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• Regained independence was the result of years of Polish endeavours (...)
• The smooth course of the meetings (...)
• There were statements during discussions (...)
• The commissariat, taking over the leadership (...)
• The matter of the affiliation of the Polish territories (...)

There were statements during discussions, which generally pointed to the concept of the political system of the reborn Polish state. The equality of all people before the law, care for citizens and protection from destitution and poverty were all emphasised. The details of the political system of the entire state were not, however, the subject of the debate. The “Law on the political organisation of Poles living within the existing borders of the German Reich” which was adopted by the Parliament, was, as it were, of a constitutional nature. By implementing the provisions of this legal act, the Sejm elected the Supreme People’s Council by acclamation, whereby, half of it was supposed to consist of workers, carpenters and peasants. In terms of the regional composition 27 members represented the Poznań region, 13 members came from Royal (West) Prussia and 28 members were from Silesia. Furthermore, two deputies were, in each case, elected from each of these districts. Other districts did not have deputies, but just members: Warmia – 2, Prussian Masovia – 3 (Warmia and Prussian Masovia were also called East Prussia), exiles on the left side of the Elbe River – 4, exiles on the right side of the Elbe River – 3. 

The Council got together for the first time right after the end of the Parliamentary sessions. The meeting was attended by 62 members. At that time, the praesidium was elected in the following composition: president – Bolesław Krysiewicz Ph.D. (Poznań region), deputy presidents – Priest Paweł Pośpiech (Silesia) and Priest Władysław Wolszlegier Ph.D. (Pomerania), secretaries – Czesław Meissner Ph.D. and Karol Rzepecki (Poznań region). Also, an executive body was established – the Commissariat of the Supreme People’s Council. It was composed of representatives of different territories of the then German Reich: Priest Stanisław Adamski (Poznań region), Wojciech Korfanty (Upper Silesia), Stefan Łaszewski Ph.D. (Pomerania), editor Adam Poszwiński (Kuyavia), Józef Rymer (Upper Silesia) and attorney Władysław Seyda (Poznań region). 

The Commissariat of the Supreme People's Council was authorised to act both inside the association (i.e. in relation to all Poles) and to represent it outside. All local (i.e. rural and municipal) and poviat people’s councils were subordinated to it; it was also authorised to commission all kinds of issues to them and to settle disputes between them. It also had the right to convene a meeting of the Supreme People's council and sejm. It struggled for the peaceful incorporation of the Polish territories into the re-established Polish state, however, it did not rule out military action. Right after the outbreak of the Uprising, the commissariat entrusted temporary command to Stanisław Taczak and started talks with the Temporary Chief of State, Józef Piłsudski, regarding the sending of qualified officers to Poznań. Among them, there was Julian Stachiewicz, who at the end of December and the beginning of January took the post of head of staff of the insurgent armies. The Chief of State proposed two generals for the post of commander of the insurgent armies: Eugeniusz Michaelis and Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki. The Commissariat chose the latter one. 

Together with this appointment, building of the Greater Poland Army was initiated. On 17 January, the Commissariat of the Supreme People’s Council ordered the conscription of three age groups (1897-1899), on 4 March, more, different age groups (1895-1900), and on 24 April, further five age groups (1891-1901). The People’s Guard was significantly expanded, and then transformed into the National Defence. On 25 May 1919, command of the Greater Poland Army (in the meaning of the tactical not organisational subordination) was passed on to Józef Piłsudski. The integration of the Greater Poland Army and the Polish Army took place in August 1919.

Before that, however, the Supreme People’s Council announced a seizure of power, which was a political declaration and authorisation for the Commissariat of the Supreme People’s Council to take action. Based on this authorisation, it announced the seizure of power on 8 January 1919 and proceeded with changes in the administration in those areas controlled by the insurgents. This entirely changed its nature - from a representative of the dominant national group to an authority. It immediately appointed Poles to the posts of chief president of the province and at the same time, president of the administrative district (attorney Bernard Chrzanowski) and also to the post of president of the police (Karol Rzepecki). Attorney Zygmunt Rychłowski and Kazimierz Bajoński Ph.D. were appointed members of the Settlement Commission. In the meantime, the local people's councils also took over power in the field and accepted inspectors who had been appointed by the worker and soldier councils or appointed new ones. On 11 February, the Commissariat issued a regulation on the dissolution of previous municipal councils and the holding of elections, and on 15 February - an electoral code. The elections took place on 23 March; as well as the party competition it was possible to observe the creation of cross-party, national lists: Polish, German and Jewish, which would reflect the national nature of the people's councils. The new municipal councils were dominated by Poles.