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Second Silesian Uprising

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Date:
19.08.1920

In February 1920, an Allied Plebiscite Commission was sent to Upper Silesia. It was composed of the representatives of the Allied forces, mostly from France, with smaller contingents from United Kingdom and Italy. Soon, however, it became apparent that the Allied forces were too few to maintain order; further, the Commission was torn apart by lack of consensus: the British and Italians favoured the Germans, while the French supported the Poles. Those forces failed to prevent continuing unrest.

In August 1920, a German newspaper in Upper Silesia printed what later turned out to be a false announcement of the fall of Warsaw to the Red Army in the Polish–Soviet War. Pro-German activists spontaneously organised a march to celebrate what they assumed would be the end of independent Poland. The volatile situation quickly degenerated into violence as pro-German demonstrators began looting Polish shops; the violence continued even after it had become clear that Warsaw had not fallen.

The violence eventually led on August 19 to a Polish uprising, which quickly took control of government offices in the districts of Kattowitz (Katowice), Pless (Pszczyna), Beuthen (Bytom). Between August 20 and 25, the rebellion spread to Konigshutte (Chorzów), Tarnowitz (Tarnowskie Góry), Rybnik, Lublinitz (Lubliniec) and Gross Strehlitz (Strzelce Opolskie). The Allied Commission declared its intention to restore order but internal differences kept anything from being done. British representatives held the French responsible for the easy spread of the uprising through the eastern region.

The uprising was slowly brought to an end in September by a combination of allied military operations and negotiations between the parties. The Poles obtained the disbanding of the Sipo police and the creation of a new police (Abstimmungspolizei) for the area which would be 50% Polish. Poles were also admitted to the local administration. The Polish Military Organisation in Upper Silesia was supposed to be disbanded, though in practice this did not happen.

 

Related events

NameDateLanguages
1Began the Warsaw UprisingBegan the Warsaw Uprising01.08.1944de, en, fr, lt, pl, ru, ua
2Huta Pieniacka massacreHuta Pieniacka massacre28.02.1944en, pl, ru
3Third Silesian Uprising beganThird Silesian Uprising began02.05.1921en, pl, ru
4Greater Poland Uprising beganGreater Poland Uprising began27.12.1918en, pl, ru

Map

Sources: wikipedia.org

    Persons

    Name Born / Since / At Died Languages
    1Władysław Zygmunt JagiełłoWładysław Zygmunt Jagiełło22.10.190300.00.1940pl
    2Wilhelm ZawieruchaWilhelm Zawierucha08.01.190000.00.1940pl
    3Henryk Aleksander KalembaHenryk Aleksander Kalemba15.07.189900.00.1940pl
    4Wiktor Ludwik UrbanowiczWiktor Ludwik Urbanowicz06.10.189800.00.1940pl
    5Mikołaj WitczakMikołaj Witczak02.07.189625.04.1976pl
    6Walenty FojkisWalenty Fojkis00.00.189500.00.1950pl
    7Jan WyglendaJan Wyglenda24.11.189400.00.1973pl
    8Stanisław KrzyżowskiStanisław Krzyżowski20.10.189303.05.1933pl
    9Tomasz BłotkoTomasz Błotko15.12.189100.00.1940pl
    10Alfons ZgrzebniokAlfons Zgrzebniok16.08.189131.01.1937de, pl
    11Franciszek BłażycaFranciszek Błażyca30.09.188700.00.1940pl
    12Wojciech KorfantyWojciech Korfanty20.04.187317.08.1939de, en, fr, pl, ru, ua
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