Brańsk


Brańsk is an Urban Gmina in Bielsk County, Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is located north-eastern Poland.

Etymology

The name of the town comes from the river Bronka, a nearby tributary of the Nurzec River.

Geography

Location

Brańsk is located in the geographical region of Europe known as the Wysoczyzny Podlasko – Bialoruskie and the mesoregion known as the Bielsk Plain. The Nurzec River, a tributary of the Bug River, passes through Brańsk. The town covers an area of.
It is located approximately:
The region has a continental climate characterized by high temperatures during summer and long and frosty winters. The average amount of rainfall during the year exceeds.

History

Specific historical events in Brańsk

13th century

On 23 June 1264 two armies met near Brańsk. The Battle of Brańsk lasted two days pitting the forces of Yotvingia, led by Komata against the well equipped Krakovian army led by the Duke of Krakow, Boleslaw V the Chaste.

15th century

On 18 January 1493, Brańsk received a city charter based on Magdeburg rights from the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Alexander Jagiellon. It was the first city in Podlachia to receive such a charter.

18th century

In 1795, as a result of the Third Partition of Poland, Brańsk was annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia and administered as a part of the Białystok Department.

19th century

In 1807, as a result of the Treaties of Tilsit, Brańsk was annexed to the Russian Empire and administered at first as a part of Belostok Oblast and from 1842 on as a part of Grodno Governorate.

20th century

On September 1, 1939, Germany attacked Poland and quickly overwhelmed it. Within days of the war's beginning, Brańsk suffered German bombardment. On September 17, 1939, the USSR attacked eastern Poland, and in partnership with Nazi Germany, partitioned Poland under the terms of the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of August 23. Brańsk along with all areas of Poland east of the Bug River was then occupied by the Soviet Union. All Polish and Jewish businesses of substance were confiscated by the Communist State. The Soviets remained in control of Brańsk until June 1941 when the Germans invaded their erstwhile Soviet allies. The German Army occupied the town and ordered the Jewish community to build a ghetto surrounded by barbed wire, to which the Jewish population was confined. On November 8, 1942, the Jews of Brańsk were ordered to report to the town center, forced to march to the nearby town of Bielsk, and then transported by train to Treblinka. Within weeks, the vast majority were murdered by gassing at the Treblinka extermination camp.

Demographics

Population

According to the 1921 census, the village was inhabited by 3.739 people, among whom 1.474 were Roman Catholic, 100 Orthodox, and 2.165 Mosaic. At the same time, 1.530 inhabitants declared Polish nationality, 32 Belarusian, 2.165 Jewish and 12 Russian. There were 493 residential buildings in the village.
Detailed data as of 31 December 2007:

Income

Income data from 2005:
Average per capita income: 1961.03 zł
Compared to the average per capita income:
It is the seat of Gmina Brańsk, but is not part of Gmina Brańsk.

Executive branch

The chief executive of the government is the Mayor.

Legislative branch

The legislative portion of the government is the Council composed of the President, the Vice President and thirteen councilors.

Neighbouring political subdivisions

Brańsk is bordered by Gminy Rudka and Brańsk.

Transport

Roads and highways

Brańsk is at the intersection of a National Road and a Voivodeship Road:
The major streets in Brańsk are:

Bus service

Regular bus service is provided by Państwowa Komunikacja Samochodowa via PKS Bielsk Podlaskie, and

Rail service

The closest passenger train service is provided by Polskie Koleje Państwowe SA from the following stations:
The land-use is as follows:

Places of worship

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Roman Catholic