The village lies along the Bystra stream, left tributary of
Biała River that historically divided the village into two parts:
Bystra Krakowska (
Cracovian Bystra) and
Bystra Śląska (Silesian Bystra). They were therefore established in the 16th century as two separate villages.
Bystra Śląska Silesian village lying on the left northern bank of the Bystra stream was first mentioned in 1570 when it was sold together with
Silesian Mikuszowice and an adjacent wood by dukes of
Cieszyn to the town of
Bielsko. Soon after in 1572 it became a part
Bielsko state country (since 1754 Duchy of Bielsko) that was split from the
Duchy of Teschen. The village also politically belonged to the
Habsburg monarchy. In the second half of the 19th century the village became a
spa resort, especially after opening a railway line in 1878 a nearby
Wilkowice. After the
Revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire a modern
municipal division was introduced in the re-established
Austrian Silesia. The village as a municipality was subscribed to the
political and
legal district of
Bielsko. According to the censuses conducted in 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1910 the population of the municipality grew from 397 in 1880 to 548 in 1910 with a dwindling majority being native German-speakers (from 76.9% in 1880 to 51.7% in 1910) accompanied by a German-speaking minority (at most 14 or 1.9% in 1880), in terms of religion in 1910 majority were
Roman Catholics (81.1%), followed by
Protestants (14%),
Jews (25 or 4.6%) and 2 people adhering to yet another faith. It was then considered to be a part of a German
language island around
Bielsko (German:
Bielitz-Bialaer Sprachinsel).
Bystra Krakowska Cracovian village lying on the right southern bank of the Bystra stream was also established in the 16th century. It belonged then to
Żywiec latifundium and since 1618 to
Łodygowice latifundium that was split from it. The village also politically belonged to the
Crown of Poland. Upon the
First Partition of Poland in 1772 it became part of the
Austrian Kingdom of
Galicia. According to the
Austrian census of 1900 the village had 947 inhabitants, all of them were Polish-speaking Roman Catholics.
20th century After
World War I and the fall of
Austria-Hungary, Bystra Krakowska became a part of
Poland in 1918. Bystra Śląska also became a part of Poland after the
Polish–Czechoslovak War and the division of
Cieszyn Silesia in 1920. The villages were
annexed by
Nazi Germany at the beginning of
World War II. After Germany's defeat in the war, they were restored to
Poland. == People ==