Recovered Territories

Quick Facts: Who was Recovered Territories?

Subject:

Recovered Territories

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Former eastern German lands annexed by Poland after WWII, used for political legitimation.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Recovered Territories or Regained Lands (Polish: Ziemie Odzyskane), also known as the Western Borderlands (Polish: Kresy Zachodnie), and previously as the Western and Northern Territories (Polish: Ziemie Zachodnie i Północne), Postulated Territories (Polish: Ziemie Postulowane) and Returning Territories (Polish: Ziemie Powracające), was an official term used in the Polish People's Republic to describe the former eastern territories of Germany and the Free City of Danzig that became part of Poland after World War II, at which time most of their German inhabitants were forcibly deported. The term was a political propaganda expression and was systematically employed by Poland's post-war communist government to legitimize the annexation of these territories and the expulsion of the German population. The rationale for the term "Recovered" was that these territories had formed part of the medieval Polish state, and were lost by Poland in different periods over the centuries. It also referred to the Piast Concept that these territories were part of the traditional Polish homeland under the Piast dynasty (small parts of these territories remained under Polish rule even after the end of the Piast dynasty), after the establishment of the state in the Middle Ages. The length of time these territories had been under Polish rule varied considerably.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Over the centuries, they had become predominantly German-speaking through the processes of German eastward settlement (Ostsiedlung), political expansion, as well as language shift due to Germanisation of the local Polish, Slavic and Baltic Prussian population. Therefore, aside from certain regions such as West Upper Silesia, Warmia and Masuria, as of 1945 most of these territories did not contain sizeable Polish-speaking communities. The great majority of the previous inhabitants either fled from the territories during the later stages of the war or were expelled by the Soviet and Polish communist authorities after the war ended, although a small German minority remains in some places. The territories were resettled with Poles who moved from central Poland, Polish repatriates forced to leave areas of former eastern Poland that had been annexed by the Soviet Union, Poles freed from forced labour in Nazi Germany, with Ukrainians forcibly resettled under "Operation Vistula", and other minorities which settled in post-war Poland, including Greeks and Macedonians. However, contrary to the official declaration that the former German inhabitants of the Recovered Territories had to be removed quickly to house Poles displaced by the Soviet annexation, the Recovered Territories initially faced a severe population shortage.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The Soviet-appointed Polish communist authorities that conducted the resettlement also made efforts to remove many traces of German culture, such as place names or historic inscriptions on buildings. The post-war border between Germany and Poland (the Oder–Neisse line) was recognized by East Germany in 1950 and by West Germany in 1970, and was affirmed by the re-united Germany in the German–Polish Border Treaty of 1990. The term "Recovered Territories" was officially used for the first time in the Decree of the President of the Republic of 11 October 1938, after the annexation of Trans-Olza by the Polish army. It became the official term coined in the aftermath of World War II to denote the former eastern territories of Germany that were being handed over to Poland, pending a final peace conference with Germany which eventually never took place. The term "Recovered Territories" is a collective term for different areas with different histories, which can be grouped into three categories: Those that once had been part of the Polish state during the rule of the Piasts, many of which later on had been part of various Piast, Griffin, Jagiellon and Sobieski-ruled duchies, some up to the 17th and 18th century, although often under foreign suzerainty; Those that had been part of Poland until the 17th century (northernmost part of Greater Poland, including Czaplinek) or were under Polish suzerainty as fiefs, in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries (southern Ducal Prussia and the Duchy of Opole, which also falls into the category above); Territories that had been part of Poland until the Partitions (Warmia, Malbork Voivodeship, parts of Pomerelia, northern Greater Poland including Piła, Wałcz, and Złotów, which were annexed by Prussia in the First Partition of 1772; and Gdańsk and western parts of Greater Poland including Międzyrzecz and Wschowa, which followed in the Second Partition of 1793).

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1772: 1772 Milestone — The term "Recovered Territories" is a collective term for different areas with different histories, which can be grouped into three categories: Those that once had been part of the Polish state during the rule of the Piasts, many of which later on had been part of various Piast, Griffin, Jagiellon and Sobieski-ruled duchies, some up to the 17th and 18th century, although often under foreign suzerainty; Those that had been part of Poland until the 17th century (northernmost part of Greater Poland, including Czaplinek) or were under Polish suzerainty as fiefs, in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries (southern Ducal Prussia and the Duchy of Opole, which also falls into the category above); Territories that had been part of Poland until the Partitions (Warmia, Malbork Voivodeship, parts of Pomerelia, northern Greater Poland including Piła, Wałcz, and Złotów, which were annexed by Prussia in the First Partition of 1772; and Gdańsk and western parts of Greater Poland including Międzyrzecz and Wschowa, which followed in the Second Partition of 1793).
2. 1938: 1938 Milestone — The term "Recovered Territories" was officially used for the first time in the Decree of the President of the Republic of 11 October 1938, after the annexation of Trans-Olza by the Polish army.
3. 1945: 1945 Milestone — Therefore, aside from certain regions such as West Upper Silesia, Warmia and Masuria, as of 1945 most of these territories did not contain sizeable Polish-speaking communities.
4. 1950: 1950 Milestone — The post-war border between Germany and Poland (the Oder–Neisse line) was recognized by East Germany in 1950 and by West Germany in 1970, and was affirmed by the re-united Germany in the German–Polish Border Treaty of 1990.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Recovered Territories

True or False: “The primary justification for calling the lands 'Recovered' was that they had always been part of the Polish state under the Piast dynasty.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The concept argued Poland was heir to the medieval Piasts' realm, despite historical complexities and periods of foreign suzerainty.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Recovered Territories