Polish Border Strip
Encyclopedia
The Polish Border Strip also known as the Polish Frontier Strip, refers to those territories which the German Empire
wanted to annex from Congress Poland
during World War I. It appeared in some plans proposed by German officials as a territory to be ceded by the Kingdom of Poland
to the German Empire
after an expected German and Central Powers
victory. The Polish
and Jewish population in this territory was to be removed, and in their place German
colonists were to be settled. The proposed area of the Border Strip was up to 30,000 square kilometers (approximately the size of Belgium), and up to 2 million people were going to be removed to make room for Germans. The strip was also intended to separate the Polish inhabitants of Prussian
-held Greater Poland
from those in Congress Poland. The plan has been described as the first instance in modern European history of removing whole populations as a solution to national conflicts. As the German Empire lost the war, those plans were not implemented.
under General Ludendorff
, as part of the debate and planning regarding the cession of the "border strip" to Germany, specified its own designs in a memorandum. It proposed annexing a greatly enlarged "border strip" of 20,000 square kilometres, and removing the pre-existing Polish and Jewish population (numbering between 2.000.000 and 3.000.000) from a territory of 8,000 square kilometres and settling it with ethnic Germans., Poles living in Prussia, especially in the province of Posen, were to be "encouraged" by unspecified means to move into the German-ruled Kingdom of Poland
.
Such proposals were also supported by the German minority living in Congress Poland, which had earlier suggested the annexation of all territory up to Łódź in a letter to the German government. These plans were developed and agreed to by the German government in March 1918, and in April gained support in the Prussian House of Lords
; the plans for this were debated and developed across a wide spectrum of political parties and interested groups such as political scientists
, industrialists, and nationalist organisations like the Pan-German League
.
In August 1918, Emperor Charles of Austria declared his opposition to any German plans for annexation. In response, General Ludendorff agreed to leave Wilno (and possibly Minsk
) to Poland but reaffirmed the "border strip" plan. However, this did little to soothe Polish sentiment, which regarded the return of Wilno as self-evident and refused to yield any part of the former Congress Poland.
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
wanted to annex from Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
during World War I. It appeared in some plans proposed by German officials as a territory to be ceded by the Kingdom of Poland
Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918)
The Kingdom of Poland, also informally called the Regency Kingdom of Poland , was a proposed puppet state during World War I by Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1916 after their conquest of the former Congress Poland from Russia...
to the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
after an expected German and Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
victory. The Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
and Jewish population in this territory was to be removed, and in their place German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
colonists were to be settled. The proposed area of the Border Strip was up to 30,000 square kilometers (approximately the size of Belgium), and up to 2 million people were going to be removed to make room for Germans. The strip was also intended to separate the Polish inhabitants of Prussian
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
-held Greater Poland
Greater Poland
Greater Poland or Great Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska is a historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief city is Poznań.The boundaries of Greater Poland have varied somewhat throughout history...
from those in Congress Poland. The plan has been described as the first instance in modern European history of removing whole populations as a solution to national conflicts. As the German Empire lost the war, those plans were not implemented.
Details
In July 1917 the German supreme commandOberste Heeresleitung
The Oberste Heeresleitung or OHL was Germany's highest echelon of command of the German Army in World War I, while the Navy was led by the Seekriegsleitung or SKL ....
under General Ludendorff
Erich Ludendorff
Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff was a German general, victor of Liège and of the Battle of Tannenberg...
, as part of the debate and planning regarding the cession of the "border strip" to Germany, specified its own designs in a memorandum. It proposed annexing a greatly enlarged "border strip" of 20,000 square kilometres, and removing the pre-existing Polish and Jewish population (numbering between 2.000.000 and 3.000.000) from a territory of 8,000 square kilometres and settling it with ethnic Germans., Poles living in Prussia, especially in the province of Posen, were to be "encouraged" by unspecified means to move into the German-ruled Kingdom of Poland
Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918)
The Kingdom of Poland, also informally called the Regency Kingdom of Poland , was a proposed puppet state during World War I by Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1916 after their conquest of the former Congress Poland from Russia...
.
Such proposals were also supported by the German minority living in Congress Poland, which had earlier suggested the annexation of all territory up to Łódź in a letter to the German government. These plans were developed and agreed to by the German government in March 1918, and in April gained support in the Prussian House of Lords
Prussian House of Lords
The Prussian House of Lords was the first chamber of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1850-1918. The second chamber was the Prussian House of Representatives . The House of Lords was created on January 31, 1850 with the adoption of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia...
; the plans for this were debated and developed across a wide spectrum of political parties and interested groups such as political scientists
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, industrialists, and nationalist organisations like the Pan-German League
Pan-German League
The Pan-German League was an extremist, ultra-nationalist political interest organization which was officially founded in 1891, a year after the Zanzibar Treaty was signed. It was concerned with a host of issues, concentrating on imperialism, anti-semitism, the so called Polish Question, and...
.
In August 1918, Emperor Charles of Austria declared his opposition to any German plans for annexation. In response, General Ludendorff agreed to leave Wilno (and possibly Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
) to Poland but reaffirmed the "border strip" plan. However, this did little to soothe Polish sentiment, which regarded the return of Wilno as self-evident and refused to yield any part of the former Congress Poland.
