Until World War II, Poland existed as a sovereign nation state. Its roots go back to 1025, when its first ruler, Mieszko I, became the duke of Poland, unifying many of the already existing tribes. He adopted Christianity a few years later.
Poland went through many changes over the centuries, becoming, at times, a grand kingdom and, at other times, the main battleground for rival powers. It eventually became part of the Austrian Empire in 1772, and then part of the Russian Empire in 1795.
In 1918, at the end of World War I, Poland regained its independence and established the Second Polish Republic. Ignacy Mościcki became the first president of the restored nation, with Józef Piłsudski as the prime minister and marshal of the Republic.
Under the Treaty of Versailles, Poland was granted considerable sovereignty, including a seat at the League of Nations. However, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union both challenged Poland’s new-found independence in the 1930s.
Finally, in 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland and started World War II. The Polish army and civilian population put up significant resistance, but the country was quickly overrun and partitioned. Hitler installed a puppet government ruled by his henchman Joseph Goebbels.
During the war, the Polish people suffered a number of atrocities, including mass execution and deportation to labor camps. According to the Jewish Virtual Library, estimates range from 3 to 6 million civilian deaths, including more than three million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.
The National Armed Forces (NSZ) led by General Leopold Okulicki were an important part of the Polish resistance movement. The NSZ managed to rescue Allied airmen shot down over Poland and carry out several sabotage operations, including the daring Operation “Burza” in 1944.
Despite the NSZs heroic efforts, it was the Soviet Red Army that eventually liberated Poland from the Nazis. On May 8, 1945, Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allies, officially ending World War II in Europe.
The Red Army subsequently occupied Poland and set up a communist government. This led to a period of repressive Soviet-style rule, with an artificial economy, strict censorship, and limited civil and religious freedoms.
Poland started its transition back to democracy in 1989, and they held their first free presidential elections in 1990. The election of post-Communist president Lech Walesa was widely hailed as a victory for democracy, and a free market economy was re-established.
Today, Poland is a thriving member of the European Union, and its government is founded on strong democratic principles. Its economy is now one of the most resilient in Europe, and Poland is generally viewed as a model for other countries transitioning from oppressive regimes.
