus Chałubiński Tatra Museum in Zakopane''.
Among other major places of interest of the province are: Baranów Sandomierski Castle, Będzin Castle, Chęciny Castle, Czarnolas, Zwoleń County, Czarnolas in Zwoleń, Dunajec river castles, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska park (UNESCO World Heritage Sites List
), Krzyżtopór, Lipnica Murowana, Lublin Castle, Łysa Góra, Maczuga Herkulesa,
Majdanek concentration camp
Majdanek (or Lublin) was a Nazi concentration and extermination camp built and operated by the SS on the outskirts of the city of Lublin during the German occupation of Poland in World War II. It had seven gas chambers, two wooden gallows, a ...
, Niedzica Castle,
Ogrodzieniec,
Pieskowa Skała
Pieskowa Skała (; Polish for ''Little Dog's Rock'') is a limestone cliff in the valley of river Prądnik, Poland, best known for its Renaissance castle. It is located within the boundaries of the Ojców National Park, 27 km north of Krak ...
, Temple of the Sibyl, Trail of the Eagles' Nests, Wieliczka Salt Mine (UNESCO World Heritage Sites List
), Wooden Churches of Southern Lesser Poland (UNESCO World Heritage Sites List
). Furthermore, thousands of tourists come to Radom in northern Lesser Poland, to watch the popular, biannual Radom Air Show. Lesser Poland has a number of open-air museums – ''Góra Birów'' in
Kraków-Częstochowa Upland
The Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, also known as the Polish Jurassic Highland or Polish Jura ( pl, Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska), is part of the Jurassic System of south–central Poland, stretching between the cities of Kraków, Częstochowa an ...
, ''Museum of Kielce Village'' in Kielce, ''Museum of Lublin Village'' in Lublin, ''Museum of Folk Culture'' in
Kolbuszowa
Kolbuszowa ( yi, קאלבאסאוו) is a small town in south-eastern Poland, with 9,190 inhabitants (02.06.2009).
Situated in the Sandomierz Forest in the Subcarpathian Voivodship (since 1999), it is the capital of Kolbuszowa County. Kolbuszo ...
, ''Museum of Radom Village'' in Radom, ''Vistula River Etnographic Park'' in Babice, Chrzanów County, Babice, ''Nowy Sącz Etnographic Park'' in Nowy Sącz, ''Orawa Etnographic Park'' in Zubrzyca Górna, ''Chabówka Rolling-Stock Heritage Park'' in Chabówka. The Małopolska Institute of Culture, located in Kraków, promotes the activities of regional museums and smaller sites of interest.
Lesser Poland is famous for its underground waters and spas, such as
Busko-Zdrój
Busko-Zdrój () is a spa town in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, southern Poland. It is the capital of Busko County. As of December 2021, it has a population of 15,310.
History
The origin of Busko goes back to the 12th century, when a group of sh ...
, Solec-Zdrój, Nałęczów, Muszyna, Szczawnica, Piwniczna, Wysowa-Zdrój, Rabka-Zdrój, Rabka, Swoszowice, Kraków, Swoszowice, Żegiestów,
Krzeszowice
Krzeszowice (german: 1941-45 Kressendorf) is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. As of 2004, its population was 9,993. Krzeszowice belongs to ''Kraków Metropolitan Area'', and lies 25 kilometers west of the ...
,
Wieliczka
Wieliczka (German: ''Groß Salze'', Latin: ''Magnum Sal'') is a historic town in southern Poland, situated within the Kraków metropolitan area in Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. The town was initially founded in 1290 by Premislaus II of P ...
, and Krynica-Zdrój. Mountains and resorts of the province make it a major center of Polish tourism – Tatra National Park is visited by around 3 million tourists every year.
The following List of national parks of Poland, National Parks are located in Lesser Poland:
Education
Universities
Lesser Poland is home to Poland's oldest university – Kraków's
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University (Polish: ''Uniwersytet Jagielloński'', UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and the 13th oldest university in ...
, which was established in 1364. For centuries, it was the only college of the province, and of the whole country. In December 1918, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin was opened, becoming second university of Lesser Poland. In 1944, also in Lublin, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University was established.
Technical universities
There are several technical universities in Lesser Poland – Kraków's
AGH University of Science and Technology, and Cracow University of Technology, University of Technology, as well as University of Bielsko-Biała, Częstochowa University of Technology, Lublin University of Technology, Kazimierz Pułaski Technical University of Radom, and Kielce University of Technology.
Other colleges
Future teachers may study at Pedagogical University of Cracow, or Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa, and future physicians at Jagiellonian University Medical College, and Medical University of Lublin. Other state colleges are Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków, Agricultural University of Cracow, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, and Cracow University of Economics. Unique in the country is the
Polish Air Force Academy
The Polish Air Force Academy (Polish: ''Wyższa Szkoła Oficerska Sił Powietrznych'' (1994-2018); ''Lotnicza Akademia Wojskowa'' (since 2018)) is located in Dęblin, eastern Poland. Established in 1927 during the interwar period, the Polish Air ...
, located in Dęblin. Among private colleges of Lesser Poland, there is Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu – National-Louis University in Nowy Sącz.
Regional identity and culture
Since Lesser Poland ceased to exist as a unified region in the late 18th century, during the
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 12 ...
, most of its inhabitants are not aware of their heritage. Even the residents of
Jaworzno, a city which for centuries belonged to Kraków Land and only in 1975 was transferred to Katowice Voivodeship (see Voivodeships of Poland (1975–98)), are not familiar with their Lesser Polish roots. In a poll in April 2011, 57% of Jaworzno's inhabitants stated that their city is historically tied with Lesser Poland, but as many as 36% said their city is tied with Upper Silesia. Polish linguist Jan Miodek emphasizes the fact that linguistically,
Będzin is closer to Myślenice than to Tarnowskie Góry, only 20 km away. Miodek wrote that even though Upper Silesia and Lesser Poland's Zagłębie Dąbrowskie are industrially and administratively tied, both regions are culturally and linguistically different from each other. Residents of Zagłębie Dąbrowskie are known for their dislike of Upper Silesians, whom they call ''hanysy'', while the Silesians call them ''gorole''. In recent years, more inhabitants of Zagłębie become aware of their Lesser Poland's heritage, Also, after
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 12 ...
, when Austrian province of Galicia was created, the cities of
Rzeszów and
Przemyśl
Przemyśl (; yi, פשעמישל, Pshemishl; uk, Перемишль, Peremyshl; german: Premissel) is a city in southeastern Poland with 58,721 inhabitants, as of December 2021. In 1999, it became part of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship; it was pr ...
, which are part of historical
Red Ruthenia, became associated with Lesser Poland. Therefore, currently the notion of Lesser Poland most commonly applies to the two voivodeships which in the past belonged to Austrian Empire – Lesser Poland Voivodeship, and Subcarpathian Voivodeship
Among several Lesser Poland's regional organizations, one of the most important is ''Stowarzyszenie Gmin i Powiatów Małopolski'' (''The Association of Villages and Counties of Lesser Poland''). It publishes a magazine called ''Wspólnota Małopolska'' (''Lesser Polish Community''), and every year it chooses a ''Lesser Polish Person of the Year'' (among winners are John Paul II, Anna Dymna, and Stanisław Dziwisz). ''The Association of Villages and Counties of Lesser Poland'' has over 120 members from four Polish voivodeships. Among members are cities of Kraków, Częstochowa, Bielsko-Biała, Tarnów, and Przemyśl.
Arguably, the most famous product of Lesser Polish cuisine is the bagel, which was invented in Kraków. Other famous food specialties of the province are oscypek (EU Protected Geographical Status), slivovitz from the village of Łącko, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Łącko, bublik, papal cream cake from Wadowice, Lisiecka Sausage (EU Protected Geographical Status), and Bryndza Podhalańska. Among other popular products that are made in Lesser Poland, there are beers (Browary Lubelskie, Żywiec Beer, and Carlsberg Polska, Okocim Beer), pastas and snacks from Lublin's Lubella, Kielce Mayonnaise, coffee substitute beverage Inka (drink), INKA from Skawina, chocolates from Kraków's Wawel Factory, juices from Tymbark, vodka Wódka Żołądkowa Gorzka, Żołądkowa Gorzka produced in Lublin, and Chopin (vodka), Chopin produced in Siedlce.
Folk costumes from Lesser Poland are widely known across the country – a dancing couple, dressed in traditional Kraków costume (Krakowiacy), is presented on the logo of renowned Żywiec beer, and
Podhale is one of few Polish regions, where people regularly wear their traditional costumes. Both Kraków and Podhale folk costumes are among most popular garbs in Poland. Other folk costumes from the region are those of Zagłębie Dąbrowskie, Sandomierz, Rzeszów, Częstochowa, Kielce, Radom (regarded as the most traditional of all Polish costumes), Opoczno, Holy Cross Mountains, Nowy Sącz, and Lublin. There are several folk festivals in Lesser Poland, such as ''On the frontier of Lesser Poland and Mazovia'' (in Opoczno), ''Folk Festival of Józef Myszka'' (in Museum of Radom Village in Iłża), annual ''Days of Lesser Poland's Cultural Heritage'', ''Week of the Beskidy Culture'' (in several locations), Wianki in Kraków, ''Festival of Old Music and Culture'' in
Niepołomice, ''Festival of Folk Bands and Folk Singers'' in
Kazimierz Dolny
Kazimierz Dolny () is a small historic town in eastern Poland, on the right (eastern) bank of the Vistula river in Puławy County, Lublin Voivodeship. Historically it belongs to Lesser Poland, and in the past it was one of the most important citie ...
, ''International Folklore Meetings of Ignacy Wachowiak'' in Lublin, ''International Festival of Folklore of Mountain Lands'' in Zakopane, Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków. Krakowiak is one of Polish national dances, other popular Lesser Poland's folk dances are ''Zbójnicki'' from Podhale and dances from Lublin. Among Lesser Poland's customs are Lajkonik, and Kraków szopka.
Sports and entertainment
![March of Independence (5)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/March_of_Independence_%285%29.jpg)
Several renowned sportspeople and entertainers come from Lesser Poland. Among them are some of the most famous personalities of contemporary Polish sports – boxer Tomasz Adamek, Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica, swimmer Paweł Korzeniowski, skier Justyna Kowalczyk, tennis player Agnieszka Radwańska, football and volleyball stars Jakub Błaszczykowski, Artur Boruc, and Piotr Gruszka. Among late and retired sports stars who were born in the region, there also are Polish Sportspersonality of the Year, Polish Sportspersonalities of the Year: tennis player and The Championships, Wimbledon, Wimbledon finalist Jadwiga Jędrzejowska, skier Józef Łuszczek, ski jumper Stanisław Marusarz, and driver Sobiesław Zasada.
Kraków's major association football teams – KS Cracovia (football), KS Cracovia, and Wisła Kraków, are multiple champions of the country, also Stal Mielec won Polish championship twice (1973, 1976), and Garbarnia Kraków once (1931). Other popular football teams from Lesser Poland are Zagłębie Sosnowiec (four time Polish Cup winner), Górnik Łęczna, Korona Kielce, Motor Lublin, Radomiak Radom, Raków Częstochowa, Stal Stalowa Wola, and Sandecja Nowy Sącz.
Besides association football, Lesser Poland's teams were multiple national champions in other sports:
* ice-hockey (Podhale Nowy Targ, TH Unia Oświęcim, Cracovia),
* men's and women's volleyball – AZS Częstochowa, Płomień Milowice – Sosnowiec (which in 1978 won the CEV Champions League), Hutnik Kraków, Wisła Kraków, BKS Stal Bielsko-Biała, Muszynianka Muszyna,
* men's and women's Team handball, handball – Hutnik Kraków, Vive Targi Kielce, Cracovia, Montex Lublin,
* men's and women's basketball – Zagłębie Sosnowiec, Cracovia, Wisła Kraków,
* Motorcycle speedway, speedway – Włókniarz Częstochowa, Unia Tarnów (speedway), Unia Tarnów.
Major sports venues of the province are Stadion Miejski in Kraków, Kielce City Stadium, Marshal Józef Piłsudski Stadium in Kraków, Miejski Stadion Sportowy "KSZO" w Ostrowcu Sw., Stadion Ludowy in Sosnowiec, Dębowiec Sports Arena in Bielsko-Biała, ''Hala Legionów'' in Kielce, ''Hala Globus'' in Lublin, ''Arena Częstochowa'', ''Kielce Racetrack'', ''Hala Sportowa MOSiR'' in Radom, Wielka Krokiew in Zakopane.
Among popular rock music bands from Lesser Poland, there are Budka Suflera, Golec uOrkiestra, Maanam, and Zakopower. From Lesser Poland hail composers
Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz
Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz (born 13 October 1942 in Nowy Targ) is a Polish composer and musician, known for his collaboration with Marek Grechuta and his compositions for stage and film.
Biography
Born in the town of Nowy Targ, he studied music and ...
, and Krzysztof Penderecki, as well as singers Basia, Ewa Demarczyk, Justyna Steczkowska, Grzegorz Turnau, Maciej Zembaty. Major music festivals in the province are: ''Coke Live Music Festival'' in Kraków, ''Celtic Music Festival ZAMEK'' in Będzin, ''Film Music Festival'' in Kraków, ''Gaude Mater'' in Częstochowa, ''Boyscout's Festival of School Music'' in Kielce, ''Summer with Chopin'' in Busko-Zdrój, ''Festiwal of Shanties'' in Kraków, and ''Festival of Student Song'' in Kraków.
Lesser Polish dialect of Polish
![Polska-dialekty wg Urbańczyka](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Polska-dialekty_wg_Urba%C5%84czyka.PNG)
Lesser Polish dialect is spoken in southeastern corner of Poland, both in lands which belong to historical Lesser Poland, and in areas which are not part of the province (around Sieradz and Łęczyca). On the other hand, as seen on the map, Lesser Polish dialect is not spoken in extreme northeast of Lesser Poland, in
Siedlce
Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
and vicinity, where people rather speak Masovian dialect. Descending from the language of the Vistulans, it is the most numerous dialectal group in modern Poland. According to
Wincenty Pol, it is divided into three subdivisions: Sandomierz dialect, Lublin dialect, and Sanok dialect.
In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
and
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
, Lesser Polish dialect, together with Greater Polish dialect, contributed to creation of standard Polish, it also greatly influenced Silesian language, Silesian (see Dialects of Polish), as well as dialects of Polish used in southern part of Kresy Wschodnie. Later on, however, its importance diminished and was replaced by Masovian dialect, which became the leading dialect of Polish. After
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 12 ...
, when Lesser Poland was divided between Austria and Russia, northern areas of the province took over many features of the Masovian dialect, while Lesser Polish dialect in Austrian province of Galicia was heavily influenced by German.
According to Multimedia Guide to Polish Dialects, a webpage maintained by University of Warsaw, Lesser Polish dialect is divided into the following subdialects:
* Mazowsze Borderland (Pogranicze Mazowsza – around Radom and Dęblin),
* Łęczyca (around Łódź, Kutno, Tomaszów Mazowiecki – this part of the country is not historical Lesser Poland),
* Kielce (around Kielce),
* Lasowiacy (north of Rzeszów),
* East Kraków,
* West Lublin,
* East Lublin (this area historically belongs to
Red Ruthenia),
* Przemyśl (historical part of Red Ruthenia),
* Biecz,
* Nowy Sącz,
* Podhale,
* Spisz,
* Orawa,
* Żywiec,
* Sieradz,
* Sanok region, or Red-Ruthenian
* Kraków, together with Zagłebie Dąbrowskie.
See also
*
Gorals, a group of indigenous people, found in southern Lesser Poland
* Holy Cross Sermons, the oldest existing manuscripts of fine prose in Polish, which come from Lesser Poland
* Lasowiacy, one of subethnic groups, which inhabits eastern Lesser Poland
* Lesser Polish Gorge of the Vistula
* Malopolski – Polish breed of horse, developed in Lesser Poland
* Wymysorys language, Wymysorys, a West Germanic languages, West Germanic micro-language actively spoken in the small town of Wilamowice near Bielsko-Biała, on the border between Silesia and Lesser Poland
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Appeal of inhabitants of Western Lesser Poland against calling them SilesiansCastles of Lesser Poland on lonelyplanetVisit Lesser Poland webpageLesser Poland information at University at BuffaloPortal of citizen journalism for Małopolska region* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090616065127/http://zachodniamalopolska.republika.pl/ Western Lesser Poland. Webpage of inhabitants of eastern counties of Silesian Voivodeship, who do not wish to be associated with Silesia]
{{Authority control
Lesser Poland,
Historical regions in Poland
Historical regions
History of Lesser Poland Voivodeship
History of Podkarpackie Voivodeship
History of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship
History of Masovian Voivodeship
History of Lublin Voivodeship
History of Silesian Voivodeship