Fraustadt (district)

Fraustadt was a district (German: Landkreis) in the Prussian Province of Posen from 1887 until 1920. It was located in what is now western Poland. Its administrative center was the town of Fraustadt (present-day Wschowa).

History:

The district was formed in 1887 from parts of the earlier districts of Fraustadt, Lissa (Leszno), and Guhrau (Góra). In 1920, following World War I and the Treaty of Versailles, the majority of the district became part of the Second Polish Republic. A small portion, containing mainly German-speaking populations, remained within Germany as part of the Province of Lower Silesia. The remaining German territories were later reintegrated into Poland after World War II.

Geography:

The district was characterized by a mix of agricultural land, forests, and small towns. It lay in a relatively flat region.

Demographics:

The population of the district was mixed, with a significant Polish majority and a substantial German minority, particularly in the northern and western parts. The ethnic composition was a source of tension in the years leading up to World War I.

Important Towns:

• Fraustadt (Wschowa)
• Gostyn (Gostyń - located within the district until its reorganisation)
• Lissa (Leszno - located within the district until its reorganisation)

Succession:

Following 1920, the area largely fell within the boundaries of Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) province in Poland. Wschowa County largely corresponds with the boundaries of the former district today.