Od „Wojny Pozycyjnej” po „Wiosenne Słońce”. Polska w niemieckich planach wojennych 1919 r.

Abstract

After November 11, 1918 part of the German leaders and politicians noticed a chance of overtaking initiative in the East, and thus making the victorious Western Powers treat Germany in “a milder way” during the peace conference. The Treves Truce did not put an end to aggressive political concepts, but it became a unique catalyst of the so called “Oststaat” idea, consisting in creation of a new German state in the East, in the territory of Prussia, which was falling apart. At the beginning of March 1919, a new conception of the “Trench Warfare” (Stellungskrieg) was born. Under this codename a plan of detachment of Wielkopolska was worked out. As soon as the peace treaty project of provisions was revealed, Hindenburg modified the existing conceptions and prepared a new plan, called “Fr¨uhlingsonne”, i.e. “Spring Sun” – aming at not only regaining Wielkopolska but also at dealing a blow to the Polish state. On June 21, an alert was administered and an army started concentrating on the Polish boarder. Local politicians began preparations for formal establishment of Ostsaat. The following day German planes crossed the Polish border in the Częstochowa region. From June 23 there were local encounters in the region of Bolesławiec and near Wieruszów. However, the change in the Bauer government stand, which was against any kind of willfulness in the East, was of the greatest importance.