Polish–Georgian alliance
Encyclopedia
The Polish–Georgian alliance was a short-lived alliance (1920–1921) between the Second Polish Republic
and the Democratic Republic of Georgia
.
. Both countries had a history of problematic relations with their Russian neighbor. Polish leader Józef Piłsudski wanted to create a large East-European Międzymorze
federation for common defense. He saw Georgia as a possible candidate for such an alliance.
Plans for a Polish diplomatic mission
to the Caucasus
, to the new countries of Georgia, Armenia
and Azerbaijan
, had been laid as early as April 1918 but began to be realized only in March 1920. By that time, a Polish brigade (Polska Oddzielna Brygada) had been formed of the Polish soldiers of the Russian army serving in the Caucasus. This brigade played an important role in keeping order at Tiflis, capital of the nascent Georgian republic. The brigade was disbanded under the German
pressure in June 1918. Most of its personnel joined the Polish 4th Rifle Division
of General Lucjan Żeligowski
in Odessa
and then returned to Poland.
In 1920, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Stanisław Patek sent a message to Georgia, proposing an exchange of diplomatic representatives and improved relations. The Georgians, threatened by Russian revolutionary factions and by Turkey
, enthusiastically accepted the proposal. Soon after, Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tytus Filipowicz
visited Tbilisi
with a diplomatic mission.
Plans for a Polish-Georgian military alliance were drafted to have included Polish aid (equipment and munitions) for the Georgian military. Before the treaty was ratified
, the Red Army invaded Georgia
. Deputy Minister Filipowicz (who had been named to be Polish ambassador
to Georgia) was arrested in Baku
, Azerbaijan, when the Red Army invaded that country about the same time. Polish personnel in Georgia, led by Wiktor Białobrzeski, managed to create a provisional consular office before Georgia was annexed by the Soviet Union
in 1921.
. Among the Georgians who moved to Poland, were parents of general John Shalikashvili (the general himself was born in Warsaw
). Poland aided Georgian pro-independence activists for many years. Several Georgian officers were enlisted in the Polish Army in the interbellum, with such names as Zakaria Bakradze, Alexandre Chkheidze
, Ivane Kazbegi
, Viktor Lomidze
and Valerian Tevzadze
. All Georgian officers were sharing the privileges of the military and enjoyed a good relationship with their Polish fellow officers.
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
and the Democratic Republic of Georgia
Democratic Republic of Georgia
The Democratic Republic of Georgia , 1918–1921, was the first modern establishment of a Republic of Georgia.The DRG was created after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917...
.
History
Georgia had gained its independence following the 1917 Russian Revolution; Poland, a year later, following World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Both countries had a history of problematic relations with their Russian neighbor. Polish leader Józef Piłsudski wanted to create a large East-European Międzymorze
Miedzymorze
Międzymorze was a plan, pursued after World War I by Polish leader Józef Piłsudski, for a federation, under Poland's aegis, of Central and Eastern European countries...
federation for common defense. He saw Georgia as a possible candidate for such an alliance.
Plans for a Polish diplomatic mission
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
to the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, to the new countries of Georgia, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, had been laid as early as April 1918 but began to be realized only in March 1920. By that time, a Polish brigade (Polska Oddzielna Brygada) had been formed of the Polish soldiers of the Russian army serving in the Caucasus. This brigade played an important role in keeping order at Tiflis, capital of the nascent Georgian republic. The brigade was disbanded under the German
German Caucasus Expedition
The German Caucasus Expedition was a military expedition sent by the German Empire to the formerly Russian Transcaucasia during the Caucasus Campaign of the World War I...
pressure in June 1918. Most of its personnel joined the Polish 4th Rifle Division
4th Rifle Division (Poland)
The Polish 4th Rifle Division was a Polish military unit, forming, together with the Polish 5th Rifle Division of the Blue Army, the only part of the Polish military which took part in the Russian Civil War...
of General Lucjan Żeligowski
Lucjan Zeligowski
Lucjan Żeligowski , was a Polish general, and veteran of World War I, the Polish-Soviet War and World War II. He is mostly remembered for his role in Żeligowski's Mutiny and as head of a short-lived Republic of Central Lithuania.-Biography:...
in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
and then returned to Poland.
In 1920, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Stanisław Patek sent a message to Georgia, proposing an exchange of diplomatic representatives and improved relations. The Georgians, threatened by Russian revolutionary factions and by 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...
, enthusiastically accepted the proposal. Soon after, Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tytus Filipowicz
Tytus Filipowicz
Tytus Filipowicz was a Polish politician and diplomat.-Life:Filipowicz was born 21 November 1873 in Warsaw. He attended school in Dąbrowa Górnicza. He worked as a coal miner and became a socialist political activist; from 1895 he was active in the Dąbrowa Workers' Commiittee...
visited Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
with a diplomatic mission.
Plans for a Polish-Georgian military alliance were drafted to have included Polish aid (equipment and munitions) for the Georgian military. Before the treaty was ratified
Ratification
Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
, the Red Army invaded Georgia
Red Army invasion of Georgia
The Red Army invasion of Georgia also known as the Soviet–Georgian War or the Soviet invasion of Georgia was a military campaign by the Soviet Russian Red Army against the Democratic Republic of Georgia aimed at overthrowing the Social-Democratic government and installing the Bolshevik regime...
. Deputy Minister Filipowicz (who had been named to be Polish ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Georgia) was arrested in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, Azerbaijan, when the Red Army invaded that country about the same time. Polish personnel in Georgia, led by Wiktor Białobrzeski, managed to create a provisional consular office before Georgia 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....
in 1921.
Aftermath
After the Soviet invasion of Georgia, the good Polish-Georgian relations resulted in large-scale Georgian emigration to PolandGeorgian emigration in Poland
The documented ties between Georgia and Poland reach back to the 15th century, when the Georgian King Konstantin sent a diplomatic mission to the Polish King Alexander Jagiellon. Later, Polish King Jan III Sobieski tried to establish contacts with Georgia...
. Among the Georgians who moved to Poland, were parents of general John Shalikashvili (the general himself was born 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...
). Poland aided Georgian pro-independence activists for many years. Several Georgian officers were enlisted in the Polish Army in the interbellum, with such names as Zakaria Bakradze, Alexandre Chkheidze
Alexandre Chkheidze
Alexandre Chkheidze, also known under his Polish name of Aleksander Czcheidze , was a Polish-Georgian military officer. He served with the rank of Colonel in the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Georgia during the short period of its independence following World War I...
, Ivane Kazbegi
Ivane Kazbegi
Ivane Kazbegi was a Georgian soldier, who served, successively, in the Imperial Russian, Georgian and Polish armies....
, Viktor Lomidze
Viktor Lomidze
Viktor Lomidze, also known by his Polish name of Wiktor Łomidze-Wachtang, was a Georgian-Polish military officer. After the Bolshevik take-over of his country in early 1920s he emigrated to Poland, where he joined the Polish Army and then the Polish Navy.Between 1935 and 1939 he was the commanding...
and Valerian Tevzadze
Valerian Tevzadze
Valerian Tevzadze was a Georgian military officer in the service of the Democratic Republic of Georgia . After the Soviet forces occupied the country, he left for Poland and joined the Polish army as a colonel. During the Nazi invasion of 1939, he took part in the northern defense of Warsaw...
. All Georgian officers were sharing the privileges of the military and enjoyed a good relationship with their Polish fellow officers.
See also
- MiędzymorzeMiedzymorzeMiędzymorze was a plan, pursued after World War I by Polish leader Józef Piłsudski, for a federation, under Poland's aegis, of Central and Eastern European countries...
(Intermarum) - PrometheismPrometheismPrometheism or Prometheanism was a political project initiated by Poland's Józef Piłsudski. Its aim was to weaken the Russian Empire and its successor states, including the Soviet Union, by supporting nationalist independence movements among the major non-Russian peoples that lived within the...
- Polish-Romanian alliancePolish-Romanian AllianceThe Polish–Romanian Alliance was a series of treaties signed in the interwar period by the Second Polish Republic and the Kingdom of Romania. The first of them was signed in 1921 and, together, the treaties formed a basis for good foreign relations between the two countries that lasted until World...
- Polish-Ukrainian alliance
- Georgian emigration in PolandGeorgian emigration in PolandThe documented ties between Georgia and Poland reach back to the 15th century, when the Georgian King Konstantin sent a diplomatic mission to the Polish King Alexander Jagiellon. Later, Polish King Jan III Sobieski tried to establish contacts with Georgia...