Ethnic Composition
Most of the area was inhabited by Poles, Germans, and Kashubians. The census of 1910 showed that there were 528,000 Poles (including West Slavic Kashubians) compared to 385,000 Germans in the region. The census included German soldiers stationed in the area as well as public officials sent to administer the area. Since 1886, a Settlement Commission was set up by Prussia to enforce German settlement while at the same time Poles, Jews and Germans migrated west during the Ostflucht. In 1921 the proportion of Germans in Pomerania (where the Corridor was located) was 18.8% (175,771). Over the next decade, the German population decreased by another 70,000 to a share of 9.6%. There was also a Jewish minority. in 1905, Kashubians numbered about 72,500. After the occupation by Nazi Germany, a census was made by the German authorities in December 1939. 71% of people declared themselves as Poles, 188,000 people declared Kashubian as their language, 100,000 of those declared themselves Polish.
| Total population | of which German | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Działdowo (Soldau) | 23,290 | 8,187 | 34.5 % |
| Lubawa (Löbau) | 59,765 | 4,478 | 7.6% |
| Brodnica (Strasburg) | 61,180 | 9,599 | 15.7% |
| Wąbrzeźno (Briesen) | 47,100 | 14,678 | 31.1% |
| Toruń (Thorn) | 79,247 | 16,175 | 20.4% |
| Chełmno (Kulm) | 46,823 | 12,872 | 27.5% |
| Świecie (Schwetz) | 83,138 | 20,178 | 24.3% |
| Grudziądz (Graudenz) | 77,031 | 21,401 | 27.8% |
| Tczew (Dirschau) | 62,905 | 7,854 | 12.5% |
| Wejherowo (Neustadt) | 71,692 | 7,857 | 11.0% |
| Kartuzy (Karthaus) | 64,631 | 5,037 | 7.8% |
| Kościerzyna (Berent) | 49,935 | 9,290 | 18.6% |
| Starogard Gdański (Preußisch Stargard) | 62,400 | 5,946 | 9.5% |
| Chojnice (Konitz) | 71,018 | 13,129 | 18.5% |
| Tuchola (Tuchel) | 34,445 | 5,660 | 16.4% |
| Sępólno Krajeńskie (Zempelburg) | 27,876 | 13,430 | 48.2% |
| Total | 935,643 |
175,771 |
18.8% |
Read more about this topic: Polish Corridor
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