Behind the Scenes of the Greater Poland Uprising

The shaping and activities of the Polish state authorities during the Greater Poland Uprising

Andrzej Gulczyński

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The commissariat, taking over the leadership of the Polish affairs in the entire territory of the Reich, established two sub-commissariats: in Bytom (for Silesia) and in Gdańsk (for Pomerania). In May 1919, the Prussian authorities prohibited all further activities of both representations. The sub-commissariat in Gdańsk, which was the coordinator of the Polish efforts to regain Pomerania, was transferred to Poznań where it resumed its official activity in August 1919. The sub-commissariat for Silesia was headed by Józef Rymer (with the assistance of attorneys Kazimierz Czapla and Konstanty Wolny), while the head of the sub-commissariat for Pomerania was Stefan Łaszewski Ph.D. An important step towards covering the entire Prussian partition was the establishment of the sub-commissariat of the Supreme People’s Council for the Netze District with its headquarters in Bydgoszcz at the end of July (attorney Melchior Wierzbicki was in charge). In July 1919, deputies of the Commissariat’s members were appointed: Leon Pluciński, Cyryl Ratajski and Stefan Piechocki Ph.D. who were to act as substitutes of the commissars in their absence. 

All activities had to be undertaken by the Commissariat within the framework of the still existing German state, though the area of the liberated territories was gradually enlarged. Despite the continued fighting and the fact that the decisions of the peace conference were still being awaited, power was taken over in all spheres. The commissariat took over the competences of the Prussian government as the supreme representative of the local administration and also the local government administration. It also initiated the action of repolonisation. A regulation was issued to remove German names at railway stations, on public buildings and streets, also, the celebration of the 3rd of May as a public holiday was ordered. The commissariat issued regulations on 15 May, to publish all announcements in the “Official Weekly” in Polish; it introduced the requirement of the command of the Polish language for all officials. Polish was becoming the official language, German could only be used alternatively, based on express consent. Also official changes in the names of towns was initiated. 

The collection of taxes was maintained, but the collected funds were not transferred outside the partition, at the same time, the payment of a national tax (which had been introduced earlier by the temporary Commissariat and approved by the parliament) and donations for the Polish army were encouraged. A ban on the exporting of money and securities outside the borders of the territory covered by the Uprising was introduced. The Central Food Office was established and the exporting of food was banned; in February, the Distribution Office was established to manage the stocks of goods and raw materials, and in March - the Clearing House as the financial control authority. In June, the Prussian Settlement Commission was transformed into the Settlement Office. Changes in the government administration and the judiciary system were linked to the commencement of widespread action related to the import of qualified human resources from other districts. The commissariat also issued a number of acts aimed at ensuring public order as well as those of a social nature, including the introduction of the 8-hour working day.

The principle of the integrity of all Polish territories (including the preservation of certain differences) and subordination, after the decisions were taken by the peace congress, were the pillars of the Commissariat's policy. Thus, there was a necessity to conduct negotiations with the authorities in Berlin and to maintain contacts with the Polish National Committee which could influence decisions taken in the international arena. This was necessary for the signing of the armistice in Trier between Germany and the coalition states in the middle of February, which delimited the demarcation line and recognised Poles in the Poznań region as a party at war. The armistice was also decisive for the exclusion of the Commissariat of the Supreme People’s Council from matters related to Silesia. In order to implement the provisions of the armistice, the Inter-Allied Mission arrived in Poland to conduct negotiations with the Germans, first in Warsaw and then in Krzyż and Poznań. 

At the same time, close contacts were maintained with the Polish government in Warsaw with regards to the inclusion of the representatives of the former Prussian partition in the Legislative Parliament (Sejm). Although, the introduction of a broad representation of the former Prussian partition was advocated, only 16 members of the Reich's parliament were present in the Legislative Parliament without the holding of any elections. However, one of them, Wojciech Trąmpczyński, was elected marshal during the first session of the Parliament. However, pursuant to arrangements, complementary elections in the Poznań region were held on 1 June. 

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