Republic of Poland (1918–1939): Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox country|name=Republic of Poland|native_name=Rzeczpospolita Polska|image_flag=Flag of the Second Polish Republic.png|image_map=Poland 1930.png|map_width=290|largest_city=[[Warsaw]]|mode_of_production=[[Capitalism]]|government_type=Unitary Bourgeois Republic|capital=[[Warsaw]]|official_languages=Polish|regional_languages=German<br>Belarusian<br>Lithuanian<br>Ukrainian|area_km2=388,634|population_estimate=35,100,000|population_estimate_year=1939}} | {{Infobox country|name=Republic of Poland|native_name=Rzeczpospolita Polska|image_flag=Flag of the Second Polish Republic.png|image_map=Poland 1930.png|map_width=290|largest_city=[[Warsaw]]|mode_of_production=[[Capitalism]]|government_type=Unitary Bourgeois Republic|capital=[[Warsaw]]|official_languages=Polish|regional_languages=German<br>Belarusian<br>Lithuanian<br>Ukrainian|area_km2=388,634|population_estimate=35,100,000|population_estimate_year=1939}} | ||
The '''Second Polish Republic''', officially the '''Republic of Poland''', was a | The ('''Second''') '''Polish Republic''', officially the '''Republic of Poland''', was a state in [[Eastern Europe]] which existed from 1918 to 1939. | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
=== Repression of communists === | === Repression of communists === | ||
In 1926, | In 1926, Marshal [[Józef Piłsudski]] established a military police system. In 1934, he created [[Place of Isolation at Bereza Kartuska|a concentration camp]] for political opponents of the [[Sanation]] government, including [[Ukrainian nationalism|Ukrainian nationalists]], [[National Democracy (Poland)|National Democrats]], members of the [[Polish People's Party]], and [[Communism|communists]].<ref name=":0" /> | ||
=== Czechoslovakia === | === Czechoslovakia === | ||
Poland signed a non-aggression | Poland signed [[German–Polish declaration of non-aggression|a non-aggression agreement]] with [[German Reich (1933–1945)|Germany]] in 1934 and occupied the [[Cieszyn]] region of [[Czechoslovakia]] in 1938. However, Poland refused to join the fascist [[Anti-Comintern Pact]].<ref name=":0" /> | ||
=== Second World War === | === Second World War === | ||
On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and broke its non-aggression pact. The Polish government quickly collapsed and fled to [[Kingdom of Romania (1881–1947)|Romania]] and then [[England]], where it established a government-in-exile. On 17 September, the [[Soviet Union]] crossed the border and took control of western Belarus and Ukraine.<ref name=":0" /> | On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and broke its non-aggression pact. The Polish government quickly collapsed and fled to [[Kingdom of Romania (1881–1947)|Romania]] and then [[England]], where it established a government-in-exile. On 17 September, the [[Soviet Union]] crossed the border and took control of western Belarus and Ukraine.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
== Demographics == | |||
According to the [[Polish census of 1921]], roughly 70% of the population of the Republic was Polish. Other ethnic groups included [[Russians]], [[Belarusians]], [[Ukrainians]], [[Lithuanians]], [[Judaism|Jews]], and [[Federal Republic of Germany|Germans]]. | |||
The majority of Poles (74%) were [[Roman Catholicism|Catholic]], although there were also sizable Jewish, [[Protestantism|Protestant]], and [[Orthodox Catholic Church|Orthodox]] minorities within the country. Indeed, of the estimated six million Jews who were later murdered in [[The Holocaust]], three million were Polish. | |||
== Status of Minorities == | |||
=== Jews === | |||
Poland, like most of [[Europe]] at the time, was a hotbed of [[antisemitism]]. During the Polish–Soviet War, thousands of Jewish soldiers in the [[Polish Land Forces|Polish army]] were separated from their units and sent to [[Jabłonna internment camp|an internment camp]] at [[Jabłonna, Legionowo County|Jabłonna]] (a village near [[Warsaw]]). Jews were denied employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors, Jewish businesses faced boycotts supported by the State, Jewish religious practices were made illegal, universities limited the number of Jews that were allowed to enroll and [[Ghetto benches|forced Jews to sit at specific seats under the threat of expulsion]], and [[Pogrom|pogroms]] weren't unheard of. When [[Poland Action|17,000 Polish Jews were expelled from Nazi Germany in 1938]], Poland refused to take them in, and the Jews were forced to live in makeshift encampments along the German–Polish border. | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
[[Category:History of Poland]] | [[Category:History of Poland]] | ||
Revision as of 18:47, 12 June 2023
| Republic of Poland Rzeczpospolita Polska | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Warsaw |
| Official languages | Polish |
| Recognised regional languages | German Belarusian Lithuanian Ukrainian |
| Dominant mode of production | Capitalism |
| Government | Unitary Bourgeois Republic |
| Area | |
• Total | 388,634 km² |
| Population | |
• 1939 estimate | 35,100,000 |
The (Second) Polish Republic, officially the Republic of Poland, was a state in Eastern Europe which existed from 1918 to 1939.
History
Polish–Soviet War
In 1919, Poland invaded western Belarus and Ukraine, beginning a war against the Red Army. Over 100,000 Soviet soldiers were captured and 60,000 died in prison camps.[1]
Repression of communists
In 1926, Marshal Józef Piłsudski established a military police system. In 1934, he created a concentration camp for political opponents of the Sanation government, including Ukrainian nationalists, National Democrats, members of the Polish People's Party, and communists.[1]
Czechoslovakia
Poland signed a non-aggression agreement with Germany in 1934 and occupied the Cieszyn region of Czechoslovakia in 1938. However, Poland refused to join the fascist Anti-Comintern Pact.[1]
Second World War
On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and broke its non-aggression pact. The Polish government quickly collapsed and fled to Romania and then England, where it established a government-in-exile. On 17 September, the Soviet Union crossed the border and took control of western Belarus and Ukraine.[1]
Demographics
According to the Polish census of 1921, roughly 70% of the population of the Republic was Polish. Other ethnic groups included Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Jews, and Germans.
The majority of Poles (74%) were Catholic, although there were also sizable Jewish, Protestant, and Orthodox minorities within the country. Indeed, of the estimated six million Jews who were later murdered in The Holocaust, three million were Polish.
Status of Minorities
Jews
Poland, like most of Europe at the time, was a hotbed of antisemitism. During the Polish–Soviet War, thousands of Jewish soldiers in the Polish army were separated from their units and sent to an internment camp at Jabłonna (a village near Warsaw). Jews were denied employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors, Jewish businesses faced boycotts supported by the State, Jewish religious practices were made illegal, universities limited the number of Jews that were allowed to enroll and forced Jews to sit at specific seats under the threat of expulsion, and pogroms weren't unheard of. When 17,000 Polish Jews were expelled from Nazi Germany in 1938, Poland refused to take them in, and the Jews were forced to live in makeshift encampments along the German–Polish border.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "The Polish Question" (2020-09-01). Politsturm. Archived from the original on 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2022-06-16.