Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic was name of Polish state from 1918 (end of WWI) through 1939 (start of WWII). When its borders were fixed in 1922 after several wars, it had borders with Czechoslovakia, Weimar Republic (Germany), Free City of Danzig, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Soviet Union. Józef Piłsudski was the leader during most of the state's existence.
Predecessors
[change | change source]Austria-Hungary
German Empire
Kingdom of Poland
West Ukrainian National Republic
Lemko-Rusyn Republic
Komancza Republic
Ukrainian People's Republic
Galician Soviet Socialist Republic
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
Republic of Central Lithuania
Successors
[change | change source]WW2
[change | change source]The Second Polish Republic, in 1939, refused to make territorial changes towards Germany. The Invasion of Poland (1939) brought the occupation of Poland by the German Reich and the Soviet Union 39 days later. The government fled to the United Kingdom and became the Polish government-in-exile, while based in London. It continued its existence in Poland as the Polish Underground State until 1945 when Poland was released but made a Communist satellite state of the Soviet Union. The pre-war government remained in exile until the collapse of Communism in 1990. Afterwards, it dissolved and handed its roles over to the current Polish State.