Poland History

Poland has historically always been vulnerable to invasion and aggression as a result of its central location in Europe. During WW1 it was stuck between the central powers (Germany and Austria) on the one hand and Russia and the Western allies on the other. Following Poland's invasion during the war, Poles were conscripted into different armies and so resulted in them fighting each other. Eventually all the occupying forces retreated from the country and Poland regained its independence to then go on to form the 'Second Republic'.

In September 1939 it was Poland's invasion by Germany that precipitated the outbreak of the Second World War. During WW2 a Government-in-Exile was formed (in London) whilst 600,000 Poles fought on the Allied side under British or Soviet Command.

About 6 million Poles (including a huge number of Jewish Poles) lost their lives during WW2 and Warsaw was almost totally destroyed. The Red Army liberated the country, only to install Soviet-style totalitarianism. Poland became a communist state as well as a member of the Warsaw Pact. There were a few important revolts in 1956, 1968, 1976 and 1980, but it wasn’t before 1989, after a lot of talking between the Communist authorities on one side and the Solidarity opposition movement on the other, that (partially) free elections took place. Since 1990 Poland has been democracy and has developed a free-market economy.

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