Межэтнические конфликты в тылу северного участка польско-советского фронта в 1919–1920 гг.
National Conflicts in the Rear of the Northern Section of the Polish-Soviet Front during 1919–1920

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the issues of national relations in the Polish front rear area during the war with Soviet Russia. It primarily focuses on the northern section of this area that is today part of Belarus. The text presents an analysis of relations among the three largest ethnic groups that inhabited the area: the Belarusians, the Polish, and the Jews. It highlights the factors that influenced their conflicts such as the Polish army presence, the Polish character of public administration, and the experience of the local population from the Great War and the Russian Revolution. Regarding the Polish-Belarusian relations, the tradition of the social struggle between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic nobles was decisive. As far as the Polish-Soviet war is concerned, these clashes gradually escalated to national and cultural conflicts. The article further discusses the development of relations among the particular ethnic groups; during 1919–1920, the disputes between the Polish and the Belarusians developed from attempts of coexistence to little by little growing resistance. The position and behaviour of Polish army soldiers and anti-Bolshevik Russian (or Russian-speaking) organisations played a decisive role for the relationships between the Poles and the Jews. These attitudes were many times hostile towards the Jewish population, and even manifested by physical violence towards the members of this ethnic group.

• Details
• Contents