According to the

2011 Romanian census The 2011 Romanian census was a census held in Romania between 20 and 31 October 2011. It was performed by some 120,000 census takers in around 101,000 statistic sectors throughout the country established by the National Institute of Statistics (IN ...

, 2,543

Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in ...

live in Romania, mainly in the villages of

Suceava County Suceava County () is a county ('' ro, județ'') of Romania. Most of its territory lies in the southern part of the historical region of Bukovina, while the remainder forms part of Western Moldavia proper. The county seat is the historical town ...

( pl, Suczawa). There are three exclusively Polish villages, as follows: ''Nowy Sołoniec'' ( Solonețu Nou), ''Plesza'' ( Pleșa), and ''Pojana Mikuli'' (

Poiana Micului Poiana may refer to: Geography Italy * Pojana Maggiore (Poiana Maggiore), a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy * Villa Pojana, or Poiana, a patrician villa in Pojana Maggiore, a UNESCO World Heritage site Moldova * Poiana, Șold� ...

), as well a significant Polish presence in ''Kaczyca'' (

Cacica Cacica ( pl, Kaczyka, german: Kaczika) is a commune located in Suceava County, in the historical region of Bukovina, northeastern Romania. The commune is located in the central part of the county, from the town of Gura Humorului, from the city ...

) and ''Paltynosa'' (

Păltinoasa Păltinoasa (german: Paltinossa) is a commune located in Suceava County, Bukovina, northeastern Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast ...

). There is also a relatively sizable number of ethnic Poles living in the county seat,

Suceava Suceava () is the largest urban settlement and the seat town ( ro, oraș reședință de județ) of Suceava County, situated in the historical region of Bukovina, northeastern Romania, and at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe. Klaus Pet ...

( pl, Suczawa). Poles in Romania form an officially recognised

national minority The term 'minority group' has different usages depending on the context. According to its common usage, a minority group can simply be understood in terms of demographic sizes within a population: i.e. a group in society with the least number o ...

, having one seat in the

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon Res ...

(currently held by the

Union of Poles of Romania The Union of Poles of Romania ( ro, Uniunea Polonezilor din Romania, UPR; pl, Związek Polaków w Rumunii "Dom Polski"), or Dom Polski, is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Polish community. History The UPR ...

) and access to Polish elementary schools and cultural centres (known as "Polish Houses" or "Dom Polski" in Polish).

History

Biserica Preasfanta Inima a lui Isus din Poiana Micului

The first Poles settled in

Moldavia Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Centr ...

in the times of Casimir III (specifically during the

Late Middle Ages The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Europe, the Ren ...

). Most of the Poles immigrating after 1774 were looking for work. So it was that Polish miners from

Bochnia Bochnia (german: Salzberg) is a town on the river Raba in southern Poland. The town lies approximately halfway between Tarnów (east) and the regional capital Kraków (west). Bochnia is most noted for its salt mine, the oldest functioning i ...

and Wieliczka were brought to salt mines in Cacica. Another wave of Polish immigration arrived in

Bukovina Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter Berge ...

in the early 19th century, when the region was a

crownland Crown land (sometimes spelled crownland), also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it ...

of the

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

, as was a significant portion of present-day southern Poland (see:

Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria,, ; pl, Królestwo Galicji i Lodomerii, ; uk, Королівство Галичини та Володимирії, Korolivstvo Halychyny ta Volodymyrii; la, Rēgnum Galiciae et Lodomeriae also known as ...

). Around 1803, Polish highlanders from Čadca ( pl, Czaca, Czadca) settled in ''Treblecz'' ( Tereblecea, now in Chernivtsi Raion,

Chernivtsi Oblast Chernivtsi Oblast ( uk, Черніве́цька о́бласть, Chernivetska oblast), also referred to as Chernivechchyna ( uk, Чернівеччина) is an oblast (province) in Western Ukraine, consisting of the northern parts of the regio ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...

) by

Siret Siret (; german: Sereth; hu, Szeretvásár; uk, Серет, Seret; yi, סערעט, Seret) is a town, municipality and former Latin bishopric in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Bukovina. Siret is ...

, in ''Stara Huta Krasna'' and in ''Kaliczanka'' and again in 1814 to 1819, this time settling in ''Hliboka'' ( Adâncata) and ''Tereszna''. Nowy Sołoniec was settled in 1834, Plesza in 1835, and Pojana Mikuli in 1842. At that time, it must be mentioned that Bukovina was a very attractive region of the

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

to live in thanks to Austria's policy not to conscript recruits into its army from there (service in the Austrian army at that time was for a 14-year term). Furthermore, Bukovina was free from

serfdom Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism, and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery, which develop ...

, primarily attracting immigrants of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

(who later formed the basis of the

Bukovina German ''Buchelanddeutsche'' , native_name_lang = , image = , image_caption = , image_alt = , image_upright = , total = , total_year = , total_source = , total_ref = , genealogy ...

community of the region),

Jewish 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 ...

, and also Czecho- Slovak origin but also Polish ethnicity and even

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

and

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

. There were probably other waves of migration from Poland after the

November November is the eleventh and penultimate month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars, the fourth and last of four months to have a length of 30 days and the fifth and last of five months to have a length of fewer than 31 days. Nov ...

and

Kraków Uprising The Kraków uprising ( Polish: ''powstanie krakowskie'', ''rewolucja krakowska''; German: ''Krakauer Aufstand''; Russian: ''краковское восстание'') of 1846 was an attempt, led by Polish insurgents such as Jan Tyssowski and ...

s, but most Poles were from peasant families relocated there by the Empire's authorities after they participated in the

Jakub Szela Jakub Szela (was born 14 July 1787, Smarżowa, in Galicia - died 21 April 1860, Dealul Ederii, in Bukovina, now Romania) was a Polish leader of a peasant uprising against the Polish gentry in Galicia in 1846; directed against manorial property a ...

insurrection.

Communes with the highest Polish population percentage

Map of Poles in Suceava County and Southern Bukovina

— 20.04% **

Mănăstirea Humorului Mănăstirea Humorului (german: Humora Kloster/Kloster Humora) is a commune located in Suceava County, Bukovina, northeastern Romania. It is composed of three villages, namely: Mănăstirea Humorului, Pleșa, and Poiana Micului. The 16th-century ...

— 19.3% **

Mușenița Mușenița (german: Muszenitza) is a commune located in Suceava County, Bukovina, northeastern Romania. It is composed of five villages, namely: Baineț (german: Baincze; the commune center), Climăuți, Mușenița, Vășcăuți, and Vicșani. ...

— 4.06% ** Moara — 3.23% **

— 1.14%

Notable Polish Romanians

* Marian Kielec, footballer *

Corneliu Zelea Codreanu Corneliu Zelea Codreanu (; born Corneliu Codreanu, according to his birth certificate; 13 September 1899 – 30 November 1938) was a Romanian politician of the far right, the founder and charismatic leader of the Iron Guard or ''The Legion o ...

, politician, founder of the

Iron Guard The Iron Guard ( ro, Garda de Fier) was a Romanian militant revolutionary fascist movement and political party founded in 1927 by Corneliu Zelea Codreanu as the Legion of the Archangel Michael () or the Legionnaire Movement (). It was stron ...

Ioan Gyuri Pascu Ioan Gyuri Pascu (; also credited as Ioan Ghiurico Pascu, Gyuri Pascu, and Ghyuri Pascu; August 31, 1961 – September 26, 2016) was a Romanian pop music singer, producer, actor, and comedian, also known for his participation in the comedy grou ...

(partly Polish), musician, actor, and comedian *

Octavian Smigelschi Octavian or Octav Smigelschi (last name also Smigelski, Smighelschi, Szmigelszki, or Szmigelschi; hu, Szmigelszki Oktáv; 21 March 1866 – 10 November 1912) was an Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian painter and printmaker, one of the leading ...

(partly Polish), painter *

Stefan Norris Stefan Norris (1894–1979) was a Polish-born art director.Hames p.264 He designed the sets for more than a hundred films. After the Invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic ...

(born in Poland; subsequently settled in Romania), art director * Mărgărita Miller-Verghy, author, journalist, critic, and translator *

Wojciech Weiss Wojciech Weiss (4 May 1875 – 7 December 1950) was a prominent Polish painter and draughtsman of the Young Poland movement. Weiss was born in Bukovina to a Polish family in exile of Stanisław Weiss and Maria Kopaczyńska. He gave up mus ...

, painter *

Leonard Mociulschi Leonard Mociulschi () (Leonard Moczulski) (27 March 1889 – 15 April 1979) was a Romanian Major General of Polish origin during World War II. Biography Early days Mociulschi was born in Siminicea, Botoșani County (now in Suceava County), a ...

, major general *

Henri Cihoski Henri Cihoski (October 2, 1871 – May 18, 1950) was a Romanian major general during World War I, and Minister of War from 1928 to 1930. Biography Early days He was born on October 2, 1871 in Tecuci, the seat of Tecuci County, in a family of Po ...

, lieutenant-general * Robert Sadowski, international footballer * Michał Belina Czechowski, Seventh-Day Adventist preacher *

Ghervazen Longher Ghervazen Longher (born January 3, 1972) is a Romanian politician, and a political leader of the Polish minority in Romania. He has been a member of the Chamber of Deputies since 2004. Longher was born in Cacica, Suceava County Suceava County () ...

, politician *

Adolf Zytogorski Adolf Żytogórski (or Adolph Zytogorski, , later known as John Hanstein) ( – 28 February 1882) was a Polish-British chess master and translator. Biography Details of Zytogorski's early life are sparse. He is usually said to have been born ...

(born in Romania; moved to Poland then England), chess master and translator * Tytus Czerkawski, politician * Izydor Kopernicki, physician * Iosif Malinovski, Roman Catholic vicar and publisher * Gustaw Otręba, physician * Witold Rola Piekarski, cartoonist and academic * Feliks Wierciński, Roman Catholic priest and schoolteacher

Gallery

File:Biserica Preasfanta Inima a lui Isus din Poiana Micului1.jpg, Polish-

Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania ** Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language ***Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language **Romanian cuisine, traditiona ...

bilingual sign at the entrance in the village of Poiana Micului ( pl, Pojana Mikuli) File:Plesza (Rumunia), Pleșa 12.jpg, Polish-

bilingual sign at the entrance in the village of Pleșa ( pl, Plesza) File:Plesza, Dom Polski.jpg, The Polish House ( pl, Dom Polski) in Pleșa ( pl, Plesza) File:Casa Polonă din Suceava.jpg, The Polish House in Suceava ( pl, Dom Polski w Suczawie), built at the round of the 20th century (more specifically between 1903 and 1907) File:Rum-Polo.JPG, Polish newspaper in Romania File:Cacica salt mine01.jpg, The salt mine in Cacica ( pl, Kaczyka), Suceava county, southern Bukovina File:Rumunia, Kaczyka, kościół rzymskokatolicki DSCF7626.jpg, Roman Catholic basilica in Cacica File:Plesza (Rumunia), Pleșa 01.jpg, View from the village of Pleșa ( pl, Plesza) File:Plesza (Rumunia), Pleșa 14.jpg, View from the village of Pleșa ( pl, Plesza) File:Nowy Sołoniec (Rumunia), Solonețu Nou 09.jpg, View from Solonețu Nou ( pl, Nowy Sołoniec) File:Plesza (Rumunia), Pleșa 03.jpg, Natural landscape from the village of Pleșa ( pl, Plesza) File:S - panoramio (10).jpg, Natural landscape from the village of Pleșa ( pl, Plesza)

References

External links

Map of Polish villages in Romania
*
Polonia w Rumunii
*
Polscy uchodźcy w Rumunii 1939–1947. Dokumenty z Narodowych Archiwów Rumunii / Refugiații polonezi în România 1939–1947. Documente din Arhivele Naționale ale României, t. 1, cz. 1 i 2The Polish organization in Romania

Polish minority in Cacica - Romania (archive)
{{Portal bar, Poland, Romania Bukovina Ethnic groups in Romania

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...