Gromada

A gromada (plural: gromady) was a basic unit of rural local government in Poland, primarily used during the periods of the Polish People's Republic (1954-1972) and, with some modifications, during the interwar period (1919-1939). It represented a level of administrative division below the gmina (commune) but above the sołectwo (village).

The gromada was typically composed of several villages or parts of larger villages. It was governed by a People's Council of the Gromada (Gromadzka Rada Narodowa, GRN), which was the local legislative body. The GRN was responsible for managing local affairs such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, and cultural activities within the gromada. The executive branch was led by a chairman (Przewodniczący Prezydium GRN).

The creation of gromady in 1954 was a significant reform that replaced the smaller gmina as the primary rural administrative unit. This reform aimed to streamline local governance and improve the efficiency of public services in rural areas. The system remained in place until the major administrative reform of 1973, which abolished the gromada and reintroduced the gmina as the fundamental unit of local government in Poland. The gmina structure persists to the present day.