Bielsk Podlaski
Bielsk Podlaski | |
|---|---|
 Marketplace and historical Baroque town hall | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Bielsk Podlaski | |
| Coordinates: 52°46′N 23°12′E / 52.767°N 23.200°ECoordinates: 52°46′N 23°12′E / 52.767°N 23.200°E | |
| Country |  Poland |
| Voivodeship | Podlaskie |
| County | Bielsk |
| Gmina | Bielsk Podlaski (urban gmina) |
| Established | 12th century |
| Town rights | 1495 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jarosław Borowski |
| Area | |
| • City | 26.88 km2 (10.38 sq mi) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • City | 25,611 |
| • Density | 950/km2 (2,500/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 27,747 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 17–100 to 17–102 |
| Area code(s) | +48 085 |
| Car plates | BBI |
| Website | http://www.bielsk-podlaski.pl |
Bielsk Podlaski [ˈbʲɛlsk pɔdˈlaskʲi] (
listen) (Belarusian: Бельск Падляскі, Lithuanian: Palenkės Belskas, Ukrainian: Більськ) is a town in eastern Poland, in the Bielsk County in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is one of the historically most important towns in the region of Podlachia.
Geography[]
Bielsk Podlaski is located in the geographical region of Europe known as the Wysoczyzny Podlasko – Bialoruskie (English: Podlaskie and Belarus Plateau) and the mezoregion known as the Równinę Bielską (English: ).
The town covers an area of 32.43 square kilometres (12.5 sq mi).
Location[]
It is located approximately:
- 195 kilometres (121.2 mi) northeast of Warsaw, the capital of Poland
- 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) southwest of Białystok, the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship
History[]
Bielsk Podlaski has a long and rich history, dating back to the 12th century, when this area of Poland belonged to Kievan Rus'. The gord of Bielsk was probably founded by Ruthenian dukes, and its existence was first mentioned in 1253, in the so-called Hypatian Codex. In 1273, Bielsk was captured by Lithuanian duke Traidenis, and in the early 14th century, whole province of Podlasie became annexed by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The region was subject to Teutonic Knights raids, which took place in 1346 and 1379.
In 1382, Mazovian Duke Janusz I of Warsaw captured Bielsk, Drohiczyn, Suraż and Mielnik, taking advantage of the Lithuanian Civil War (1381–84). Next year, Jogaila pushed the Mazovians out of Bielsko, handing the gord over to Vytautas (Witold). In 1390, Jogaila, who had become King of Poland as Władysław II Jagiełło, handed Bielsk, Suraż, Drohiczyn and Mielnik over to Janusz I.
Due to its convenient location along a merchant route from Kraków to Vilnius, Bielsk became an important center of trade and administration. In late November 1412, it was visited by King Władysław II Jagiełło, and 1413, the Land of Drohiczyn, together with Bielsk, became part of Trakai Voivodeship. In 1430, Duke Vytautas named first vogt of Bielsko, a man named Andrzej. A number of Poles from Mazovia begin to settle in Podlasie.
Bielsk received its Magdeburg rights town charter on 18 November 1495, from King Alexander I Jagiellon. In September 1501, a meeting of Lithuanian nobility took place here. Several Polish rulers visited Bielsk, such as Władysław II Jagiełło, Alexander I (1505), Sigismund I the Old (1506, 1509), and Sigismund II Augustus (1564). In 1513, Bielsk was named capital of the newly created Podlaskie Voivodeship; by 1563, the town had 830 houses, and was also main center of the Land of Bielsko.
In early summer of 1564, when king Sigismund II Augustus stayed here with Primate Jakub Uchański, to discuss the new Polish – Lithuanian union (see Union of Lublin), the wooden castle of Bielsk burned to the ground, with the king watching the incident from the stables. A new castle for the local starosta was built in Hołowiesko (located within present-day town limits of Bielsk), while the land court was moved to Brańsk.
Following the Union of Lublin (1569), Bielsko was transferred from Grand Duchy of Lithuania into the Kingdom of Poland. Bielsk was a royal town of Poland, administratively located in the Podlaskie Voivodeship in the Lesser Poland Province of the Polish Crown. The town prospered, with churches, hospital, mills, shops and 265 artisans (as for 1576). Bielsko burned in 1591, and Swedish invasion of Poland brought almost complete destruction (1655).
The Carmelites Church in Bielsk and monastery was founded in 1641 by magnate Adam Kazanowski (starost of Bielsk from 1638) and dedicated to the Mother of God of Mount Carmel. The project was also financed by his wife Elżbieta (Halszka) Słuszczanka (around 1619–1671).
Following the Third Partition of Poland, Bielsk briefly belonged to the Kingdom of Prussia (1795–1807): after the Treaties of Tilsit, it was transferred to the Russian Empire. From 1843, it belonged to the Grodno Governorate. Residents of the area actively participated in the largest 19th-century Polish uprisings (November Uprising and January Uprising). Bielsk was one of the sites of Russian executions of Polish insurgents during the January Uprising of 1863–1864.[1] Additionally, in September 1863, as punishment for supporting the uprising, Russians plundered the nearby village of Łukawica, and expelled its entire population, which was forcibly marched to Bielsk, and then deported to katorga in Siberia.[2] Two people died during the march from Łukawica to Bielsk: an old man and a child.[3] As part of the post-uprising anti-Polish repressions, the town was subjected to Russification, the local Catholic church was closed down, and Polish clergy was also deported to Siberia.[4] Edward Kiersnowski, leader of a local insurgent unit, who fought in several battles in the region, died while being deported to Siberia in 1864.[5] In 1873, Bielsk received rail connection with Brest Litovsk, and in 1915, during World War I, German troops burned the rail station. Germans retreated from the town in February 1919, and were replaced by Polish Army units. In late July 1920, during the Polish-Soviet War, Bielsk was briefly occupied by the Red Army. In the Second Polish Republic, Bielsk administratively belonged to the Białystok Voivodeship.
During the 1939 joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II, the town was captured by the Wehrmacht, which on 23 September handed it over to the Soviets, who occupied it until 23 June 1941, forcibly sending thousands to Siberia. In 1941–1944, the town was occupied by Nazi Germany. Germans murdered its Jewish minority, and in a nearby forest killed approximately 800 Poles. The Germans also operated a forced labour camp in the town.[6] Bielsk was liberated by the Red Army on 30 July 1944, and then restored to Poland.
Bielsk Podlaski has a rich Jewish history which was wiped out in the Holocaust.[7]
Demographics[]
Detailed data as of 31 December 2007:[8]
| Total | Women | Men | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % |
| Population | 26,577 | 100 | 13,775 | 51.8 | 12,802 | 48.2 |
| Population Density (persons/km²) |
988.0 | 512.1 | 475.9 | |||
1897 census[]
The most spoken languages in Bielsk Podlaski according to the Russian Imperial Census of 1897:[9]
| Language | Population | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish | 4,064 | 54.45% |
| Russian | 1,499 | 20.08% |
| Polish | 1,006 | 13.48% |
| Ukrainian | 556 | 7.45% |
| Belarusian | 244 | 3.27% |
| German | 58 | 0.78% |
| Other | 37 | 0.5% |
| Total | 7,464 | 100.00% |
Municipal government[]
It is the seat of Gmina Bielsk Podlaski, but is not part of Gmina Bielsk Podlaski.
Executive branch[]
The chief executive of the government is the Mayor (Polish: Burmistrz).
Legislative branch[]
The legislative portion of the government is the Council (Polish: Rada) composed of the (Polish: Przewodniczący), the (Polish: Wiceprzewodniczący) and thirteen councilors.
Neighbouring political subdivisions[]
Bielsk Podlaski (town) is bordered by Gmina Bielsk Podlaski.
Climate[]
The region has a continental climate which is characterized by high temperatures during summer and long and frosty winters. The average amount of rainfall during the year exceeds 550 millimetres (21.7 in).
| hideClimate data for Bielsk Podlaski | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | −3 (29) |
−3 (31) |
4 (40) |
11 (52) |
17 (63) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
16 (61) |
11 (51) |
4 (39) |
1 (33) |
11 (51) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −6 (21) |
−6 (21) |
−2 (28) |
2 (35) |
7 (45) |
10 (50) |
12 (54) |
11 (52) |
8 (46) |
4 (39) |
0 (32) |
−4 (25) |
3 (37) |
| Source: Weatherbase[10] | |||||||||||||
Transport[]
Roads and highways[]
Bielsk Podlaski is at the intersection of two National Road and a Voivodeship road:
- National Road 19
DK 19 – Kuźnica Białystoka Border Crossing (Belarus) – – Białystok – Bielsk Podlaski – Siemiatycze – Międzyrzec Podlaski – Kock – Lubartów – Lublin – Kraśnik – Janów Lubelski – Nisko – Sokołów Małopolski – Rzeszów - National Road 66
– Zambrów – Brańsk – Bielsk Podlaski – Kleszczele – – Połowce Border Crossing (Belarus) - Voivodeship Road 689
– Bielsk Podlaski – Hajnówka – Białowieża -:CLOSED: Border Crossing (Belarus)
– 
– Bielsk Podlaski – Sports[]
The main sports club of the town is with basketball and football sections.
International relations[]
Twin towns – sister cities[]
Bielsk Podlaski is twinned with:[11]
Notable people[]
- , Belarusian poet
- Wojciech Borecki, football manager
- , scrablista
- Yakau Branshteyn, Belarusian literary critic
- , Ukrainian doctor of Belarusian origin
- Mirosław Car, football player
- , painter
- , senator
- , ethnographer
- , chemist
- , actress
- , Benedictine priest
- Cezary Kosiński, actor
- Józef Lewartowski, activist
- Kamila Lićwinko, high jumper, gold medallist at the 2014 World Indoor Athletics Championships
- Josif Łangbard, Belarusian architect
- , poet
- , journalist
- , actor
- Kamila Stepaniuk, athlete
- , pilot
- Captain Władysław Wysocki, recipient of the Virtuti Militari
- Mina Bern (1911–2010); Yiddish theatre actress
- , poet
- , recipient of the Virtuti Militari
Photo gallery[]
Catholic Basilica of Saints Mary and Nicholas
Orthodox church of the Assumption of the Archangel Michael
Orthodox cathedral of the Lord's Resurrection
Former monasterial building complex. Presently, The School of Music
Former monasterial building complex. Presently, The School of Music
Iconographic school in Bielsk Podlaski
References[]
- ^ Katalog miejsc pamięci powstania styczniowego w województwie podlaskim (in Polish). Białystok: Towarzystwo Opieki nad Zabytkami Oddział Białystok. 2013. p. 15.
- ^ Katalog miejsc pamięci powstania styczniowego w województwie podlaskim, p. 13-14
- ^ Katalog miejsc pamięci powstania styczniowego w województwie podlaskim, p. 14
- ^ Katalog miejsc pamięci powstania styczniowego w województwie podlaskim, p. 16
- ^ Katalog miejsc pamięci powstania styczniowego w województwie podlaskim, p. 22
- ^ "Straf- bzw. Arbeitserziehungslager Bielsk Podlaski". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 12 February 2021.
- ^ Andrew Blumberg, Bielsker Bruderlicher Unterstitzungs Verein 2002 and Bielsk Podlaski JewishGen KehilaLinks 2002
- ^ "Central Statistical Office (GUS) Population: Size and Structure by Administrative Division" (in Polish). 31 December 2007. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008.
- ^ "Первая всеобщая перепись населения Российской Империи 1897 г. Распределение населения по родному языку и уездам 50 губерний Европейской России". Демоскоп Weekly. (in Russian)
- ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Bielsk Podlaski, Poland". Retrieved 1 July 2008.
- ^ "Miasta partnerskie". umbielskpodlaski.pl (in Polish). Bielsk Podlaski. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bielsk Podlaski. |
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| Urban gminas |
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| Rural gminas | ||
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- Cities and towns in Podlaskie Voivodeship
- Bielsk County
- Podlachian Voivodeship
- Belsky Uyezd (Grodno Governorate)
- Białystok Voivodeship (1919–1939)
- Belastok Region
- Shtetls
- Holocaust locations in Poland