Poland: Polity Style: 1916-2024 - Archontology
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Poland: Polity Style: 1916-2024

5 Nov 1916 a proclamation, endorsed by the emperors of Germany and Austria-Hungary, providing for the establishment of independent Kingdom of Poland is made public, solemn ceremony held in the Royal Castle of Warsaw (Kurier Warszawski, No. 308, 6 Nov 1916, pp. 1-4)
5 Nov 1916 - 14 Nov 1918 Królestwo Polskie | Kingdom of Poland
7 Nov 1918 the Provisional People's Government of the Republic of Poland is constituted, meeting of the government, Lublin
7 Nov 1918 - 1 Jun 1921 Republika Polska : Państwo Polskie : Rzeczpospolita Polska | Republic of Poland [1][2]
14 Nov 1918 the Council of Regency transferred state authority to Józef Piłsudski (Kurier Warszawski, No. 315, Extra, 14 Nov 1918, p. 1) [3]
1 Jun 1921 the Constitution of the Republic of Poland (Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) is adopted by the Constituent Assembly (Sejm Ustawodawczy) on 17 Mar 1921 and came into operation upon promulgation on 1 Jun 1921 (Dziennik Ustaw, No. 44, 1 Jun 1921, pp. 633-658)
1 Jun 1921 - 28 Sep 1939 Rzeczpospolita Polska | Republic of Poland
28 Sep 1939 polity disintegrates upon the occupation of the seat of government by the armed forces of Germany
1 Nov 1939 the territories of Poland which had not been included in the General Government are incorporated into the German Reich in accordance with a decree of the Führer and Reich Chancellor of 8 Oct 1939 (effective on 1 Nov 1939) (Germany Official Gazette, No. 204, 18 Oct 1939, pp. 2042-2043) [4]
1 Nov 1939 the territory of Poland legally defined as Western Ukraine (Zapadnaja Ukraina) is incorporated into the Soviet Union in accordance with a law passed by the Supreme Council (Verhovnyj Sovet) of the Soviet Union on 1 Nov 1939 (USSR Supreme Council Records, No. 36, 28 Nov 1939)
2 Nov 1939 the territory of Poland legally defined as Western Belorussia (Zapadnaja Belorussija) is incorporated into the Soviet Union in accordance with a law passed by the Supreme Council (Verhovnyj Sovet) of the Soviet Union on 2 Nov 1939 (USSR Supreme Council Records, No. 36, 28 Nov 1939)
22 Jul 1944 the Polish Committee of National Liberation (Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego) proclaimed the assumption of the state authority on the liberated territories of Poland in accordance with a manifesto dated 22 Jul 1944, Chełm [5]
22 Jul 1944 - 22 Jul 1952 Rzeczpospolita Polska | Republic of Poland
22 Jul 1952 the Constitution of the People's Republic of Poland (Konstytucja Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej) is adopted by the Constituent Assembly (Sejm Ustawodawczy) on 22 Jul 1952 and came into operation on the day (22 Jul 1952) specified by a Constitutional Law passed by the Constituent Assembly on 22 Jul 1952 (Dziennik Ustaw, No. 33, 23 Jul 1952, pp. 343-372)
22 Jul 1952 - 31 Dec 1989 Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa | People's Republic of Poland
31 Dec 1989 the name of the state is changed in accordance with the amendments to the Constitution of the People's Republic of Poland passed by the Sejm on 29 Dec 1989 and by the Senate (Senat) on 30 Dec 1989, effective upon promulgation on 31 Dec 1989 (Dziennik Ustaw, No. 75, 31 Dec 1989, pp. 1147-1148) [6]
31 Dec 1989 - Rzeczpospolita Polska | Republic of Poland
  1. Republika Polska originated in dissidence on 7 Nov 1918, superseding Królestwo Polskie on 14 Nov 1918.
  2. Republika Polska, Rzeczpospolita Polska, and Państwo Polskie were used interchangeably until early 1919 when Rzeczpospolita Polska became the most frequently used official style.
  3. Full title: Ustawa z dnia 17 marca 1921 r. - Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej.
  4. Full title (German): Erlaß des Führers und Reichskanzlers über die Gliederung der Verwaltung der Ostgebiete vom 8. Oktober 1939.
  5. The Polish Committee of National Liberation was a governmental body ostensibly appointed by the State National Council (Krajowa Rada Narodowa). Following the proclamation of the manifesto, Rzeczpospolita Polska remained a notional polity without territorial authority at least until 27 Jul 1944 when the first members of the Committee arrived to the territory of Poland.
  6. Full title: Ustawa z dnia 29 grudnia 1989 r. o zmianie Konstytucji Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej.