Biographical information
Ignacy Paderewski (18 November 1860 – 29 June 1941) was a Polish pianist and composer, politician, statesman and citizen of Morges. Paderewski played an important role in meeting with President Woodrow Wilson and obtaining the explicit inclusion of independent Poland as point 13 in Wilson's peace terms in 1918. He was the Prime Minister of Poland and represented Poland at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. History Poland existed as an important independent state throughout the middle ages but from the mid 17th century declined largely as a result of military defeat. From 1795 to 1918 no independent Polish state existed as Polish territory was partitioned between Russia, Prussia and the Hapsburg Empire. After the failure of the last military uprising against the Russian Empire, the January Uprising of 1863, the nation preserved its identity through educational initiatives and cultural nationalism. |
On the outbreak of the war in 1914, both the Central Powers and Russia sought the support of Polish nationalist loyalty and army recruits with promises of various degrees of independence once the war was over. Polish public opinion was divided into two political camps: Dmowski (1864-1939), was the pro-Russian camp’s most famous advocate. Pilsudski’s paramilitary units were part of the Austro-Hungarian Army.
Experience of World War I
Polish lands marked the frontier between the Central Powers and Russia and as such saw some of the fiercest fighting in World War I. A total of 2 million Polish troops fought with the armies of the three occupying powers, 450,000 died and close to one million were wounded. The occupied land was exploited for the export of food and raw materials and in part as a compulsory labour force. In 1914, Russian forces advanced very close to Kraków before being beaten back. By the end of 1915, the Germans had occupied the entire Russian sector, including Warsaw. On 5 November 1916 the Central Powers proclaimed the ‘independence’ of Poland, hoping to increase the number of Polish troops that could be sent to the Eastern Front against Russia, thereby relieving German forces to bolster the Western Front. However, nothing more than a puppet state was ever established and the Brest Litovsk treaty of 1918, not only imposed harsh conditions on Russia, it also ignored Polish interests. In contrast, on the initiative of Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points, Polish independence was officially endorsed by the Allies in June 1918. As soon as the Central Powers were defeated, war broke out in November 1918 between Poland and Ukrainian forces over territories that had formerly been part of the Russian and Hapsburg’s empires.
Ambitions
Point thirteen from Woodrow Wilson’s congressional speech on 8 January 1918 assumed that as a result of the war, an independent Poland, consisting of all ethnic Polish territories and having access to the sea, would be reestablished.
Potential rivals and allies
Poland’s main rivals - other national minorities of the former central European empires - will not be present at our Paris peace conference. Britain and the USA may look to limit the extent of Polish territorial ambition. Most other countries will be looking to Poland for support for their motions.
Experience of World War I
Polish lands marked the frontier between the Central Powers and Russia and as such saw some of the fiercest fighting in World War I. A total of 2 million Polish troops fought with the armies of the three occupying powers, 450,000 died and close to one million were wounded. The occupied land was exploited for the export of food and raw materials and in part as a compulsory labour force. In 1914, Russian forces advanced very close to Kraków before being beaten back. By the end of 1915, the Germans had occupied the entire Russian sector, including Warsaw. On 5 November 1916 the Central Powers proclaimed the ‘independence’ of Poland, hoping to increase the number of Polish troops that could be sent to the Eastern Front against Russia, thereby relieving German forces to bolster the Western Front. However, nothing more than a puppet state was ever established and the Brest Litovsk treaty of 1918, not only imposed harsh conditions on Russia, it also ignored Polish interests. In contrast, on the initiative of Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points, Polish independence was officially endorsed by the Allies in June 1918. As soon as the Central Powers were defeated, war broke out in November 1918 between Poland and Ukrainian forces over territories that had formerly been part of the Russian and Hapsburg’s empires.
Ambitions
Point thirteen from Woodrow Wilson’s congressional speech on 8 January 1918 assumed that as a result of the war, an independent Poland, consisting of all ethnic Polish territories and having access to the sea, would be reestablished.
Potential rivals and allies
Poland’s main rivals - other national minorities of the former central European empires - will not be present at our Paris peace conference. Britain and the USA may look to limit the extent of Polish territorial ambition. Most other countries will be looking to Poland for support for their motions.