History of Poland (1918-Present) By Ilia Dichev

Before WWI, Poland had been divided up many times. After World War I, Poland officially regained independence on November 11, 1918, beginning the Second Polish Republic. Poland gains Western Prussia in Treaty of Versailles. Polish-Soviet War (1919-1921) Poles defeat the Red Army and gain Western Ukraine and Belarus.

In 1926, Jozef Pilsudski seizes power and makes himself dictator of Poland. Despite being a dictator, Pilsudski he stabilized the economy and was held in high esteem by polish citizens

Pacts the 1930s In 1932, a non-aggression pact was signed by Poland and the Soviet Union. In 1934, a similar pact was signed by Poland and Germany. In 1939, Germany and The Soviet Union signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. Hitler and Stalin were secretly planning to divide Poland between them.

Invasion of Poland and beginning of World War II Hitler begins WWII by invading Poland on September 1, 1939, breaking Poland’s and Germany’s pact of non-aggression. On September 17, the Soviets invade from the east, also breaking their pact, but staying true to the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. Poland had treaties with France and Britain as well but they failed to act. This became known as the Western Betrayal.

Invasion of Poland

Hitler forced Polish Jews to live in the Ghettos until he came up with a solution: extermination camps. He built six in Poland: Auschwitz, Treblinka, Majdanek, Belzec, Sobibór and Chelmno

Katyn Massacre Since the Poles were not ready for the Soviet invasion, the Soviets easily took countless Poles prisoner. Most of which were military and police, but also of intelligentsia. The set some free, and turned some over to the Germans, the rest were deported to camps in the Soviet Union.

Mass Massacres The Poles were thoroughly interrogated by the Soviet Secret Police (NKVD) in 3 camps: Kozelsk, Starobelsk and Ostashkov. Poles expressed their nationalist feelings and because if this, Stalin signed the order to execute any nationalists. Poles from the Kozelsk camp were executed at the Katyn forest while prisoners from the other were executed at prisons. Almost 22,000 Poles were killed.

Russia denied the claims Germany uncovered the graves of the executed polish soldiers in 1943. Russia denied the claims saying that the Germans killed them. This ended the relations between the Polish government in exile in London and the Soviet Union.

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising At first Hitler sent the Jews to a ghetto where many died. Then he started rounding them up to be sent to extermination camps. Many of the Jews did not resists because they thought they were being sent to labor camps. But it soon became known that this was not what was actually happening.

In 1943, the Jews of the Ghetto revolted and fought back when the Nazis began the second round of deportation. They were armed with basic handguns and homemade grenades. Inflicted casualties the first few days, but not many after that. Eventually the Ghetto was burned down.

Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw uprising was a revolt against the Nazis initiated by the Polish Home Army only meant to last a few days until the Soviets arrived. It was called Operation Tempest The Poles wanted to regain control over the government so the Soviets couldn’t regain control once they came.

The Soviets however stayed across the Vistula River and advanced no further. Thus Poland was at a severe disadvantage but was able to gain control over large portions of Warsaw. However, the Germans acquired more troops and carried out the massacre of Wola and Ochota. Soldiers were ordered to go from house to house, shoot the civilians and burn their bodies.

About 40,000 to 10000 died. The Poles also encountered starvation and lack of water. The Poles realized the Soviets would never come so they surrendered after 63 days on October 2. After their surrender, Hitler continued to destroy Warsaw so that at the end, 85% of the buildings had been destroyed.

End of WWII At the end of WWII, nearly 6 million Poles died, half of them Polish Jews. The Soviet Union took some land from Poland, the Curzon Line, but took some from Germany and gave it to Poland, the Oder Neisse Line.

Post War Communism A Polish Peoples Republic was started by the Soviet Union. Warsaw Pact 8 countries

Polish debt- July 31 – 20 billion – meat prices Strikes in Lenin shipyard in Gdansk led by Lech Walesa Signed treaty with government allowing union and strikes. Solidarity formed and led by Walesa

Martial Law The Soviet Union didn’t like this so they imposed Martial Law and arrested many Solidarity leaders, including Walesa. Although Martial Law ended in 1983, many prisoners remained in jail. In 1989, Solidarity was legalized and allowed to participate in parliament. Non-communist government sworn into office. In 1990, Lech Walesa became the first president elected by majority votes.

Post Communism - New Era Poland shifts towards free market Soviets finally leave in 1993 Poland joins NATO in 1999 Joins Europeans Union in 2004 In 2005, Lech Kaczyński beats Donald Tusk in the election.

Crash On April 20, 2010, Lech Kaczyński, his wife and other government official died in a plane crash in Russia on the way to a Katyn anniversary.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/world/europe/11poland.html

What Next? Lech’s twin brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski recently announced he would be running against Bronislaw Komorowski in the election on June 20.

Election VS

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