Suchergebnisse

The article presents the historiography of the Third Reich thematically related to the Poland campaign 1939. The publications were supposed to justify German invasion, glorify victory and create the myth of invincibility of the Wehrmacht. However, even amongst them it is possible to find works, which, after being subjected to severe critique, constitute an important source of information about the hostilities and the people who participated in them. They have a significant informative value. There are interesting photographs of soldiers, weapons, equipment and battlefields included in them. After 1945 German historians showed little interest in Poland campaign 1939. As a result, few scientific publications on that subject were prepared. Most of them are of fragmentary character.

On 17 March 1938, Warsaw delivered an ultimatum to Kaunas. After the 18 years of non-existentofficial diplomatic relations with Poland due to the occupation of Vilnius in 1920, Lithuaniawas forced to renew them. The acceptance of the ultimatum in Lithuania heavily influencedthe prestige of the authoritarian regime, but opened a new stage in relations between Lithuaniaand Poland on the eve of the Second World War. In addition to the envoy extraordinaryand minister plenipotentiary to Lithuania Franciszek Charwat, Poland appointed Leon Mitkiewicz(1896–1972) as its military attaché to the diplomatic mission in Kaunas. Having scrupulouslydocumented his life and service, Mitkiewicz observed Lithuania both before and afterhis appointment. He also conducted numerous political-military analyses, trying to assess thedirection of international and geopolitical events. The article gives an overview of Mitkiewicz'snotes on Polish-Lithuanian relations, and Lithuania and its war potential both before and afterthe 1938 ultimatum.Key words: Lithuanian-Polish relations, war potential, Lithuanian armed forces

The paper examines a little-known unsuccessful attempt at a military coup in Poland in January 1919. The idea attracted notable members of the Polish National Committee, including Stanisław Grabski, and members of other right-wing organisations. Colonel Marian Januszajtis-Żegota took up the leadership at the military level, and Eustachy Sapieha at the political level. The coup was directed against the government led by the socialist Jędrzej Edward Moraczewski. The paper shows the political context of the uprising, the process, and the circumstances of its failure.Key words: coup, Poland, army, Moraczewski's government, Colonel Marian Januszajtis-Źegota.

The Riflemen's Union (Związek Strzelecki) was a paramilitary organisation in the Second PolishRepublic which oversaw the military training of young pre-military age people. Simultaneously,it was a civic education movement. The activities of the organisation covered all of Poland, and italso had structural subdivisions in Polish communities outside the country. The article discussesthe circumstances of the foundation of the organisation, its relationship with the Polish army,the main features of its activities, organisational structure and principles of management, thestaff, the composition of members, and the dynamics of their numbers.Key words: paramilitarism, Związek Strzelecki, paramilitary organisational structure, Polisharmy, military training. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/ahuk.v28i0.927

Zmiany w polskiej nauce historyczno-wojskowej, które nastąpiły w latach dziewięć-dziesiątych miały nie tylko cechy pozytywne, lecz także uwidoczniły się już wtedy jej słabości. Badania historyczno-wojskowe podjęło bowiem sporo osób, kiepsko przygotowanych merytorycznie, metodologicznie i warsztatowo. Z biegiem czasu symptomy kryzysu zaczęły się nasilać. Skutkowało to pojawieniem się na półkach księgarskich i na portalach internetowych prac o kompromitująco niskim poziomie naukowym. W chwili obecnej staje się to już zjawiskiem masowym. Tezę tę udowadniam analizując opracowanie poświęcone działaniom 18 Pułku Ułanów Pomorskich w dniu 1 września 1939 r., a szczególnie jego boju pod Krojantami.