Brzesko County

Gmina Brzesko is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Brzesko County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. Its seat is the town of Brzesko, which lies approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków. The gmina covers an area of 102.57 square kilometres (39.6 sq mi), and as of 2006 its total population is 35,438, of which the population of Brzesko is 16,827, and the population of the rural part of the gmina is 18,611.

Brzesko ([ˈbʐɛskɔ] ; Yiddish: בריגעל, Brigel) is a town in southern Poland, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It lies approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Tarnów and 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków. Since Polish administrative reorganization (in 1999), Brzesko has been the administrative capital of Brzesko County in Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Before reorganization it was part of Tarnów Voivodeship (1975–1998). As of December 2021, the town has a population of 16,665. Historically, the town was subject of various ownerships since its 1385 founding. Okocim Brewery, founded by Jan Goetz in 1845, is located in nearby Okocim (3 km (1.9 mi)). Brzesko lies on the Uszwica river, along the important rail route from Kraków to Przemyśl, and along the European route E40. The town has a 14th-century church of St. Jacob, and the 19th-century palace of the Goetz family (founders of the Okocim Brewery). Other historic buildings were either destroyed in numerous wars, or burned in fires, such as the great fire of 1904. The name Brzesko probably comes from the word brzeg (shore), as the town is located on the shore of a river.

Brzesko Ghetto was a Nazi ghetto during World War II in occupied Poland. The ghetto was created by the Third Reich in 1941 in the Polish town of Brzesko located in the Kraków District about 40 miles from Kraków. The ghetto was open when it was first created. In 1942, walls were put up and the ghetto became a closed ghetto. An estimated 4,000 Jewish people lived there but another 2,000 moved there by 1942, many arriving from Kraków and the surrounding area. The Jewish people living within Brzesko were sent to the Bełżec extermination camp and Auschwitz extermination camp. After the exterminations, the camp was closed end of 1942.

Okocim Brewery (Polish pronunciation: [ɔˈkɔt͡ɕim]), in Brzesko in southeastern Poland, is a brewery founded in 1845.

Okocim [ɔˈkɔt͡ɕim] is a village in Brzesko County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland. Less than 3 kilometres (2 mi) away from the village is Brzesko town. Okocim lies approximately 27 km (17 mi) south-west of Tarnów and 57 km (35 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków. Since Polish administrative reorganization in 1999, Okocim is a part of Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Before the reorganization it was part of Tarnów Voivodeship (1975–1998).

Jadowniki [jadɔvˈniki] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Brzesko, within Brzesko County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately 3 kilometres (2 mi) east of Brzesko and 52 km (32 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków.

Mokrzyska [mɔˈkʂɨska] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Brzesko, within Brzesko County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately 5 kilometres (3 mi) north of Brzesko and 50 km (31 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków.

Jasień [ˈjaɕɛɲ] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Brzesko, within Brzesko County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately 4 kilometres (2 mi) west of Brzesko and 47 km (29 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków.

Jastew [ˈjastɛf] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Dębno, within Brzesko County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately 4 kilometres (2 mi) north-west of Dębno, 4 km (2 mi) east of Brzesko, and 54 km (34 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków.

Sterkowiec [stɛrˈkɔvjɛt͡s] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Brzesko, within Brzesko County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately 5 kilometres (3 mi) north-east of Brzesko and 53 km (33 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków.

Szczepanów [ʂt͡ʂɛˈpanuf] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Brzesko, within Brzesko County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately 6 kilometres (4 mi) north-east of Brzesko and 52 km (32 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków.It was the birthplace of Stanislaus of Szczepanów - 11th Century Bishop of Kraków who was martyred by the Polish king Bolesław II the Bold and became venerated in the Roman Catholic Church as Saint Stanislaus the Martyr.

Łęki [ˈwɛŋkʲi] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Borzęcin, within Brzesko County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately 8 kilometres (5 mi) south-west of Borzęcin, 7 km (4 mi) north-east of Brzesko, and 53 km (33 mi) east of the regional capital Kraków.