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.

## Establishment

By the end of World War One there were certain polish centers of power, the most prominent was Regency Council, established by the act of Act of 5 November, which used to be temporary head of state during the interregnum in Kingdom of Poland. On the emigration, in France there was Polish National Comitee, led by Roman Dmowski. On the former Austro-Hungarian part (Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria and Cieszyn Silesia) there was Polish Liquidation Committee, led by Wincenty Witos. A provinsional goverment called Provisional People's Government of the Republic of Poland, was formed in Lublin uder the Ignacy Daszyński.

On the 10 November 1918 Józef Piłsudski was released from the prison in Magdeburg in Germany, returned to Poland and day later (11.11) achieved a military power from the regency Council. On 14 November 1918 he achieved a full rule and became Chief of the State, a temporary head of country untill election of the president while regency council got dissolved, he proclaimed Polish independence to other nations on 16 November 1918 by a telegram. Piłsudski issued a decree of basic functioning of Polish Republic on 22 November 1918 which declared that Poland is not monarchy anymore.

## Predecessors

- Austria-Hungary
- Kingdom of Poland
- West Ukrainian National Republic
- Lemko-Rusyn Republic
- Komancza Republic
- Ukrainian People's Republi
- Galician Soviet Socialist Republic
- Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
- Republic of Central Lithuania

## World War II

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.

### In exile

The government fled to the United Kingdom (UK) 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.

## Infobox (country)

- **demonym**: Polish, Poles, Pole
- **area km2**: 388.634
- **conventional long name**: Republic of Poland
- **native name**: Rzeczpospolita Polska
- **image flag**: Flag of Poland (1919–1928).svg
- **flag caption**: Top: Flag
(1919–1927)
Bottom: Flag
(1927–1939)
- **image flag2**: Flag of Poland (1927–1980).svg
- **image coat**:

- **symbol type**: Top: Coat of Arms
(1918–1927)
Bottom: Coat of Arms
(1927–1939)
- **coa size**: 120px
- **national anthem**: "Dąbrowski's Mazurek, Mazurek Dąbrowskiego"

- **image map**: File:Poland 1930.svg
- **map caption**: Map of the Second Polish Republic within Europe (1930)
- **capital**: Warsaw
- **official languages**: Polish language, Polish
- **regional languages**: Yiddish language, Yiddish, Kashubian language, Kashubian, Romani language, Romani
- **religion**: 64.8% Roman Catholicism
- **government type**: Unitary state, Unitary parliamentary republic (1918–1926)
Unitary semi-presidential authoritarianism, authoritarian republic (1926–1935)
Unitary presidential constitutional republic (1935–1939)
- **leader title1**: Chief of State (1918–1922)
- **leader name1**: Józef Piłsudski
- **leader title2**: President of Poland, President
- **leader name2**: Gabriel Narutowicz <small>(first)</small>
Władysław Raczkiewicz <small>(last)</small>
- **leader title3**: Prime minister of Poland, Prime minister
- **leader name3**: Tomasz Arciszewski <small>(last)</small>
- **legislature**: Bicameral
- **upper house**: Senate of Poland, Senate
- **lower house**: Sejm
- **currency**: Polish Marka, Marka, Polish złoty
- **life span**: 1918–1939
- **event start**: End of World War I
- **date start**: 11 November 1918
- **event end**: Surrendered to Germany and the USSR
- **date end**: 6 October 1939
- **p1**: Kingdom of Poland (1917–1918)Kingdom of Poland
- **flag p1**: Flag of Poland.svg
- **p2**: German EmpireGerman Empire
- **flag p2**: Flag of the German Empire.svg
- **p3**: Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
- **flag p3**: Flag of Russian SFSR (1918-1937).svg
- **p4**: Republic of ZakopaneZakopane
- **flag p4**: Flag of Poland.svg
- **p5**: Ukrainian People's RepublicUkrainian People's Republic
- **flag p5**: Flag of Ukraine.svg
- **p6**: West Ukrainian National RepublicWest Ukrainian People's Republic
- **flag p6**: Flag of Ukraine.svg
- **p7**: Komancza Republic
- **flag p7**: Flag of Ukraine.svg
- **p8**: Lemko-Rusyn RepublicLemko-Rusyn Republic
- **flag p8**: Прапор Русской Народной Республіки Лемків.svg
- **p9**: Galician Soviet Socialist Republic
- **flag p9**: Flag of the Galician SSR.svg
- **p10**: Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
- **flag p10**: Flag of Galicia-Lodomeria 1890-1918.svg
- **p11**: Republic of TarnobrzegTarnobrzeg
- **flag p11**: Socialist red flag.svg
- **p12**: Republic of Central Lithuania
- **flag p12**: Flag of Central Lithuania 1920.svg
- **p13**: Belarusian Democratic RepublicBelarusian DR
- **flag p13**: Flag of Belarus (1991-1995).svg
- **p14**: Weimar Republic
- **flag p14**: Flag_of_Germany_%283-2_aspect_ratio%29.svg
- **p15**: Socialist Soviet Republic of Lithuania and BelorussiaLitbel SSR
- **flag p15**: Flag of the Lithuanian-Byelorussian SSR.svg
- **p16**: First Czechoslovak Republic
- **flag p16**: Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
- **s1**: Nazi Germany
- **flag s1**: Flag of Germany (1935–1945).svg
- **s3**: Soviet Union
- **flag s3**: Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg
- **s4**: Lithuania
- **flag s4**: Flag of Lithuania 1918-1940.svg
- **s5**: First Slovak RepublicSlovakia
- **flag s5**: Flag of First Slovak Republic 1939-1945.svg
- **s6**: Polish government-in-exile
- **flag s6**: Flag of Poland (1927–1980).svg
- **s7**: Polish Underground State
- **today**:

- **flag s7**: Flaga PPP.svg