Danzig (region)

The Danzig Region (Regierungsbezirk Danzig) was a government region, within the Prussian Provinces of West Prussia and of Prussia. The regional capital was Danzig (Gdańsk). Prussian government regions were not bodies of regional self-rule of the districts and cities comprised, but shear top-to-down government agencies to apply federal or state law and supervise local entities of self-rules, such as municipalities, rural and urban districts. Polish westerly Royal Prussia was annexed by the easterly Kingdom of Prussia during the late 18th century Partitions of Poland, with the city of Danzig becoming part of the Prussian Kingdom in 1793. The territory was administered in the new province of West Prussia (1772-1829, 1878-1920) and the new Province of Prussia (1829-1878). In 1815, after the Napoleonic Wars, West Prussia was divided into the Regions of Marienwerder and Danzig. While the governor and provincial authorities were based in Danzig, the provincial court was in the town of Marienwerder in West Prussia (Kwidzyn). West Prussia was reorganised into districts (Kreise) within each government region from 1815–18. The Danzig Region included the urban districts (Stadtkreise) of Danzig and Elbing (Elbląg) (since 1874), as well as the rural districts of Berent, Danzig-Land, Elbing-Land, Karthaus, Marienburg, Neustadt, and Preußisch Stargard. In 1887 a number of districts changed in the Danzig Region. The rural district of Danzig was divided into the rural districts of Danziger Höhe (Danzig Heights) and Danziger Niederung (Danzig Lowlands); the seats of each district were in the city of Danzig. Two more new districts were formed, the southern parts of the former Danzig District became part of the new Dirschau District. The northern areas of the Neustadt District were partitioned off to form the new Putzig. As a result of World War I, the Treaty of Versailles allocated most of West Prussia to the Second Polish Republic, and the Danzig Region was dissolved in 1920. The city of Danzig and its environs became the Free City of Danzig.