Struktura jednostek administracyjno-terytorialnych województwa białostockiego w latach 1939–1945
The structure of administrative and territorial units of Bialystok Voivodeship in the years 1939–1945

Summary/Abstract: During II World War Białystok Voivodeship experienced occupation by both aggressor states, which attacked The Second Polish Republic in September 1939 – both twice in a short time. The first one was The Third Reich, which tried to secure those territories waiting for the move of the Soviets. After a few days, they were handed over to the USSR. After correction of Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact the Soviets abandoned their original plan of creating Polish Soviet Socialistic Republic and among others in Białystok Voivodeship organized antidemocratic elections to the People’s Assembly of Western Belorussia. The Assembly soon voted to join Byelorussian SSR. In December the Belostok Oblast was created, later divided into 24 raions, legal unification with the rest of the Soviet Union was finished in March 1940. When the Germans came back to these lands in June 1941 they soon established Bezirk Bialystok, administrative unit subjected to the province of East Prussia, divided into eight district police stations. Despite announcements it was never annexed by the Reich. The Soviets immediately started to organize guerilla units and oblast authorities with a temporary seat in Moscow, but they didn’t reached Białystok region until July 1944. In the meantime Stalin changed his plan for this territory and handed it over to govern by the Polish Committee of National Liberation, which led to establishment of new Białystok Voivodeship in the postwar Polish state in August 1944.

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