Втората полска република в периода 1918–1921 година
The Second Polish Republic during the period 1918–1921

Summary/Abstract: The study that I will introduce the readers to herein concerns the existence of the Second Polish Republic during the period 1918–1921 – from the declaration of state independence in 1918 until the adoption of its new constitution in March 1921. This is the period in which in less than three years a number of historical and important events for the country took place: The Republic of Poland reappears on the European map after a 123-year absence, several governments were replaced, the first parliamentary elections were held, wars of national unification were fought, a number of international treaties were signed which defined the territorial shape of the country, and a new constitution was adopted. The article is divided into four sections: the first concerns the most significant events that took place in Poland during the period 1918–1921, comprising domestic and foreign policy, the second, the wars fought by the Poles during the period 1918–1921, the third part is related to political parties and their ideologies, and the fourth to the preparation of, and voting on, the new constitution in March 1921. The first part addresses the following cases: the independence of the Second Republic of Poland, the consequences of the First World War for the newly established state, the governments that ruled during the period 1918–1921, as well as the policies they implemented; the reasons for the frequent changes of governments, and the international treaties that determined the territorial structure of the state. In the second part the following issues are addressed: the countries against which Poland fought, as well as the most significant battles, the names of the military commanders involved in the battles, and the final outcome of those battles. In the third part I have paid attention to the following problems: the names of the most famous political parties that took part in the political life of the country in the period 1918–1921 and the ideology that each party professed. I have selected the names of the most significant political figures who participated in theactivities of the given formation, as well as provided information on when each political force existed. In the final fourth section I have written about the circumstances surrounding its adoption as well as briefly summarizing what it contained. I have dedicated an entire section to the constitution of March 1921 because I believe that the topic of the primary state document is extremely important and cannot be underrepresented in such a study. Let me remind you that in the same year, as well as the same month, another significant event for the country took place – the signing of the Riga Peace Treaty between Poland and Soviet Russia which finally determined the shape of the state borders of the Second Polish Republic. I have tried to cite as many Polish and Bulgarian scholars as possible in my study. Among the Polish historiography that I have used, I mention the names of Ryszard Kaczmarek, Marian Leczyk, Pawel Zaremba, Marian Kukiel, and others. Among the Bulgarian scientists whose works I have used, I particularly mention the names of Iskra Baeva, Teodorichka Gotovska-Hentse, and Detelina Dineva. I have also cited archival materials and internet sources. I have chosen to write on this topic because the issue has been relatively poorly developed by Bulgarian historical scholarship. Finally, in conclusion, I will make a brief analysis of everything written related to the existence of Poland in the period 1918–1921.

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