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Polish soccer (football) in interwar period
Encyclopedia
The interwar period of Polish football
began in the late fall of 1918 after First World War, when Poland
regained independence, which had been lost at the end of 18th century (see: Partitions of Poland
). The newly created country soon started to organize its administration and several national organizations. Among them was the PZPN - Polski Zwiazek Pilki Noznej (Polish Football Association
), which was created on December 20 and 21, 1919 in Warsaw
. According to some sources, several officials representing around 30 Polish Football clubs were then present in Warsaw, but the list of them has been lost.
Many Polish Football clubs were not founded in 1918, but much earlier. The first centers of Polish fooball were Kraków
and Lwów
, where a club were established as early as 1903 (Czarni Lwów
, the first Polish sports club). However, before 1918 it was impossible to create an independent, uniquely Polish Federation, because Poland as such did not exist.
, was virtually non-existent. To make matters worse, Poland was from the very beginning involved with wars with almost all neighbors (see: Polish-Soviet War
, Polish-Ukrainian War
, Polish-Lithuanian War
, Great Poland Uprising
, Silesian Uprisings
, Border conflicts between Poland and Czechoslovakia
). Considering those conflicts, it is not surprising that in these hectic months sports were not a priority for both fledgling government and Polish nation.
While planning those games, PZPN's officials did not predict that in summer of 1920 Red Army
would reach the outskirts of Warsaw, and Poland's fate would be in grave danger (Russian westward offensive of 1918-1919
). So, under the circumstances, only Western districts of Kraków and Poznań managed to carry out its games. Kraków's champion was Cracovia, Poznań's - Warta Poznań
. Needless to add - Polish National Team as such did not yet exist and no international friendlies took place.
) and the nation, while recuperating from all the wars, started to take interest in other activities, including sports. First, in early summer of 1921, teams from five districts played each other, in regional championships. The regional champions were: Cracovia Kraków, ŁKS Łódź, Warta Poznań, Pogoń Lwów
and Polonia Warszawa
.
and in third place, Warta Poznań
. National championships lasted for only two months, from late August until late October. The top scorer of the national games was Cracovia's forward Józef Kałuża, with 9 goals.
, Poland lost to Hungary
0-1 (see: The first game: December 18, 1921. Hungary - Poland 1-0
).
), additional PZPN's districts were added.
In 1922, in a nationwide tournament, 8 teams participated. Five of them were champions of the districts established back in 1920 (these teams were the same as in 1921), plus champions of three new districts - Upper Silesia
(Ruch Wielkie Hajduki), Lublin
(Wojskowy KS Lublin
) and Wilno (Strzelec Wilno).
Also, since 1922, Polish National Team started to play international games on regular basis. Back then, no FIFA World Cup
existed, so the only way to prove side's quality were friendlies or Olympic Games
.
for four successive seasons was champion of Poland, with the exception of 1924. In this year, due to the 1924 Summer Olympics
in Paris
, no championships were organized. The reason for this was so that the National Team would be adequately prepared for its games in the Olympics.
Pogoń thus was the champion in the years 1922, 1923, 1925 and 1926. Lwów's squad was unequaled in the country, with its leader in excellent athlete, Wacław Kuchar, who in 1922 and 1926 was the top scorer of Poland. Another Pogoń star was Mieczysław Batsch - also a forward, who together with Kuchar and some other Lwów's players regularly represented Polish National Team. Apart from Pogoń, in 1922-1926 other important teams were: Wisła Kraków, Warta Poznań
, Polonia Warszawa
, Cracovia.
In 1925, another district was added to the nationwide games. This time it was Toruń
, with its champion, Toruński KS
. Thus, by 1927 there were 9 districts of PZPN - Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań, Kraków, Lwów, Lublin, Wilno, Upper Silesia and Toruń. Each of them sent its champion to the national tournament.
The game occurred on May 14, 1922. Polish football fans must have been in great anticipation of this event, because they filled up the stadium, with 16,000 of them showing up. Supporters intent on seeing this historic game came not only from Kraków, but also from other parts of the country. They were disappointed - Poland lost to its renowned rival 0-3 but, according to some sources, white-reds did not deserve such harsh punishment.
Two weeks later, Polish team went a long way to Stockholm
, to face Sweden
. This time, at the Olympic Stadium, with 16,000 spectators, Poland won the first game in its history. The Poles beat their opponents 2-1, with goals by Józef Klotz
(on a penalty kick) and Józef Garbień
. It must be mentioned, that in 1922 it took almost four days for the Poles to get by trains and ferry from Kraków, via Warsaw, Berlin
, Stralsund
and Malmö
, to the capital of Sweden.
This victory, over an experienced Swedish side, was a turning point for the Poles. The National Team quickly took advantage of it, as more nations showed interest in facing white-reds. On September 3, 1922, in Cernăuţi
, Poland tied 1-1 with Romania
and on October 1, in Zagreb
, Poles beat Yugoslavia
3-1, with two goals by Józef Kałuża.
In 1923, the first game occurred as late as June 3. In Kraków, the Poles lost 1-2 to Yugoslavia (goal by Kałuża). This goal is also significant - it was the first one scored on home turf. Fans had to wait for next match until September 2, when in Lwów, on the Czarni Lwów
's stadium, Poland tied 1-1 with Romania. Soon after, white-reds traveled north. On September 25 in Helsinki
, Poland lost 3-5 to Finland
, two days later, in Tallinn
, the Poles beat Estonia
4-1. The last game in 1923 took place in Kraków. On November 1, the Poles tied 2-2 with Sweden.
was given a free hand in choosing players that would represent the nation in France.
Obrubanski, after checking some 40 athletes, chose the roster and went to Stockholm, for the last pre-Olympic friendly. However on May 14, 1924, Poland was routed by the Swedes 1-5 (goal by Mieczysław Batsch). With the Games approaching, fans back in the country were uneasy and their worst predictions turned out right.
Upon arriving at Paris, the Poles found out that they would face Hungary. The game, which took place on May 26, 1924 at Stade Bergeyre
, was a disaster. The white-reds fought hard in the first half, which they lost 0-1. Alas, after the break, the Poles lost strength and went down by 0-5. The Olympic dream was over, with Uruguay
becoming the champion.
For the rest of the period described (1924–1926), Poland rated poorly, occasionally winning some games against such teams as Estonia, Finland or Turkey
, but also losing many, with Hungary, amateur team of Czechoslovakia
or Sweden.
The biggest success of these years was the routing of Finland 7-1 on August 8, 1926 in Poznań. Also, on September 12, 1926, Poland beat Turkey 6-1, this game taking place in Lwów. However, those teams were regarded as somehow "second class". Facing tougher opponents, the Poles would most likely lose (like on November 1, 1925, in Kraków, Poland - Sweden 2-6 or on August 20, 1926 in Budapest, Hungary - Poland 4-1). At the end of 1926, Poland went to Scandinavia
. On October 3 in Stockholm, the Poles lost to Sweden 3-1 and a week later in Oslo
, Poland beat Norway
4-3.
Among players, who would represent the country, majority of them came from Kraków
's clubs, Cracovia and Wisła, Pogon Lwów
, Warta Poznań
, Polonia Warszawa
and ŁKS Łódź. This means that just like in the early 1920s, the same teams played key roles in Polish football. After Adam Obrubanski, Poland's managers were Tadeusz Kuchar
and then Tadeusz Synowiec
.
To the dismay of clubs’ officials, PZPN did not like the idea of the League and the Association wanted to thwart it. However, it turned out that virtually all but one Polish club supported the League and decided to create it, no matter what PZPN's representatives thought of it. In late February 1927, at the PZPN's meeting in Warsaw, its officials openly opposed the League, but the clubs, allegedly egged on by some generals from Polish Army (which, after May Coup of 1926, played a key role in all aspects of public life), would not obey. The creation of the League was announced on March 1, 1927.
, at the same time held the post of the director of PZPN.
It must be mentioned that Cetnarowski was a personality known not only in Poland, but also in other countries. It was due to his efforts that in September 1923 his beloved club, Cracovia, went on a tour to Spain
. The Kraków side's results were impressive - a 1-1 tie with FC Barcelona
and a 0-1 loss to Real Madrid
. In October, also thanks to Cetnarowski, FC Sevilla came to Kraków and lost 2-3 to Cracovia.
Some time in Autumn 1927 in Katowice, an ill-fated game between 1.FC and Wisła took place. The stakes were very high - the winner would become the Champion. According to numerous sources, PZPN's officials went out of their way not to let the Germans win. The referee, Zygmunt Hanke, clearly favored Wisła, as a result of which Kraków's side won 2-0 and became the Champion. 1.FC finished second, third was Warta Poznań.
, Mieczyslaw Balcer and Jan Kotlarczyk. Warta Poznań was second and Legia Warszawa third. This was also the last year of 1.FC's dominance. The team finished fifth, to be relegated forever at the end of 1929 season.
In 1929 yet another team (after Cracovia, Pogon Lwów and Wisła) was added to the list of Champions of Poland. This time it was Warta Poznań
, who finished one point ahead of Garbarnia Kraków
.
However, after the last game, on December 1, 1929, it was Garbarnia Kraków that was celebrating the Championship. Two weeks later, in mid-December, PZPN's officials changed the result of the Warta - Klub Turystow Łódź game. Originally, Warta lost 1-2, but due to a walk-over (it was decided that one of Łódź's players did not have all necessary documents), this was changed to 3-0 in favor of Poznań's side. As a result of the decision, Warta (with 33 points) became the Champion, Garbarnia finished second with 32 points and Klub Turystow was relegated.
In 1930, Cracovia regained the Championship, (to repeat this success in 1932) and a year later another Kraków side, Garbarnia, won the League. It is clear that the 1927-1932 period was marked by the dominance of teams from Kraków. During this time, only once (Warta Poznań, 1929) the Championship was won by a side from a different city. The 1931 Champion, Garbarnia, was unique as this was the first time that the League had been won by a side whose all players had been bought from other teams.
, Poland tied 3-3 with Romania. The new manager, Tadeusz Synowiec
, faced a big problem in this match. As most teams refused to send their players, he had to get support almost solely from Cracovia. Kraków's side sent as many as 7 players, the remaining 4 came from Katowice
's second-class clubs such as Pogoń Katowice and Policyjny KS. Considering this, the tie with Romania was a good result.
Polish fans had to wait for an international friendly for as long as a year. In June 1928 in Warsaw, Poland tied 3-3 with USA (the Americans came to Europe for Amsterdam
's 1928 Summer Olympics
, and accepted the offer. By then, the conflict between PZPN and clubs was over, so new manager Tadeusz Kuchar
was able to try all the players he wanted. Poland were losing 2-3 until the 89th minute when they were awarded a penalty kick. None of the home players wanted to take the kick until eventually Zygmunt Steuermann
, a forward from Jewish-minority team Hasmonea Lwów
, stepped forward and scored the equalising goal.
On July 1, for the first time ever, the national team came to Katowice. Poland beat Sweden 2-1, with around 20,000 fans cheering the victory. To please Katowice's fans, Tadeusz Kuchar called up the two best players from 1. FC Katowice
- forward Karol Kossok
and a very talented defender Erich Heidenreich. The first one gladly accepted the offer and came out on the field, but Heidenreich wrote a letter to PZPN. The player stated that even though he was pleased and honored, he considered himself a German, thus would not play in a white-red jersey. Polish officials were not happy with this (Heidenreich was considered the best defender in the League), but had to comply with his decision.
At the end of 1928, Poland for the first time faced its immediate neighbor and one of Football powerhouses - Czechoslovakia. In Prague
, on October 27, white-reds lost 2-3.
In the years 1929-1932 the national team was considered in Europe as a second-class side, which was proved by international authorities in 1929. In 1929-1930, an international competition, The Amateur Central European Cup took place. Poland was included in these games, together with the amateur teams of Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Austria
. First, official teams of these nations played in the "real" Central European Cup. This was a clear sign that the European elite did not feel that playing such a weak opponent as Poland was useful. Evidence in support of this came in Budapest, when the Poles were routed 1-5 by the official Hungarian team.
As games against amateur teams are not considered official by FIFA
, for several months Poland did not play any official matches. The breakthrough came at the end of September 1930, in Stockholm. The white-reds beat Sweden 3-0, but the hopes of Polish fans, augmented by a 6-0 victory over Latvia
(October 1930, Warsaw), faded away on June 14, 1931, also in Poland's capital. On this day, the hosts faced Czechoslovakia, one of the best teams in the world. The Poles were routed 0-4, and the Czechoslovaks scored their first goal as early as in the 30th second.
At the end of the described period, in mid-October 1931, Poland traveled to Brussels
, where they lost 1-2 to Belgium
. Then, on October 25 in Poznań
, the hosts beat Yugoslavia 6-3. This success was the last game of manager Stefan Loth (who died in summer of 1936). Starting in 1932, the national team was managed by former forward of Cracovia, Józef Kałuża, who would lead it to its biggest successes and who would stay on this post until September 1939.
and Lwów, slowly came to an end. The new manager of the National Team, Józef Kałuża, was a huge fan of teams and players from Polish Upper Silesia
(see: Autonomous Silesian Voivodship). Thus, more and more sportsmen from this region appeared in the national lineup, eventually dominating it. Also the League was subject to the reign of Ruch Chorzów
. This team won the Championships in the years 1933, 1934, 1935 and 1936.
). In 1932 the champion was Cracovia, but starting in 1933, Ruch Chorzów
(then: Ruch Wielkie Hajduki) completely dominated the league, being the champion for 4 times in a row.
Ruch, with such excellent players as Teodor Peterek
, Ernest Wilimowski
and Gerard Wodarz
was by far the best team in those years. For example, in 1934 it finished seven points ahead of second Cracovia. Other important teams of these years were: Cracovia Kraków, Wisła Kraków, Pogoń Lwów
and Warta Poznań
.
In 1933 and 1934 there were 12 teams in the League. In 1935 this number was cut to 11 and in 1936 - to 10. Football officials did it on purpose - with fewer teams, the competition was supposed to be harder, which would attract fans to the stadiums. However, supporters’ turnout was not impressive, with Ruch Chorzów as the most popular team, both at home and away.
In late 1935 (the league held its games in the spring-summer-fall system) fans were shocked to find that Cracovia, the legend of this sport, was relegated to the A-class. The Kraków side's absence lasted for a year - it returned in 1937, to became the champion.
, then returned to Cracovia. Even though not born in Kraków, he was a great admirer of this city, and there died in October 1944. Kałuża's post as a manager of the National Team was decided on 20–21 February 1932, during the General Meeting of PZPN. There, in the election, he beat the main rival, former star of Pogoń Lwów, Wacław Kuchar.
It must be mentioned that the post of the manager of the National Team of Poland was not well-paid in the 1930s. Clearly, Kałuża's significance was great; he was widely respected, but to support himself, he had to continue working as a teacher in Kraków's high school. Back then, PZPN was not as rich as it is today. The manager was provided with some money to cover costs of travels and accommodation, but this was not regarded a regular salary. Football officials in Poland must have been pleased with Kałuża - unlike his predecessors, who would be rotated after just a few months, he held the seat firmly until the last days of interwar Poland (see: Invasion of Poland
).
1932 ended with yet more achievements. On October 2, a so-called double match took place (such games were popular in 1930s European Football). The reserve Poland team beat 2-1 Latvia at Warsaw, and at the same hour the first lineup faced Romania in Bucharest. Romania (with several of its starters of Hungarian nationality from Transylvania
) was regarded a very strong team. The Poles, however, overwhelmed it 5-0 and this was the biggest success of Polish Football so far.
This game is significant also for another reason. In Polish lineup there were two newcomers from Upper Silesia - Ewald Urban and Gerard Wodarz
. Both performed excellently, each scoring a goal. This meant that Kałuża started to notice the Upper Silesians, and after a few years players from there would totally dominate the national team. The remaining three goals were scored by Legia Warszawa
's Jozef Nawrot
.
The game against Belgium was yet another step towards "Silesiazation" of the national team. Apart from Urban and Wodarz, two more players from this region were fielded. These were Edmund Giemsa
and Karol Dziwisz. All four were from Ruch Chorzów
. Fifth Silesian in the lineup was Karol Pazurek from Pogoń Katowice.
On September 10, 1933 Poland at Warsaw beat Yugoslavia 4-3, but attention of fans already turned on Czechoslovakia. To qualify to the 1934 FIFA World Cup
, Poland had to beat its southern neighbors, whose team was regarded as one of the best in the world. The first leg occurred October 15 in Warsaw. The white-reds, after a fierce battle, lost 1-2 (Polish lone goal on a penalty by Legia Warszawa
's Henryk Martyna
). This was a huge disappointment, and facing the second leg in Prague, nobody believed in success.
At the end of 1933, due to thaw of Polish-German relations, the team headed for Berlin. On December 3 the Germans
won 1-0, with the goal in the 89th minute. All throughout winter and early spring of 1934, Football fans were waiting for game with Czechoslovakia, scheduled on April 15. However, just a few days before the match, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs banned the team from traveling to Prague, due to tense situation between two neighbors. As a result, the Czechoslovaks qualified and during the World Cup in Italy
proved their skills, becoming the runner-up.
, via Berlin, they went to Copenhagen
, where on May 21 the Poles lost 2-4 to Denmark
. Two days later, at Stockholm, white-reds faced Sweden, also losing 2-4. These games are important for one reason. Match against Denmark was the debut of a 17-year old Ernest Wilimowski
. The young forward of Ruch Chorzów was a rising star, which was proven in Stockholm, where "Ezi" scored a goal.
The remaining games of the described period were not marked by any significant achievements. Poland lost several prestigious games (2-5 vs Germany in Warsaw, 1-4 vs. Jugoslavia in Belgrad, 1-4 vs. Romania in Bucharest or 2-5 vs. Austria in Wien
). The team plunged into mediocrity, winning only 6-3 with Latvia and 1-0 with Austria (on October 6, 1935 at Warsaw, lone goal by Pogoń Lwów's Michał Matyas). This game was the only notable success of the 1934 - early 1936 period. Wilimowski played in some of these matches, but the young player needed time to establish his position.
, at Antwerp, white-reds did not participate, due to Polish-Soviet War
. In 1924 at Paris, Poland was routed 0-5 by Hungary. As a result of this failure, the team did not even bother itself to travel to the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. Then, 1932 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles
were too far away and too expensive for Polish football officials.
Morale among both fans and officials was at the beginning of 1936 very low. Newspapers were urging PZPN to fire Kałuża, but eventually this did not happen, as the coach was strongly supported by representatives from Upper Silesia
- the strongest and richest district of PZPN.
Even though 1936 Olympics were to be held in the neighboring capital, not everyone in Poland favored the idea of National Team's participation in this event. Officials from both Kraków and Lwów rejected it, only to be convinced by an unexpected victory 2-0 over Belgium (February 16, 1936, Brussels). This was a good sign, which changed the general feelings.
In mid-June 1936, after a long discussion, PZPN officially permitted the National Team to participate in the Games. Kałuża did not have time - he quickly organized a training camp in Warsaw, calling 36 players. After a while this number was cut down to 25 and then - to 18. Among them was Ernest Wilimowski
, who was regarded by the manager as a key player, essential for his plans.
A few weeks before the games, "Ezi" was disqalified for alleged excessive drinking and did not go to Berlin. This was a huge mistake of Polish officials. They recklessly got rid of a top forward, thus reducing Poland's chances for a medal. Józef Kałuża had to agree with the decision, but obviously he was very unhappy. Without Wilimowski in the lineup, white-reds lost most of their firepower.
was the second (after 1924 Summer Olympics) major international tournament in which the Poles participated. Considering this fact, it is understandable that both officials and players were nervous before stepping onto the field for the first game. The opponent was the amateur team of Hungary.
On August 5 at Berlin's Post-Stadion the white-reds faced Hungary. The opponents, obeying the regulations, fielded their amateur players. With Poland, the situation was more complicated. Officially, there were not any football professionals in the country. All players worked somewhere on a daily basis, so as such they were amateurs. In some cases however, these jobs were just covers and all some athletes did was playing. Thus, Polish lineup consisted of its best players from top League teams. Also, it must be mentioned that games against Hungary, Great Britain and Austria are not considered by FIFA as official, so they simply do not count in any statistics.
Poland won the first game with ease, beating the Hungarians 3-0 (two goals by Hubert Gad
, one by Gerard Wodarz
). Then, white-reds faced amateurs from Great Britain
. This was a tougher opponent, but again - no players from English or Scottish professional teams were fielded. The only athlete who eventually turned pro was Bernard Joy
, later representing Arsenal London. This game, which took place on August 8, was a show of two players - Gerard Wodarz
(who scored 3 goals, with additional strikes by Hubert Gad and Ryszard Piec
) and Joy, who netted twice. Poland won 5-4, but the match was very nail-biting. It is enough to say that at some point the Poles were winning 5-1, only then to let 3 goals. Fortunately, the British did not have enough time to tie.
Then, on August 11, at Berlin Olympic Stadium, in the semifinal Poland faced amateur team of Austria. Stakes were high, as the winner would qualify to the final. Perhaps because of this, white-reds were nervous and did not play their part, losing 1-3 (lone goal by Hubert Gad). Huge crowd of 80,000 was very partisan, supporting Austria, which also was a disadvantage. Chance of Olympic gold was missed.
The angry Polish officials decided to punish some players, claiming they did not play hard enough against Austria, so the starting roster was much different. It did not help much, as morale in the team was very low. The white-reds scored the first goal (scored by Gerard Wodarz
), then the opponents answered with two from Arne Brustad
. Poland managed to tie (with Teodor Peterek
scoring), only to let Brustad score his third goal of the day. Norway won 3-2 thus receiving bronze medals.
(see: Poland at 1938 FIFA World Cup). In the last game of interwar Poland, the white-reds in Warsaw beat 4-2 Hungary (see: The Last Game (August 27, 1939)
). This was the biggest success of Polish football in the years 1918-1939.
According to some experts, had the Second World War not started, Poland would have achieved success in the planned 1942 FIFA World Cup, which was supposed to take place either in Brazil
or Argentina
. Manager Józef Kałuża had gathered a group of excellent, prospective players, with Ernest Wilimowski
as the top star. Kałuża had plans and vision; however, on September 1, 1939, it all changed forever. Poland ceased to exist, only to return to the map of Europe in 1945. By then, however, the situation was radically different.
was still the dominant team, winning the Championships in 1936 and 1938. In 1937 Ruch's streak of four consecutive champions was broken by Cracovia, and in 1939 the championships were not finished. By August 31, 1939, after some 12 games, Ruch was the leader of the 10-team League. Last games of this summer occurred on August 20. Then, a break was planned, because the National Team was going to play a few international friendlies. Games were to be re-introduced on September 10.
As a result of the Second World War, borders of Poland changed significantly. Lwów
, one of the centers of Polish football (with such teams as Pogoń Lwów
, Czarni Lwów
and Lechia Lwów
) was annexed by The Soviet Union
and all these teams ceased to exist. Lwów's football officials and players moved westwards, creating such clubs as Polonia Bytom
, Odra Opole
and Pogoń Szczecin
(see: Recovered Territories
). Another important center, Wilno (with the team Śmigły Wilno), was also annexed by the Soviets (see: Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union
).
This is the list of the ten teams that participated in the games for the last Championships of interwar Poland. Teams are presented according to their position on the table, as of August 31, 1939:
1. Ruch Chorzów
.
2. Wisła Kraków.
3. Pogoń Lwów
.
4. AKS Chorzów
.
5. Warta Poznań
.
6. Cracovia.
7. Polonia Warszawa
.
8. Garbarnia Kraków
.
9. Warszawianka Warszawa
.
10. Union Touring Łódź.
, on the same day the first team went to Belgrad, to play Yugoslavia. Both matches were highly unsuccessful. In Riga, Polish second team tied 3-3 with a much-weaker opponent. However, the game in Belgrade was a real disaster. After a very poor performance, the visitors lost 3-9 (two goals by Teodor Peterek
, one by Gerard Wodarz
), which was a clear sign of athletic and personal slump of Polish team.
For the next months Poland was struggling to recover from this drubbing. The White-reds did not manage to beat Germany (1-1, Warsaw, September 13, 1936) or Denmark (1-2, Copenhagen, October 4, 1936, in this game Ernest Wilimowski
finally returned to the team). The first signs of improvement appeared in mid-1937. On June 23 in Warsaw Poland beat Sweden 3-1, only to lose 2-4 to Romania a few days later (July 4, Łódź). A crucial game occurred on September 12, 1937 in Warsaw. The hosts beat Denmark 3-1 which brought hope and eventually started a series of great games, climaxing during the 1938 FIFA World Cup
. Match after match, the performance of Polish players improved. Results were impressive.
Firstly, in a World Cup qualifier at Warsaw (see: Poland at 1938 FIFA World Cup), Poland beat Yugoslavia 4-0 (October 10, 1937). Interesting is the fact that all goals were scored by players from Chorzów
's clubs - Leonard Piątek
(2), Ernest Wilimowski
and Gerard Wodarz
. Manager Kałuża betted on players from Polish Upper Silesia
(seven of them appeared in the lineup) and was not disappointed. On the same day in Katowice
the reserve team beat 2-1 Latvia. These games were a huge boost for the Poles.
Winter break was marked by a great level of optimism, and quality of Polish team was assured by the invitation from then very strong team of Switzerland
. White-reds faced the Swiss on March 13, 1938 in Zürich
, to achieve a 3-3 tie. Again - all goals were scored by players from Chorzów
(Wilimowski, Piatek, Jerzy Wostal
). Also, in the lineup there were as many as eight Upper Silesians, which was a clear proof of this region's dominance in Polish football.
In spring of 1938, just before the World Cup, the Poles were in their best shape. This was proven on May 22 in Warsaw, when the hosts, playing in front of 25,000 fans, routed Ireland
6-0. This match is regarded as one of the best performances of the interwar period. Apart from Wilimowski, who again showed his extraordinary skills and scored once, virtually all players played their hearts out. Out of them, one has to single out the scorers - Jan Wasiewicz
, Leonard Piątek
(2) and Gerard Wodarz
. The game against Ireland was the last friendly before World Cup. It raised spirits and gave hope.
) lost 5-6 to Brazil, which automatically eliminated them from the tournament.
Also, it is worth mentioning that seven starters (Ernest Wilimowski
, Wilhelm Góra
, Ewald Dytko
, Gerard Wodarz
, Leonard Piątek
, Erwin Nyc
and Ryszard Piec
) were from Upper Silesia
(see: Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship
). Out of remaining four, three (Edward Madejski
, Antoni Galecki
and Władysław Szczepaniak) came from Polish heartland and the last one, Fryderyk Scherfke
, was an ethnic German from Poznań
.
, the Germans beat their visitors 4-1 (goal by Teodor Peterek
). Compared to the Strasbourg match, there was only one change in the lineup - forward Fryderyk Scherfke
was replaced by Peterek. According to witnesses, Poland played a good game, but missed countless good opportunities. Germans, however, netted all their chances.
A week later, on September 25, in a double game, the first team faced Yugoslavia in Warsaw (4-4, goals by Jozef Korbas
, Ernest Wilimowski
- 2 and Leonard Piątek
), and reserves went to Riga, where they lost 1-2 to Latvia. This was a surprising defeat, but the worst was yet to come.
In the next five games Poland did not manage to beat their opponents. Firstly, on October 23 in Warsaw, the hosts tied 2-2 with Norway (goals by Wilimowski and Ryszard Piec
). Then, in late November, white-reds went on a long train and ferry journey to Dublin, where they lost 2-3 to Ireland (goals by Wilimowski and Piatek).
The first game of 1939 was a disaster. On January 22, at Paris's Parc des Princes
, the French routed Poland 4-0. It must be mentioned that January is the time of winter break in Polish Football League, so the players were completely unprepared for this game. However, Polish officials did not want to refuse invitation from their French counterparts, and thus the match turned out really badly for white-reds. In freezing rain, hosts were faster and stronger and ambitious Poles were no match to them.
On May 27, 1939 in Łódź, Poland faced Belgium. This time again the white-reds did not manage to win, achieving a 3-3 tie (two goals by Wilimowski, one by Jerzy Wostal
). Also on June 4 in Warsaw, facing Switzerland, the hosts tied 1-1, with Poland's lone goal by Piatek.
The last game of interwar Poland took place August 27, 1939 in Warsaw. Hosts faced Hungary, beating them 4-2. This was the day of Ernest Wilimowski
, who scored 3 goals and set up the 4th one. The game is described here: The last game: August 27, 1939. Poland - Hungary 4-2
.
On September 3, also in Warsaw, Poland was going to face Bulgaria
. Three days later, white-reds were supposed to travel to Belgrad, to play Yugoslavia. These games never took place. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland (see: Invasion of Poland
). Then, on September 17, Soviet Union joined the Nazis (see: Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
). Poland disappeared from the map of Europe, and the occupiers banned Poles from practising any sports.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
began in the late fall of 1918 after First World War, when Poland
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...
regained independence, which had been lost at the end of 18th century (see: Partitions of Poland
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
). The newly created country soon started to organize its administration and several national organizations. Among them was the PZPN - Polski Zwiazek Pilki Noznej (Polish Football Association
Polish Football Association
The Polish Football Association is the governing body of football in Poland. It organizes the Polish football leagues , the Polish Cup, the Polish SuperCup, the Polish League Cup, and the Polish national football team...
), which was created on December 20 and 21, 1919 in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. According to some sources, several officials representing around 30 Polish Football clubs were then present in Warsaw, but the list of them has been lost.
Many Polish Football clubs were not founded in 1918, but much earlier. The first centers of Polish fooball were Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
and Lwów
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, where a club were established as early as 1903 (Czarni Lwów
Czarni Lwów
Czarni Lwów was one of the first Polish professional sports clubs with the well developed football section as well as hockey among the several other sports. The football club was started in the late 19th century in Lwów as a school football section Sława Lwów...
, the first Polish sports club). However, before 1918 it was impossible to create an independent, uniquely Polish Federation, because Poland as such did not exist.
Humble beginnings
The freshly created Federation began, in late 1919, to organize first, historic Championships of Poland. This was a difficult task as the country's provinces had for 123 years been divided and had belonged to three different countries. Even such seemingly easy detail, as direct rail communication between main Polish cities - Warsaw, Kraków, Lwów, Wilno and PoznańPoznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, was virtually non-existent. To make matters worse, Poland was from the very beginning involved with wars with almost all neighbors (see: Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
, Polish-Ukrainian War
Polish-Ukrainian War
The Polish–Ukrainian War of 1918 and 1919 was a conflict between the forces of the Second Polish Republic and West Ukrainian People's Republic for the control over Eastern Galicia after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary.-Background:...
, Polish-Lithuanian War
Polish-Lithuanian War
The Polish–Lithuanian War was an armed conflict between newly independent Lithuania and Poland in the aftermath of World War I. The conflict primarily concerned territorial control of the Vilnius Region, including Vilnius , and the Suwałki Region, including the towns of Suwałki, Augustów, and Sejny...
, Great Poland Uprising
Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919)
The Greater Poland Uprising of 1918–1919, or Wielkopolska Uprising of 1918–1919 or Posnanian War was a military insurrection of Poles in the Greater Poland region against Germany...
, Silesian Uprisings
Silesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed uprisings of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919–1921, against German rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I...
, Border conflicts between Poland and Czechoslovakia
Border conflicts between Poland and Czechoslovakia
Border conflicts between Poland and Czechoslovakia began in 1918 between the Second Polish Republic and First Czechoslovak Republic, both freshly created states. The conflicts centered on the disputed areas of Cieszyn Silesia, Orava Territory and Spiš...
). Considering those conflicts, it is not surprising that in these hectic months sports were not a priority for both fledgling government and Polish nation.
Summer 1920 - unfinished championships
However, some time in spring of 1920, officials from PZPN decided to organize first championships of the country. Firstly, the Association divided Poland (whose borders were then not yet determined) into five football districts - Warsaw, Kraków, Poznań, Łódź and Lwów. It was planned that in early summer of 1920 teams from these districts would play regional qualifying games and then, five champions would play each other in a central tournament. The last games of championships were supposed to take place some time in late October 1920.While planning those games, PZPN's officials did not predict that in summer of 1920 Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
would reach the outskirts of Warsaw, and Poland's fate would be in grave danger (Russian westward offensive of 1918-1919
Russian westward offensive of 1918-1919
The Soviet westward offensive of 1918–1919 was part of the general move of the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic into the areas abandoned by the Ober-Ost garrisons, that were being withdrawn to Germany following that country's defeat in the World War I. The Soviet Western Front...
). So, under the circumstances, only Western districts of Kraków and Poznań managed to carry out its games. Kraków's champion was Cracovia, Poznań's - Warta Poznań
Warta Poznan
Warta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
. Needless to add - Polish National Team as such did not yet exist and no international friendlies took place.
Crucial year - 1921
By mid-1921, the situation in Poland had calmed down. Conflicts were over (see: Peace of RigaPeace of Riga
The Peace of Riga, also known as the Treaty of Riga; was signed in Riga on 18 March 1921, between Poland, Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine. The treaty ended the Polish-Soviet War....
) and the nation, while recuperating from all the wars, started to take interest in other activities, including sports. First, in early summer of 1921, teams from five districts played each other, in regional championships. The regional champions were: Cracovia Kraków, ŁKS Łódź, Warta Poznań, Pogoń Lwów
Pogon Lwów
LKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
and Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
.
Cracovia Kraków - first champions
During the final, nationwide games of the tournament, Cracovia proved to be the best, unbeaten team. Led by a legendary forward, Józef Kałuża, Kraków's squad won seven games, with only one draw (against Warta). The vice-champion of these historic games was Polonia WarszawaPolonia Warszawa
Polonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
and in third place, Warta Poznań
Warta Poznan
Warta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
. National championships lasted for only two months, from late August until late October. The top scorer of the national games was Cracovia's forward Józef Kałuża, with 9 goals.
First international friendly
In late 1921, the freshly created Polish National Team also played its first, historic, international friendly. On December 18, 1921 in BudapestBudapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Poland lost to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
0-1 (see: The first game: December 18, 1921. Hungary - Poland 1-0
The first game: December 18, 1921. Hungary - Poland 1-0
The 1921 football game between Hungary and Poland was a historic event for the Poles.-Historical background:In the fall of 1918, when World War I came to an end, several Eastern European nations, including Poland, regained independence...
).
Early 1920s
Since 1922, Polish teams began regular games in championships of the country. In the years 1922-1926 the games were organized in the same fashion, as in 1921. First, regional games took place, then best teams would face each other in the national tournament. As Polish borders moved eastwards (Kresy Wschodnie) as well as westwards (Kresy ZachodnieKresy Zachodnie
Kresy Zachodnie is a term used by Poles, mostly in a historical context, to refer to the western parts of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that in the partitions were annexed by Prussia...
), additional PZPN's districts were added.
In 1922, in a nationwide tournament, 8 teams participated. Five of them were champions of the districts established back in 1920 (these teams were the same as in 1921), plus champions of three new districts - Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
(Ruch Wielkie Hajduki), Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
(Wojskowy KS Lublin
Wojskowy KS Lublin
KS Lublinianka is a professional Polish football club based in Lublin. The club was founded in 1921.- History :The club was founded in 1921 under the name WKS Lublin and was supported by the Lublin garrison of the Polish Army...
) and Wilno (Strzelec Wilno).
Also, since 1922, Polish National Team started to play international games on regular basis. Back then, no FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
existed, so the only way to prove side's quality were friendlies or Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
National Championships 1922-1926 - dominance of Pogoń Lwów
Starting in 1922, Pogoń LwówPogon Lwów
LKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
for four successive seasons was champion of Poland, with the exception of 1924. In this year, due to the 1924 Summer Olympics
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, no championships were organized. The reason for this was so that the National Team would be adequately prepared for its games in the Olympics.
Pogoń thus was the champion in the years 1922, 1923, 1925 and 1926. Lwów's squad was unequaled in the country, with its leader in excellent athlete, Wacław Kuchar, who in 1922 and 1926 was the top scorer of Poland. Another Pogoń star was Mieczysław Batsch - also a forward, who together with Kuchar and some other Lwów's players regularly represented Polish National Team. Apart from Pogoń, in 1922-1926 other important teams were: Wisła Kraków, Warta Poznań
Warta Poznan
Warta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
, Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
, Cracovia.
In 1925, another district was added to the nationwide games. This time it was Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
, with its champion, Toruński KS
Torunski KS
Toruński KS is a defunct Polish sports club from Toruń, which in the late 1920s played in the Polish Soccer League for two years ....
. Thus, by 1927 there were 9 districts of PZPN - Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań, Kraków, Lwów, Lublin, Wilno, Upper Silesia and Toruń. Each of them sent its champion to the national tournament.
National Team 1922-1926 - First Victory
Back in December 1921, just after Hungary vs. Poland friendly, officials from both federations agreed that the next game would take place in Poland. As in early 1920s, Cracovia was regarded as the most influential club, the first international on Polish soil took place on Cracovia's stadium. The Hungarians supposedly were happy with this, as Kraków is in southern Poland, quite close to Budapest.The game occurred on May 14, 1922. Polish football fans must have been in great anticipation of this event, because they filled up the stadium, with 16,000 of them showing up. Supporters intent on seeing this historic game came not only from Kraków, but also from other parts of the country. They were disappointed - Poland lost to its renowned rival 0-3 but, according to some sources, white-reds did not deserve such harsh punishment.
Two weeks later, Polish team went a long way to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, to face Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. This time, at the Olympic Stadium, with 16,000 spectators, Poland won the first game in its history. The Poles beat their opponents 2-1, with goals by Józef Klotz
Józef Klotz
Józef Klotz , born in Kraków, was a Polish footballer of Jewish origin, who scored the first ever goal for the Poland national football team. He was connected with two clubs – Jutrzenka Kraków and Maccabi Warszawa...
(on a penalty kick) and Józef Garbień
Jozef Garbien
Józef Daniel Garbień , was a Polish football striker who played for both Pogoń Lwów and the national team. He was part of the legendary Pogoń forwards, who in the early 1920s were superior to all opponents in the country....
. It must be mentioned, that in 1922 it took almost four days for the Poles to get by trains and ferry from Kraków, via Warsaw, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
and Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, to the capital of Sweden.
This victory, over an experienced Swedish side, was a turning point for the Poles. The National Team quickly took advantage of it, as more nations showed interest in facing white-reds. On September 3, 1922, in Cernăuţi
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi is the administrative center of Chernivtsi Oblast in southwestern Ukraine. The city is situated on the upper course of the River Prut, a tributary of the Danube, in the northern part of the historic region of Bukovina, which is currently divided between Romania and Ukraine...
, Poland tied 1-1 with Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and on October 1, in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Poles beat Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
3-1, with two goals by Józef Kałuża.
In 1923, the first game occurred as late as June 3. In Kraków, the Poles lost 1-2 to Yugoslavia (goal by Kałuża). This goal is also significant - it was the first one scored on home turf. Fans had to wait for next match until September 2, when in Lwów, on the Czarni Lwów
Czarni Lwów
Czarni Lwów was one of the first Polish professional sports clubs with the well developed football section as well as hockey among the several other sports. The football club was started in the late 19th century in Lwów as a school football section Sława Lwów...
's stadium, Poland tied 1-1 with Romania. Soon after, white-reds traveled north. On September 25 in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Poland lost 3-5 to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, two days later, in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, the Poles beat Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
4-1. The last game in 1923 took place in Kraków. On November 1, the Poles tied 2-2 with Sweden.
Failure at the 1924 Olympic Games
In 1924, all efforts of PZPN were directed towards one aim - the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. Due to this fact, games for national championships did not take place, and manager Adam ObrubańskiAdam Obrubanski
Adam Obrubański was a Polish soccer player and soccer official, also a graduate of Kraków’s renowned Jagiellonian University....
was given a free hand in choosing players that would represent the nation in France.
Obrubanski, after checking some 40 athletes, chose the roster and went to Stockholm, for the last pre-Olympic friendly. However on May 14, 1924, Poland was routed by the Swedes 1-5 (goal by Mieczysław Batsch). With the Games approaching, fans back in the country were uneasy and their worst predictions turned out right.
Upon arriving at Paris, the Poles found out that they would face Hungary. The game, which took place on May 26, 1924 at Stade Bergeyre
Stade Bergeyre
Stade Bergeyre is a former sports stadium in Paris, France, located in 19th district of the French capital. Built in August 1918, with financial support of Jacques Sigrand...
, was a disaster. The white-reds fought hard in the first half, which they lost 0-1. Alas, after the break, the Poles lost strength and went down by 0-5. The Olympic dream was over, with Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
becoming the champion.
After the Olympics, National Team until the end of 1926
In spite of defeat in Paris, Polish players, who for the first time had played in an international tournament, learned an important lesson. Also, Polish officials got acquainted with football officials from USA, who came to France with their team. So, on June 10 in Warsaw, Poland faced the Olympic Team of USA. This game was another letdown for home fans, as the hosts lost 2-3.For the rest of the period described (1924–1926), Poland rated poorly, occasionally winning some games against such teams as Estonia, Finland or Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, but also losing many, with Hungary, amateur team of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
or Sweden.
The biggest success of these years was the routing of Finland 7-1 on August 8, 1926 in Poznań. Also, on September 12, 1926, Poland beat Turkey 6-1, this game taking place in Lwów. However, those teams were regarded as somehow "second class". Facing tougher opponents, the Poles would most likely lose (like on November 1, 1925, in Kraków, Poland - Sweden 2-6 or on August 20, 1926 in Budapest, Hungary - Poland 4-1). At the end of 1926, Poland went to Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. On October 3 in Stockholm, the Poles lost to Sweden 3-1 and a week later in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Poland beat Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
4-3.
Among players, who would represent the country, majority of them came from Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
's clubs, Cracovia and Wisła, Pogon Lwów
Pogon Lwów
LKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
, Warta Poznań
Warta Poznan
Warta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
, Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
and ŁKS Łódź. This means that just like in the early 1920s, the same teams played key roles in Polish football. After Adam Obrubanski, Poland's managers were Tadeusz Kuchar
Tadeusz Kuchar
Tadeusz Kuchar was a Polish athlete, soccer player, swimmer, ice-skater, skier, sports official, and the brother of Wacław Kuchar....
and then Tadeusz Synowiec
Tadeusz Synowiec
Tadeusz Synowiec was a Polish soccer player, midfielder and forward, later a coach and journalist, graduate of Kraków’s Jagiellonian University....
.
The late 1920s and early 1930s
1927 brought a major change, as the Polish football League was created. The National Team's outlook did not change significantly, without any major achievements and international successes.Creation of the Polish Football League
In December 1926 in Warsaw, representatives from several Polish clubs met each other. The purpose of this meeting was simple - to discuss the possibility of creating a Football League. It is unclear who came up with this idea (some say this was due to numerous changes, introduced at that time in Poland, after the May Coup). Obviously, a League was a much more practical solution than hitherto practised two-stage (regional and then central) games.To the dismay of clubs’ officials, PZPN did not like the idea of the League and the Association wanted to thwart it. However, it turned out that virtually all but one Polish club supported the League and decided to create it, no matter what PZPN's representatives thought of it. In late February 1927, at the PZPN's meeting in Warsaw, its officials openly opposed the League, but the clubs, allegedly egged on by some generals from Polish Army (which, after May Coup of 1926, played a key role in all aspects of public life), would not obey. The creation of the League was announced on March 1, 1927.
Cracovia Kraków
It has been mentioned that all clubs but one supported the League. The only opponent was Cracovia - a very influential and strong organization in Polish Football of the 1920s. Cracovia's boycott was because its director, Dr. Edward CetnarowskiEdward Cetnarowski
Edward Cetnarowski was a Polish sports official, gynaecologist and one of most famous personalities of the sports club Cracovia. He was born October 3, 1877 in Rzeszów and died September 3, 1933 in Kraków....
, at the same time held the post of the director of PZPN.
It must be mentioned that Cetnarowski was a personality known not only in Poland, but also in other countries. It was due to his efforts that in September 1923 his beloved club, Cracovia, went on a tour to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The Kraków side's results were impressive - a 1-1 tie with FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and a 0-1 loss to Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. In October, also thanks to Cetnarowski, FC Sevilla came to Kraków and lost 2-3 to Cracovia.
Early years of the League - dominance of Wisła Kraków
The games of the first, historic League Championships started on April 3, 1927. All major teams (except for Cracovia) took part in it. This is the list of the teams (in the order given below in which the League finished in November 1927):- Wisła Kraków
- 1. FC Katowice1. FC Katowice1. FC Kattowitz was an ethnically German association football club playing in what was Kattowitz, Silesia Province in Germany and was active during the inter-war period and World War II when the two countries struggled over control of the region...
(German-minority team from KatowiceKatowiceKatowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
) - Warta PoznańWarta PoznanWarta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
- Pogoń LwówPogon LwówLKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
- Legia WarszawaLegia WarszawaLegia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...
- Klub Turystow Łódź
- ŁKS Łódź
- Polonia WarszawaPolonia WarszawaPolonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
- Czarni LwówCzarni LwówCzarni Lwów was one of the first Polish professional sports clubs with the well developed football section as well as hockey among the several other sports. The football club was started in the late 19th century in Lwów as a school football section Sława Lwów...
- Toruński KS ToruńTorunski KSToruński KS is a defunct Polish sports club from Toruń, which in the late 1920s played in the Polish Soccer League for two years ....
- Hasmonea LwówHasmonea LwówHasmonea Lwów was a Polish-Jewish sports club based in the city of Lwów . Created in 1908, it was the first sports club exclusively for Jewish members. It was named after the Hasmonean royal dynasty...
(Jewish-minority team from Lwów) - Ruch Wielkie HajdukiRuch ChorzówRuch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
- Warszawianka WarszawaWarszawianka WarszawaKlub Sportowy Warszawianka is a former Polish multi-sport club from Warsaw. Founded in 1921 by the famous Warsaw families of Luxemburgs and Loths . Hues - black-white, the logo consisted of a black capital letter W.-History:At first, the club's main effort was concentrated on football...
- Jutrzenka KrakówJutrzenka KrakówJutrzenka Kraków was a Jewish minority Polish football club during the interwar period. The club existed until 1939. Fans and players of the club were generally associated with the Bund political party. The main rival of Jutrzenka was the club Makkabi Kraków, which was associated with the Zionist...
(Jewish-minority team from Kraków, which finished last and was relegated)
Polish-German rivalry symbolized by Wisła Kraków and 1.FC Katowice
In this first season of the League, the fight for the Championship was decided between two powerful teams - Wisła Kraków and 1.FC Katowice. This rivalry was treated very seriously, not only by the two sides involved, but also by the whole nation. 1.FC was regarded as the team supported by German minority, while Wisła, at the end of this historic season, represented ambitions of all Poles.Some time in Autumn 1927 in Katowice, an ill-fated game between 1.FC and Wisła took place. The stakes were very high - the winner would become the Champion. According to numerous sources, PZPN's officials went out of their way not to let the Germans win. The referee, Zygmunt Hanke, clearly favored Wisła, as a result of which Kraków's side won 2-0 and became the Champion. 1.FC finished second, third was Warta Poznań.
The League in the years 1928-1932
In 1928 Cracovia finally decided to enter the League, which was gladly accepted by all fans of Football. However, Championships were once again won by Wisła, with such excellent players as Henryk ReymanHenryk Reyman
Henryk Tomasz Reyman was an attacking soccer player, sports official and military officer. He fought in World War I in the Austrian Army, then in the Polish Army in the Polish-Soviet War, and also participated in the Silesian Uprisings.-Sports career:He came to Wisła in 1910 and remained with the...
, Mieczyslaw Balcer and Jan Kotlarczyk. Warta Poznań was second and Legia Warszawa third. This was also the last year of 1.FC's dominance. The team finished fifth, to be relegated forever at the end of 1929 season.
In 1929 yet another team (after Cracovia, Pogon Lwów and Wisła) was added to the list of Champions of Poland. This time it was Warta Poznań
Warta Poznan
Warta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
, who finished one point ahead of Garbarnia Kraków
Garbarnia Kraków
RKS Garbarnia Kraków is a Polish football and sports club from Ludwinow - a historical district of the city of Kraków. The club’s unusual name comes from the nearby tannery of the Dluzynski brothers, which was the original club sponsor...
.
However, after the last game, on December 1, 1929, it was Garbarnia Kraków that was celebrating the Championship. Two weeks later, in mid-December, PZPN's officials changed the result of the Warta - Klub Turystow Łódź game. Originally, Warta lost 1-2, but due to a walk-over (it was decided that one of Łódź's players did not have all necessary documents), this was changed to 3-0 in favor of Poznań's side. As a result of the decision, Warta (with 33 points) became the Champion, Garbarnia finished second with 32 points and Klub Turystow was relegated.
In 1930, Cracovia regained the Championship, (to repeat this success in 1932) and a year later another Kraków side, Garbarnia, won the League. It is clear that the 1927-1932 period was marked by the dominance of teams from Kraków. During this time, only once (Warta Poznań, 1929) the Championship was won by a side from a different city. The 1931 Champion, Garbarnia, was unique as this was the first time that the League had been won by a side whose all players had been bought from other teams.
National Team in 1927-1932
In 1927, due to conflict between PZPN and Polish football clubs about the creation of the League, only one international game took place. On June 19, in BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Poland tied 3-3 with Romania. The new manager, Tadeusz Synowiec
Tadeusz Synowiec
Tadeusz Synowiec was a Polish soccer player, midfielder and forward, later a coach and journalist, graduate of Kraków’s Jagiellonian University....
, faced a big problem in this match. As most teams refused to send their players, he had to get support almost solely from Cracovia. Kraków's side sent as many as 7 players, the remaining 4 came from Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
's second-class clubs such as Pogoń Katowice and Policyjny KS. Considering this, the tie with Romania was a good result.
Polish fans had to wait for an international friendly for as long as a year. In June 1928 in Warsaw, Poland tied 3-3 with USA (the Americans came to Europe for Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
's 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
, and accepted the offer. By then, the conflict between PZPN and clubs was over, so new manager Tadeusz Kuchar
Tadeusz Kuchar
Tadeusz Kuchar was a Polish athlete, soccer player, swimmer, ice-skater, skier, sports official, and the brother of Wacław Kuchar....
was able to try all the players he wanted. Poland were losing 2-3 until the 89th minute when they were awarded a penalty kick. None of the home players wanted to take the kick until eventually Zygmunt Steuermann
Zygmunt Steuermann
Zygmunt Steuermann was a Polish football player and one of the most renowned members of the Hasmonea Lwów Football Club. Born February 5, 1899 in Sambor, then in Austro-Hungarian Galicia, Steuermann was a member of a Polonized Jewish family. Already at the age of 12 he joined the local Korona Sambor...
, a forward from Jewish-minority team Hasmonea Lwów
Hasmonea Lwów
Hasmonea Lwów was a Polish-Jewish sports club based in the city of Lwów . Created in 1908, it was the first sports club exclusively for Jewish members. It was named after the Hasmonean royal dynasty...
, stepped forward and scored the equalising goal.
On July 1, for the first time ever, the national team came to Katowice. Poland beat Sweden 2-1, with around 20,000 fans cheering the victory. To please Katowice's fans, Tadeusz Kuchar called up the two best players from 1. FC Katowice
1. FC Katowice
1. FC Kattowitz was an ethnically German association football club playing in what was Kattowitz, Silesia Province in Germany and was active during the inter-war period and World War II when the two countries struggled over control of the region...
- forward Karol Kossok
Karol Kossok
Karol Albert Kossok . A Polish soccer forward, a.k.a. “the Silesian Giant”, Kossok was the best scorer of the Polish First Division in 1930 ....
and a very talented defender Erich Heidenreich. The first one gladly accepted the offer and came out on the field, but Heidenreich wrote a letter to PZPN. The player stated that even though he was pleased and honored, he considered himself a German, thus would not play in a white-red jersey. Polish officials were not happy with this (Heidenreich was considered the best defender in the League), but had to comply with his decision.
At the end of 1928, Poland for the first time faced its immediate neighbor and one of Football powerhouses - Czechoslovakia. In Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, on October 27, white-reds lost 2-3.
In the years 1929-1932 the national team was considered in Europe as a second-class side, which was proved by international authorities in 1929. In 1929-1930, an international competition, The Amateur Central European Cup took place. Poland was included in these games, together with the amateur teams of Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. First, official teams of these nations played in the "real" Central European Cup. This was a clear sign that the European elite did not feel that playing such a weak opponent as Poland was useful. Evidence in support of this came in Budapest, when the Poles were routed 1-5 by the official Hungarian team.
As games against amateur teams are not considered official by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, for several months Poland did not play any official matches. The breakthrough came at the end of September 1930, in Stockholm. The white-reds beat Sweden 3-0, but the hopes of Polish fans, augmented by a 6-0 victory over Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
(October 1930, Warsaw), faded away on June 14, 1931, also in Poland's capital. On this day, the hosts faced Czechoslovakia, one of the best teams in the world. The Poles were routed 0-4, and the Czechoslovaks scored their first goal as early as in the 30th second.
At the end of the described period, in mid-October 1931, Poland traveled to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, where they lost 1-2 to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Then, on October 25 in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, the hosts beat Yugoslavia 6-3. This success was the last game of manager Stefan Loth (who died in summer of 1936). Starting in 1932, the national team was managed by former forward of Cracovia, Józef Kałuża, who would lead it to its biggest successes and who would stay on this post until September 1939.
1932-1936
The dominance of two early centers of Polish Football - KrakówKraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
and Lwów, slowly came to an end. The new manager of the National Team, Józef Kałuża, was a huge fan of teams and players from Polish Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
(see: Autonomous Silesian Voivodship). Thus, more and more sportsmen from this region appeared in the national lineup, eventually dominating it. Also the League was subject to the reign of Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
. This team won the Championships in the years 1933, 1934, 1935 and 1936.
The Polish Football League 1932-1936
As has been said, the early 1930s marked a decline of the dominance of Kraków and Lwów as centers of Polish Football. The point of gravity slowly moved towards the west - to the Polish part of Upper Silesia, which had belonged to Poland since 1921 (see: Silesian UprisingsSilesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed uprisings of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919–1921, against German rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I...
). In 1932 the champion was Cracovia, but starting in 1933, Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
(then: Ruch Wielkie Hajduki) completely dominated the league, being the champion for 4 times in a row.
Ruch, with such excellent players as Teodor Peterek
Teodor Peterek
Teodor Peterek , a Polish soccer player from interwar period, forward, represented Ruch Chorzów and Polish National Team...
, Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
and Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
was by far the best team in those years. For example, in 1934 it finished seven points ahead of second Cracovia. Other important teams of these years were: Cracovia Kraków, Wisła Kraków, Pogoń Lwów
Pogon Lwów
LKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
and Warta Poznań
Warta Poznan
Warta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
.
In 1933 and 1934 there were 12 teams in the League. In 1935 this number was cut to 11 and in 1936 - to 10. Football officials did it on purpose - with fewer teams, the competition was supposed to be harder, which would attract fans to the stadiums. However, supporters’ turnout was not impressive, with Ruch Chorzów as the most popular team, both at home and away.
In late 1935 (the league held its games in the spring-summer-fall system) fans were shocked to find that Cracovia, the legend of this sport, was relegated to the A-class. The Kraków side's absence lasted for a year - it returned in 1937, to became the champion.
Early years of Kałuża as a manager
Józef Kałuża was one of the best players of the 1910s and 1920s Polish Football. His career in Cracovia started in 1912 and ended in 1931. Then, Kałuża started another job - that of a manager. Firstly, for a short time in Legia WarszawaLegia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...
, then returned to Cracovia. Even though not born in Kraków, he was a great admirer of this city, and there died in October 1944. Kałuża's post as a manager of the National Team was decided on 20–21 February 1932, during the General Meeting of PZPN. There, in the election, he beat the main rival, former star of Pogoń Lwów, Wacław Kuchar.
It must be mentioned that the post of the manager of the National Team of Poland was not well-paid in the 1930s. Clearly, Kałuża's significance was great; he was widely respected, but to support himself, he had to continue working as a teacher in Kraków's high school. Back then, PZPN was not as rich as it is today. The manager was provided with some money to cover costs of travels and accommodation, but this was not regarded a regular salary. Football officials in Poland must have been pleased with Kałuża - unlike his predecessors, who would be rotated after just a few months, he held the seat firmly until the last days of interwar Poland (see: Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
).
Kałuża's first games
Kałuża's debut as Polish coach could not have been better. The new trainer went with his team to Zagreb, to face an always-dangerous team of Yugoslavia. On May 29, 1932 Poland, quite unexpectedly, routed the rivals 3-0. Nobody was expecting this to happen and it was a shock. Then, on July 10 at Warsaw, the white-reds beat 2-0 Sweden and fans realized that under Kałuża, the national team can finally be put together and achieve some successes.1932 ended with yet more achievements. On October 2, a so-called double match took place (such games were popular in 1930s European Football). The reserve Poland team beat 2-1 Latvia at Warsaw, and at the same hour the first lineup faced Romania in Bucharest. Romania (with several of its starters of Hungarian nationality from Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
) was regarded a very strong team. The Poles, however, overwhelmed it 5-0 and this was the biggest success of Polish Football so far.
This game is significant also for another reason. In Polish lineup there were two newcomers from Upper Silesia - Ewald Urban and Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
. Both performed excellently, each scoring a goal. This meant that Kałuża started to notice the Upper Silesians, and after a few years players from there would totally dominate the national team. The remaining three goals were scored by Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...
's Jozef Nawrot
Józef Nawrot
Józef Nawrot was a Polish international footballer who played for the national team during the 1920s and 1930s. To date he is one of the top scores in the Polish First Division Ekstraklasa with over 100 goals. During his career he played for Cracovia, Legia Warsaw and Polonia Warsaw. He appeared 19...
.
FIFA World Cup 1934 - unsuccessful qualifier with Czechoslovakia
At the beginning of 1933 Polish fans, heady with successes, were full of high hopes and expectations. These feelings were blunted on June 4 at Warsaw, when white-reds were defeated 0-1 by Belgium. This was a huge setback and cold water on heads of some fans.The game against Belgium was yet another step towards "Silesiazation" of the national team. Apart from Urban and Wodarz, two more players from this region were fielded. These were Edmund Giemsa
Edmund Giemsa
Edmund Giemza was a Polish interwar soccer player, started career as a forward, then moved to midfield, regarded as an expert on free kicks. Born on October 16, 1912 in Upper Silesian city of Ruda Śląska, died on September 30, 1994 in Chinnor, England.Giemsa played for Ruch Chorzów as well as...
and Karol Dziwisz. All four were from Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
. Fifth Silesian in the lineup was Karol Pazurek from Pogoń Katowice.
On September 10, 1933 Poland at Warsaw beat Yugoslavia 4-3, but attention of fans already turned on Czechoslovakia. To qualify to the 1934 FIFA World Cup
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
, Poland had to beat its southern neighbors, whose team was regarded as one of the best in the world. The first leg occurred October 15 in Warsaw. The white-reds, after a fierce battle, lost 1-2 (Polish lone goal on a penalty by Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...
's Henryk Martyna
Henryk Martyna
Henryk Julian Martyna was a Polish football player, defender, key member of Polish National Team in the early 1930s....
). This was a huge disappointment, and facing the second leg in Prague, nobody believed in success.
At the end of 1933, due to thaw of Polish-German relations, the team headed for Berlin. On December 3 the Germans
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....
won 1-0, with the goal in the 89th minute. All throughout winter and early spring of 1934, Football fans were waiting for game with Czechoslovakia, scheduled on April 15. However, just a few days before the match, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs banned the team from traveling to Prague, due to tense situation between two neighbors. As a result, the Czechoslovaks qualified and during the World Cup in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
proved their skills, becoming the runner-up.
1934-1936 Years marked by rising fame of Ernest Wilimowski
Soon after events of April 1934, the team traveled by train on a tournee to Scandinavia. From KatowiceKatowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, via Berlin, they went to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, where on May 21 the Poles lost 2-4 to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Two days later, at Stockholm, white-reds faced Sweden, also losing 2-4. These games are important for one reason. Match against Denmark was the debut of a 17-year old Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
. The young forward of Ruch Chorzów was a rising star, which was proven in Stockholm, where "Ezi" scored a goal.
The remaining games of the described period were not marked by any significant achievements. Poland lost several prestigious games (2-5 vs Germany in Warsaw, 1-4 vs. Jugoslavia in Belgrad, 1-4 vs. Romania in Bucharest or 2-5 vs. Austria in Wien
Wien
Wien is the German language name for Vienna, the city and federal state in Austria.* Wien , in Vienna, Austria* Theater an der Wien, a theater in Vienna located at the former river WienWien may also refer to:...
). The team plunged into mediocrity, winning only 6-3 with Latvia and 1-0 with Austria (on October 6, 1935 at Warsaw, lone goal by Pogoń Lwów's Michał Matyas). This game was the only notable success of the 1934 - early 1936 period. Wilimowski played in some of these matches, but the young player needed time to establish his position.
1936 Olympic Games in Berlin
Olympic experiences of Polish football team were by 1936 few and far between. In 1920 Summer Olympics1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
, at Antwerp, white-reds did not participate, due to Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
. In 1924 at Paris, Poland was routed 0-5 by Hungary. As a result of this failure, the team did not even bother itself to travel to the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. Then, 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
were too far away and too expensive for Polish football officials.
Morale among both fans and officials was at the beginning of 1936 very low. Newspapers were urging PZPN to fire Kałuża, but eventually this did not happen, as the coach was strongly supported by representatives from Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
- the strongest and richest district of PZPN.
Even though 1936 Olympics were to be held in the neighboring capital, not everyone in Poland favored the idea of National Team's participation in this event. Officials from both Kraków and Lwów rejected it, only to be convinced by an unexpected victory 2-0 over Belgium (February 16, 1936, Brussels). This was a good sign, which changed the general feelings.
In mid-June 1936, after a long discussion, PZPN officially permitted the National Team to participate in the Games. Kałuża did not have time - he quickly organized a training camp in Warsaw, calling 36 players. After a while this number was cut down to 25 and then - to 18. Among them was Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
, who was regarded by the manager as a key player, essential for his plans.
A few weeks before the games, "Ezi" was disqalified for alleged excessive drinking and did not go to Berlin. This was a huge mistake of Polish officials. They recklessly got rid of a top forward, thus reducing Poland's chances for a medal. Józef Kałuża had to agree with the decision, but obviously he was very unhappy. Without Wilimowski in the lineup, white-reds lost most of their firepower.
Games vs. Hungary, Great Britain and Austria
1936 Summer Olympics1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
was the second (after 1924 Summer Olympics) major international tournament in which the Poles participated. Considering this fact, it is understandable that both officials and players were nervous before stepping onto the field for the first game. The opponent was the amateur team of Hungary.
On August 5 at Berlin's Post-Stadion the white-reds faced Hungary. The opponents, obeying the regulations, fielded their amateur players. With Poland, the situation was more complicated. Officially, there were not any football professionals in the country. All players worked somewhere on a daily basis, so as such they were amateurs. In some cases however, these jobs were just covers and all some athletes did was playing. Thus, Polish lineup consisted of its best players from top League teams. Also, it must be mentioned that games against Hungary, Great Britain and Austria are not considered by FIFA as official, so they simply do not count in any statistics.
Poland won the first game with ease, beating the Hungarians 3-0 (two goals by Hubert Gad
Hubert Gad
Hubert Gad, also known as Hubert God was a Polish soccer player, a very skilled and aggressive forward, who for a while was the top scorer of Poland....
, one by Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
). Then, white-reds faced amateurs from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. This was a tougher opponent, but again - no players from English or Scottish professional teams were fielded. The only athlete who eventually turned pro was Bernard Joy
Bernard Joy
Bernard Joy was an English footballer and journalist. He is notable for being the last amateur player to play for the England national football team.-Biography:...
, later representing Arsenal London. This game, which took place on August 8, was a show of two players - Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
(who scored 3 goals, with additional strikes by Hubert Gad and Ryszard Piec
Ryszard Piec
Ryszard Leon Piec - Polish soccer player, born Richard Leon Pietz on August 17, 1913 in Schwientochlowitz , Germany,died on January 24, 1979 in his hometown....
) and Joy, who netted twice. Poland won 5-4, but the match was very nail-biting. It is enough to say that at some point the Poles were winning 5-1, only then to let 3 goals. Fortunately, the British did not have enough time to tie.
Then, on August 11, at Berlin Olympic Stadium, in the semifinal Poland faced amateur team of Austria. Stakes were high, as the winner would qualify to the final. Perhaps because of this, white-reds were nervous and did not play their part, losing 1-3 (lone goal by Hubert Gad). Huge crowd of 80,000 was very partisan, supporting Austria, which also was a disadvantage. Chance of Olympic gold was missed.
The match against Norway
After losing to Austria, the Poles had to content themselves with the game for the bronze medal. This time, for unknown reasons, Norway fielded its first lineup, so this match is regarded as an official international game.The angry Polish officials decided to punish some players, claiming they did not play hard enough against Austria, so the starting roster was much different. It did not help much, as morale in the team was very low. The white-reds scored the first goal (scored by Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
), then the opponents answered with two from Arne Brustad
Arne Brustad
Arne Brustad was a Norwegian footballer. He is regarded as one of the country's best players of all time.Brustad was an outside-left for Lyn. He won 33 caps for Norway, and scored 17 international goals...
. Poland managed to tie (with Teodor Peterek
Teodor Peterek
Teodor Peterek , a Polish soccer player from interwar period, forward, represented Ruch Chorzów and Polish National Team...
scoring), only to let Brustad score his third goal of the day. Norway won 3-2 thus receiving bronze medals.
1936-1939: the last years of interwar Poland
During the period described, the National Team slowly recovered from the Olympic failure, eventually managing to qualify for the 1938 FIFA World Cup1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
(see: Poland at 1938 FIFA World Cup). In the last game of interwar Poland, the white-reds in Warsaw beat 4-2 Hungary (see: The Last Game (August 27, 1939)
The Last Game (August 27, 1939)
The Last Game, as it is known in Poland, was played on Sunday August 27, 1939, at the Wojska Polskiego Stadium in Warsaw. It was the last game of the interwar Polish football team before the Second World War. The Polish national football team faced and beat one of the best teams of that period -...
). This was the biggest success of Polish football in the years 1918-1939.
According to some experts, had the Second World War not started, Poland would have achieved success in the planned 1942 FIFA World Cup, which was supposed to take place either in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
or Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Manager Józef Kałuża had gathered a group of excellent, prospective players, with Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
as the top star. Kałuża had plans and vision; however, on September 1, 1939, it all changed forever. Poland ceased to exist, only to return to the map of Europe in 1945. By then, however, the situation was radically different.
Polish Football League 1936-1939
Ruch ChorzówRuch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
was still the dominant team, winning the Championships in 1936 and 1938. In 1937 Ruch's streak of four consecutive champions was broken by Cracovia, and in 1939 the championships were not finished. By August 31, 1939, after some 12 games, Ruch was the leader of the 10-team League. Last games of this summer occurred on August 20. Then, a break was planned, because the National Team was going to play a few international friendlies. Games were to be re-introduced on September 10.
As a result of the Second World War, borders of Poland changed significantly. Lwów
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, one of the centers of Polish football (with such teams as Pogoń Lwów
Pogon Lwów
LKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
, Czarni Lwów
Czarni Lwów
Czarni Lwów was one of the first Polish professional sports clubs with the well developed football section as well as hockey among the several other sports. The football club was started in the late 19th century in Lwów as a school football section Sława Lwów...
and Lechia Lwów
Lechia Lwów
Lechia Lwów was the first Polish professional football club, founded on summer 1903 in Lwów....
) was annexed by 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 all these teams ceased to exist. Lwów's football officials and players moved westwards, creating such clubs as Polonia Bytom
Polonia Bytom
Polonia Bytom is a Polish football club founded on 4 January 1920 in the Upper Silesian city of Bytom, during the hectic months of the Silesian Uprisings...
, Odra Opole
Odra Opole
Odra Opole is a football club based in Opole, Poland, currently playing in the Polish First League...
and Pogoń Szczecin
Pogon Szczecin
MKS Pogoń Szczecin is a Polish professional football club, based in Szczecin, Poland. The club was founded by Poles from Lwów , who had been transferred west after the Soviet annexation of Poland's eastern territories in 1945. The founders of Pogoń Szczecin had previously been supporters of Pogoń...
(see: Recovered Territories
Recovered Territories
Recovered or Regained Territories was an official term used by the People's Republic of Poland to describe those parts of pre-war Germany that became part of Poland after World War II...
). Another important center, Wilno (with the team Śmigły Wilno), was also annexed by the Soviets (see: Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union
Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union
Immediately after the German invasion of Poland in 1939, which marked the beginning of World War II, the Soviet Union invaded the eastern regions of the Second Polish Republic, which Poles referred to as the "Kresy," and annexed territories totaling 201,015 km² with a population of 13,299,000...
).
This is the list of the ten teams that participated in the games for the last Championships of interwar Poland. Teams are presented according to their position on the table, as of August 31, 1939:
1. Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów
Ruch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
.
2. Wisła Kraków.
3. Pogoń Lwów
Pogon Lwów
LKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
.
4. AKS Chorzów
AKS Chorzów
AKS Chorzów is a sports club in based in Chorzów, Poland. It is one of the earliest sports organizations in Upper Silesia and is still well-known nationally for its football and handball teams...
.
5. Warta Poznań
Warta Poznan
Warta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
.
6. Cracovia.
7. Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warszawa
Polonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
.
8. Garbarnia Kraków
Garbarnia Kraków
RKS Garbarnia Kraków is a Polish football and sports club from Ludwinow - a historical district of the city of Kraków. The club’s unusual name comes from the nearby tannery of the Dluzynski brothers, which was the original club sponsor...
.
9. Warszawianka Warszawa
Warszawianka Warszawa
Klub Sportowy Warszawianka is a former Polish multi-sport club from Warsaw. Founded in 1921 by the famous Warsaw families of Luxemburgs and Loths . Hues - black-white, the logo consisted of a black capital letter W.-History:At first, the club's main effort was concentrated on football...
.
10. Union Touring Łódź.
The national Team in 1936-37
Both players and manager Kałuża did not have much time to recuperate and analyze the Olympics. League teams were waiting for their key players, and less than a month after the Berlin game vs. Norway, Poland played in another double match. On September 6, 1936 the reserve team faced Latvia in RigaRiga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, on the same day the first team went to Belgrad, to play Yugoslavia. Both matches were highly unsuccessful. In Riga, Polish second team tied 3-3 with a much-weaker opponent. However, the game in Belgrade was a real disaster. After a very poor performance, the visitors lost 3-9 (two goals by Teodor Peterek
Teodor Peterek
Teodor Peterek , a Polish soccer player from interwar period, forward, represented Ruch Chorzów and Polish National Team...
, one by Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
), which was a clear sign of athletic and personal slump of Polish team.
For the next months Poland was struggling to recover from this drubbing. The White-reds did not manage to beat Germany (1-1, Warsaw, September 13, 1936) or Denmark (1-2, Copenhagen, October 4, 1936, in this game Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
finally returned to the team). The first signs of improvement appeared in mid-1937. On June 23 in Warsaw Poland beat Sweden 3-1, only to lose 2-4 to Romania a few days later (July 4, Łódź). A crucial game occurred on September 12, 1937 in Warsaw. The hosts beat Denmark 3-1 which brought hope and eventually started a series of great games, climaxing during the 1938 FIFA World Cup
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
. Match after match, the performance of Polish players improved. Results were impressive.
Firstly, in a World Cup qualifier at Warsaw (see: Poland at 1938 FIFA World Cup), Poland beat Yugoslavia 4-0 (October 10, 1937). Interesting is the fact that all goals were scored by players from Chorzów
Chorzów
Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
's clubs - Leonard Piątek
Leonard Piatek
Leonard Franciszek Piątek was a Polish football player of Upper Silesian origin who played in the interwar period....
(2), Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
and Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
. Manager Kałuża betted on players from Polish Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
(seven of them appeared in the lineup) and was not disappointed. On the same day in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
the reserve team beat 2-1 Latvia. These games were a huge boost for the Poles.
Winter break was marked by a great level of optimism, and quality of Polish team was assured by the invitation from then very strong team of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. White-reds faced the Swiss on March 13, 1938 in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, to achieve a 3-3 tie. Again - all goals were scored by players from Chorzów
Chorzów
Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
(Wilimowski, Piatek, Jerzy Wostal
Jerzy Wostal
Jerzy Adolf Wostal was a Polish soccer player, one of best forwards of interwar Poland. He was born in 1914 in Königshütte .In the late 1930s Wostal played for AKS Chorzów. The best year in his career was 1937...
). Also, in the lineup there were as many as eight Upper Silesians, which was a clear proof of this region's dominance in Polish football.
In spring of 1938, just before the World Cup, the Poles were in their best shape. This was proven on May 22 in Warsaw, when the hosts, playing in front of 25,000 fans, routed Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
6-0. This match is regarded as one of the best performances of the interwar period. Apart from Wilimowski, who again showed his extraordinary skills and scored once, virtually all players played their hearts out. Out of them, one has to single out the scorers - Jan Wasiewicz
Jan Wasiewicz
Jan Karol Wasiewicz was an interwar Polish soccer player. Wasiewicz was a midfielder both in Pogoń Lwów , and the Polish National Team.His career started in 1926 in another Lwów team - RKS. Then he moved to Lechia Lwów and in 1933 to Pogoń...
, Leonard Piątek
Leonard Piatek
Leonard Franciszek Piątek was a Polish football player of Upper Silesian origin who played in the interwar period....
(2) and Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
. The game against Ireland was the last friendly before World Cup. It raised spirits and gave hope.
1938 FIFA World Cup
It is enough to say that Poles, after an impressive game (and amazing show by Ernest WilimowskiErnest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
) lost 5-6 to Brazil, which automatically eliminated them from the tournament.
Also, it is worth mentioning that seven starters (Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
, Wilhelm Góra
Wilhelm Góra
Wilhelm Antoni Góra was a Polish midfield soccer player.His career started in...
, Ewald Dytko
Ewald Dytko
Edward Jan Dytko was a German-born Upper Silesian soccer player, who, when his home country became Poland by Treaty of Versailles represented the no longer existing team of Dąb Katowice, also in 1935-39 he played in the Polish National Team.He was born in Zalenze and since early childhood played...
, Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz
Gerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
, Leonard Piątek
Leonard Piatek
Leonard Franciszek Piątek was a Polish football player of Upper Silesian origin who played in the interwar period....
, Erwin Nyc
Erwin Nyc
Erwin Peter Nytz or Edward Piotr Nyc was an interwar Polish soccer midfield player of Upper Silesian origin. Born Erwin Nytz his Silesian homeland became Poland after Treaty of Versailles and he changed his last name to its Polonized version in 1934...
and Ryszard Piec
Ryszard Piec
Ryszard Leon Piec - Polish soccer player, born Richard Leon Pietz on August 17, 1913 in Schwientochlowitz , Germany,died on January 24, 1979 in his hometown....
) were from Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
(see: Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship
Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship
The Silesian Voivodeship was an autonomous province of the interwar Second Polish Republic. It consisted of territory which came into Polish possession as a result of the 1921 Upper Silesia plebiscite, the Geneva Conventions, three Upper Silesian Uprisings, and the eventual partition of Upper...
). Out of remaining four, three (Edward Madejski
Edward Madejski
Edward Dominik Jerzy Madejski was a Polish football goalkeeper and chemistry engineer, who was a graduate of Mining-Metallurgic Academy in Kraków....
, Antoni Galecki
Antoni Galecki
Antoni Gałecki was a Polish football player and defender who represented ŁKS Łódź. He also played on the Polish National Team during the 1936 Berlin Olympics and Poland's 1938 FIFA World Cup lone match against Brazil....
and Władysław Szczepaniak) came from Polish heartland and the last one, Fryderyk Scherfke
Fryderyk Scherfke
Friedrich Egon Scherfke, , German Empire - died on September 15, 1983 in Bad Soden, Germany) was an ethnic German who became an interwar soccer midfield player for the Polish national football team.- Biography :...
, was an ethnic German from Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
.
Last months of interwar Poland
After the loss to Brazil, the Poles needed time to recuperate and rethink the tactics. The next friendly occurred three months later, on September 18, 1938. In ChemnitzChemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
, the Germans beat their visitors 4-1 (goal by Teodor Peterek
Teodor Peterek
Teodor Peterek , a Polish soccer player from interwar period, forward, represented Ruch Chorzów and Polish National Team...
). Compared to the Strasbourg match, there was only one change in the lineup - forward Fryderyk Scherfke
Fryderyk Scherfke
Friedrich Egon Scherfke, , German Empire - died on September 15, 1983 in Bad Soden, Germany) was an ethnic German who became an interwar soccer midfield player for the Polish national football team.- Biography :...
was replaced by Peterek. According to witnesses, Poland played a good game, but missed countless good opportunities. Germans, however, netted all their chances.
A week later, on September 25, in a double game, the first team faced Yugoslavia in Warsaw (4-4, goals by Jozef Korbas
Józef Korbas
Józef Franciszek Korbas was an interwar Polish football player, forward of Cracovia and Polish National Team. He played two games for Poland....
, Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
- 2 and Leonard Piątek
Leonard Piatek
Leonard Franciszek Piątek was a Polish football player of Upper Silesian origin who played in the interwar period....
), and reserves went to Riga, where they lost 1-2 to Latvia. This was a surprising defeat, but the worst was yet to come.
In the next five games Poland did not manage to beat their opponents. Firstly, on October 23 in Warsaw, the hosts tied 2-2 with Norway (goals by Wilimowski and Ryszard Piec
Ryszard Piec
Ryszard Leon Piec - Polish soccer player, born Richard Leon Pietz on August 17, 1913 in Schwientochlowitz , Germany,died on January 24, 1979 in his hometown....
). Then, in late November, white-reds went on a long train and ferry journey to Dublin, where they lost 2-3 to Ireland (goals by Wilimowski and Piatek).
The first game of 1939 was a disaster. On January 22, at Paris's Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
, the French routed Poland 4-0. It must be mentioned that January is the time of winter break in Polish Football League, so the players were completely unprepared for this game. However, Polish officials did not want to refuse invitation from their French counterparts, and thus the match turned out really badly for white-reds. In freezing rain, hosts were faster and stronger and ambitious Poles were no match to them.
On May 27, 1939 in Łódź, Poland faced Belgium. This time again the white-reds did not manage to win, achieving a 3-3 tie (two goals by Wilimowski, one by Jerzy Wostal
Jerzy Wostal
Jerzy Adolf Wostal was a Polish soccer player, one of best forwards of interwar Poland. He was born in 1914 in Königshütte .In the late 1930s Wostal played for AKS Chorzów. The best year in his career was 1937...
). Also on June 4 in Warsaw, facing Switzerland, the hosts tied 1-1, with Poland's lone goal by Piatek.
The last game of interwar Poland took place August 27, 1939 in Warsaw. Hosts faced Hungary, beating them 4-2. This was the day of Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
, who scored 3 goals and set up the 4th one. The game is described here: The last game: August 27, 1939. Poland - Hungary 4-2
The Last Game (August 27, 1939)
The Last Game, as it is known in Poland, was played on Sunday August 27, 1939, at the Wojska Polskiego Stadium in Warsaw. It was the last game of the interwar Polish football team before the Second World War. The Polish national football team faced and beat one of the best teams of that period -...
.
On September 3, also in Warsaw, Poland was going to face Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. Three days later, white-reds were supposed to travel to Belgrad, to play Yugoslavia. These games never took place. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland (see: Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
). Then, on September 17, Soviet Union joined the Nazis (see: Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, named after the Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and the German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, was an agreement officially titled the Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union and signed in Moscow in the late hours of 23 August 1939...
). Poland disappeared from the map of Europe, and the occupiers banned Poles from practising any sports.
See also
- President of Poland's Football Cup (1936 - 1939)President of Poland's Football Cup (1936 - 1939)President of Poland's Football Cup was an annual football competition, taking place in the Second Polish Republic in the years 1936–1939. It was sponsored by President Ignacy Moscicki, and unlike today's Polish Cup, it did not feature clubs...
- Lower Level Football Leagues in Interwar PolandLower Level Football Leagues in Interwar PolandIn interbellum Poland, there was not a national, Second Division, as we know it today . For example, on Sunday, September 26, 1937 in Częstochowa, a conference of A-Class teams took place, during which the possibility of creation of the Second League was discussed...
- Polish Football League 1927-1939Polish Football League 1927-1939-Beginnings:In the years 1921–1926, the football championships were organized in a non-league way. Firstly, there were regional games, then 9 champions of those regions were divided into 3 groups - western, southern and northern and finally, there were champions of these groups playing each...