Belarussian and Jewish Issues in the Political and Legal Thought of Polish Groups in Vilnius in the First Years of Independence – Selected Issues

Przemysław Dąbrowski

doi:10.17951/sil.2020.29.4.59-70

Abstract

<p>The position of Polish groups of interwar Vilnius (in the first years of independence) on the issues presented in this article was varied. National Democracy did not regard Belarusians as an independent nation and denied them the right to an independent state. Democrats, on the other hand, were in favor of equal rights for all nations and granted Belarusians the right to their own culture and education. In a similar vein, the Democrats, along with Vilnius conservatives, also expressed their opinions on the Jewish question. Representatives of National Democracy found a lot of space for this issue in their statements. In the context of the dispute about Vilnius, it was emphasized that the Jews would opt for Lithuania and Vilnius’s membership of the Lithuanian state.</p>

Highlights

After the occupation of Vilnius by the Polish army, on 12 April 1919 Marshal Józef Piłsudski expressed his view on nationality issues in the north-eastern part of the Republic of Poland
In the context of the dispute about Vilnius, it was emphasized that the Jews would opt for Lithuania and Vilnius’s membership of the Lithuanian state
He delivered the famous appeal in Vilnius to the inhabitants of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which began with the words: “Your country has not known freedom for a hundred or so decades, oppressed by hostile Russian, German, and Bolshevik violence – violence which, without asking the people, imposed foreign behaviours, restrained their will, often breaking their lives”

Summary

Legal Thought of Polish Groups in Vilnius in the

The position of Polish groups of interwar Vilnius (in the first years of independence) on the issues presented in this article was varied. National Democracy did not regard Belarusians as an independent. U nation and denied them the right to an independent state. On the other hand, were in favor of equal rights for all nations and granted Belarusians the right to their own culture and education. The Democrats, along with Vilnius conservatives, expressed their opinions on the Jewish question. Representatives of National Democracy found a lot of space for this issue in their statements. In the context of the dispute about Vilnius, it was emphasized that the Jews would opt for Lithuania and Vilnius’s membership of the Lithuanian state

INTRODUCTION

JEWISH ISSUE

Literature

Legal acts