Bielsko-Biała (pronounce: Bielsko-Biala.ogg) is a city in southern Poland with 180,307 inhabitants (1999).

Situated in the Silesian Voivodship (since 1999), previously capital of Bielsko-Biala Voivodship (1975-1998).

Education

• Akademia Techniczno-Humanistyczna
• Bielska Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu i Informatyki im. J. Tyszkiewicza
• Wyższa Szkoła Administracji
• Wyższa Szkoła Bankowości i Finansów
• Wyższa Szkoła Informatyki i Zarządzania
• Wyższa Szkoła Ekonomiczno-Humanistyczna

Politics

Bielsko-Biała constituency

Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Bielsko-Biała constituency

• Falfus Jacek, PiS
• Kobielusz Antoni, SLD-UP
• Płonka Edward, PO
• Smolana Piotr, Samoobrona
• Sztwiertnia Jan, SLD-UP
• Szwarc Jan, SLD-UP
• Tomczykiewicz Tomasz, PO
• Zadora Stanisław, LPR
• Zarzycki Kazimierz, SLD-UP

Famous people from Bielsko-Biała

• Zbigniew Preisner

Sports

• Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała - men's football team (2nd league 2004/2005).
• BBTS Siatkarz Original Bielsko-Biała - men's volleyball team playing in Polish Volleyball League (Polska Liga Siatkówki, PLS: Seria A in 2003/2004, Seria B in 2004/2005 season).
• BKS Stal Bielsko-Biała - women's volleyball team:Polish Champion 2004, playing in Polish Seria A Women's Volleyball League.

History

The city was unified from Bielsko and Biała on January 1 1951. Bielsko belonged to the Duchy of Cieszyn and was founded in 1312. From 1457 the Biała river was the border between Silesia and Little Poland. The first belonged to Austria, the second to Poland, when in 1723 on the opposite bank of the river the city of Biała was located. In 1772 Biała was annexed by Austria and included in the crownland of Galicia. In 1918 both cities came to Poland.