Problem suwerenności II Rzeczypospolitej w świetle postanowień mniejszościowego traktatu wersalskiego z 1919 roku

Abstract

Sovereignty is one of the basic values defining the state, especially in international relations. Any political entity aspiring to the position of an independent state attaches great importance to recognizing and respecting its sovereignty. This is characteristic especially for young countries. This article attempts to present the issue of sovereignty with respect to the Polish state reborn in 1918. The contemporary Polish leaders were very sensitive to any attempt to limit sovereignty. On the other hand, the established custom of the great powers was to impose solutions on the smaller or weaker countries that often limited their sovereignty. One of the issues during the peace conference in Versailles in 1919 was the problem of national minorities. This problem occurred in many European countries after the end of World War I and could have been the origin of a new conflict. They tried to solve it by imposing smaller states signing additional treaties regulating the status of national minorities in individual countries. It was often connected with the establishment of instruments enabling interference in internal affairs causing limitation of sovereignty. Poland was also forced to sign such a treaty.