Poland & Hungary vs. Czechoslovakia

[Wulpe]

Did you know that the Munich agreement did not only allow Hitler to seize the Sudetenland, but also Poland took the Teschen/Tesin district, and Hungary parts of Slovakia from Czechoslovakia ?


The Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia

[PolAntek]

The Polish repossession of the relatively small area of Teschen (Cieszyn) was not a land grab such as the Germans were attempting at this time. The Poles were being opportunistic in settling scores over this contested terrirory with the Czechs during their moment of crisis. This was originally a Polish province several centuries earlier, although it had changed hands several times – the typical situation with much of Eastern Europe over the centuries.

In 1938 this area contained over 100,000 ethnic Poles. Admittedly, the timing of the Poles was poor as their move was interpreted as being in concert with Nazi Germany’s aggression in the pursuit of ‘Lebensraum’. It was, in fact, an independent action and was legally in accord with the Munich Agreement.

Bitter feelings remained between the Czechs and the Poles since the Soviet-Polish war of 1920 when the Czechs refused the passage of vital military materials over their territory. These supplies, on their way from France, were vital in the Pole's desperate attempt at preventing the Bolshevik Red Army from overrunning Poland and crushing the newly independent state. The Poles did “miraculously” stop the Soviets and are credited by historians at halting the Comminist ‘revolution’ dead in its tracks – at least temporarily.

[Musashi]

The small territory of Zaolzie (about 100 square kilometers) belonged to Poland for hundred of years and most of the population was (and is still) Polish. The Czechs occupied the territory in 1919. Poland was in state of war with Soviet Union and Germany in the same time and was not able to regain the territory.
Regards,
Musashi

[Windward]

Racial map of Bohemia and Moravia, red for German and blue for Pole.

[Windward]

The small territory of Zaolzie (about 100 square kilometers) belonged to Poland for hundred of years and most of the population was (and is still) Polish. The Czechs occupied the territory in 1919. Poland was in state of war with Soviet Union and Germany in the same time and was not able to regain the territory.

As I known it was an demesne of an Austrian duke, the Duke of Teschen.
An Austrian lingual statistics in 1910 showed that 55% resident in Teschen were Pole, 27% were Czechs and 18% were German. Poles want it for ethnic reason and Czechs want it for economical reason. So the League of Nations gave Teschen city to Poles and Czechs hold the railway junction and coalfield.

[Feanor]

Well, there were certainly ethnic and historical reasons for annexing Cieszyn, Zaolzie and Spisz, but ti was a nasty thing to do, particularly coming at the time that it did. There is no excuse for this act by the govt. of the II Republic. It was just plain WRONG.
Btw. Wulpe., the map is misleading, as it points to Transcarpathia/Sub-carpathia/Carpatho-Ukraine/Ruthenia/the easternmost extremity of Czechoslovakia from the box that says Polish claims. The Poles did not annex this territory, the Hungarians did. AFAIK, it had never belonged to Poland at all (unless you count the Polish-Hungarian unions) and Poland did not claim it at the time. Although Beck (Poland's foreign minister) did fantasize about divvying it up between Hungary and Romania in his attempt to create a Central European alliance.

[Wulpe]

Btw. Wulpe., the map is misleading, as it points to Transcarpathia/Sub-carpathia/Carpatho-Ukraine/Ruthenia/the easternmost extremity of Czechoslovakia from the box that says Polish claims. The Poles did not annex this territory, the Hungarians did.

You did read the map wrong. Look at the western part of Czechoslovakia, it´s core is also hatched in red. Doesn´t mean that Germany got it at Munich. Polish and Hungarian claims are both in green.

[Wulpe]

Racial map of Bohemia and Moravia, red for German and blue for Pole.

Excellent map, Windward !

[Windward]

Here's another one. But I forgot whether it's the map of new border after Munich.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; only a short complement to share ..........................

When Poland was the "Invader" - Zaolzie (Cieszyn Silesia) 1938.

When Czechoslovakia accepted under pressure to give the Sudetenland, in which the German population was majority (by the so-called Munich Agreement signed by Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy on September 30), the Polish Foreign Minister Józef Beck demanded to Prague equal treatment to Polish demands for Zaolzie. President Benes agreed to change the border, but did not specify a due date. In this situation, on September 30 it was addressed to Prague an ultimatum demanding the transfer of the lands inhabited mostly by ethnic Polish people.

The ultimatum was approved and the Polish Army took Zaolzie between 2 and 11 October 1938.

In the order issued on October 2, 1938, Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły told the soldiers of the Independent Group of Operations "Silesia" (Samodzielnej Grupy Operacyjnej "Śląsk") under the command of General Bortnowski :. "By the time you cross the Olza River, which condemned us for long years of humiliating service along the river, it will mean that the border no longer exists, nor in the hearts of those who live on both sides, and in the hearts of all the Polish nation. " At the time of the occupation the region had 862 km2 (805 km2 other sources) and 227,400 inhabitants.

Sources: http://www.dziennikzachodni.pl/artykul/ ... ,id,t.html
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pyij-ko2c-0/U ... olzie4.jpg
https://d-pt.ppstatic.pl/k/r/1/4b/1d/52 ... 1424569316
http://i.iplsc.com/polacy-weszli-na-zao ... 317-F3.jpg

Any idea about the OoB of GO "Śląsk"? Cheers. Raul M .

[wm]

the Polish Foreign Minister Józef Beck demanded to Prague equal treatment to Polish demands for Zaolzie. President Benes agreed to change the border, but did not specify a due date. In this situation, on September 30 it was addressed to Prague an ultimatum demanding the transfer of the lands inhabited mostly by ethnic Polish people.

To be quite correct the demands had been presented to the British and the French many months earlier - because obviously they were the prime movers during the Sudeten crisis. Shortly before the Munich Agreement there were presented to Hitler. In the end the Poles were told to wait for the so called Vienna Award arbitration, and they were unwilling to wait.

[tigre]

Hello wm ;

To be quite correct the demands had been presented to the British and the French many months earlier......

thanks for that tip . Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more..........................

When Poland was the "Invader" - Zaolzie (Cieszyn Silesia) 1938.

Sources: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... n_1938.PNG
https://audiovis.nac.gov.pl/i/PIC/PIC_1-H-487-29.jpg
http://histmag.org/grafika/articles6/za ... lzie22.jpg

Cheers. Raul M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more..........................

When Poland was the "Invader" - Zaolzie (Cieszyn Silesia) 1938.

Several media echoed the news about the occupation that began on Sunday October 2, 1938 at 13:30 pm and a correspondent reported that: first patrols crossed the river Olza then followed the machine guns (Taczankas?) and tanks, meanwhile the Polish aircrafts were flying across the sky ................. Despite photographs showing the warm welcome to the Polish army, the mood was actually quite different and women and children with flowers were brought from the Polish part of Cieszyn.

Sources: http://www.tyden.cz/rubriky/domaci/hist ... 83297.html
http://pwm.org.pl/pwm/images/stories/master_cla
Cheers. Raul M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more..........................

When Poland was the "Invader" - Zaolzie (Cieszyn Silesia) 1938. Polish Commanders.

Sources: http://www.zaolzie.org/zaolzie2008/200807/PBI200807.htm

Cheers. Raul M .