November 11 – independency Day. As a national vacation has been celebrated since 1938. Among most societies, not only young people, the cognition of the events of the first years after the divorce is slim, as without trying on as long ago as the close deluge or conflict of Grunwald!
Many people believe that the past of the first years of the Second Republic went on briefly as follows: Józef Piłsudski returned from Magdeburg prison on 11 November 1918, took power at the hands of the Board of Regency and became the Chief of State. He established a progressive government, organized an army, fought the Bolsheviks reaching for Dniepr and Kiev, and then crushed them at Warsaw. Along the way, Ignacy Paderewski caused the Wielkopolska uprising, The Silesian 3 uprisings, the plebiscites in Cieszynsk Silesia and east Prussia, completed the formation of state borders. On 11 November 1918 Germany signed an act of surrender but it was not the first day of independency of the Polish state. The German Army remained on Polish soil. He formally decided on the existence of the Polish Peace Treaty in Versailles, but it was practically essential to forge its limits armedly and peacefully for the following years. On the occasion of Christmas, it is worth reminding objectively the most crucial facts of the century.
War Prologue
* Oh, my God * On July 28, 1914, planet War I began between Austro-Hungarians, Germany, Italy (to leave the 3 covenants), Turkey and Bulgaria and Entent – large Britain, France and Russia (to revolution), later joined Serbia, Montenegro, Belgium and Japan, and since 1917 the United States. The participation of military Polish units is on the Russian side 3 corps of Gen. Dowbor-Muśnicki, Legion Puławy and after the oath crisis (1917) Brigadier Józef Haller.
* Oh, my God * On the Austrian side, Brigadier Józef Piłsudski's legions fought, which was transferred to the Warsaw State Council in 1916; after the oath crisis, any legionaries were interned, any incorporated into the Polish Armed Forces under Beseler. any in Austria were interned or incorporated into Brigadier Haller's Meal Corps.
* Oh, my God * On the German side, in November 1916 the Polish Armed Forces – Polische Wehrmacht under Józef Piłsudski, and formally Beseler, were established. At the end of 1916, Austria transferred the Legions to the State Council. After the oath crisis, legionaries were incorporated into Polnische Wehrmacht, part of the Austrian army, any were interned (soldiers in Szczypiorno, officers in Beniaminów), Piłsudski was placed in Magdeburg.
* Oh, my God * The Entent's only allied army considered the Polish army fighting on the French-German front under the Polish National Committee in Paris, commanded since June 1918 by General Joseph Haller, and later besides the Wielkopolska insurgents.
Political prologue
* First the Tsar Mikołaj (1916), then the revolutionary Kiereński government (March 1917), yet the Bolshevik government (15.11.1917) recognized Poland's right to self-determination, and the Council of People's Commissioners (28.08.1918) cancelled the partitions of Poland.
* Oh, my God * Since 1912, the Commission of Confederate independency Parties has operated in the Austrian elections. 16.08.1914 was formed the Chief National Committee with General Władysław Sikorski at the head. The shooting teams were transformed into Polish Legions.
* Oh, my God * 5.11.1916 Governors of occupied Russian lands announced on behalf of the German and Austro-Hungarian emperors the act of establishing a stand-alone Polish state, without defining its borders. The creation of the Polish Armed Forces – Polnische Wehrmacht started. In December, the Provisional Council of State was established under politician Beseler. The military study was taken over by Józef Piłsudski until the Legions were dissolved and imprisoned in Magdeburg. The Provisional Council of State dissolved, and the Regency Council and the government (Council of State) of Józef Kucharzewski were appointed to replace it.
* Oh, my God * 15.08.20117 The National Committee of Poland was established in Lausanne, with Roman Dmowski at the head. The Committee was recognized by Western countries as a typical of Poland. He was subject to the Polish army in France.
*9.02. 1918 Germany and Austria made peace in Brest with the Central Ukrainian Council under which Finnish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Polish and Western Ukrainian lands remained under German occupation. The establishment of a Ukrainian state comprising Lviv and Zamość was envisaged.
The First planet War ended with the surrender of Turkey 30.10.1918, Austro-Hungarian 3.11.1918 and Germany 11.11.1918.
Start
7.10.1918 The Regency Council, the only organized strategy of power on Polish lands, took over the Polish Armed Forces at the hands of politician Beseler.
28.10.1918 was established in Krakow Polish Elimination Commission with Vincent Witos at the head. erstwhile legionaries under the command of Colonel Bolesław Roja have taken Galicia after San and Spis. Stefan Żeromski became president of the Zakopane Republic.
7.11.1918 The Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland was established in Lublin with president Ignacy Daszyński.
10.11.1918 returned from Magdeburg Józef Piłsudski. The Regency Council submitted to him on 14 November, as did the Lublin government. Piłsudski established the socialist government of Jędrzej Moraczewski, on 22 November the government gave Pilsudski the position of Interim Chief of State. Moraczewski's government was recognized only by Germany.
In this situation – thanks to the agreement of Dmowski Piłsudski – the National Committee of Poland recognized the government in Warsaw, calling for Prime Minister Ignacy Paderewski. This allowed Poland to be recognized as Ententa's ally and to participate in a peace legislature in Versailles on the side of the winners.
The Versailles Peace legislature had been held since January 1919 and ended with the signing of a peace treaty with Germany on 28 June 1919. On behalf of Poland it was signed by Ignacy Paderewski and Roman Dmowski [due to the errors of the translator, Dmowski gave his hourly speech on Polish matters twice: in French and English.] The Treaty recognised an independent Polish state within the limits of the winners
in the Wielkopolska Uprising and requiring plebiscite amendments in Prussia and Silesia. The east border was to be determined by the Council of Ambassadors. There was a area with Austria in Saint Germain 10.09.1919 – it was besides signed by Paderewski and Dmowski.
Fighting for Borders
The Wielkopolska Uprising
Polish Military Organization, independent from the Polish Military Organization in Austria, was active in the Prussian partition, The falcon and another smaller groups coordinated by the secret Central Citizen Committee, converted into the open National People's Council, in which Wielkopolska was represented by Fr Adamski, Pomerania – Adam Poszwiński and Silesia – Wincenty Witos.
27.12.1918 the Wielkopolska Uprising broke out. The voluntary army was commanded by Major Stanisław Taczak, leading her to the state of 28 1000 soldiers. 16.01.1919 General Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki, appointed by Józef Piłsudski at the request of the NRL, took command. The army grew to 72,000 soldiers, Thanks to the KNP in Paris, insurgents were considered part of the Allied Army. The fighting ended in a area in Trewira 16.02.1919.
2,000 people died in the uprising. In August 1919 the Sejm passed the annexation of Wielkopolska, the ultimate People's Council dissolved, the customs border was abolished, the Ministry of the Prussian territory was established, the Wielkopolska army was incorporated into the Polish Army. Full unification took place in 1922 after the dissolution of the Ministry of the B. Pruska District.
Cieszyn Silesia
30.11.1918 were created in Cieszyn simultaneously Polish National Council of the Duchy of Cieszyn and Czech Zemsky Narodni Vibor. which divided the territory into the Polish and Czech parts. The Czechoslovak authorities did not recognise local agreements and a seven-day war ensued, resulting in the Czech military gaining Cieszyn 20.01.1920 and the area as far as Skoczów.
On 3 February 1920, an agreement was concluded in Paris setting out the national borders approved by the Inter-Societal Commission in July 1920.
Silesian Uprisings
The Versailles way decided to conduct a plebiscite in advanced Silesia. German panic intensified, which led to 16.08.1919 until the outbreak of the first Silesian uprising. It was led by the commander of the Polish Military Organization Alfons Zkarniok. Unsupported by the Polish government already collapsed on 26 August, 20,000 insurgents and residents fled to Poland.
11.02.1920 The Plebiscite Commission assumed power over the plebiscite area. Wojciech Korfanty was the head of the Polish Plebiscite Committee. Attempts to control Silesia by the Germans led to the outbreak of the second Silesian uprising (19.08.1920), besides commanded by Alfons Zkarbok. It ended on 26 August at the order of POW advanced Silesia. The only accomplishment was replacing German-Polish police. The Plebiscite, conducted on 20 March 1921, fell to the detriment of Poland, and Wojciech Korfanty announced the 3rd Silesian uprising on 30 May 1921. The Dictator was Korfanty, military command was taken over by Colonel Mielec, later Colonel Zenkteller-Wars. In the uprisings 1,300 insurgents and respective 1000 civilians, victims of German terror, died. In July 1922, German insurgents and troops left the plebiscite area. The final division of advanced Silesia occurred in July 1922 by the Council of Ambassadors of the League of Nations. The Polish part got autonomy – its own parliament.
The Plebiscite in East Prussia (Olsztyn, Kwidzyn) was held on 11.07.1920. Poland was awarded only 8 municipalities – 3% of the population in Mazury and 8% in Warmia voted in favour of joining.
Eastern border
The coalition diplomats passed the 2.12.1918 boundary according to Curzon Line, and the Council of Ambassadors supplemented 11.10.19 by another episode, which left Lviv and Vilnius outside Poland. Both Piłsudski and Dmowski were opting for pre-opportunity borders as a starting point. However, there have been events that have shaped the east border rather differently.
Polish-Ukrainian War
In October 1918 Poles and Ukrainians appointed separate National Councils. 1.11.1918 West-Ukrainian People's Republic was established, and the Ukrainian legion occupied Lviv and the area between Zbrucz and San. Poles organized opposition in Lviv (Orlęta Lwowskie) and with the aid of the Polish army took over the city. In the midst of the fighting there was a pogrom of Jews. The siege of the city by Ukrainians continued until the end of January 1919. The front was set on the Kowel – Rawa Ruska line.
Polish-Soviet War
In March 1919 the Belarusian Republic was established in the territory occupied by the Germans with its capital in Minsk, in November the Lithuanian Republic with its capital in Vilnius. Poles created troops of self-defense of Kresów, later Lithuania and Belarus. On 1 July, the Belarusian Republic of the Council and the Lithuanian Republic of the People's Commissioners were established. Poles withdrew before their troops and Polish (!) revolutionary troops. The first conflict with the Red Army was fought by the Polish Army on 16 February 1919. In August 1919, the front ran on the line of Dzwiny, Berezyny and Prypeci, with West Ukraine on the line Kowel – Rawa Ruska.
21.11.1919 The ultimate Council of the Peace Conference adopted an English draft charter autonomous for east Galicia, according to which Poland was to administer this area on behalf of the League of Nations for 25 years. This resolution did not enter into force, as did the later of 8.12.1919, which gave Poland the administration of the lands west of Curzona line.
The secret agreements between Józef Piłsudski and the Bolsheviks were intended to weaken the fighting on the Belarusian front and to enable the Bolsheviks to beat up the “white”. In April 1920 Piłsudski entered into a military agreement with Ataman Petlura of the West-Ukrainian People's Republic setting the border on Zbrucz. On 25 April 1920, a joint Kiev expedition against the Red Army and Denikin's troops began, reaching Kiev and Dnieper.
On 14 May 1920, the Red Army counter-offensive forced Polish-Ukrainian troops to retreat. In the face of the threat, the Sejm will appoint a State Defence Council with Piłsudski, Witos, Daszyński and Dmowski. Western states' assistance in weapons and military mission with Gen. Weygand and Marshal Foch were obtained.
On 20 July, Julian Marchlewski, Felix Dzierżyński and Feliks Kon established the Provisional Revolutionary Committee of Poland (!) – the future government of the Polish Socialist Republic of the Council (acted until 20 August), which waited in Wyszkow for Warsaw.
The decisive conflict was fought at Warsaw on 12-15 August 1920. According to the plan of General Rozwadowski, General Haller led the Warsaw defense, Józef Piłsudski attacked from the Pig, Gen. Sikorski from Płock. Battles in Volyn and over Germany ended the war – a truce was signed 12.10.1920. Ultimately, peace with the Russian Socialist Republic of Councils and the Ukrainian Socialist Republic of Councils was signed 21.03.1921 in Riga.
Central Lithuania
9.10.1920, even before the truce, Gen. Lucjan Żeligowski "rebellied", occupied Vilnius and part of Lithuania, creating Central Lithuania. Her Sejm unanimously passed 20.02.1922 joining Poland, and the Polish Legislative Sejm incorporated Central Lithuania on 24 April 1922. The full east border of Poland was yet approved by the Council of Ambassadors of the League of Nations on 15 March 1923. Lithuania did not recognise this decision, remaining at war with Poland until August 1938.
Krzysztof Gutorski
The author is simply a elder of the National Camp, a longtime publicist of the "Homeland". He turned 95 that year.
