Camp of National Unity

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Obóz Zjednoczenia Narodowego (pronounced [ˈɔbus zjɛdnɔˈtʃɛɲa narɔdɔˈvɛgɔ]; Polish for "Camp of National Unity"; abbreviated "OZN"; and often called "Ozon," Polish for "ozone") was a Polish political party founded in 1937 by leaders in the Sanation movement.

A year after the 1935 death of Polish dictator Marshal Józef Piłsudski, in mid-1936, one of his followers, Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły, attempted to unite the various Sanation factions under his leadership. He failed in this, since another Sanation politician, President Ignacy Mościcki, likewise had a large following; nevertheless, substantial numbers did throw their lot in with Rydz-Śmigły.

On February 21, 1937, diplomat and Colonel Adam Koc formally announced the formation of OZN. Its stated aims were to improve Poland's national defense and to safeguard the April 1935 Constitution. OZN was strongly pro-military, and its politicians sought to portray Marshal Rydz-Śmigły as Marshal Józef Piłsudski's heir, describing Rydz-Śmigły as the "second person in the country" after President Mościcki—a claim that had no foundation in the Polish Constitution.

OZN's first official leader was Adam Koc, and its second was General Stanisław Skwarczyński. After the 1939 German invasion of Poland and the start of World War II, OZN leadership passed to Colonel Zygmunt Wenda.

In 1937, OZN had some 40,000–50,000 members; in 1938, some 100,000.

During World War II, OZN's military arm, created in 1942, was known as Obóz Polski Walczącej (the Camp of Fighting Poland).

[edit] See also

• Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government (Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem, BBWR)
• National Radical Camp (Obóz Narodowo-Radykalny, ONR)

[edit] References

• Wynot, Jr., Edward D. (October 1971). ""A Necessary Cruelty": The Emergence of Official Anti-Semitism in Poland, 1936-39". The American Historical Review 76 (4): 1035–1058.