Teschen District (german: Politischer Bezirk Teschen, cs, Politický okres Těšín, pl, Powiat polityczny Cieszyn) was a

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

(equivalent to okres in the Czech Republic and

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

in Poland) in

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

of the

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

(and since 1867 of

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

) existing between 1850–1855 and 1868–1920. Its administrative center was the city of Teschen (now

Cieszyn Cieszyn ( , ; cs, Těšín ; german: Teschen; la, Tessin; szl, Ćeszyn) is a border town in southern Poland on the east bank of the Olza River, and the administrative seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship. The town has 33,500 inhabitan ...

, Poland and

Český Těšín Český Těšín (; pl, Czeski Cieszyn ; german: Tschechisch-Teschen) is a town in the Karviná District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 24,000 inhabitants. Český Těšín lies on the west bank of the Olza ...

, Czech Republic).

History

Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire led to various social, legal and also administrative reforms. In late December 1849, Austrian Silesia was re-established and was initially subdivided into seven political districts, including one with the seat in Teschen. Political districts were additionally divided into

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

s (German: Gerichtsbezirk). Teschen political district consisted at the beginning of three legal districts: Teschen, Freistadt (Czech: Fryštát, Polish: Frysztat) and Jablunkau (Czech: Jablunkov, Polish: Jabłonków). In the era of Bach's neo-absolutism political districts were abolished and replaced by district offices (German: Bezirksamt) encompassing territories of the abolished legal districts. Political districts were re-established in 1868. Teschen political district was reshaped to include legal district of Friedek (before 1855 a separate political district) whereas Freistadt legal district was excluded to form the new Freistadt political district. In 1880 Teschen political district was administratively divided into 101

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

(49 in Teschen legal district, 32 in Friedek, 20 in Jablunkau). Until 1890 this number grew to 102 ( Žermanice were separated from Horní Bludovice) and on 1 January 1890 to 103 (separation of Lomná into

Dolní Lomná ( pl, , german: Nieder Lomna) is a municipality and village in Frýdek-Místek District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 900 inhabitants. Polish minority makes up 18.8% of the population. Etymology The name ...

and

Horní Lomná ( pl, , german: Ober Lomna) is a municipality and village in Frýdek-Místek District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 400 inhabitants. It has about 900 inhabitants. The municipality has a significant Polish mi ...

). On 1 October 1901 Friedek legal district (with 33 municipalities) was excluded to form the re-established Friedek political district. After this Teschen political district had an area of 730 km², 70 municipalities (49 in Teschen legal district and 21 in Jablunkau). According to the censuses conducted in 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1910 the population Teschen and Jablunkov legal districts were as follows: Traditionally the territory of those two legal districts was inhabited by Cieszyn Vlachs in the north and

Silesian Gorals Silesian Gorals ( pl, Górale śląscy, cs, Slezští Goralé, Cieszyn Silesian: ''Gorole''; literally "highlanders") are an ethnographic group (subgroup of Gorals) living in Silesian Beskids and Moravian-Silesian Beskids within historical r ...

in the south, speaking Cieszyn Silesian and

Jablunkov Jablunkov (; pl, , german: Jablunkau) is a town in Frýdek-Místek District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,300 inhabitants. Polish minority makes up 16.4% of the population. It is inhabited by a large amo ...

dialects. The results of those censuses and factors shaping national identity of the local population became a perennial subject of the political squabbles in the region. Additionally in terms of religion in 1910 the population with permanent residence consisted of Roman Catholics (56,924 or 55.5%), Protestants (42,738 or 41.7%),

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

(2,689 or 2,6%) and 201 ''others''. After

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

and fall of

the region of

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

including the territory of Teschen political district became disputed land between

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

and

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

. This led to

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

and the division of the region and district on 28 July 1920, by a decision of the Spa Conference. The part of Teschen district that was found within Czechoslovakia was superseded by

Český Těšín District Český Těšín District ( cs, Okres Český Těšín, pl, Powiat Czeski Cieszyn) was a district (''okres'') of Czechoslovakia existing between 1920–1938 and 1945–1960. Its administrative center was the city of Český Těšín. The district ...

whereas the other part found in Poland was replaced by Cieszyn County, that was enlarged by municipalities of Freistadt and

Bielitz Bielsko (german: Bielitz, cs, Bílsko) was until 1950 an independent town situated in Cieszyn Silesia, Poland. In 1951 it was joined with Biała Krakowska to form the new town of Bielsko-Biała. Bielsko constitutes the western part of that to ...

districts.

Municipal division

As of 1910: ;Jablunkau legal district (Gerichtsbezirk Jablunkau) # Bistrzitz # Boconowitz # Bukowetz # Grudek #

Istebna Istebna is a large village and the seat of Gmina Istebna, Cieszyn County in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. The village is situated in the Silesian Beskids mountain range, near the borders with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in the histo ...

# Jablunkau (town) # Jaworzinka # Karpentna # Koniakau # Koszarzisk # Lischbitz # Unter Lomna # Ober Lomna # Millikau # Mosty # Nawsi # Niedek # Oldrzychowitz # Piosek # Tyra # Wendrin ;Teschen legal district (Gerichtsbezirk Teschen) # Bażanowitz # Nieder Bludowitz # Bobrek # Brzezuwka # Nieder Dattin # Dobratitz # Nieder Domaslowitz # Ober Domaslowitz # Dzingelau # Kameral Ellgoth # Grodischcz # Gumna # Gutty # Haslach # Hnojnik # Kojkowitz # Konskau # Kotzobendz # Krasna # Nieder Lischna # Ober Lischna # Mistrzowitz # Mönichhof # Mosty # Niebory # Ogrodzon # Pastwisk # Pogwisdau # Punzau # Roppitz # Rzeka # Schibitz # Schöbischowitz # Schumbarg # Smilowitz # Stanislowitz # Teschen (town) # Nieder Tieritzko # Ober Tierlitzko # Nieder Toschonowitz # Ober Toschonowitz # Trzanowitz # Trzynietz # Trzytiesch # Wielopoli # Zamarsk # Nieder Zukau # Ober Zukau # Zywotitz

References

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