Polish Underground State

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This article covers the Secret State of Poland during World War II. For the earlier secret state in Poland see: January Uprising
Polish Underground State
Kotwica
History of Poland
The authorities

Government
Administration
Parliament
Courts
Political organizations
Major

Polish Socialist Party
People's Party
National Party
Stronnictwo Pracy
Minor

Camp of National Unity
Democratic Party
Jewish Labor Union
Hashomer Hatzair
Betar (Zionist youth)
Opposition

National Radical Camp
Polish Workers' Party
Military organizations
Universal

Armia Krajowa
Service for Poland's Victory
Armed Struggle (ZWZ)
Szare Szeregi
National Security Corps
Significantly integrated
into ZWZ-AK

Gwardia Ludowa WRN
Bataliony Chłopskie
Partially integrated

National Military
Organization
National Armed Forces
Camp of Fighting Poland
Konfederacja Narodu
Not integrated

Jewish Combat Organization
Jewish Military Union
Opposition

Military Lizard Union
Gwardia Ludowa
Armia Ludowa
See also

Cultural activities
Education
History of Poland
(1939–1945)
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Polish Statehood The White Eagle, symbol of Polish statehood

Polish Underground State (Polish: Polskie Państwo Podziemne, also known as Polish Secret State[a]) is used to refer to all underground resistance organizations in Poland during World War II, both military and civilian, loyal to the Polish Government in Exile in London. The Underground State was a legal continuation of the pre-war Republic of Poland and its institutions. Polish historian Stanisław Salmonowicz defined it as a "collection of state-legal, organizational and citizenship structures, which were to ensure constitutional continuation of Polish statehood on its own territory. This constitutional continuity, real performance of state's functions on its past territory and loyalty of a great majority of the Polish society to it were the most significants elements of its existence."[1]

The term is used in Polish historiography to denote both the armed struggle against the occupying powers (Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union) and all the examples of underground political, social and educational activities during the occupation.[1]

Contents

[edit] Polish government in exile

For more details on this topic, see Polish government in exile.

The government in exile, based in London, with President of Poland and Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army was the top military and civilian authority, recognized by the authorities of the Underground state as their commanders.

[edit] Civilian

For more details on this topic, see Government Delegate's Office at Home.

The main role of the civilian branch of the underground state was in maintaining the continuity of the Polish state as a whole, including its institutions such as the police, the courts or education. It was to prepare cadres and institutions for recovering power after the German defeat in World War II.

The rationale behind the creation of the secret civilian authorities stemmed from the fact that the German and Soviet occupation of Poland was illegal. Hence all the institutions created by the occupying powers were regarded as illegal and parallel Polish underground institutions were set up following Polish law.

In August 1943 and March 1944 Polish Secret State announced their long-term plan, partially designed to counter attractiveness of some of communists' proposals. That plan promised a land reform, nationalisation of industrial base, demands for territorial compensation from Germany as well as re-establishment of pre-1939 eastern border. Thus the main difference between the Underground State and the communists, in terms of politics, amounted not to radical economic and social reforms, which were advocated by both sides, but to their attitudes towards national sovereignty, borders and Polish-Soviet relations.[2]

[edit] Military

For more details on this topic, see Związek Walki Zbrojnej and Armia Krajowa.

The military part, consisting mostly of various branches of the Armia Krajowa (AK, Home Army) - until 1942 Związek Walki Zbrojnej (ZWZ, Union of Active Struggle), was to prepare the Polish society for a future fight for the liberation of the country. Apart from armed resistance, sabotage, intelligence, training and propaganda, the military arm of the Polish secret state was responsible for maintaining communications with the London-based government in exile, as well as for protecting the civilian arm of the state.

[edit] Notes

a ^  The more widely used term Polish Underground State was first used on 13 January 1944 by the official underground publication of the Polish underground authorities, the Biuletyn Informacyjny.[3] Polish Secret State was a term coined by scholar Jan Karski in his book Story of a Secret State (Polish: Tajne państwo), written and first published in the second half of the 1944 in United States.
  1. ^ a b Stanisław Salmonowicz, Polskie Państwo Podziemne, Wydawnictwa Szkolne i Pedagogiczne, Warszawa, 1994, ISBN 930205500X
  2. ^ (English) Jerzy Lukowski; Hubert Zawadzki (2001). A Concise History of Poland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521559170. 
  3. ^ Barbara Wachowicz "Kamyk na szańcu – opowieść o druhu Aleksandrze Kamińskim" Wydawnictwo Rytm; ISBN 83-88794-68-X p. 222

[edit] External references

[edit] Further reading

  • Jan Karski (2001). Story of a Secret State. Simon Publications, 391 pages. ISBN 1-931541-39-6. 
  • Stefan Korboński, Fighting Warsaw: the Story of the Polish Underground State (1939-1945), London, 1956
  • Józef Garliński, "The Polish Underground State 1939-1945", Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 10, No. 2, 1975, JSTOR

[edit] See also