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Second Polish Republic




The Second Polish Republic is an unofficial name applied to the Republic Of Poland between World War I and World War II .

When the borders of the state were fixed in 1921 , it had an area of 388.6 thousand sq. km. (sixth largest in Europe), and 27.2 million inhabitants according to the census of that year. In 1939 , just before the outbreak of World War II , it had an estimated 35.1 million inhabitants. A third of these were national minorities (17% Ukrainians and Belarusians , 10% Jew s, 5% Germans , and 1% percent Lithuania ns, Russia ns and Czechs ).


HISTORY


See Also: History of Poland (1918-1939)




The beginnings

Occupied by German and Austro-Hungarian armies in the summer of 1915 , the formerly Russian-ruled part of what was considered Poland was proclaimed an independent kingdom by the occupying powers on November 5 , 1916 , with a governing Council of State and (from October 15 , 1917 ) a Regency Council (''Rada Regencyjna Królestwa Polskiego'') to administer the country under German auspices pending the election of a king.

Shortly before the end of World War I , on October 7 , 1918 , the Regency Council dissolved the Council of State and announced its intention to restore Polish independence. With the notable exception of the Marxist -oriented Social Democratic Party Of The Kingdom Of Poland And Lithuania (SDKPiL), most political parties supported this move. On October 23 the Council appointed a new government under Józef Swierzynski and began conscription into the Polish Army .

On November 5 , in Lublin , the first Soviet Of Delegates was created. On November 6 the Communists announced the creation of a Republic Of Tarnobrzeg . The same day, a Provisional People's Government of the Republic of Poland was created under the Socialist, Ignacy Daszynski .

On November 10 , Józef Piłsudski , newly freed from imprisonment by the German authorities at Magdeburg , returned to Warsaw . Next day, due to his popularity and support from most political parties, the Regency Council appointed Piłsudski Commander In Chief Of The Polish Armed Forces . On November 14 the Council dissolved itself and transferred all its authority to Piłsudski as Chief of State (''Naczelnik Państwa'').

Centers of government that were created in Galicia (formerly Austrian-ruled southern Poland) included a National Council of the Principality Of Cieszyn (created on November 19??) and a Polish Liquidation Committee (created on October 28 ). Soon afterward, conflict broke out in Lviv (Polish ''Lwów'') between forces of the Military Committee Of Ukrainians and the Polish "Eagles" Of Lwów .

After consultation with Pilsudski, Daszynski's government dissolved itself and a new government was created under Jedrzej Moraczewski .

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Timeline (1919-1939)

''Korfanty'' in 1920 in the Silesian Uprisings]]

receiving the Marshal Buława from President Of Poland Ignacy Mościcki . November 10 , 1936 , Warsaw .]]



World War II


The beginning of the Second World War put an end to the Second Polish Republic. The " Polish September Campaign " campaign began 1 September 1939, one week after the signing of the secret Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, and ended 6 October 1939, with Germany and the Soviet Union occupying the entirety of Poland. Poland did not surrender continued as Polish Government In Exile and Polish Secret State .


POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT



Chief of State



Presidents



Premiers



ECONOMY

See Also: Economy of Poland





DEMOGRAPHICS

See Also: Demographics of Poland



:Largest cities in early 1939:
# Warszawa – 1289 thousands
# Łódź – 672 thousands
# Lwów – 340 thousands
# Poznań – 272 thousands
# Kraków – 259 thousands
# Wilno – 215 thousands
# Bydgoszcz – 141 thousands
# Częstochowa – 138 thousands
# Katowice – 133 thousands
# Sosnowiec – 130 thousands
# Lublin – 122 thousands
# Gdynia – 120 thousands
# Białystok – 107 thousands




CULTURE

See Culture Of Poland


ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION AND GEOGRAPHY

See Also: Voivodships of Poland


See Also: Geography of Poland



 




REFERENCES