Poland

History

Main articles: History of Poland

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The Polish nation began to form into a recognizable unitary and territorial entity around the middle of the 10th century under the Piast dynasty (Mieszko I). In the 12th century Poland fragmented into several smaller states, which were later ravaged by the Mongol armies of the Golden Horde in 1241. In 1320 W?adys?aw I became the King of Poland. His son repaired the Polish economy, he built new castles and won the war against the Russian dukedom (Lwow become a Polish City). Under the Jagiellon dynasty, Poland forged an alliance with its neighbour Lithuania. A golden age occurred in the 16th century during its union (Lublin Union) with Lithuania in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The citizens of Poland took pride in their ancient freedoms and parliamentary system, although the Szlachta monopolised most of the benefits. Since that time Poles have regarded freedom as their most important value. Poles often call themselves the nation of the free people.

Related Topics:
10th century - Piast - 12th century - Mongol - Golden Horde - 1241 - Lwow - Jagiellon - Lithuania - Golden age - 16th century - Lublin Union - Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - Parliamentary system - Szlachta - Freedom

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In the mid-17th century a Swedish invasion rolled through the country in the turbulent time known as "The Deluge" (potop). Numerous wars against the Ottoman Empire, Russia, Cossacks, Transylvania and Brandenburg-Prussia ultimately came to an end in 1699. During the following 80 years, the waning of the central government and deadlock of the institutions weakened the nation, leading to anarchistic tendencies and a growing dependency on Russia. In Polish Democracy every member of parliament was able to break any work or project by shouting 'Liberum Veto' during the session. Russian tsars took advantage of this unique political vulnerability by offering money to Parliamentary traitors, who in turn would consistently and subversively block necessary reforms and new solutions.

Related Topics:
17th century - "The Deluge" - Ottoman Empire - Russia - Cossacks - Transylvania - Brandenburg-Prussia - 1699 - Tsars

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The Enlightenment in Poland fostered a growing national movement to repair the state, resulting in the first written constitution in Europe in 1791 (May Constitution of Poland). The process of reforms ceased with the partitions of Poland between Russia, Prussia, and Austria in 1772, 1793 and 1795 which ultimately dissolved the country. Poles resented their shrinking freedoms and several times rebelled against their oppressors ( see List of Polish Uprisings).

Related Topics:
Enlightenment - Constitution - 1791 - May Constitution of Poland - Partitions of Poland - Russia - Prussia - Austria - 1772 - 1793 - 1795 - List of Polish Uprisings

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Napoleon recreated a Polish state, the Duchy of Warsaw, but after the Napoleonic wars, Poland was split again by the Allies at the Congress of Vienna. The eastern part was ruled by the Russian tsar as a Congress Kingdom, and possessed a liberal constitution. However, the tsars soon reduced Polish freedoms and Russia eventually de facto annexed the country. Later in the 19th century, Austrian-ruled Galicia became the oasis of Polish freedom.

Related Topics:
Napoleon - Duchy of Warsaw - Napoleonic wars - Congress of Vienna - Ruled - Tsar - Congress Kingdom - 19th century - Galicia

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During World War I all the Allies agreed on the restitution of Poland that United States President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed in point 13 of his Fourteen Points. Shortly after the surrender of Germany in November 1918, Poland regained its independence as the Second Polish Republic (II Rzeczpospolita Polska). A new threat, Soviet aggression, arose in the 1919 (Polish-Soviet War), but Poland succeeded in defending its independence.

Related Topics:
World War I - Allies - United States - Woodrow Wilson - Fourteen Points - Germany - 1918 - Second Polish Republic - Soviet - 1919 - Polish-Soviet War

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The Second Polish Republic lasted until the start of World War II when Germany and the Soviet Union invaded and split the Polish territory between them from (September 28 1939). Poland suffered greatly in this period (see General Government). Of all the countries involved in the war, Poland lost the highest percentage of its citizens: over 6 million perished, half of them Polish Jews. Poland's borders shifted westwards; pushing the eastern border to the Curzon line and the western border to the Oder-Neisse line. After the shift Poland emerged smaller by 77 500 km² or by 20% of its pre-war size. The shifting of borders also involved the migration of millions of people ? Poles, Germans, Ukrainians, Jews. As a result of these events, Poland became, for the first time in history, an ethnically unified country. Even today live in Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania big polish minority. (Ukraine 1100000 people, Belarus 1000000 people, Lithuania 350000 people).

Related Topics:
World War II - Germany - Soviet Union - Invaded and split the Polish territory between them - September 28 - 1939 - General Government - Jew - Curzon line - Oder-Neisse line

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The Soviet Union instituted a new communist government in Poland, analogous to much of the rest of the Eastern Bloc. Military alignment within the Warsaw Pact throughout the Cold War was also part of this change. In 1948 a turn towards Stalinism brought in the beginning of the next period of totalitarian rule. The People's Republic of Poland (Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa) was officially proclaimed in 1952. In 1956 the régime became more liberal, freeing many people from prison and expanding some personal freedoms. In 1970 the government was changed. It was a time when the economy was more modern, and the government had large credits. Labour turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union, "Solidarity", which over time became a political force. It eroded the dominance of the Communist Party; by 1989 it had triumphed in parliamentary elections, and Lech Wa??sa, a Solidarity candidate, eventually won the presidency in 1990.

Related Topics:
Communist - Warsaw Pact - Cold War - 1948 - Stalinism - People's Republic of Poland - 1952 - 1956 - 1980 - Trade union - Solidarity - Communist Party - 1989 - Lech Wa??sa - 1990

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The Solidarity movement greatly contributed to the soon-following collapse of Communism all over Eastern Europe.

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A shock therapy program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. Despite a regression in social and economic standards, there were numerous improvements in other human rights (free speech, functioning democracy and the like). Poland was the first post-communist country to regain pre-1989 GDP levels. Poland joined the NATO alliance in 1999 along with the Czech Republic and Hungary. Polish voters then said yes to the EU in a referendum in June 2003. Poland joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.

Related Topics:
Shock therapy - Human rights - GDP - NATO - 1999 - Czech Republic - Hungary - 1 May - 2004

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