 The city was liberated by the Red Army on 27 July 1944 and on 20 September 1944 transferred to Poland. After the war, the city became capital of the initial Białystok Voivodeship (1945 – 1975) of the People's Republic of Poland. After the 1975 administrative reorganization, the city was the capital of the smaller Białystok Voivodeship (1975 – 1998). Since 1999 it has been the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship, Republic of Poland.
