Early period and Kingdom of Poland In the first years of Polish statehood, southern Lesser Poland was inhabited by the
West Slavic tribe of
Vistulans, with two major centers in Kraków and
Wiślica. Their land, which had probably been part of
Great Moravia, and
Bohemia, was annexed by
Mieszko I of Poland some time in the late 10th century. Cosmas of Prague in his
Chronicle of Bohemians wrote: "Polish prince Mieszko, a cunning man, seized by ruse the city of Kraków, killing with sword all Czechs he found there". Northern part of Lesser Poland (Lublin and Sandomierz) was probably inhabited by another tribe, the
Lendians, and Dr Antoni Podraza, historian of the
Jagiellonian University claims that ancient division of Lesser Poland into two major parts – Land (Duchy) of Kraków, and Land (Duchy) of Sandomierz, is based on the existence of two Slavic tribes in the area. However, exact location of the Lendians has not been determined to this day. Some historians speculate that they occupied Cherven Cities, and their center was in
Przemyśl. Around the year 1000, the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kraków was created, and its borders covered whole area of Lesser Poland. During the reign of
Casimir I the Restorer, Kraków for the first time became the capital of Poland (around 1040), since Greater Poland and
Silesia, with main Polish urban centers, such as
Gniezno and
Poznań were ravaged by Duke
Bretislaus I of
Bohemia. In 1138, following the
Testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty, the country was divided between his sons (see also
Fragmentation of Poland).
Bolesław III Wrymouth created the
Seniorate Province, which, among others, consisted of Kraków. At the same time, Lesser Poland was divided into two parts, when its eastern part formed the
Duchy of Sandomierz, carved by the ruler for his son
Henry of Sandomierz. During the
fragmentation period, both lands of Lesser Poland were frequently ruled by the same prince. Among them were
Bolesław IV the Curly,
Mieszko III the Old,
Casimir II the Just,
Leszek I the White,
Bolesław V the Chaste,
Leszek II the Black,
Władysław I the Elbow-high, and
King of Bohemia,
Wenceslaus II of Bohemia, who united Lesser Poland in 1290/1291. The province was pillaged during the Mongol invasion of Poland, when a combined army of Kraków and Sandomierz was destroyed by
Baidar in the
Battle of Chmielnik. The loss was so heavy that
Norman Davies wrote: "At Chmielnik, the assembled nobility of Małopolska perished to a man." During their
1241,
1259, and
1287 invasions, the Mongols burned major cities of Lesser Poland, killing thousands of people. Furthermore, the province, especially its northeastern part, was often raided by the
Lithuanians,
Rusyns,
Yotvingians, and
Old Prussians. The city of Lublin suffered most frequently – among others, it was burnt by the Rusyns in 1244, the Lithuanians 1255, the Prussians in 1266, and the Yotvingians in 1282. Another center of the province, Sandomierz, was destroyed by the Tartars in 1260, and burnt by the Lithuanians in 1349. Castle, which guarded the western border of Lesser Poland Unlike other Polish provinces, especially
Silesia, Lesser Poland did not undergo further fragmentation, and in the early 14th century became the core of the reunited nation (together with Greater Poland). The period of nation's fragmentation came to a symbolic end on 30 January 1320, when
Władysław I the Elbow-high was crowned as
King of Poland. The ceremony took place in Kraków's
Wawel Cathedral, and the king of the reunited country decided to choose Kraków as the capital. Through 14th and 15th centuries, Lesser Poland's position as the most important province of the nation was cemented. It became visible during the reign of
Casimir III the Great, who favored less known Lesser Poland's noble families, at the expense of Greater Poland's nobility. The reign of Casimir the Great was a period of growing prosperity of Lesser Poland. With high density of population, fertile soils and rich deposits of minerals (especially salt in
Bochnia and
Wieliczka, as well as lead in
Olkusz), the province was the richest part of Poland. After the recapture of the
Cherven Cities/Red Ruthenia, Lesser Poland lost its status of the borderland, and both regions created an economic bridge between Poland and the ports of the
Black Sea. The king, who drew Jewish
settlers from across Europe to his country, built several castles along western border of Lesser Poland, with the most notable ones in
Skawina,
Pieskowa Skała,
Będzin,
Lanckorona,
Olkusz,
Lelów,
Bobolice,
Krzepice,
Ogrodzieniec,
Ojców,
Olsztyn,
Bobolice,
Mirów (see also
Eagle Nests Trail). Furthermore, he built or strengthened castles in other parts of the province, such as
Szydlow,
Chęciny,
Wiślica, Radom,
Niedzica, Opoczno,
Lublin,
Sandomierz, as well as the
Wawel Castle. Also, during his reign (1333–1370), Casimir the Great founded on
Magdeburg rights several cities,
urbanizing hitherto rural province. Among major Lesser Poland's cities founded by the King, there are: : In the
Kingdom of Poland, Lesser Poland was made of three
voivodeships –
Kraków Voivodeship,
Sandomierz Voivodeship, and
Lublin Voivodeship, created in 1474 out of eastern part of the Sandomierz Voivodeship. Borders of the province remained unchanged until 1772. The only exception was large part of contemporary
Upper Silesia (the area around
Bytom,
Toszek,
Siewierz, and
Oświęcim), which belonged to Duchy of Kraków until 1179. In that year, prince of Kraków
Casimir II the Just, handed these lands to Prince of
Opole Mieszko I Tanglefoot. The
Duchy of Siewierz, ruled since 1443 by the
Archbishop of Kraków, merged with Lesser Poland in 1790. Other Silesian realms lost in 1179, also returned to Lesser Poland –
Duchy of Zator (in 1513), and
Duchy of Oświęcim (1564). Both duchies merged into a Silesian County of the Kraków Voivodeship, and shared the fate of Lesser Poland. Apart from Jews, among other ethnic minorities of the province were the
Walddeutsche, who settled the borderland of Lesser Poland and Red Ruthenia (14th through 17th centuries). In the Middle Ages, the Germans inhabited several cities of Lesser Poland, especially Kraków and Sandomierz (see
Rebellion of wójt Albert). In the late
Middle Ages, Lesser Poland gradually became the center of Polish statehood, with Kraków being the capital of the country from the mid-11th century until 1596. Its nobility ruled Poland when
Queen Jadwiga was too young to control the state, and the
Union of Krewo with the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania was the brainchild of Lesser Poland's
szlachta. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Lesser Poland remained the most important part of the country. After the death of Casimir the Great, Lesser Poland's nobility promoted
Louis I of Hungary as the new king, later supporting his daughter
Jadwiga of Poland in exchange for
Privilege of Koszyce. Since Jadwiga, crowned on 16 October 1384, was too young to rule the country, Poland was in fact governed by the Lesser Poland's nobility, who decided to find her a husband,
Grand Duke of Lithuania,
Jogaila. Consequently, unions of Poland and Lithuania at
Krewo and
Horodło were the brainchildren of Lesser Poland's nobility, among whom the most influential individuals were
Spytek z Melsztyna, and cardinal
Zbigniew Olesnicki. Other famous Lesser Poland's families are
Lubomirski family,
Kmita family,
Tarnowski family,
Potocki family,
Sobieski family,
Koniecpolski family,
Ossolinski family,
Poniatowski family. Since Lesser Poland was the most important province of
the country, several important events took place on its territory. In 1364, Casimir the Great called the
Congress of Kraków, and in 1401, the
Union of Vilnius and Radom was signed. In 1505 in Radom, the Sejm adopted the
Nihil novi title, which forbade the King to issue laws without the consent of the nobility. In the same year, also in the same city, Polish law was codified in the
Łaski's Statute, and the
Crown Tribunal (the highest appeal court in the Crown of the Polish Kingdom) held its sessions in Lublin. In 1525, the
Treaty of Kraków was signed, ending the
Polish–Teutonic War. Lesser Poland also is home to the oldest Polish university – the
Jagiellonian University, founded in 1364 by Casimir the Great, and several outstanding figures of early Polish culture were born here, such as
Jan Kochanowski,
Mikołaj Rej,
Jan z Lublina,
Mikołaj Gomółka,
Maciej Miechowita,
Marcin Kromer,
Łukasz Górnicki, and
Mikołaj Radomski.
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth In the 16th century, Lesser Poland retained its position as the most important province of the country. As no major conflicts took place on its territory, it was the center of
Renaissance in Poland. The province was home to numerous scholars, writers and statesmen, and it was here where
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was created in 1569 (see
Union of Lublin). In the Commonwealth, Lesser Poland proper was the base of the
Lesser Poland Province, which covered southern lands of the vast country. The province was made of Lesser Poland itself, also
Podlachia,
Red Ruthenia/
Cherven Cities,
Volhynia,
Podolia, and
Ukrainian voivodeships of
Kijów (
Kyiv) and
Czernihów (
Chernihiv), which, until 1569, had been part of the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The period in Polish history known as the
Polish Golden Age was very fortunate for Lesser Poland. Kings of the
Jagiellonian dynasty, especially
Sigismund I the Old (himself born in Lesser Poland's
Kozienice), and his son
Sigismund II Augustus (born in Kraków), resided in Kraków, which was the capital of the immense Polish – Lithuanian Commonwealth. Lesser Poland's prosperity was reflected in numerous examples of
Renaissance architecture complexes, built across the province. In 1499, hitherto
Gothic Wawel Castle was damaged in a fire, and a few years later, Sigismund I, with help of the best native and foreign artists (such as Francesco the Florentine, Bartholomeo Berrecci or Niccolo Castiglione) refurbished the complex into a splendid Renaissance palace. Furthermore, in the early 16th century, several palaces were built in Lesser Poland – in
Drzewica,
Szydłowiec,
Ogrodzieniec, and
Pieskowa Skała. The province became rich mostly due to the
grain trade, conducted along the Vistula, and among cities which prospered in the 16th century, there are Kraków, Sandomierz, Lublin,
Kazimierz Dolny,
Pilzno,
Tarnów, Radom,
Biecz. In later years of the 16th century, further palaces were built or remodelled in
Baranow Sandomierski, and
Niepołomice. In the early 16th century,
Protestant Reformation spread across the Commonwealth, and Lesser Poland became one of early centers of the movement, when students from
Wittenberg brought the news to Kraków. In the first years of the century, professor of Jagiellonian University Jakub of
Iłża (Jakub z Ilzy, died 1542) became one of the main promoters of the movement in the region. He actively supported the notions of
Martin Luther, and in 1528 was called to the Bishop of Kraków's court. Convicted of heresy, he was forced to leave Poland in 1535. Reformation soon became very popular among Lesser Poland's nobility, especially
Calvinism, and according to one estimate, some 20% of local
szlachta converted from Roman Catholicism. They were attracted by Calvinism's democratic character, and Lesser Poland's center of the movement was set in the town of
Pińczów, which came to be known as
Sarmatian Athens. It was in Pińczów, where a local nobleman converted a Roman Catholic parish into a Protestant one, opened a Calvinist Academy, and published its Antitrinitarian confession in 1560 and in 1561. Several Calvinist synods took place in Lesser Poland – the first one in
Słomniki (1554), Pińczów (the first united Synod of Poland and Lithuania – 1556 1561), and Kraków (1562). In 1563, also in Pińczów, the so-called
Brest Bible was translated into Polish. In 1570, the
Sandomierz Agreement was signed by a number of Protestant groups, with the exception of the
Polish Brethren, another religious group very influential in Lesser Poland. The Brethren had their center in Lesser Poland's village of
Raków, where a main Arian printing press, as well as a college, known as Akademia Rakowska (
Gymnasium Bonarum Artium) founded in 1602 were located. Among distinguished European scholars associated with the school, there were
Johannes Crellius,
Corderius, and
Valentinus Smalcius (who translated into German the
Racovian Catechism). In 1572, the Jagiellon dynasty died out, and next year,
Henry III of France became first elected king of the country. After his short reign, and
War of the Polish Succession (1587–88), which also took place in Lesser Poland, the new ruler was
Stephen Báthory of Poland, who died in 1586. The ruler from
Transylvania was followed by
Sigismund III Vasa of Sweden, whose election marked gradual decline of the province. Sigismund's eyes were set on Sweden, and for many years he concentrated his efforts on a futile attempt to regain his former Swedish throne (see
Polish–Swedish union,
War against Sigismund). Therefore, Lesser Poland, located in southwestern corner of the Commonwealth, began to lose its importance, which was marked in 1596, when Sigismund moved his permanent residence, court and the crown headquarters to centrally located Warsaw. "Cepelia Fil Wilamowice" are a group of ethnic Poles who live in southern Lesser Poland Even though first half of the 17th century was filled with wars, all major conflicts did not reach Lesser Poland, and the province continued to prosper, which was reflected in its castles and palaces, such as the enormous
Krzyztopor. Apart from minor wars, such as
Zebrzydowski Rebellion, and
Kostka-Napierski Uprising, the province remained safe.
Cossacks of the
Khmelnytsky Uprising reached as far west as
Zamość and
Lwów, but did not enter Lesser Poland. The province did not witness other wars, such as
Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629),
Polish–Russian War (1609–1618),
Polish–Ottoman War (1620–1621), and
Smolensk War. Nevertheless, Lesser Poland's nobility took active part in these conflicts –
Marina Mniszech, the daughter of Voivode of Sandomierz,
Jerzy Mniszech, was wife of
False Dmitriy I, as well as
False Dmitriy II. Furthermore, Lesser Poland's lands, especially its northeastern part, became a base for Polish troops, fighting the Cossacks, and King
John II Casimir Vasa often stayed in Lublin with his court, preparing military campaigns in Ukraine. The situation changed with the outbreak of the
Russo-Polish War (1654–1667). In October 1655, the Russo-Cossack armies under
Ivan Vyhovsky entered
Eastern Lesser Poland, reaching the Vistula, and pillaging Lublin,
Puławy, and
Kazimierz Dolny. The invaders quickly retreated, but a few months later, Lesser Poland was
flooded by the
Swedes. Swedish invasion of Poland had catastrophic consequences for the hitherto prosperous province. The attackers, supported by their allies from
Transylvania, seized whole Lesser Poland, reaching as far south as
Nowy Targ,
Nowy Sącz, and
Żywiec. All major cities were looted and burned, and some of them, like Radom, did not recover until the 19th century. The Swedes captured and pillaged Sandomierz (where they destroyed the Royal Castle, and after the invasion, the city never recovered), Opoczno, Lublin, Kazimierz Dolny Pilzno, Szydlow, Szydłowiec, Tarnów, Kielce, Kraśnik, and Kraków. The invaders seized the capital of Lesser Poland after a
short siege, and their occupation of the province was confirmed after their victories in the
Battle of Wojnicz, and the
Battle of Golab. In those years, one of the most important and symbolic events in the history of the nation took place in Lesser Poland. It was the
Siege of Jasna Góra, which, according to some accounts, turned the course of the war. Furthermore, following the
Treaty of Radnot, Lesser Poland was invaded in January 1657 by
George II Rákóczi, whose troops caused more destruction. Foreign armies were not chased out of Lesser Poland until 1657, Kraków itself was recaptured on 18 August 1657. After these invasions, the province was ruined, with hundreds of villages, towns and cities burned. The population decreased (the urban population by nearly half), the peasantry starved, and like other parts of the Commonwealth, Lesser Poland was devastated. The period of peace lasted for about forty years, when in 1700, another major conflict, the
Great Northern War began. Lesser Poland once again became a battleground, with
Battle of Kliszów taking place there in 1702, and the
Sandomierz Confederation formed in 1704. After the conflict, Lesser Poland began a recovery, which was hampered by several other factors. Province's cities frequently burned (Lublin 1719, Nowy Targ 1784, Nowy Sącz, Dukla 1758, Wieliczka 1718, Miechów 1745, Drzewica), there also were numerous outbreaks of plagues and typhus (in 1707–1708, some 20,000 died in Kraków and its area) Lesser Poland was one of main centers of the
Bar Confederation. On 21 June 1786 in Kraków, local confederation was announced, and on the same day Voievode of Kraków, Michal Czarnocki, urged his citizens to join the movement. Soon afterwards, Kraków was captured by the Russian troops, and the center of Lesser Poland's insurgency moved to the mountainous south – areas around Dukla and Nowy Sącz. During the Confederation, several battles and skirmishes took place there. In 1770, after the Battle of Iwonicz, the Russians ransacked Biecz. The movement ended in 1772, and its decline was connected with the
Partitions of Poland. Another local center of the movement was
Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, which was defended by
Kazimierz Pulaski for almost two years (1770–1772). (
Black Pond) in the
High Tatras Partitions of Poland (1772–1918) The
Partitions of Poland began earlier in Lesser Poland than in other provinces of the country. In 1769,
Austrian Empire annexed a small territory of
Spisz, and next year, the towns of
Czorsztyn, Nowy Sącz and Nowy Targ. In 1771, the Russians and the Prussians agreed on the first partition of the country, and in early 1772, Austrian Emperor
Maria Theresa decided to join the two powers. In the first partition of the Commonwealth, the Austrians seized the territory which would later be called
Galicia, and which included southwestern corner of Lesser Poland (south of the Vistula river), with Żywiec, Tarnów, and Biecz, but without major urban centers of the province, such as Kraków, Sandomierz, Radom, Lublin, Częstochowa, and Kielce. Second Partition of Poland (1793) did not result in significant changes of boundaries in the area, as the Austrian Empire did not participate in it. However, the
Prussians moved on, and in 1793 they annexed northwestern corner of the province, together with the city of Częstochowa, and its vicinity, which became part of the newly created province of
South Prussia. Therefore, in late 1793, Lesser Poland was already divided between three countries – Austrian Empire (south of the Vistula), Kingdom of Prussia (Częstochowa and northwestern corner), and still existing Commonwealth. After the Third Partition (1795), most of Lesser Poland was annexed by Austria, with all major cities. Prussia managed to seize a small, western part of the province, with the towns of
Siewierz,
Zawiercie,
Będzin, and
Myszków, calling this land
New Silesia, while the Austrians decided to name newly acquired lands of northern Lesser Poland
West Galicia. In 1803, West Galicia was merged with
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, but retained some autonomy. Lesser Poland was one of major centers of Polish resistance against the occupiers. On 24 March 1794 in Kraków,
Tadeusz Kościuszko announced the general insurrection (see
Kościuszko Uprising), mobilising all able males of Lesser Poland. Two weeks later,
Battle of Racławice took place, ending with a Polish victory. The uprising was suppressed by combined Prusso – Russian forces, and among battles fought in Lesser Poland, there is
Battle of Szczekociny. During
Napoleonic Wars, the
Duchy of Warsaw was created by
Napoleon Bonaparte out of Polish lands which had been granted to Prussia in the Partitions. In 1809, after the
Polish–Austrian War, and the
Treaty of Schönbrunn, the Duchy was expanded, when northern Lesser Poland was added to its territory (with Kielce, Radom, and Lublin). Following the
Congress of Vienna, Duchy of Warsaw was turned into Russian-ruled
Congress Poland, and historical capital of the province, Kraków, was turned into
Free City of Kraków, which also included the towns of
Trzebinia,
Chrzanów,
Jaworzno, and
Krzeszowice. In Congress Poland, the lands of Lesser Poland were initially divided between four palatinates – Palatinate of Kraków (with capital in Kielce), Palatinate of Sandomierz (with capital in Radom), Palatinate of Lublin, and Palatinate of Podlasie (with capital in Siedlce), (see also
Administrative division of Congress Poland). Later, the palatinates were turned into
governorates. Thus, Russian part of Lesser Poland was divided into
Kielce Governorate,
Lublin Governorate,
Radom Governorate,
Siedlce Governorate, and
Piotrków Governorate (western counties, with Częstochowa and industrial area of
Zagłębie Dąbrowskie). Borders of these administrative units did not reflect historical boundaries of the province. " by Jan Lewicki (1795–1871) Most of the
November Uprising, which began in 1830, missed Lesser Poland, as major battles took place in the area around Warsaw. In early 1831, when Russian forces advanced into Congress Poland, some skirmishes took place in northern counties of the province – at Puławy, Kurow, and Kazimierz Dolny. In early 1846, a group of Polish patriots attempted a failed
uprising in the Free City of Kraków. The insurrection was quickly suppressed by the Austrian troops, and as a result, the Free City was annexed by the Austrian Empire. In the same year, Austrian part of Lesser Poland was witness to a massacre of Polish nobility by the peasantry, known as
Galician slaughter. The peasants, led by
Jakub Szela, murdered about 1000 nobles, and destroyed about 500 manors. These events took place in three counties –
Sanok,
Jasło and
Tarnów. Northern and central Lesser Poland (the part of the province which was taken by the Russian Empire) was one of the main centers of the
January Uprising (1863–1864). In the first days of the insurrection, skirmishes with the Russian Army took place in such towns, as
Łuków,
Kraśnik,
Szydłowiec,
Bodzentyn, and
Suchedniów. Since the Poles were poorly armed, the Russians did not have major problems with them, and soon afterwards, the insurrectionists decided to organize military camps. Among biggest camps in Lesser Poland, there were
Ojców (3000 soldiers), and
Wąchock, where
Marian Langiewicz gathered up to 1500 people. The uprising died out by early spring of 1864, and among counties where it continued for the longest time, was the extreme northeastern corner of Lesser Poland, around Łuków, where reverend
Stanisław Brzóska was active. Since Russian military supremacy was crushing, the Poles were forced to limit their actions to guerrilla warfare. Among the biggest battles which took place in Lesser Poland there are: Battle of
Szydłowiec (23 January 1863); Battle of
Miechów (17 February 1863); Battle of
Małogoszcz (24 February 1863); Battle of
Staszów (17 February 1863); Battle of
Pieskowa Skała (4 March 1863); two Battles of
Opatów (25 November 1863, 21 February 1864). As a result of their support of the failed insurrection, several Lesser Poland's towns lost their charters and were turned into villages. Among them were
Kraśnik,
Bodzentyn,
Opatów,
Iłża,
Małogoszcz,
Wąchock,
Busko-Zdrój, Jędrzejów,
Cmielow,
Zwoleń,
Drzewica,
Wierzbica,
Czeladź,
Kazimierz Dolny,
Wolborz,
Stopnica,
Daleszyce,
Wiślica,
Pajęczno,
Lipsko,
Pacanów,
Ożarów,
Wolbrom,
Proszowice,
Nowe Miasto Korczyn,
Włoszczowa,
Przysucha,
Opole Lubelskie. was a major center of Polish science and culture In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Lesser Poland remained one of the centers of Polish culture, especially the city of Kraków, where Jagiellonian University was one of only two Polish-language colleges of that period (the other one was
University of Lwów). Another significant center of national culture was the town of
Puławy, where in the late 18th century, a local palace owned by Czartoryski family became a museum of Polish national memorabilia and a major cultural and political centre. A number of prominent artists, both representing
Romanticism, and
Positivism was born in Lesser Poland, including
Wincenty Pol (born in Lublin),
Stefan Żeromski (born near Kielce),
Aleksander Świętochowski (born near Łuków in extreme northeast corner of Lesser Poland),
Walery Przyborowski (born near Kielce),
Piotr Michałowski,
Helena Modjeska,
Henryk Wieniawski (born in Lublin),
Leon Wyczółkowski (born near Siedlce),
Juliusz Kossak (born in
Nowy Wiśnicz),
Józef Szujski (born in Tarnów). In the early 20th century, Lesser Poland, especially its part which belonged to Austria-Hungary, was a center of a cultural movement called
Young Poland. Many artists associated with the movement were born in Lesser Poland, with the most prominent including
Władysław Orkan,
Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer,
Xawery Dunikowski,
Jacek Malczewski,
Józef Mehoffer, and
Stanisław Wyspiański. Since Austrian part of Poland enjoyed a wide autonomy, the province of Galicia, whose western part was made of Lesser Poland, became a hotbed of Polish conspirational activities. In anticipation of a future war, Galician Poles, with help of their brethren from other parts of the divided country, created several paramilitary organizations, such as
Polish Rifle Squads, and
Riflemen's Association. The capital of Lesser Poland, Kraków, was a key center of pro-independence movements, with such individuals, as
Józef Piłsudski, being actively involved in those activities. In August 1914, after the outbreak of World War I,
Pilsudski's Legions crossed the Austrian – Russian border north of Kraków, and entered
Congress Poland. However, the Pilsudski and his soldiers were disappointed to see that the inhabitants of Kielce did not welcome them with joy. The division of Lesser Poland was more visible than ever. from
Beskidy During World War I, Lesser Poland became one of main theaters of the
Eastern Front. Russian push into the territory of Austria – Hungary resulted in the
Battle of Galicia. Among other major battles which took place in Lesser Poland, there are the
Battle of the Vistula River, and the
Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive. After Russian troops
had retreated east, whole province was under control of the Austrians and the Germans, and northern Lesser Poland was part of the German-sponsored
Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918). In later stages of the conflict, the divided province once again became a center of Polish independence movement. An independent Polish government was re-proclaimed in northern Lesser Poland's city of Lublin, on 7 November 1918. Soon afterwards, it formed the basis of the new government of the country. In other parts of the province, other governments were formed –
Polish Liquidation Commission in Kraków, also the short-lived
Republic of Tarnobrzeg. The division of Lesser Poland along the Vistula river, which lasted from 1772 until 1918, is visible even today. For more than 100 years, southern Lesser Poland (
Kraków,
Tarnów,
Biala Krakowska, and
Nowy Sącz) was administered by Austria, while northern, larger part of the province (
Częstochowa,
Sosnowiec, Kielce, Radom, Lublin,
Sandomierz) was forcibly part of the
Russian Empire. Inhabitants of Austrian part of Poland enjoyed limited autonomy, with Polish language institutions, such as
Jagiellonian University. At the same time, Russian-controlled Poland was subject to
Russification. As a result of decades of this division, most inhabitants of the areas stolen by Russia are not aware of their Lesser Poland's heritage. Furthermore, current administrative boundaries of the country still reflect the defunct border between the former Russian and Austria–Hungarian Empires.
Interwar Poland (1918–1939) In 1918, when
Second Polish Republic was created, whole historical Lesser Poland became part of restored
Poland. The historical area of the province was divided between four voivodeships:
Kraków Voivodeship (whole),
Kielce Voivodeship (whole),
Lwów Voivodeship (northwestern corner), and
Lublin Voivodeship (western part). Furthermore, in the counties of central Lesser Poland, another administrative unit,
Sandomierz Voivodeship was planned, but due to the outbreak of World War II, it was never created. Boundaries between two major Lesser Poland voivodeships – Kraków, and Kielce, were the same as pre-1914 boundaries of Austria-Hungary, and Russia. Nevertheless, in the interbellum period, the notion of Lesser Poland was frequently associated only with former Austrian province of
Galicia. In late 1918, Lesser Poland emerged as one of main centers of fledgling Polish administration and independence movement. According to historian Kazimierz Banburski of Tarnów's District Museum,
Tarnów was the first Polish city which became independent, after 123 years of
oppression. On 31 October 1918, at 8 am, Tarnów's inhabitants began disarming demoralized Austrian soldiers, and after three hours, the city was completely in Polish hands. On 28 October 1918,
Polish Liquidation Committee was created in Kraków. A few days later, socialist peasants founded the
Republic of Tarnobrzeg. In the night of 6/7 November 1918, ''Polish People's Republic'' was proclaimed in Lublin, by
Ignacy Daszynski and other activists. In 1919,
the legislative election took place in Lesser Poland without major problems. , a
UNESCO World Heritage Site At that time Lesser Poland, like other provinces of the country, faced several problems. Even though major post-World War I conflicts (such as
Polish–Soviet War) did not take place there, it suffered from unemployment, overpopulation, and poverty, especially in towns and countryside. Furthermore, Polish government had to connect parts of the hitherto divided country. There was no direct rail link between Kraków, and Kielce, Radom, and Lublin, and until 1934, when line from Kraków to
Tunel was opened, all travelers had to go via
Sosnowiec – Maczki. Lack of rail communication between former Austrian and former Russian parts of Lesser Poland is visible even today. Between Kraków and
Dęblin, there are only two rail bridges along the Vistula. Residents of the province tried to improve their conditions using legal means, but when it turned out to be impossible, they took to fighting (
1923 Kraków riot,
1937 peasant strike in Poland). As if to exacerbate the desperate situation, Lesser Poland witnessed
a catastrophic flood in 1934, after which the government decided to construct dams on local rivers. Even though Lesser Poland's countryside was almost exclusively Polish, its towns and cities were inhabited by numerous
Jews, whose communities were very vibrant. In Kraków, Jews made 25% of the population, in Lublin – 31%, in Kielce – 30%, and in Radom – 32%. Apart from the Jews, and Gypsies scattered in the south, there were no other significant national minorities in interbellum Lesser Poland. Since Lesser Poland was safely located in the middle of the country, away from both German and Soviet border, in the mid-1930s Polish government initiated one of the most ambitious project of the Second Polish Republic –
Central Industrial Region, which was located almost exclusively in Lesser Poland. Even though the project was never completed, several plants were constructed, both in
Old-Polish Industrial Region, and in other counties of the province. The brand new city of Stalowa Wola was established in dense forests, around a
steel mill. In the late 1930s, Lesser Poland was quickly changing, as construction of several factories, and job opportunities caused influx of rural inhabitants to the towns. Such towns, as
Dębica,
Starachowice,
Puławy, or
Kraśnik, quickly grew, with their population rising. Earlier, in 1927, Lesser Poland's
Dęblin became a major center of Polish aviation, when
Polish Air Force Academy was opened there, and in
Mielec,
PZL Mielec was opened, which was the largest aerospace manufacturer in Poland. Central Industrial Region, however, did not affect western counties of Lesser Poland, which had already been urbanized and industrialized (
Biala Krakowska,
Żywiec,
Kraków,
Jaworzno,
Zagłębie Dąbrowskie,
Zawiercie, and
Częstochowa). The government of Poland planned further investments, such as a major East – West rail line, linking
Volhynia, and
Upper Silesia, but they never materialized. Desperate situation and lack of jobs caused thousands of inhabitants of Lesser Poland (especially from its southern part) to leave their land, mostly for the United States of America, but also Brazil, and Canada. was born in
Wadowice, Lesser Poland, in 1920 Lesser Poland remained a center of Polish culture, with Kraków's
Jagiellonian University,
AGH University of Science and Technology, and
Catholic University of Lublin, which was opened in 1918. Several important figures of interbellum political, military, and cultural life of Poland were born in Lesser Poland. Among them were
Wincenty Witos,
Władysław Sikorski,
Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski,
Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki,
Józef Haller,
Władysław Belina-Prażmowski,
Tadeusz Kutrzeba,
Feliks Koneczny,
Stefan Żeromski,
Tadeusz Peiper,
Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska,
Witold Gombrowicz,
Jan Kiepura,
Stefan Jaracz. In 1920, in Lesser Poland's town of
Wadowice,
Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II, was born.
World War II On 1 September 1939, armed forces of
Nazi Germany attacked Poland (see:
Invasion of Poland). Lesser Poland, due to its proximity to the then-border with Germany, became a battleground on the first day of the invasion. The Germans attacked the province both in its northwest (area west of Częstochowa), and in the south (
Podhale), along the border with
Slovakia, which also
participated in the invasion. Lesser Poland was defended by the following Polish armies: •
Karpaty Army, which covered southern, mountainous border of the province, •
Kraków Army, guarding western part of the province, together with adjacent Polish part of
Upper Silesia. Later in the course of war it joined the Karpaty Army, forming the
Lesser Poland Army (
Armia Małopolska), •
Łódź Army, which protected extreme northwestern corner of the province, north of Częstochowa, •
Prusy Army, which was main reserve of the Commander in Chief, and was concentrated in central and northern Lesser Poland (between Radom and Kielce), •
Lublin Army, improvised after 4 September, and concentrated in the area of Lublin and Sandomierz in north
Eastern Lesser Poland. in parade 1945 After a few days the
Battle of the Border was lost, and forces of German
Army Group South advanced deep into Lesser Poland's territory. Polish troops resisted fiercely, and among major battles in initial stages of the war, which took place in Lesser Poland, there are
Battle of Mokra,
Battle of Jordanów, and
Battle of Węgierska Górka. By 6 September, Polish forces were in general retreat and Marshal of Poland
Edward Rydz-Śmigły ordered all troops to fall back to the secondary lines of defences at the Vistula and
San Rivers. German units entered Częstochowa on 3 September (where on the next day they
murdered hundreds of civilians), Kielce on 5 September, Kraków on 6 September, and Radom on 8 September (see also
Battle of Radom). Within a week, almost whole Lesser Poland was under Nazi occupation. Northeastern part of the province, the area of Lublin, was held by the Poles until 17 September, but eventually, and after fierce battles (see
Battle of Tomaszów Lubelski), all Lesser Poland was firmly under Nazi control. First draft of
Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact stipulated that north
Eastern Lesser Poland (east of the Vistula river) was to be occupied by the Soviet Union, and forces of the
Red Army reached the area of Lublin after 20 September, but withdrew east on 28 September. On 12 October 1939, upon a decree of
Adolf Hitler,
General Government, a separate region of the
Greater German Reich was created, with
Hans Frank as its
Governor-General. Its capital was established in Kraków, and it covered most of the area of historical Lesser Poland, except for its western counties, which were directly incorporated into Nazi Germany's
Upper Silesia Province (
Będzin,
Sosnowiec,
Zawiercie,
Biała,
Żywiec,
Chrzanów,
Olkusz). In Lesser Poland, like in all provinces of the occupied country, the Nazis ruled with savage brutality, killing hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, both Polish and Jewish (see:
World War II crimes in Poland,
Occupation of Poland (1939–1945),
Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Poland,
Nazi crimes against ethnic Poles,
German AB-Aktion in Poland,
Sonderaktion Krakau). The
Auschwitz concentration camp, located at the border of Lesser Poland and Upper Silesia, was opened on 14 June 1940, and on 1 October 1941, the Germans opened
Majdanek concentration camp on the outskirts of Lublin. The third concentration camp in Lesser Poland was in
Kraków's district of Płaszów. In late 1939 and early 1940, in Lesser Poland's spa of
Zakopane, and in Kraków, several
Gestapo–NKVD Conferences took place, during which the mutual cooperation between Nazi Germany and Soviet Union was discussed. Anti-Nazi resistance was particularly strong in Lesser Poland, and it was in the extreme northwestern corner of the province (around Opoczno), that armed struggle against the occupiers began in late 1939 and early 1940 (see
Henryk Dobrzański). Structures of the
Home Army were well-developed in the region. Lesser Poland's independent areas of the Home Army were located in Kraków, Kielce-Radom, and Lublin. During
Operation Tempest in mid-1944, several Lesser Poland's towns were liberated, also
uprising in Kraków was prepared, but never realized. Apart from the Home Army, other resistance groups were strong in the province, such as pro-Communist
Armia Ludowa, peasant's
Bataliony Chłopskie, and right-wing
National Armed Forces, with its
Holy Cross Mountains Brigade. In all major Lesser Poland's cities, Jewish ghettos were opened, with the biggest ones in
Kraków, and
Lublin. At first the Nazis were planning to create a so-called "reservation" for European Jews, located around Lesser Poland's town of
Nisko (see
Nisko Plan), but they changed the plan, and decided to murder all Jews. Condemned to death, Jews in Lesser Poland took to fighting (see
Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising), but their efforts failed. As a result of
The Holocaust in Poland, once thriving and numerous Jewish population of Lesser Poland was decimated. Germany operated several
prisoner-of-war camps, including Stalag 301,
Stalag 307, Stalag 359, Stalag 367, Stalag 369, Stalag 380, Stalag XII-C, Oflag 77, and multiple
forced labour subcamps of
Stalag VIII-B/344, for Polish,
French, Belgian,
Italian, Soviet, Dutch,
Senegalese and other
Allied POWs in the region. In the summer of 1944, after
Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive, Red Army pushed the Wehrmacht from
Eastern Lesser Poland. The city of Lublin was captured by the Soviets on 22 July 1944, Stalowa Wola – on 1 August, and Sandomierz, on the left bank of the Vistula – on 18 August. The front line stabilized along the Vistula for about six months (with some bridgeheads on the western bank on the Vistula – see
Battle of Studzianki), and in early 1945, Soviet
Vistula–Oder Offensive began, which pushed Germans to the gates of Berlin. The Soviets entered Kielce on 15 January, Częstochowa – on 17 January, and Kraków on 19 January. On 27 January, the Red Army entered Sosnowiec. In took the Soviets much longer to clear the areas in the mountains – they did not enter Żywiec until 5 April 1945.
Post-World War II Together with the Red Army,
NKVD and Soviet authorities followed, whose purpose was to make Poland a Communist country, with a puppet government, formed as
Polish Committee of National Liberation. Since 1 August 1944, the provisional government was officially headquartered in Lesser Poland's Lublin. Thousands of people took to the forests, to continue their fight for free Poland (see
Anti-communist resistance in Poland (1944–46)). Lesser Poland again was one of the main centers of the resistance. Several skirmishes took place in the province, including
Battle of Kuryłówka. The Communists did not hesitate to kill those rebels they captured (
Public execution in Dębica (1946)), and by 1947, the resistance movement was crushed. The last Polish
cursed soldier,
Józef Franczak, was killed in 1963 near
Świdnik in north
Eastern Lesser Poland. Also, all victims of the
1951 Mokotów Prison execution were members of Lesser Poland's branch of
Freedom and Independence. Another well-known anti-Communist fighter from Lesser Poland is
Józef Kuraś, who was active in the southern region of
Podhale. In early 1945, the lands of Lesser Poland were divided between three voivodeships – those of Kraków, Lublin, and Kielce. Since summer 1945, several counties were transferred to neighboring voivodeships –
Eastern Lesser Poland (Dębica, Jasło, Mielec) became part of
Rzeszów Voivodeship, while western counties of Będzin and Zawiercie were transferred to
Katowice Voivodeship. In 1950, the city of Częstochowa became part of Katowice Voivodeship, and next year, the city of
Bielsko-Biała was created out of Lesser Poland's Biala Krakowska, and Upper Silesia's Bielsko. The new city became part of Katowice Voivodeship. Lesser Poland was further divided in 1975, when territorial reform was carried out (see
Voivodeships of Poland (1975–1988)). Counties were abolished, and several small voivodeships were created, in such Lesser Poland's towns and cities, as Tarnobrzeg, Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Bielsko-Biała, Radom, Częstochowa, and Siedlce. The government of Communist Poland invested in heavy industry, following the pre-1939 idea of Central Industrial Area. In Kraków, a new district of
Nowa Huta was constructed in the 1950s. In Częstochowa and Zawiercie, the steelworks were significantly expanded, and in early 1970, the government initiated construction of Katowice Steelworks, which, despite its name, is located in Lesser Poland's
Dąbrowa Górnicza. To connect Katowice Steelworks with Soviet plants, in late 1970s
Broad Gauge Metallurgy Line was opened, which crossed Lesser Poland from west to east. Among other major factories, opened in Lesser Poland during Communist rule, there are: •
FSC Lublin, opened in 1951, •
FSC Star in
Starachowice, opened in 1948, and based on earlier factory, •
PZL-Świdnik, opened in 1951, • Zaklady Azotowe
Puławy, opened in 1965, •
Połaniec Power Station, opened in 1979, • Skawina Power Station, opened in 1957, • Nowiny Cement Plant, opened in 1960, •
Kozienice Power Station, opened in 1973. in Lesser Poland's
Starachowice Other Lesser Poland's major plants were significantly expanded after 1945, including
Żywiec Brewery,
Okocim Brewery,
Fablok,
Łucznik Arms Factory,
FŁT-Kraśnik,
Jaworzno Power Station, Siersza Power Plant,
Huta Stalowa Wola,
Janina Coal Mine,
Sobieski Coal Mine,
Zakłady Azotowe Tarnów-Mościce. Furthermore, in early 1950s significant
sulfur resources were discovered in Tarnobrzeg, as a result of which Siarkopol company was founded, and the city of Tarnobrzeg quickly grew. In 1975, coal was discovered northeast of Lublin, and soon afterwards,
Bogdanka Coal Mine and
Piaski Coal Mine were opened. Between 1971 and 1977,
Central Trunk Line was opened, which goes along western boundary of the province, and which connects Kraków and Katowice, with Warsaw. In the early 1980s, construction of a highway between Kraków and Katowice began. The 61-kilometer road is now run by Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska, and is part of
A4 highway. Residents of Lesser Poland frequently protested against Communist government. Major centers of anti-Communist resistance were in Kraków, Nowa Huta, Radom, and Lublin. Among major protests that took place in the province were
1968 Polish political crisis (with Kraków as one of major centers of protests),
June 1976 protests (in Radom),
Lublin 1980 strikes,
31 August 1982 demonstrations in Poland (in several locations),
1988 Polish strikes (with Stalowa Wola as one of major centers). Several anti-Nazi, and anti-Communist leaders hailed from Lesser Poland:
Jan Piwnik,
Emil August Fieldorf,
Leopold Okulicki,
Ryszard Siwiec,
Stanisław Pyjas,
Hieronim Dekutowski,
Andrzej Gwiazda,
Andrzej Czuma. A number of key personalities of Communist government were born in Lesser Poland, including
Józef Cyrankiewicz,
Bolesław Bierut,
Edward Gierek,
Wojciech Jaruzelski,
Czesław Kiszczak,
Stanisław Kania,
Hilary Minc,
Edward Ochab,
Michał Rola-Żymierski,
Józef Oleksy. Among prominent personalities of Polish cultural life of the 20th century, who were born in Lesser Poland, there are:
Xawery Dunikowski,
Witold Gombrowicz,
Gustaw Herling-Grudziński,
Sławomir Mrożek,
Tadeusz Kantor,
Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz,
Marek Kondrat,
Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska,
Krzysztof Penderecki,
Zbigniew Preisner,
Leon Schiller,
Jerzy Stuhr,
Jan Sztaudynger,
Grzegorz Turnau,
Jerzy Turowicz.
Local Government Reorganization Act (1998) is the capital of Lesser Poland , the second-largest city of Lesser Poland , the third-largest city of Lesser Poland , the sixth-largest city of Lesser Poland , the seventh-largest city of Lesser Poland , the ninth-largest city of Lesser Poland In 1998, the government of Poland carried out administrative reform of the country. For the first time in history,
Lesser Poland Voivodeship was created, with its capital in Kraków, and an area of 15,108 square kilometers. The new province covers only a small, southwestern part of historical Lesser Poland. Today, Lesser Poland is divided between several voivodeships: whole Lesser Poland Voivodeship, whole
Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, western half of
Lublin Voivodeship, western part of
Subcarpathian Voivodeship, eastern half of
Silesian Voivodeship, southern part of
Mazovian Voivodeship and southeastern corner of
Łódź Voivodeship (around
Opoczno). There were suggestions that Lesser Poland Voivodeship should stretch from
Bielsko-Biała to
Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and
Sandomierz. Furthermore, creation of an
Old Poland Voivodeship was proposed, on the historical lands of northern Lesser Poland. Also, since about half of territory of current Silesian Voivodeship belongs to historical Lesser Poland, there are suggestions to rename it into
Silesian – Lesser Poland Voivodeship. == Major cities and towns (by size) ==