Podzim roku 1939 na východopolských územích.

Abstract

The Fall of 1939 in Eastern Poland.

his study seeks to analyze the beginnings of annexation of Eastern Poland into the Soviet Union in the fall of 1939, focusing on various techniques employed by the Soviets in the early stages of this process. Although some strata of the local population supported the Soviet annexation policy, it cannot be said that there was a clear connection between the ethnic composition of Eastern Poland’s population and its attitude toward the Soviet regime. A crucial role was played by the newly established puppet administration under the auspices of the Red Army and the NKVD. The civilian segment of the Soviet power was trying to gain support mainly among the non-Polish population by means of carefully orchestrated “elections” to the local People’s Assembly, the supreme government body designed to carry out and formally confirm incorporation of the annexed territories into the Soviet Union. The Soviet authorities treated the locals in quite a utilitarian way and after annexation had been completed they began to form the “regular” Soviet regime.

Keywords: Poland, Soviet Union, annexation, kresy, Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, 1939