Introduction
Poland is a country located in Central Europe. It has a long history, dating back to the early Middle Ages. Poland was first united as a country in the 10th century and became a powerful kingdom in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was ruled by a series of monarchs and was divided into several smaller states in the 17th century. Poland regained its independence in 1918, after World War I. However, it was invaded by Nazi Germany in 1939 and was occupied during World War II. After the war, Poland became a communist country. It regained its democracy in 1989 and is now a member of the European Union.
The Period of Partitions
The Polish Partitions were three divisions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that occurred around the close of the 18th century and put an end to the state’s existence, leaving Lithuania and Poland without a sovereign state (Kowalewski 2021). The Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Monarchy carried out the partitions, gradually dividing the Commonwealth lands among themselves by territorial seizures and annexations. On August 5, 1772, the First Partition of Poland was enacted. On January 23, 1793, the Second Partition of Poland was ratified (Musiaka et al. 2021). On October 24, 1795, the Third Partition of Poland divided Poland once more. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was partitioned equally among the three partitioning countries and ceased to exist as a separate entity as a result of the divisions.
Austria seized control of Zamojszczyzna, a minor portion of the Commonwealth. Polish divisions have been driven by political, geopolitical, and economic considerations since the 18th century. Due to its strategic location in the middle of Europe and its perception as a threat to the surrounding states, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was a prime candidate for territorial expansion. The Commonwealth also attracted the bordering states economically because it was a sizable market for their products.
The inherent flaws of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the bordering powers’ determination to profit from those flaws led to the partition of Poland. Decision-making and policy implementation were challenging in the Commonwealth since it was an elected monarchy (Sternfeld 2021). The magnates were less interested in cooperating for the benefit of the nation than they were in advancing their personal goals. Russia, Prussia, and Austria, the three powerful, centralized neighbors, were keen to enlarge their spheres of influence (Kowalewski 2021). The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was seen as a barrier to their territorial expansionist goals. The surrounding states used Poland’s divisions as a means of eradicating the Commonwealth and enlarging their own borders.
Poland Partitions
Partition of Poland 1772
When Russia, Prussia, and Austria decided to partition the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth among themselves in 1772, the first partition of Poland took place. This was done to keep the Commonwealth from growing too strong and endangering Europe’s delicate balance of power. Due to its recent defeat in a battle with Russia, the Commonwealth was already in a precarious situation, the Commonwealth was severely weakened by the splits, which also increased its susceptibility to Russian assault (Przemyslaw 2019). Prior to the split, Poland had been in a condition of decline for many years.
The nation was riven by internal conflict and helpless to protect itself from its strong neighbors. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had been defeated by Russia in the “War of the Bar Confederation” in 1768 (Zargonski et al. 2021). The Commonwealth suffered a catastrophic loss in this conflict, ceding a major portion of its territory to Russia. The Commonwealth was also experiencing economic problems due to excessive inflation and the devaluation of its currency. The nation was compelled to borrow money from its neighbors because it was unable to fulfill its debts.
In August of 1772, Poland underwent its first division. In the Romanian city of Focșani, representatives from Austria, Prussia, and Russia convened to discuss the division. (Aust 2021), The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was to be divided among the three powers. Due to its control over the country’s eastern half, Russia received the greatest portion (Zargonski et al. 2021). The western half of the nation was placed under Prussian rule, and the southern region was placed under Austrian control.
Poland’s Division in 1793
In order to divide the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth once more, Russia and Prussia invaded it in 1793, resulting in the second partition of Poland. Due to its involvement in the French Revolution, Austria opted out of this divide (Aust 2021). Due to the total abolition of the nation’s autonomy and the transformation of the Commonwealth into a Russian satellite state, this division caused the Commonwealth far more harm than the first. In the aftermath of the Polish-Russian War of 1792, Poland was divided again. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia engaged in this conflict.
In the above conflict, the Commonwealth was defeated and compelled to hand over a sizable portion of its territory to Russia. In the month of January 1793, Poland underwent its second division (Zargonski et al. 2021). In the city of Brest-Litovsk, representatives from Russia and Prussia convened to discuss the division. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was to be divided equally between the two powers. Due to its control over the country’s eastern half, Russia received the greatest portion. The western half of the nation was transferred to Prussia.
Partition of Poland 1795
Following the suppression of a Polish revolt against its domination by Russia, Poland underwent its third and final partition in 1795. The absorption of Poland by Russia as a whole as a result of this split made it the most damaging of all. Poland lost its status as a sovereign nation and wouldn’t regain it until 1918. After the Polish insurrection of 1794, Poland saw its third division. This revolution against Russian control was a transient one. The Russian army rapidly defeated it. In the month of October 1795, Poland underwent its third division.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was to be divided among the three powers. Handed that it was given the complete authority of the nation, Russia received the greatest part. A tiny portion of the nation was placed under the sovereignty of Prussia, while a smaller portion was transferred to Austria (Zargonski 2021). The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth suffered a fatal blow with the partition of Poland. After losing its independence, the nation was annexed by Russia. For the Polish people, the partitions of Poland were tragic since they led to the end of their nation’s freedom.
History of Poland After WW II
According to the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact’s covert procedures, the Second World War came to an end with the Soviet Union occupying Poland. The Western Allies, but not the Soviet Union, recognized the Polish government-in-exile, which was located in London. Large numbers of Polish nationals were forcibly removed by the Soviet Union from the eastern lands they had controlled since 1939 and relocated to the newly-acquired western Poland, which had previously been a part of Germany (Becker et al. 2020). This process began in 1944. The “Vistula-Oder Operation” or “Vistula Action,” as it is often called, was one of the biggest forced migrations in European history.
Additionally, the Baltic States, which were populated largely by Poles, were seized by the Soviet Union in 1940. In Poland, a resistance force known as the Polish Home Army emerged in the last months of 1944 (Armia Krajowa, or AK). Although the AK was under the leadership of the Polish government in exile, its members were active in Poland. According to Affek (2021), the Polish underground state it helped establish was one of the biggest and most advanced resistance groups, and the AK was the greatest resistance movement in Nazi-occupied Europe.
The AK’s mission was to oust the Nazi German occupiers and restore Poland’s freedom and independence. Although the AK engaged in a number of successful engagements with the Germans, its final demise was brought on by the overwhelming might of the German forces and the absence of foreign assistance. After the war, the Soviet Union kept Poland under its control and installed a new, Moscow-aligned communist government in 1947 (Affek et al. 2021). This regime instituted a tight dictatorship and repressed all forms of opposition.
Additionally, the Soviet Union acquired Poland’s eastern half, which it had held since 1939. Up to the Soviet Union’s demise in 1991, this region—known as the “Polish regions under Soviet control”—became a Soviet satellite state and was ruled by Moscow. Poland’s occupation by the Soviet Union was not a bloodless coup (Elzanowski et al. 2022). Any opposition to their reign was put down by the Soviets using their strength. A tight censorship regime was imposed on the nation, and thousands of individuals were executed or imprisoned.
Poland’s communist government was among the worst in all of Eastern Europe. There were several revolts and demonstrations against the regime, but they were typically put down by the security forces supported by the Soviet Union. The Warsaw Uprising of 1944 was the most significant of these uprisings. This was a Polish Resistance uprising against German occupation. The Germans put down the revolt, and Warsaw was completely devastated. Numerous more were compelled to leave the nation, and thousands of individuals were slain or imprisoned. The administration also enforced a rigid censorship system, in addition to controlling the media and every area of public life. The collapse of the Communist government in Poland was the country’s third significant historical event.
The Solidarity movement had an impact on this incident in 1989 (Elzanowski et al. 2022). A new administration was established when the Communist regime was toppled (Przemyslaw 2019). With this action, Poland’s communist period came to an end and a new age began. Mass demonstrations sparked by economic issues and the development of the Solidarity Union finally compelled the government to approve certain political reforms. However, these changes fell short, and in 1989 the Polish government led by Solidarity succeeded in overthrowing the communist system.
Conclusion
The history of Poland has had significant events since the time of the partitions to the communist regimes and to the after-war era. Both political and social history in Poland serve a great purpose to date in helping new generations learn the roots of the nation. The information contained in this document provides an in-depth look at this history. There is also a huge literature resource written on the same topic, which is there to help us understand the history of Poland better.
References
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Sternfeld, Lior. 2018. ““Poland is not Lost While We Still Live”: The Making of Polish Iran, 1941–45”. Jewish Social Studies 23 (3): 101.
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Żuk, Piotr, and Paweł Żuk. 2021. ““Nation against the System”: Nationalist Rap as the Voice of Marginalized Classes and Losers from the Neoliberal Transformation in Poland”. Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies 18 (4): 369-389.