Second Polish Republic

country in Central and Eastern Europe (1918–1939)

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.

Republic of Poland
Rzeczpospolita Polska
1918–1939
Flag of Second Polish Republic
Top: Flag
(1919–1927)
Bottom: Flag
(1927–1939)
Top: Coat of Arms
(1918–1927)
Bottom: Coat of Arms
(1927–1939)
Anthem: "Mazurek Dąbrowskiego"
Mazurek Dąbrowskiego"
Map of the Second Polish Republic within Europe (1930)
Map of the Second Polish Republic within Europe (1930)
CapitalWarsaw
Official languagesPolish
Recognised regional languagesYiddish, Kashubian, Romani
Religion
64.8% Roman Catholicism
Demonym(s)Polish, Pole
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary republic (1918–1926)
Unitary semi-presidential authoritarian republic (1926–1935)
Unitary presidential constitutional republic (1935–1939)
• President
Gabriel Narutowicz (first)
Władysław Raczkiewicz (last)
LegislatureBicameral
Senate
Sejm
Area
• Total
388.634 km2 (150.052 sq mi)
CurrencyMarka, Polish złoty
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of Poland
German Empire
Russian SFSR
Zakopane
Ukrainian People's Republic
West Ukrainian People's Republic
Komancza Republic
Lemko-Rusyn Republic
Galician SSR
Galicia-Lodomeria
Tarnobrzeg
Central Lithuania
Belarusian DR
Weimar Republic
Litbel SSR
First Czechoslovak Republic
Nazi Germany
Soviet Union
Lithuania
Slovakia
Polish government-in-exile
Polish Underground State
Today part of Poland
 Belarus
 Ukraine
 Lithuania

Predecessors change

Successors change

The Second Polish Republic, in 1939, was invaded by the Greater German Reich and the U.S.S.R. after refusing to make territorial changes towards Germany. Poland was then fully occupied by both countries 39 days later. The government fled to the United Kingdom and became the Polish government-in-exile, while based in London. It continued it's existence in Poland as the Polish Underground State until 1945 when Poland was released but made a communist, soviet, satellite state. The pre-war government remained in exile until the collapse of Communism in 1990. Afterwards, it dissolved and handed it's roles over to the current Polish State.