View source for Marienwerder (region)

{{Short description|Governmental district of Prussia from 1815 to 1945}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}

[[file:Prusy Zachodnie de.svg|thumb|right|300px|Administrative regions of [[West Prussia]]:
{{legend|#FFAAAA|[[Danzig (region)|Regierungsbezirk Danzig]]}}
{{legend|#AACCFF|Regierungsbezirk Marienwerder}}]]

The '''Marienwerder Region''' ({{Langx|de|Regierungsbezirk Marienwerder}}) was a government region (''[[Regierungsbezirk]]'') of [[Prussia]] from 1815 until 1920 and again 1939-1945. It was a part of the Province of West Prussia from 1815 to 1829, and again 1878–1920, belonging to the [[Province of Prussia]] in the intervening years, and to the [[Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia]] in the years 1939-1945. The regional capital was Marienwerder in [[West Prussia]] (now [[Kwidzyn]]).

==History==
Most of [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|Polish]] [[Royal Prussia]] was annexed by King [[Frederick II of Prussia|Frederick the Great]] of Prussia in the 1772 [[First Partition of Poland]]. The town of Marienwerder, previously in [[Duchy of Prussia|Ducal Prussia]], became an administrative capital of the newly acquired territory, which became the Province of West Prussia on 31 January 1773.

West Prussia was divided into the regions of [[Danzig (region)|Danzig]] and Marienwerder in 1815, following the [[Napoleonic Wars]]. While the governor and provincial authorities were based in [[Gdańsk|Danzig (Gdańsk)]], the {{ill|Marienwerder Supreme Regional Court|lt=provincial supreme court of Marienwerder|de|Oberlandesgericht Marienwerder}} (1772-1943) was in the homonymous town.

From 1815 to 1818, West Prussia was reorganised into ''[[Districts of Prussia|districts]]'' (or Kreise), within each government region. The Marienwerder Region included the rural districts (''Kreise'') of {{ill|Culm (district)|lt=Culm|de|Kreis Kulm}} (1818-1920), {{ill|Briesen (district)|lt=Briesen|de|Kreis Briesen}} (1887-1920), {{ill|Deutsch-Krone (district)|lt=Deutsch-Krone|de|Landkreis Deutsch-Krone}} (1772-1945), [[Flatow (district)|Flatow]] (1818-1945), {{ill|Graudenz (district)|lt=Graudenz-Land|de|Kreis Graudenz}} (1818-1920), {{ill|Konitz (district)|lt=Konitz|de|Kreis Konitz}} (1772-1920), {{ill|Löbau in West Prussia (district)|lt=Löbau in West Prussia|de|Kreis Löbau (Westpreußen)}} (1818-1920), [[Marienwerder (district)|Marienwerder]] (1752-1945), {{ill|Rosenberg in West Prussia (district)|lt=Rosenberg in West Prussia|de|Kreis Rosenberg in Westpreußen}} (1818-1945), [[Schlochau (district)|Schlochau]] (1818-1945), {{ill|Schwetz (district)|lt=Schwetz|de|Kreis Schwetz}} (1818-1920), {{ill|Strasburg in West Prussia (district)|lt=Strasburg in West Prussia|de|Kreis Strasburg in Westpreußen}} (1818-1920), {{ill|Stuhm (district)|lt=Stuhm|de|Kreis Stuhm}} (1818-1945), {{ill|Thorn (district)|lt=Thorn-Land|de|Landkreis Thorn}} (1818-1920), and {{ill|Tuchel (district)|lt=Tuchel|de|Kreis Tuchel}} (1875-1920).

Up until 1920, the Marienwerder Region comprised the urban districts (''Stadtkreise'') of [[Grudziądz|Graudenz (Grudziądz)]] and [[Toruń|Thorn (Toruń)]], both established on 1 January 1900.

The Marienwerder Region was placed under an [[Military Inter-Allied Commission of Control|inter-Allied commission]] from 1920 to 1922 and was eventually divided, with the western districts included within the newly established [[Second Polish Republic|Polish Republic]] as part of the so-called [[Polish Corridor]]. The eastern part of Marienwerder that [[1920 East Prussian plebiscite|voted to be incorporated]] within the [[Weimar Republic]] was named the '''[[West Prussia (region)|Region of West Prussia]]''' ({{lang|de|Regierungsbezirk Westpreußen}}) while it was joined to the [[Province of East Prussia]] from 1922 to 1939, after which the original Marienwerder Region was restored until its dissolution in 1945.

== Demographics ==
Regierungsbezirk Marienwerder had a majority [[Germans|German]] population, with a large [[Polish people|Polish]] minority.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Belzyt|first=Leszek|url=https://opacplus.bsb-muenchen.de/search?isbn|title=Sprachliche Minderheiten im preußischen Staat: 1815-1914. Die preußische Sprachenstatistik in Bearbeitung und Kommentar|date=1998|publisher=Herder-Inst.|isbn=978-3-87969-267-5|location=Marburg}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Ethnolinguistic Structure of Regierungsbezirk Marienwerder (1910)<ref name=":0" />
!District (Kreis)
!Polish name
!Population
!German
!%
!Polish / Kashubian / Bilingual
!%
|-
|Briesen
|[[Wąbrzeźno County|Wąbrzeźno]]
|49,506
|24,007
|48.5%
|25,487
|51.5%
|-
|[[Kreis Kulm|Culm]]
|[[Chełmno County|Chełmno]]
|50,069
|23,345
|46.6%
|26,709
|53.3%
|-
|Deutsch Krone
|[[Wałcz County|Wałcz]]
|62,182
|61,143
|98.3%
|1,022
|1.6%
|-
|[[Flatow (district)|Flatow]]
|[[Złotów County|Złotów]]
|69,186
|50,648
|73.2%
|18,531
|26.8%
|-
|Landkreis Graudenz
|[[Grudziądz County|Grudziądz]]
|48,818
|28,755
|58.9%
|20,046
|41.1%
|-
|Stadtkreis Graudenz
|[[Grudziądz]]
|40,325
|34,193
|84.8%
|6,076
|15.1%
|-
|Konitz
|[[Chojnice County|Chojnice]]
|63,723
|28,032
|44.0%
|35,670
|56.0%
|-
|[[Kreis Löbau (West Prussia)|Löbau]]
|[[Lubawa County|Lubawa]]
|59,037
|12,119
|20.5%
|46,911
|79.5%
|-
|[[Marienwerder (district)|Marienwerder]]
|[[Kwidzyn County|Kwidzyn]]
|68,426
|42,465
|62.1%
|25,944
|37.9%
|-
|[[Kreis Rosenberg in Westpreußen|Rosenberg]]
|[[Susz]]
|54,550
|50,194
|92.0%
|4,321
|7.9%
|-
|[[Schlochau (district)|Schlochau]]
|[[Człuchów County|Człuchów]]
|67,157
|56,648
|84.4%
|10,488
|15.6%
|-
|Schwetz
|[[Świecie County|Świecie]]
|89,712
|42,233
|47.1%
|47,465
|52.9%
|-
|Strasburg
|[[Brodnica County|Brodnica]]
|62,142
|21,097
|33.9%
|41,026
|66.0%
|-
|[[Kreis Stuhm|Stuhm]]
|[[Sztum County|Sztum]]
|36,527
|20,923
|57.3%
|15,583
|42.7%
|-
|Landkreis Thorn
|[[Toruń County|Toruń]]
|59,317
|27,751
|46.8%
|31,493
|53.1%
|-
|Stadtkreis Thorn
|[[Toruń]]
|46,227
|30,505
|66.0%
|15,576
|33.7%
|-
|Tuchel
|[[Tuchola County|Tuchola]]
|33,951
|11,265
|33.2%
|22,656
|66.7%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''-'''
|'''960,855'''
|'''565,323'''
|'''58.8%'''
|'''395,004'''
|'''41.1%'''
|}

==Districts 1818 to 1920==
===Urban districts===
#[[Toruń|Thorn]] (1900-1920; 1939-1945), disentangled from Thorn District 
#[[Grudziądz|Graudenz]] (1900-1920; 1939-1945), disentangled from Graudenz District

===Rural districts===
#{{ill|Culm (district)|lt=Culm|de|Kreis Kulm}} (1818-1920; 1939-1945), based in [[Chełmno|Culm]] upon Vistula<ref>The city of Culm is known as Chełmno between 1466-1772, and since 1920.</ref> 
#{{ill|Briesen (district)|lt=Briesen|de|Kreis Briesen}} (1887-1920; 1939-1945), based in [[Wąbrzeźno|Briesen in West Prussia]]
#{{ill|Deutsch-Krone (district)|lt=Deutsch-Krone|de|Kreis Deutsch-Krone}} (1772-1945), based in [[Wałcz|Deutsch-Krone]]<ref>The city of Deutsch-Krone is known as Wałcz between 1466-1772 and since 1945.</ref>
#[[Flatow (district)|Flatow]] (1818-1945), based in [[Złotów|Flatow]]<ref>The city of Flatow is known as Złotów between 1370-1722 and since 1945, most of the original district area was part of Poland since 1920, and the rest remaining with Germany became Polish in 1945.</ref>
#{{ill|Graudenz (district)|lt=Graudenz[-Land <small>(as of 1900)</small>]|de|Kreis Graudenz}} (1818-1920), based in [[Grudziądz|Graudenz]]<ref>The city of Graudenz is known as Grudziądz between 1466-1772 and since 1920.</ref>
#{{ill|Konitz (district)|lt=Konitz|de|Kreis Konitz}} (1772-1920; 1939-1945), based in [[Chojnice|Konitz]]<ref>The city of Konitz is known as Chojnice between 1370-1722 and since 1920</ref>
#[[Kreis Löbau (West Prussia)|Löbau]] (1818-1920; 1939-1945), based in Löbau in West Prussia<ref>The city of Löbau in West Prussia is known as Lubawa between 1466-1772, 1807–1815, and since 1920.</ref> 
#[[Marienwerder (district)|Marienwerder]] (1752-1945), based in Marienwerder in West Prussia<ref>The city of Marienwerder in West Prussia is known as [[Kwidzyn]] today.</ref>
#[[Kreis Rosenberg in Westpreußen|Rosenberg]] (1818-1945), based in Rosenberg in West Prussia<ref>The city of Rosenberg in West Prussia is known as [[Susz]] today.</ref> 
#[[Schlochau (district)|Schlochau]] (1818-1945), based in [[Człuchów|Schlochau]]<ref>The city of Schlochau is known as Człuchów between 1466-1772 and since 1945.</ref> 
#{{ill|Schwetz (district)|lt=Schwetz|de|Kreis Schwetz}} (1818-1920), based in [[Świecie|Schwetz]]<ref>The city of Schwetz is known as Świecie between 1466-1772 and since 1920.</ref>
#{{ill|Strasburg in West Prussia (district)|lt=Strasburg in West Prussia|de|Kreis Strasburg in Westpreußen}} (1818-1920; 1939-1945), based in Strasburg in West Prussia<ref>The city of Strasburg in West Prussia is known as Brodnica before 1772 and since 1920.</ref>
#[[Kreis Stuhm|Stuhm]] (1818-1945), based in [[Sztum|Stuhm]]<ref>The city of Stuhm is known as [[Sztum]] between 1466-1772 and since 1945.</ref>
#{{ill|Thorn (district)|lt=Thorn[-Land <small>(as of 1900)</small>]|de|Landkreis Thorn}} (1818-1920; 1939-1945), based in [[Toruń|Thorn]]<ref>The city of Thorn is known as Toruń today.</ref>
#{{ill|Tuchel (district)|lt=Tuchel|de|Kreis Tuchel}} (1875-1920; 1939-1945), based in [[Tuchola|Tuchel]]

==Regional presidents==
Each of the nineteen ''Regierungsbezirke'' featured a non-[[legislative]] [[governing body]] called a ''Regierungspräsidium'' or ''Bezirksregierung'' (regional government) headed by a ''Regierungspräsident'' (regional president), concerned mostly with applying [[States of Germany|state]] law to administrative decisions on municipalities within their jurisdiction and their umbrella organisations (the [[districts of Germany|districts]]).<ref>[http://www.hanse-passage.net/hansepassage/hpcms/uploads/_presentation%2520analysis.ppt Regional Governments in France, Germany, Poland and The Netherlands (HTML version of PowerPoint presentation)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127133344/https://www.hanse-passage.net/hansepassage/hpcms/uploads/_presentation%20analysis.ppt |date=27 November 2024 }} – Cachet, A (coordinator), [[Erasmus University]], [[Rotterdam]]{{dead link|date=September 2011}}</ref>
* 1814–1823 : [[Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel the Younger]] <small>(1775–1843)</small>
* 1823–1825 : [[Johann Carl Rothe]] <small>(1771–1853)</small>
* 1825–1830 : [[Eduard von Flottwell]] <small>(1786–1865)</small>
* 1830–1850 : {{ill|Jakob von Nordenflycht|de}} <small>(1785–1854)</small>
* 1850–1875 : [[Botho Heinrich zu Eulenburg]] <small>(1804–1879)</small>
* 1875–1881 : {{ill|Adalbert von Flottwell|fr}} <small>(1829–1909)</small>
* 1881–1891 : {{ill|Christian Julius von Massenbach|de}} <small>(1832–1904)</small>
* 1891–1901 : {{ill|Karl Heinrich Ludwig von Horn|de|Karl von Horn (Marienwerder)}} <small>(1833–1911)</small>
* 1901–1905 : {{ill|Ernst Ludwig von Jagow|pl}} <small>(1853–1930)</small>
* 1905–1920 : {{ill|Karl Schilling (regional president)|lt=Karl Schilling|de|Karl Schilling (Regierungspräsident)}} <small>(1858–1931)</small>
* 1939–1945 : {{ill|Otto von Keudell|de|Otto von Keudell (Beamter)}}

== Literature ==
* {{in lang|de}} Michael Rademacher: ''[http://www.verwaltungsgeschichte.de/p_westpreussen.html Deutsche Verwaltungsgeschichte Preußen, Provinz Westpreußen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720065055/http://www.verwaltungsgeschichte.de/p_westpreussen.html |date=20 July 2017 }}'' (2006)
* {{in lang|de}}  E. Jacobson: ''Topographisch-statistisches Handbuch für den Regierungsbezirk Marienwerder'', Danzig 1868 ([https://books.google.com/books?id=cQMrAQAAMAAJ Online, Google]).

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Coord missing|Germany}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marienwerder (region)}}
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1945]]
[[Category:West Prussia]]
[[Category:Government regions of Prussia]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1815]]
[[Category:1815 establishments in Prussia]]
[[Category:1920 disestablishments in Germany]]
[[Category:1939 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:1945 disestablishments in Germany]]