1920, Poland repulsed a Soviet invasion of the region. Following the joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II in September 1939, it was occupied by Nazi Germany. During the occupation, the Polish population was subjected to various crimes, such as mass arrests, imprisonment, slave labor, kidnapping of children, deportations to Nazi concentration camps and extermination, incl. the Intelligenzaktion. Major sites of massacres of Poles in the region included Skrwilno, Rusinowo, Karnkowo and Rypin. In 1945, the German occupation ended and the region was restored to Poland. Miscellanea The region has numerous lakes and descendants of yeomanry (drobna szlachta, similar as Mazovia). There are six towns in the region: Golub-Dobrzyń, Górzno, Lipno, Skępe, Rypin and the historic capital Dobrzyń nad Wisłą. Cities of Toruń and Włocławek, as well as towns of Ciechocinek and Sierpc, lie just besides its border. Its oldest officially crowned sanctuary of Our Lady is Skępe; another is Obory. Ecclesiastically, it is divided between the dioceses of Włocławek and Płock. After 1793, it has been part of administrative units with the capital in Płock and Warsaw; since 1938 it belonged to Toruń and Włocławek. Dialectologically, it is usually adjoined to Chełmno Land. Therefore, it is considered as the transitory subregion between three neighbouring regions of Kuyavia, Mazovia and Chełmno Land, with which it had close historical ties at various times. See also Ziemia Chełmno Land Kuyavia References External links Ziemia Dobrzyńska On-line Historical regions in Poland Historical regions