Belarusian Peasants' and Workers' Union
Encyclopedia
The Belarusian Peasants' and Workers' Union was a socialist political party in Poland
-controlled West Belarus
that demanded independence of Belarus and social rights for the discriminated Belarusian minority in mid-war Poland. The BPWU was created in 1925 by a group of Belarusian deputies of the Polish Sejm. The group included Branislaw Tarashkyevich
, Symon Rak-Mikhailouski, Piotra Miatla, Paviel Valoshyn.
Being Socialist they were in opposition to Communist party, although there were some common points regarding general social policy.
Fearing its attempts to establish Belarusian independent state and to promote Belarusian self-awareness, and under the false claim that BPWU cooperates with Soviet Russia, the Polish authorities began to suppress the activities of the BPWU already in late 1926 through arrests, seizures and searches. Finally by February 1927 the party was banned and most of its members were arrested (some were held at Bereza Kartuska prison
until the late 1930s). Some of them were later exchanged for Polish prisoners imprisoned in Soviet camps. Polish authorities were well aware that those Belarusian prisoners exchanged would be repressed by Soviet authorities. Soviet authorities also viewed these exchanges as possibility to crack down on Belarusian nationalists and to lessen their competition with Communist party of Western Belarus.
In the aftermath of the party's de-legalisation, on February 3, 1927 a riot erupted in Kosava. Polish police responded with fire, killing 6 people and wounding several dozens..
Having more than 120,000 members by late 1926, BPWU is currently the largest political party
in Belarusian history. At its height, the party had 5 MP
s in the Polish Sejm
(out of 11 members of the "Belarusian club").
Despite that, a semi-official goal was to unite all Belarus (West Belarus
and East Belarus
) within one state.
The BPWU expressed certain sympathy to the Soviet Union
and its support for the Belarusian national revival in early 1920s that was later brutally ended in the 1930s. The Soviets also tried to gain control over the Belarusian Peasants' and Workers' Union and to give the Belarusian national liberation movement in Poland a communist context.
The party had units in the following powiat
s:
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-controlled West Belarus
West Belarus
West Belarus is the name used in reference to the territory of modern Belarus which belonged to the Second Polish Republic between 1919 and 1939. The area of West Belarus was annexed into the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic following staged elections soon after the Nazi-Soviet Invasion of...
that demanded independence of Belarus and social rights for the discriminated Belarusian minority in mid-war Poland. The BPWU was created in 1925 by a group of Belarusian deputies of the Polish Sejm. The group included Branislaw Tarashkyevich
Branislaw Tarashkyevich
Branisłaŭ Adamovič Taraškievič was a Belarusian public figure, politician, and linguist.He was the creator of the first standardization of the modern Belarusian language in the early 20th century. The standard was later Russified by the Soviet authorities...
, Symon Rak-Mikhailouski, Piotra Miatla, Paviel Valoshyn.
Being Socialist they were in opposition to Communist party, although there were some common points regarding general social policy.
Fearing its attempts to establish Belarusian independent state and to promote Belarusian self-awareness, and under the false claim that BPWU cooperates with Soviet Russia, the Polish authorities began to suppress the activities of the BPWU already in late 1926 through arrests, seizures and searches. Finally by February 1927 the party was banned and most of its members were arrested (some were held at Bereza Kartuska prison
Bereza Kartuska prison
The Bereza Kartuska detention camp was a Polish prison, principally for political prisoners of the sanacja regime, that was operated in 1934–39 at Bereza Kartuska in the former Polesie Province ....
until the late 1930s). Some of them were later exchanged for Polish prisoners imprisoned in Soviet camps. Polish authorities were well aware that those Belarusian prisoners exchanged would be repressed by Soviet authorities. Soviet authorities also viewed these exchanges as possibility to crack down on Belarusian nationalists and to lessen their competition with Communist party of Western Belarus.
In the aftermath of the party's de-legalisation, on February 3, 1927 a riot erupted in Kosava. Polish police responded with fire, killing 6 people and wounding several dozens..
Having more than 120,000 members by late 1926, BPWU is currently the largest political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Belarusian history. At its height, the party had 5 MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
s in the Polish Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
(out of 11 members of the "Belarusian club").
Programme
The main points of BPWU's program were:- Democratic self-governance for West BelarusWest BelarusWest Belarus is the name used in reference to the territory of modern Belarus which belonged to the Second Polish Republic between 1919 and 1939. The area of West Belarus was annexed into the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic following staged elections soon after the Nazi-Soviet Invasion of...
- Introduction of an eight-hour working day
- An official recognition of the Belarusian languageBelarusian languageThe Belarusian language , sometimes referred to as White Russian or White Ruthenian, is the language of the Belarusian people...
in Poland
- Cancellation of OsadnikOsadnikOsadniks was the Polish loanword used in Soviet Union for veterans of the Polish Army that were given land in the Kresy territory ceded to Poland by Polish-Soviet Riga Peace Treaty of 1921 .-Colonization process:Shortly before the battle of Warsaw on August 7, 1920, the Premier of Poland,...
-colonization of Belarus
- Confiscation of land owned by landlords and its free distribution to peasants
Despite that, a semi-official goal was to unite all Belarus (West Belarus
West Belarus
West Belarus is the name used in reference to the territory of modern Belarus which belonged to the Second Polish Republic between 1919 and 1939. The area of West Belarus was annexed into the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic following staged elections soon after the Nazi-Soviet Invasion of...
and East Belarus
East Belarus
thumb|Coat of arms of East BelarusEast Belarus usually refers to the part of Belarus that was under Soviet occupation between 1919 and 1939, as opposed to West Belarus that was part of the Second Polish Republic in that time....
) within one state.
The BPWU expressed certain sympathy to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and its support for the Belarusian national revival in early 1920s that was later brutally ended in the 1930s. The Soviets also tried to gain control over the Belarusian Peasants' and Workers' Union and to give the Belarusian national liberation movement in Poland a communist context.
Structure
The Belarusian Peasants' and Workers' Union became active and established several periodicals. By November 1926 the party had more than 120,000 members.The party had units in the following powiat
Powiat
A powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...
s:
- BaranovichiBaranovichiBaranovichi , is a city in the Brest Province of western Belarus with a population of 173,000. It is a significant railway junction and home to a state university.-Overview:...
- BielskBielsk Podlaski-Roads and Highways:Bielsk Podlaski is at the intersection of two National Road and a Voivodeship Road:* National Road 19 - Kuźnica Białystoka Border Crossing - Kuźnica - Białystok - Bielsk Podlaski - Siemiatycze - Międzyrzec Podlaski - Kock - Lubartów - Lublin - Kraśnik - Janów Lubelski - Nisko...
- Valozhyn
- VaukavyskVaukavyskVawkavysk or Vaŭkavysk or Volkovysk is a town in the Hrodna Province of Belarus. It is the center of Vaŭkavysk district and has a population of around 48,000....
- VileykaVileykaVileyka – town in Republic of Belarus, the capital of the Vileyka Raion in the Minsk Voblast. It is located on the river Viliya, 100 km to northwest from Minsk. First documental record: 16 November 1460....
- WilnoVilniusVilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
- Grodno
- DzisnaDzisnaDzisna , is a town in the Vitsebsk Voblast of Belarus. It's located on the left bank of the Daugava River, near the confluence of Dysna. It has 2,700 inhabitants . The towns population has declined over the years; early in the 20th century it had close to 10,000 inhabitants....
- Kosava
- LidaLidaLida is a city in western Belarus in Hrodna Voblast, situated 160 km west of Minsk. It is the fourteenth largest city in Belarus.- Etymology :...
- MaladzyechnaMaladzyechnaMaladzyechna , is a city in the Minsk Voblast of Belarus, an administrative centre of the Maladzyechna district . It has 98,514 inhabitants and is located 72 km northwest of Minsk. Located on the Usha River, it has been a settlement since 1388 when it was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania...
- Navahrudak
- PastavyPastavyPastavy is a city in the Vitsebsk Voblast of Belarus, an administrative center of the Pastavy district. In 2009, Pastavy celebrated its 600th anniversary.-External links:* *...
- PinskPinskPinsk , a town in Belarus, in the Polesia region, traversed by the river Pripyat, at the confluence of the Strumen and Pina rivers. The region was known as the Marsh of Pinsk. It is a fertile agricultural center. It lies south-west of Minsk. The population is about 130,000...
- SlonimSlonimSlonim is a city in Hrodna Voblast, Belarus, capital of the Slonim District. It is located at the junction of the Shchara and Isa rivers, 143 km southeast of Hrodna. The population in 2008 was 50,800.-Etymology and historical names:...
- StouptsyStouptsyStoubtsy or Stoŭbcy, also known as Stouptsy and Stolbtsy is a town in Minsk Province, Belarus, an administrative center of the Stowbtsy raion . It is located at , at the Nieman river. The population is near 16,000.-History:...
- Sokółka
External links
- Чаму была разгромленая Беларуская Сялянска-Работніцкая Грамада? - 150 пытанняў і адказаў з гісторыі Беларусі
- Разгром “Грамады” за кулісамі палітычнага скандалу
- У новай айчыне. Штодзённае жыццё беларусаў Беласточчыны ў міжваенны перыяд.