Sikorski-Mayski Agreement
Encyclopedia
The Sikorski–Mayski Agreement was a treaty between the Soviet Union
and Poland
signed in London
on 30 July 1941. Its name was coined after the two most notable signatories: Polish Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski and Soviet Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Ivan Mayski.
in 1939, the Soviet Union took part
in the invasion of Poland and its subsequent dismemberment. The Soviet authorities declared Poland non-existent and all former Polish citizens from the areas annexed by USSR were treated as if they were Soviet citizens. This resulted in approximately 2 million Polish citizens (including a quarter of a Millions POWs and 1.5 million deportees) being arrested and imprisoned by the NKVD
and other Soviet authorities.
However, with the outbreak of the Soviet-German War
in 1941, the international situation of Soviet Union changed and Joseph Stalin
started to seek help from other countries opposing Germany. Strongly encouraged by British Foreign Office diplomat Anthony Eden
, Sikorski, on 5 July 1941, opened negotiations with the Soviet ambassador to London, Ivan Mayski, to re-establish diplomatic relations between Poland and the Soviet Union. Sikorski was the architect of the agreement reached by the two governments, finally signed on 30 July 1941. A further military alliance was signed in Moscow on 14 August 1941. Later that year, Sikorski went to Moscow with a diplomatic mission (including the future Polish ambassador to Moscow, Stanisław Kot, and chief of the Polish Military Mission in the Soviet Union, General Zygmunt Szyszko-Bohusz).
Joseph Stalin agreed to declare all previous pacts he had with Nazi Germany null and void, to invalidate the September 1939 Soviet-German partition of Poland and to release tens of thousands of Polish prisoners-of-war held in Soviet camps. Pursuant to an agreement between the Polish government-in-exile and Stalin, the Soviets granted "amnesty
" to many Polish citizens on 12 August 1941, from whom a 40,000-strong army (Anders Army
, later known as the Polish II Corps
) was formed under General Władysław Anders. The whereabouts of thousands more Polish officers
, however, would remain unknown for two more years, which would weigh heavily on Polish-Soviet relations.
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 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...
signed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 30 July 1941. Its name was coined after the two most notable signatories: Polish Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski and Soviet Ambassador to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Ivan Mayski.
Details
After signing the German-Soviet Nonaggression TreatyMolotov-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...
in 1939, the Soviet Union took part
Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)
The 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland was a Soviet military operation that started without a formal declaration of war on 17 September 1939, during the early stages of World War II. Sixteen days after Nazi Germany invaded Poland from the west, the Soviet Union did so from the east...
in the invasion of Poland and its subsequent dismemberment. The Soviet authorities declared Poland non-existent and all former Polish citizens from the areas annexed by USSR were treated as if they were Soviet citizens. This resulted in approximately 2 million Polish citizens (including a quarter of a Millions POWs and 1.5 million deportees) being arrested and imprisoned by the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
and other Soviet authorities.
However, with the outbreak of the Soviet-German War
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
in 1941, the international situation of Soviet Union changed and Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
started to seek help from other countries opposing Germany. Strongly encouraged by British Foreign Office diplomat Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957...
, Sikorski, on 5 July 1941, opened negotiations with the Soviet ambassador to London, Ivan Mayski, to re-establish diplomatic relations between Poland and the Soviet Union. Sikorski was the architect of the agreement reached by the two governments, finally signed on 30 July 1941. A further military alliance was signed in Moscow on 14 August 1941. Later that year, Sikorski went to Moscow with a diplomatic mission (including the future Polish ambassador to Moscow, Stanisław Kot, and chief of the Polish Military Mission in the Soviet Union, General Zygmunt Szyszko-Bohusz).
Joseph Stalin agreed to declare all previous pacts he had with Nazi Germany null and void, to invalidate the September 1939 Soviet-German partition of Poland and to release tens of thousands of Polish prisoners-of-war held in Soviet camps. Pursuant to an agreement between the Polish government-in-exile and Stalin, the Soviets granted "amnesty
Amnesty for Polish citizens in USSR
Amnesty for Polish citizens in USSR refers to an amnesty in USSR for those deprived of their freedom resulting in temporary stop of persecutions of Polish citizens under Soviet control....
" to many Polish citizens on 12 August 1941, from whom a 40,000-strong army (Anders Army
Anders Army
The Anders Army was the informal yet common name of the Polish Armed Forces in the East in the period 1941-1942, in recognition of its commander Władysław Anders...
, later known as the Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps , 1943–1947, was a major tactical and operational unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II. It was commanded by Lieutenant General Władysław Anders and by the end of 1945 it had grown to well over 100,000 soldiers....
) was formed under General Władysław Anders. The whereabouts of thousands more Polish officers
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
, however, would remain unknown for two more years, which would weigh heavily on Polish-Soviet relations.
See also
- Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
- Territories of Poland annexed by the Soviet Union
- Polish contribution to World War IIPolish contribution to World War IIThe European theater of World War II opened with the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. The Polish Army was defeated after over a month of fighting. After Poland had been overrun, a government-in-exile , armed forces, and an intelligence service were established outside of Poland....
- Polish Government in ExilePolish government in ExileThe Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...