Inkorporuotojai prieš federalistus : Vilniaus lenkų pozicija dėl Jozefo Pilsudskio politikos 1919 m. balandis - 1920m. liepa

Abstract

The article examines the position of the Poles of Vilnius (Wilno) from April, 1919, to July, 1920, regarding how the former lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania should be connected to the Polish state. In April, 1919, the Polish Head of State Jozef Pilsudski created a temporary administration, known as the Civil Authority of Eastern Territory, on the lands taken by the Polish army. Through this body, it was hoped to implement the so-called Federal Plan foreseeing the unification of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine in one state. The attitudes of the Vilnius Poles towards the Federal model joining Vilnius and the surrounding territories to the Republic of Poland, became obvious only on 22 April, 1919, following the expulsion of the Bolsheviks by the Polish army and Jozef Pilsudski's declaration "To the inhabitants of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania". The Temporary Polish National Council, which was created at the end of 1918 by the Polish Society in Vilnius, avoided contact with the first Pol ish government of the socialist Jędrzej Moracze wski, a supporter of Pilsudski. At the same time, they cooperated with the Polish National Council in Paris, which favoured the incorporation of Vilnius and Vilnius Region into Poland. According to the plans of Pilsudski, a referendum was to be held in May, 1919, in which the people of these territories had to express their attitude towards the Republic of Poland. The majority of the Polish society of Vilnius were against this idea, considering that Vilnius and Vilnius Region should be part of Poland without further discussion. It was proposed to quickly co-opt representations of the Poles from Lithuania - ignoring other nationalities - to the Parliament (Sejm Ustawodawczy) in Warsaw, which started its work on 10 Feb ruary 1919. In the period from April, 1919, to July, 1920, the Vilnius Poles declared their opposition against the Polish-Lithuanian federation in numerous declarations and petitions. The supporters of the federation suffered a large defeat in the elections to the town Council of Vilnius in September of 1919. Jozef Pilsudski and his supporters wanted to reconstruct the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. However the nation of Grand Duchy of Lithuania no longer existed. Its fate was decided by several nations. Poles in Lithuania, similarly as in Belorus or Ukraine, could have been a certain link between Poland and other nations, however this did not happen. Indeed the opposite occurred - Poles only created more divisions between the new Poland and the newly forming states