Polskie Dokumenty Dyplomatyczne 1919 czerwiec-grudzień

The 26^th volume in the Polish Diplomatic Documents series contains 430 documents presenting the activity of Polish politicians and diplomats from June to December 1919. During those seven months, Poland’s authorities had to pursue intense diplomatic, military, and administrative efforts in all areas of activity of the newly born state. 

First, Poland had to face the decisions taken by the Paris Peace Conference included in the Treaty of Versailles and the so-called Minority Treaty. The process of ratification caused heated debate in the Polish parliament. Also, further negotiations to implement the provisions of the treaties were needed. Bearing that in mind, a great deal of attention is drawn in the documents to Polish-German relations and the question of the First Silesian Uprising that broke out in August 1919.

Russia is another main topic in the volume since many documents concern the ongoing Polish-Soviet war, as well as the talks between Poland and the Bolsheviks, or the activity of the Polish missions to Gen. Anton Denikin. Bilateral relations between Poland and Czechoslovakia and the conflict over the Galicia region are also documented in detail.

In the second half of 1919, Poland conducted intense political and military action in the Baltic states, the most visible example of which was the so-called Sejny Uprising. That activity is widely discussed in the volume.

Furthermore, many documents concern humanitarian aid for Polish POWs and refugees in various countries. The process of rebirth of Poland’s diplomatic and consular service and establishment of diplomatic relations and diplomatic posts are extensively presented in the book as well.

The volume is based on documents derived from the Archives of Modern Records in Warsaw and the collection of the Józef Piłsudski Institute of America. Additionally, some papers from the Central Military Archives in Warsaw, the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in London, the State Archives in Gdańsk, and the Science Library of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) and Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences (PAU) in Kraków have been used as well. One can also find here several shorthand records from parliamentary sessions and materials posted in Monitor Polski in 1919.

The volume includes a person index and an extended subject index. There is also detailed information about the MFA’s structure and organisation in the introduction and the annex.