Western Krai (Russian: Западный край, literally Western Land) was an unofficial name for the westernmost parts of the Russian Empire, excluding the territory of Congress Poland[1] (which was sometimes referred to as Vistula Krai). The term encompasses the lands annexed by the Russian Empire in the successive partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late 18th century – in 1772, 1793, 1795 and located east of Congress Poland.[1] This area is known in Poland as Ziemie Zabrane (Taken Lands, Stolen Lands)[2] but is most often referred to in Polish historiography and common parlance as part of Zabór Rosyjski (the Russian Partition). Together with Bessarabia and the former Crimean Khanate, the territory roughly overlapped also with the Jewish Pale of Settlement of the Russian Empire.
It has never constituted one official administrative subdivision (Krai) of Russia but was a common name for two such subdivisions: Northwestern Krai and Southwestern Krai.
Due to its national specifics, the Western Krai had some special laws and elements of government.
During the reign of Alexander I of Russia, Poles prevailed in the western provinces. After 1819, Grodno, Vilnius (rus. Vilna, pol. Wilno), Minsk, Volhynia (pol. Wołyń), Podolia (pol. Podole) governorates and the Belostok Oblast remained under the chief administrative management of the Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia. All positions of the local administration were dominated by Poles. Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth noble families (pol. szlachta) had there a wide local government and enjoyed many social, economic and military privileges, unlike noble families in so called Congress Poland.[3] This opportune situation changed dramatically as the November Uprising and later the January Uprising had broken out in 1830[4] and 1863 respectively and both failed in effort to restore an independent state which would have been a kind of successor to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.[5][6]
With the fall of the Russian Empire and the end of World War I, Western Krai territories became a scene of military and political rivalry between emerging nations of Eastern Europe, the expanding Soviet Union and the Polish state reborn as the Second Polish Republic.[7][8] The Treaty of Riga laid the end to this rivalry in 1921. Although borders were set as a compromise between political stability and national aspirations,[9] none of the sides of the treaty were satisfied. In the new political situation of Europe in the beginning of the 20th century, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth had no chance of being successfully restored. Marshal Józef Piłsudski, however, seeking to revive the cultural and political heritage of the Commonwealth, continued for some time to pursue his (ultimately unsuccessful) plan for the creation of a federation of Central and Eastern European countries, called Intermarium (Międzymorze).[citation needed]
Prizel, Ilya (1998). National identity and foreign policy: nationalism and leadership in Poland, Russia and Ukraine. Cambridge University Press. OCLC 936754517.
Rylski, Piotr; Weitz, Karol (2015). "The Impact of the Russian Civil Judicial Proceedings Act of 1864 on the Polish Civil Proceedings". Russian Law Journal. 2 (4). ISSN 2312-3605.
western, krai, russian, Западный, край, literally, western, land, unofficial, name, westernmost, parts, russian, empire, excluding, territory, congress, poland, which, sometimes, referred, vistula, krai, term, encompasses, lands, annexed, russian, empire, succ. Western Krai Russian Zapadnyj kraj literally Western Land was an unofficial name for the westernmost parts of the Russian Empire excluding the territory of Congress Poland 1 which was sometimes referred to as Vistula Krai The term encompasses the lands annexed by the Russian Empire in the successive partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late 18th century in 1772 1793 1795 and located east of Congress Poland 1 This area is known in Poland as Ziemie Zabrane Taken Lands Stolen Lands 2 but is most often referred to in Polish historiography and common parlance as part of Zabor Rosyjski the Russian Partition Together with Bessarabia and the former Crimean Khanate the territory roughly overlapped also with the Jewish Pale of Settlement of the Russian Empire Taken lands yellow Contents 1 Political geography 2 History 3 See also 4 References 4 1 SourcesPolitical geography Edit Three partitions of Poland Western Krai was made of the following lands of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth from the First Partition of Poland 1772 Inflants Latgale northern part of the Polotsk Voivodeship entire Mstsislaw Voivodeship and Vitebsk Voivodeship and south eastern part of the Minsk Voivodeship about 92 000 km from the Second Partition of Poland 1793 remaining part of the Minsk Voivodeship the entire Kiev Voivodeship Braclaw Voivodeship and Vilnius Voivodeship parts of Podole Voivodeship and eastern parts of the Wolyn Voivodeship and Brest Litovsk Voivodeship about 250 000 km from the Third Partition of Poland 1795 all the territories east of the Bug River and about 120 000 km after 1807 the Belostok Oblast It has never constituted one official administrative subdivision Krai of Russia but was a common name for two such subdivisions Northwestern Krai and Southwestern Krai The territory consisted of nine guberniyas six Belarusian and Lithuanian ones that constituted the Northwestern Krai Vilna Governorate Kovno Governorate Grodno Governorate Minsk Governorate Mogilev Governorate and Vitebsk Governorate and three Ukrainian ones that constituted the Southwestern Krai Volhynia Governorate Podolia Governorate and Kiev Governorate History EditDue to its national specifics the Western Krai had some special laws and elements of government During the reign of Alexander I of Russia Poles prevailed in the western provinces After 1819 Grodno Vilnius rus Vilna pol Wilno Minsk Volhynia pol Wolyn Podolia pol Podole governorates and the Belostok Oblast remained under the chief administrative management of the Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia All positions of the local administration were dominated by Poles Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth noble families pol szlachta had there a wide local government and enjoyed many social economic and military privileges unlike noble families in so called Congress Poland 3 This opportune situation changed dramatically as the November Uprising and later the January Uprising had broken out in 1830 4 and 1863 respectively and both failed in effort to restore an independent state which would have been a kind of successor to the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth 5 6 With the fall of the Russian Empire and the end of World War I Western Krai territories became a scene of military and political rivalry between emerging nations of Eastern Europe the expanding Soviet Union and the Polish state reborn as the Second Polish Republic 7 8 The Treaty of Riga laid the end to this rivalry in 1921 Although borders were set as a compromise between political stability and national aspirations 9 none of the sides of the treaty were satisfied In the new political situation of Europe in the beginning of the 20th century the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth had no chance of being successfully restored Marshal Jozef Pilsudski however seeking to revive the cultural and political heritage of the Commonwealth continued for some time to pursue his ultimately unsuccessful plan for the creation of a federation of Central and Eastern European countries called Intermarium Miedzymorze citation needed See also EditPale of Settlement Privislinsky Krai Western Oblast 1917 18 References Edit a b Rylski amp Weitz 2015 p 80 Prizel 1998 p 43 Tokarz 1993 pp 55 57 Davies 2006 pp 789 817 Davies 2006 pp 819 837 Chapter XVI Reveries Davies 2008 pp 879 880 Davies 2006 pp 862 869 Chapter XiX Independence Davies 2006 pp 963 967 Chapter XXI Borders Davies 2006 p 963 Chapter XXI Borders Sources Edit Davies Norman 2006 God s Playground The History of Poland 6th ed Krakow ISBN 978 83 240 0654 0 Davies Norman 2008 The Europe Krakow ISBN 978 83 240 0004 3 Prizel Ilya 1998 National identity and foreign policy nationalism and leadership in Poland Russia and Ukraine Cambridge University Press OCLC 936754517 Rylski Piotr Weitz Karol 2015 The Impact of the Russian Civil Judicial Proceedings Act of 1864 on the Polish Civil Proceedings Russian Law Journal 2 4 ISSN 2312 3605 Tokarz Waclaw 1993 Wojna polsko rosyjska 1830 i 1831 in Polish Warszawa 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