Areas of Czechoslovakia annexed by Poland in 1938

[Sid Guttridge]

Hi gebhk,

As I understand it, the chronology is as follows:

27 September; Poland demands Tesin from Czechoslovakia.

29 September; Munich Agreement. Under it the issue of Polish claims has to be addressed. The Czechs propose negotiations. 11 hours after the Munich Agreement was signed the Poles reject negotiations and issue an ultimatum demanding their entire claim be satisfied without discussion.

2 October; Poland occupies Tesin.

This looks like extortion to me.

What is your chronology?

Cheers,

Sid.

[KACKO]

Hi gebhk,

As I understand it, the chronology is as follows:

27 September; Poland demands Tesin from Czechoslovakia.

29 September; Munich Agreement. Under it the issue of Polish claims has to be addressed. The Czechs propose negotiations. 11 hours after the Munich Agreement was signed the Poles reject negotiations and issue an ultimatum demanding their entire claim be satisfied without discussion.

2 October; Poland occupies Tesin.

This looks like extortion to me.

What is your chronology?

Cheers,

Sid.

Well, chronology is not complete. In October and November 1938 Poland put even more pressure on Prague and gained also territories in Slovakia (areas of Kysuce, Orava and Javorina region).

[KACKO]

Again I'm afraid the chronology does not support the argument. The Czechoslovak offer came first, SGO Slask came into being next and the Munich agreement came last, so surely the offer could not have come in the wake of something that had no yet occurred?

As far as I know offer came only because Czechoslovak Army requested from Benes to eliminate Polish army from conflict by accommodating Polish requests. However, after Munich Poland asked for more territory from Czechoslovakia. now from Slovak part. It was after Munich.

[gebhk]

Thanks Marcus

In response to

What is your chronology?

22nd September – Benes writes to Moscicki proposing a rectification of disputed boundaries in Poland’s favour – in his words “I do this in all good will. I am convinced that the future of both our nations and their future cooperation will be finally secured”.
23rd September – first units of SGO Slask begin detraining
27th September – Moscicki responds positively to Benes, inviting the Czechoslovak side to make a practical proposal
29-30th September – Munich. Residual minority issues remaining unresolved after 3 months to be decided by the ‘big four’ at a subsequent meeting.
30th September –Czechoslovak Foreign Minister Kroft (in formal note to ambassador Papee) puts forward proposal offering Tesin to the Poles but with a timetable for the actual handover of 31st October at the earliest to 1st December 1938 at the latest. The following quotation from the note is probably relevant in the context of our discussion : “The Government of Czechoslovakia would like to emphasize that this matter is an act of goodwill made of its own initiative and free will.”
30th September – Polish senior political and military figures meet to discuss Munich. Decide to accept Czechoslovak offer but not the timetable. Ultimatum demanding immediate handover sent.
1st October - Czechoslovakia accepts ultimatum under condition of a one hour extension. Poland accepts the amendment.
2nd October – handover commences.

[Sid Guttridge]

Hi gebhk,

You write, "Ultimatum demanding immediate handover sent." This still looks like extortion to me.

Was the Czech request for an extensdion only for one hour?

Cheers,

Sid.

[gebhk]

An extortion of time not of substance as I have already conceded. One made necessary from the Polish viewpoint by the fact that significant parts of the Czechoslovak gift (or perhaps more accurately as Kacko points out - peace offering) had been promised to Germany by the 'Big Four'. However, the primary motivation of the Polish government was that a dramatic demonstration was required that Poland did not recognise the right of foreign powers to dictate to smaller countries in matters of sovereignty and to unilaterally and without consultation override negotiations between those smaller countries. In other words, that Poland would not be treated in the way Czechoslovakia had been. Whether this was the optimal way to go about it is of course debatable. The way it was handled, clearly was a PR disaster, giving the greater sinners someone else to point the finger at. A PR disaster that clearly is still with us today.

The Czechoslovak request was for an hour extension according to my sources - though they are not primary.

[wm]

The extension was requested for technical reasons, this is why it was only an hour.