page_title: Polish Armed Forces (Second Polish Republic)
section_title: first years of peace
hierarchical_section_title: Polish Armed Forces (Second Polish Republic) / History / first years of peace
caption_attribution_description: Polski: Święto Zjednoczenia Armii Polskiej - Naczelnik Państwa Józef Piłsudski na Wawelu; 10 październik 1919 r. Koncern Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny - Archiwum Ilustracji. Sygnatura: 1-H-298-1
context_page_description: Polish Armed Forces were the armed forces of the Second Polish Republic from 1919 until the demise of independent Poland at the onset of Second World War in September 1939.
context_section_description: In 1921–1939, the Polish armed forces consisted of the army and navy. The army consisted of main weapons: infantry, cavalry (from 1924 - cavalry) and artillery, technical weapons: sappers, communication and car troops and armored weapons, auxiliary weapons: gendarmerie and rolling stock. In addition, the army included aviation and organizational units of the PEC (from 1924) and the National Defense (from 1937).
  The army numbered July 31, 1921: 20,038 officers and military officials, 1,583 ensigns, 248,835 soldiers and 67,390 horses.
  The percentage of soldiers of Polish nationality in 1922 was about 78%, after conscription in Eastern Galicia a year later it dropped below 66%, although according to the assumptions of the authorities, Poles were to constitute a minimum of ​²⁄₃ soldiers. Despite the efforts of the administration, the percentage of Poles fell to 64% in 1926.
  A personnel policy was pursued in the army, which was strongly criticized by representatives of the Jewish minority. Soldiers of Jewish origin were treated as second-class soldiers or even suspected of disloyalty to the Polish state. Jews were removed from all formations, especially from the navy, aviation and communications. Even during the Polish-Bolshevik war, a camp in Jabłonna (pl) was created, in which about 1,000 soldiers and officers of Jewish descent were interned (the decision to establish it was issued on August 16, 1920, the camp operated until September 9, 1920; its creation caused an international scandal, from which Minister Sosnkowski had to explain before the Sejm and the public). In reply to parliamentary interpellations, Sosnkowski stated that "Jews are not fit for more serious work than typing" In connection with the Sejm resolution of June 17, 1919, according to which only Polish citizens of Polish nationality could be officers of Jewish descent, even promoted officers of independent Poland.
  On March 23, 1923, the General Staff issued a secret order to remove all Jews from military graphics factories.
caption: Unification of the Polish Army Day, Pilsudski in the Wawel Castle
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