Russian Poland
The area that was eventually known as Russian Poland was originally a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Commonwealth became a protectorate of the Russian Empire in 1768, just before the Partitions of Poland (1772-1795). After the Partitions, the land taken by Catherine the Great (1729–1796, reigned 1762-1796) for Russia was initially known as Kingdom of Poland but was renamed Congress Poland, or Russian Poland, to distinguish it from previous versions of kingdoms of Poland. This name was in place between 1815-1867, after which it was simply a part of the Russian Empire until 1918. It was also called the Vistula Krai.
Germans had been living in this region since at least 1600. Forced from their homes in the southwestern Germanic states and Alsace by Napoleon’s troops, in the early 1800s, others settled briefly in the colonies in the Vistula River area before moving on to South Russia when it was opened for settlement in 1804.
The territory was also a part of the Pale of Settlement, an area in western Russia where Jews were allowed by Catherine the Great to permanently settle.
Today, what was Russian Poland is now a part of Poland, Lithuania, and a small part of Belarus.
This is a work in progress and a living document.
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Kalisz Province
(1837–44, 1867–1917)
Kalisz Province was created in 1837 as a part of the Kingdom of Poland and the Russian Empire. It was the westernmost province of the Russian Empire. In 1844, the province was abolished, and its territory, together with the territories of the Mazovia Province (1837-1844), became part of the Warsaw Province. Administrative reform in 1867 restored the Kalisz Province.
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 840,597 inhabitants in the province of Kalisz, with 414,488 men and 426,109 women. Of those, 61,482 (7.31%) were native German speakers.
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Łomża Province
(1867–1914)
Łomża Province was created in 1867 from territories in Augustów and Płock provinces.
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 579,592 inhabitants in Łomża Province, with 300,487 men and 279,105 women. Of those, 4,651 (0.8%) were native German speakers.
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Suwałki Province
(1867–1914)
Suwałki Province was formed in 1867 from territories of the Augustów Province (1837-1867).
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 582,913 inhabitants in Suwałki Province, with 287,843 men and 295,070 women. Of those, 30,485 (5.23%) were native German speakers.
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Siedlce Province
(1867–1912)
Siedlce Province was established in 1867 from parts of the Lublin and Warsaw (and area previously called Podlasie) provinces. In 1912, it was divided between the Lublin, Łomża (Hungarian district) and Kholmsky (1912-1918) provinces.
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 772,146 inhabitants in Siedlce Province, with 388,466 men and 383,680 women. Of those, 11,645 (1.5%) were native German speakers.
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Kielce Province
(1841–1844, 1867–1917)
Province text Kielce Province was originally created in 1841 from the Kraków Province. In 1844, it was merged into Radom Province and then split off again and recreated in 1867.
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 761,995 inhabitants in Kielce province, with 373,700 men and 388,295 women. Of those, 2,428 (.31%) were native German speakers.
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Lublin Province
(1837–1915)
Lublin Province was created in 1837 as a part of the Kingdom of Poland and the Russian Empire with the same borders as the Lublin Voivodeship (1816-1837). In 1844, reform merged Lublin with Podlasie Province until the 1867, reform which reversed those changes. Podlasie was renamed to Siedlce Province.
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 1,160,662 inhabitants in Lublin Province, with 589,961 men and 570,701 women. Of those, 25,972 (2.23%) were native German speakers.
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Petrokov Province
(1867–1917)
Petrokov Province was formed in 1867 from territories of the Warsaw, Kalisz, and Kielce provinces.
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 1,403,901 inhabitants in Petrokov Province, with 697,096 men and 706,805 women. Of those, 148,765 (10.59%) were native German speakers.
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Radom Province
(1844–1917)
Radom Province was formed in 1844 from the merger of the Sandomierz Province (1837-1844) with the Kielce Province.
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 814,947 inhabitants in Radom Province, with 406,449 men and 408,498 women. Of those, 8,755 (1.07%) were native German speakers.
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Płock Province
(1837–1917)
Płock Province was formed in 1837 as a part of the Kingdom of Poland and the Russian Empire with the same borders as the Płock Voivodeship (1816-1837). In 1867, two counties were cut off to help form the Łomża Province, and in 1894, another county became a part of the Warsaw Province.
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 553,633 inhabitants in Płock Province, with 275,652 men and 277,981 women. Of those, 35,931 (6.49%) were native German speakers.
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Warsaw Province
(1844–1917)
Warsaw Province was created in 1844 from the Mazovia (1837-1844) and Kalisz (1837-1867) provinces . In 1867, territories of the Warsaw Governorate were divided into a smaller Warsaw and the Petrokov provinces, and the province of Kalisz was recreated.
According to the Imperial Census of 1897, there were 1,931,867 inhabitants in Warsaw Province, with 977,948 men and 953,919 women. Of those, 77,160 (3.99%) were native German speakers.
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