The Vitebsk region has six districts, the territories of which were accepted into the republic in accordance with the Declaration on the entry of Western Belarus into the BSSR of December 29, 1939.

Published: September 13, 2023

After the reunification of the eastern and western lands of Belarus in a single republic, administrative-territorial reform and state reorganization were carried out in the western regions of the BSSR.

The formation of local authorities in the western regions of Belarus, which began in January 1940, was completed only at the end of 1940.

But the administrative-territorial reform was basically completed at the beginning of 1940, when on January 15, 1940, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the BSSR issued a Decree“On the formation of districts in Baranovichi, Bialystok, Brest, Vileika and Pinsk regions. Byelorussian SSR. 109 districts were created. The territory of ten of them is now part of the Vitebsk region.

And initially the newly formed Braslav, Vidzovsky, Gluboksky, Disnensky, Dokshitsky, Dunilovichsky, Miory, Plissky, Postavsky, Sharkovshchinsky districts were included in the Vileika region. On September 20, 1944, the region was renamed Molodechno. From September 20, 1944 to January 8, 1954, Braslav, Vidzovsky, Gluboksky, Disnensky, Dokshitsky, Dunilovichsky, Miory, Plissky, Sharkovshchinsky districts were temporarily part of the Polotsk region.

On October 3, 1959, the Disnensky district was liquidated, its territory was divided between the Miory and Plissky districts.

On January 20, 1960, after the liquidation of the Molodechno region, the districts were included in the Vitebsk region. During the transfer, Vidzovsky (the territory became part of Braslavsky) and Dunilovichsky (the territory became part of Glubokoye) districts were liquidated. On December 25, 1962, the Plisa district also disappeared, and its territory was divided between the Glubokoe and Miory districts.

Currently, the Vitebsk region has six districts, the territory of which from 1921 to 1939. was temporarily part of Poland: Braslavsky, Gluboksky, Dokshitsky, Miory, Postavsky, Sharkovshchinsky.

On the eve of September 17 – National Unity Day, the State Archive of the Vitebsk Region is publishing documents on the creation of Soviet authorities in the western regions of the BSSR.

1. Resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B on the organization of city committees of the CP(b)B in cities, district committees of the CP(b)B and district executive committees in the newly created regions of Baranovichi, Bialystok, Brest, Vileika and Pinsk regions of the Byelorussian SSR dated January 10, 1940. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 41.

2. Extract from Appendix 1 to the resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B of January 10, 1940 on the creation of district committees of the CP(b)B in the Vileika region. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 46 – 47 vol.

3. Extract from Appendix 1 to the resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B of January 10, 1940 on the creation of district committees of the CP(b)B in the Vileika region. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 46 – 47 vol.

4. Extract from Appendix 1 to the resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B of January 10, 1940 on the creation of district committees of the CP(b)B in the Vileika region. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 46 – 47 vol.

5. Extract from Appendix 1 to the resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B of January 10, 1940 on the creation of district committees of the CP(b)B in the Vileika region. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 46 – 47 vol.

6. Extract from Appendix 1 to the resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B dated January 10, 1940 on the creation of district executive committees in the Vileika region. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 55 – 56 vol.

7. Extract from Appendix 1 to the resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B dated January 10, 1940 on the creation of district executive committees in the Vileika region. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 55 – 56 vol.

8. Extract from Appendix 1 to the resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B dated January 10, 1940 on the creation of district executive committees in the Vileika region. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 55 – 56 vol.

9. Extract from Appendix 1 to the resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B dated January 10, 1940 on the creation of district executive committees in the Vileika region. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 55 – 56 vol.

10. Resolution of the Central Committee of the CP(b)B on the organization of village councils in the regions of the Western regions of the Belarusian SSR dated January 29, 1940. State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. F.7045-p. Op.1a. D 2. L. 64