Wspólnota ewangelicka w Białymstoku w latach 1795–1939

Abstract

Under the treaty of 1795, Białystok went under Prussian rule. The rapidly developing Prussian administration had an impact on nearly every aspect of everyday life, from hygiene to confession. The bureaucrats and Prussian military forces arriving in Białystok made the reformation flourish again in the town. Prayer places started to be created for the Białystok Protestants, and at that time they constituted great majority. The next stage in the life of the town, as well as the Protestants, was the Treaties of Tilsit. This event, so important to the country, has also left a mark in the organization of the evangelical church. Under the aforementioned Treaty of 1807, the town went under the rule of the Russian Empire. The unfavorable treatment of industrialists from Łódź, the imposition of high tariffs on them, caused most of them to transfer their workshops to Białystok. Since then, the town has become the industrial power of the East. The manufacturers who came to these areas, most often of German origin, became a significant part of the evangelical church. Much to their credit, the town developed culturally and socially. Numerous charitable organizations began to be created, while church and educational initiatives significantly strengthened the evangelical parish.When studying the evangelical parish in Białystok, one cannot help but notice one of the most important representatives of the Białystok church – pastor Teodor Zirkwitz, whose actions often lifted the parish from the fall. However, the ultimate event for the parish was World War II. Warfare caused the parish to cease to exist at the end of 1945.