Polity Poland (Germany)

This article is about the specific polity Poland (Germany) and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here: All Statistics

Was a short-lived polity that was proclaimed during World War I by the German Empire and Austria-Hungary on 5 November 1916 on the territories of the formerly Russian-ruled Congress Poland. It was a client state of Germany which then transformed in the fully independent Second Polish Republic.

Establishment

  • January 1917: Poland was officially established on January 14, 1917 in the territories of the former Congress Kingdom, with the aim of legitimizing the German occupation of Poland.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

1. World War I

Was a global conflict between two coalitions, the Allies (primarily France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States) and the Central Powers (led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire). It was mainly caused by the competition of the western countries over domain in Europe and in the rest of the world with their colonial empires. The war ended with the defeat of the Central Powers. The war also caused the Russian Revolution and the ensuing Russian Civil War.

1.1. Aftermath of World War I

Were a series of treaties and military events that can be considered a direct consequence of World War I.

1.1.1. Aftermath of World War I in Poland

Events that happened shortly after the end of World War I in Poland.

  • January 1917: Poland was officially established on January 14, 1917 in the territories of the former Congress Kingdom, with the aim of legitimizing the German occupation of Poland.
  • November 1918: The Polish National Council and the Czechoslovak Committee concluded an agreement on the demarcation line of Cieszyn Silesia. The Frýdek district and a small part of the Fryštát district was left on the Czech side, the remainder was accorded to the Poles.
  • November 1918: The Republic of Tarnobrzeg was a short-lived entity, proclaimed in the Polish town of Tarnobrzeg.
  • November 1918: On 11 November 1918 in Warsaw, Józef Piłsudski was appointed Commander in Chief of Polish forces by the Regency Council and was entrusted with creating a national government for the newly independent country. On the same day, which would become Poland's Independence Day, he proclaimed the independent Polish Republic.

2. Russian Civil War

Was a Civil War in Russia that involved varios factions but mainly the Bolsheviks and the conservative White Army in the core Russian territories, as well as a multitude of local secessionist states. At the end of war the Bolsheviks were victorious and established the Soviet Union.

2.1. Ukrainian-Soviet War

Was a conflict between Ukrainian nationalist forces and the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War. It also included a multitude of ethnical and local factions.

  • November 1918: On November 9 Polish forces attempted to seize the Drohobych oil fields by surprise but were driven back, outnumbered by the Ukrainians. The resulting stalemate saw the Poles retaining control over Lviv and a narrow strip of land around a railway linking the city to Poland, while the rest of eastern Galicia remained under the control of the West Ukrainian National Republic.

Disestablishment

  • November 1918: The Polish National Council and the Czechoslovak Committee concluded an agreement on the demarcation line of Cieszyn Silesia. The Frýdek district and a small part of the Fryštát district was left on the Czech side, the remainder was accorded to the Poles.
  • November 1918: The Republic of Tarnobrzeg was a short-lived entity, proclaimed in the Polish town of Tarnobrzeg.
  • November 1918: On November 9 Polish forces attempted to seize the Drohobych oil fields by surprise but were driven back, outnumbered by the Ukrainians. The resulting stalemate saw the Poles retaining control over Lviv and a narrow strip of land around a railway linking the city to Poland, while the rest of eastern Galicia remained under the control of the West Ukrainian National Republic.
  • November 1918: On 11 November 1918 in Warsaw, Józef Piłsudski was appointed Commander in Chief of Polish forces by the Regency Council and was entrusted with creating a national government for the newly independent country. On the same day, which would become Poland's Independence Day, he proclaimed the independent Polish Republic.