Kreis Wirsitz
Kreis Wirsitz was one of 14 or 15 Kreise (English: counties) in the northern administrative
History
The area around the town of
On July 1, 1816 the county of Wyrzysk (German: Kreis Wirsitz) was formed. After a territorial reorganisation within the Kingdom of Prussia the borders of the Kreis Wirsitz were partly redrawn so that by January 1, 1818 the municipality of Kcynia (German: Exin) became a part of the neighbouring county of Schubin (Polish: Szubin). The town of Wyrzysk (German: Wirsitz) domiciled the county administration.
Being an administrative unit of the Kingdom of Prussia the Kreis Wirsitz joined the newly founded North German Confederation in July 1867, becoming thereby for the first time part of a German commonwealth. By way of unification of German states the North German Confederation had been enlarged by southern German states and constitutionally reinforced to become a united Germany on January 18, 1871 with Kreis Wirsitz being part of it.
The members of the
On December 27, 1918 the
Demographics
Census year | Population | German | Polish / Bilingual / Other | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1846 | 46,954 | 21,882 | 46.6% | 25,072 | 53.4% |
1849 | 47,014 | 21,705 | 46.2% | 25,309 | 53.8% |
1858 | 54,044 | 29,339 | 54.3% | 24,705 | 45.7% |
1910 | 67,219 | 34,235 | 50.9% | 32,984 | 49.1% |
Powiat Wyrzyski (1919-1939)
By the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919 Germany ceded the Kreis Wirsitz to the newly reestablished Poland. On November 25, 1919 both countries agreed upon how to hand over the territories ceded to Poland, but still held by Germany. This agreement was ratified on January 10, 1920. So official representatives of Germany (soldiers, government officials and the like) left the Kreis Wirsitz between January 17 and February 4, 1920 which was then factually taken over by Poland.
The Kreis Wirsitz officially became the powiat Wyrzyski (Polish for county of Wyrzysk). The population of ceded territories was entitled to choose to become Poles or remain Germans. Many ethnic Germans emigrated to Germany (so-called optants, who opted not to become Poles). This emigration and intra-Polish migration resulted in figures as measured in the
On April 1, 1938 the powiat Wyrzyski was ceded from the
Landkreis Wirsitz (1939-1945)
A few days after the beginning of
Powiat Wyrzyski (1945-1975)
For more about powiat Wyrzyski, which ceased to exist in 1975 cf. the Polish site Powiat_wyrzyski .
Geographical features
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Military command
Kreis Wirsitz was part of the military command in Posen (German: Bezirkskommando) at Bromberg.
Court system
The main court (German: Landgericht) was in Schneidemühl, with lower courts (German: Amtsgericht) in Wirsitz, Lobsens and Nakel.
References
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External links
Bibliography
- "Der Kreis Wirsitz : ein westpreußisches Heimatbuch", by Herbert Papstein, 1982 in German (out of print).
Family History Library call number: 943.84/W2 H2, film #1183530, item 4
- "Altansässige deutsche Bauerngeschlechter in den Kreisen Zempelburg und Wirsitz in Westpreußen", by Hans Jürgen von Wilckens, ("Old established families of the districts of Zempelburg and Wirsitz") 1971 in German (out of print).
Family History Library call number: 943.8 B4, film #1181525, item 10