“U

N SINGUR POPOR CU DOUA DRAPELE": THE ROMANIAN-POLISH RELATIONS DURING THE INTERWAR PERIOD

 

Dimitris Michalopoulos

 

Historical Institute for Studies on Eleutherios Veniselosand his Era, E-mail address: dmichalo@hotmail.com

 

This paper has been presented at the First International Conference on Nordic and Baltic Studies in Romania:Romania and Lithuania in the Interwar International Relations: Bonds, Intersections and Encounters hosted by the Romanian Association for Baltic and Nordic Studies, Târgoviste, May 19-21, 2010.

 

Abstract:

This article, chiefly based on the archives of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tells the story of Romanian-Polish relations between the years 1919 and 1939. Driven by the fear of Soviet Russia, the two countries backed each other and tried to build up a cordon sanitaire which would protect Europe against ‘contamination’ from the East. During the 1920s things went more or less well – though Poland obstinately refused to participate in the Petite Entente system. In the 1930s, nonetheless, the change of the constellation of Powers in Europe, due to the rise of Germany and the inward-looking nature of Stalin’s U.S.S.R., had as a result the two countries interpreting their interests differently and gradually choosing to ally themselves with opposite camps. The outcome of that change led to Poland being conquered by the Germans and Romania fighting alongside the Axis Powers.

 

Rezumat:

Acest articol care se bazeaza în principal pe Arhivele Ministerului Afacerilor Externe al Greciei nareaza povestea relatiilor româno-poloneze între anii 1919 si 1939. Mânate de teama de Rusia Sovietica, cele doua state s-au sustinut unul pe celalalt si au încercat sa constituie un cordon sanitaire care ar fi protejat Europa împotriva „contaminarii” dinspre Rasarit. În anii 1920 lucrurile au stat mai mult sau mai putin bine, desi Polonia a refuzat cu încapatânare sa participe la sistemul Micii Întelegeri. În anii 1920, însa, schimbarea survenita în constelatie de putere din Europa prin ridicarea Germaniei si natura introspectiva a U.R.S.S.-ului lui Stalin a avut ca rezultat interpretarea diferita de catre cele doua state a intereselor lor si demersul treptat de alianta cu taberele opuse. Rezultatul acestei schimbari a condus la situatia în care Polonia a fost cucerita de germani si România a luptat de aceeasi parte cu Puterile Axei.

 

Keywords: Take Ionescu; Józef Pilsudski; Piast and Jagiellonian Poland; Romania; Greece

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