Podolia

The region of Podolia (Ukrainian: Podillya, Polish: Podole) lies in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine that correspond to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast.

Western Podolia

The Austrian Habsburgs took control of Western Podolia in 1772 in the first partition of Poland by the Russian, Prussian and Austrian Empires. Poland disappeared as a state in a third partition in 1795 but the Polish gentry continued to maintain local control in both Eastern and Western Podolia over a peasant population which was primarily ethnically Ukrainian. Western Podolia became part of the autonomous Polish-administered province of Galicia within Austria-Hungary in 1868.

Related Topics:
Galicia - Austria-Hungary - 1868

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In November 1918 Western Podolia was included in the Western Ukrainian People's Republic, but came under Polish control in 1919 and confirmed in the Poland–Ukrainian People's Republic agreement in April 1920. Podolia was briefly occupied in 1920 by Soviets during the course of the Polish-Soviet War. After the Peace of Riga the Polish control was recognized by the USSR.

Related Topics:
1918 - Western Ukrainian People's Republic - Polish - 1919 - Ukrainian People's Republic - 1920 - Soviets - Polish-Soviet War - Peace of Riga

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In Poland, Podolia was part of the Tarnopol Voivodship. According to official data the population consisted of 50% Poles, 33% Ukrainians, and 17% Jews.

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In 1939 after the signing of the Nazi-Soviet Pact and the Soviet aggression of September 17th 1939, the area became part of Soviet Ukraine. Many local inhabitants were deported to concentration camps. Podolia was occupied by Nazi Germany from 1941-1944; in 1945 the area fell far to the east of the Curzon line and was incorporated into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Poles and Jews fled, or were expelled to the People's Republic of Poland.

Related Topics:
Nazi-Soviet Pact - September 17th - 1939 - Soviet Ukraine - Concentration camps - Nazi Germany - 1941 - 1944 - 1945 - Curzon line - People's Republic of Poland

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