Second Polish Republic

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 125px
Anthem:
Map of the Second Polish Republic within Europe (1930) Map of the Second Polish Republic within Europe (1930)
Capital	Warsaw
Official languages	Polish
Religion	64.8% Roman Catholicism
Demonym(s)	Polish, Pole
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic (1918–1926) Unitary semi-presidential authoritarian republic (1926–1935) Unitary presidential constitutional republic (1935–1939)
• Chief of State (1918–1922)	Józef Piłsudski
• President	Gabriel Narutowicz (first) Władysław Raczkiewicz (last)
• Prime minister	Tomasz Arciszewski (last)
Legislature	Bicameral
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	Sejm
History
•	11 November 1918
•	6 October 1939
Area
• Total	388.634 km2 (150.052 sq mi)
Currency	Marka, Polish złoty
Preceded by Succeeded by File:Flag of Poland.svg Kingdom of Poland File:Flag of Germany (1867–1918).svg German Empire 20px Russian SFSR File:Flag of Poland.svg Zakopane Ukrainian People's Republic West Ukrainian People's Republic Komancza Republic 20px Lemko-Rusyn Republic 20px Galician SSR 20px Galicia-Lodomeria 20px Tarnobrzeg 20px Central Lithuania 20px Belarusian DR File:Flag of Germany (3-2).svg Weimar Republic 20px Litbel SSR File:Flag of the Czech Republic.svg First Czechoslovak Republic Nazi Germany File:Flag of Germany (1935–1945).svg Soviet Union 20px Lithuania 20px Slovakia 20px Polish government-in-exile 20px Polish Underground State 20px
Today part of	Poland Belarus Ukraine Lithuania

File:Poland1937linguistic.jpg

Distribution of ethnic groups and languages in the Second Polish Republic

Predecessors

• Austria-Hungary
• German Empire
• Kingdom of Poland
• West Ukrainian National Republic
• 20x20px Lemko-Rusyn Republic
• Komancza Republic
• 20px Ukrainian People's Republi
• 20px Galician Soviet Socialist Republic
• 20px Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
• 20px Republic of Central Lithuania

Successors

• Nazi Germany
• Soviet Union
• Polish Underground State

World War II

The Second Polish Republic, in 1939, refused to make territorial changes towards Germany. The Invasion of Poland (1939) brought the occupation of Poland by the German Reich and the Soviet Union 39 days later.

In exile

The government fled to the United Kingdom (UK) and became the Polish government-in-exile, while based in London. It continued its existence in Poland as the Polish Underground State until 1945 when Poland was released but made a Communist satellite state of the Soviet Union. The pre-war government remained in exile until the collapse of Communism in 1990. Afterwards, it dissolved and handed its roles over to the current Polish State.

Second Polish Republic Media

• Mazurek Dąbrowskiego (1939; instrumental).ogg

  Mazurek Dąbrowskiego (1939; instrumental)

• Polish-soviet war 1920 Polish defences near Milosna, August.jpg

  Polish defences at Miłosna, during the decisive Battle of Warsaw, August 1920

• Józef Piłsudski (-1930).jpg

  Marshal Józef Piłsudski, Chief of State (Naczelnik Państwa) between November 1918 and December 1922

• Piłsudski May 1926.jpg

  The May Coup d'État (1926)

• Rydz Smigly Bulawa1.jpg

  Ignacy Mościcki, President of Poland (left), Warsaw, 10 November 1936, awarding the Marshal's buława to Edward Rydz-Śmigły

• The PZL.37 Łoś was a Polish twin-engine medium bomber.

• Polish pavilion Paris 1937.jpg

  Polish pavilion at Expo 1937 in Paris

• Poland NYC 1939.jpg

  Polish pavilion at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City

• M.S "Batory". 1937-1939 (81562876) (cropped).jpg

  Poland's MS Batory at the sea port of Gdynia, ca 1937-1939