Why did Poland receive territory from Germany?
The Polish Corridor was the issue, or at least the apparent pretext, over which World War II began. In March 1939 the Nazi dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler, demanded the cession of Danzig and the creation of extraterritorial German highways across the corridor connecting to East Prussia.
Why did Poland get German land after WW2?
At the end of WWII, the USSR wanted a greater buffer between it and Germany. As a result, it shifted the borders of subject Ukraine westward. This displaced millions of Poles. As part of the reparations it claimed from Germany, it moved the Polish border westward as well and relocated those Poles from the East.
What did Poland get after ww2?
Large territories of Polish Second Republic were ceded to the Soviet Union by the Moscow-backed Polish government, and today form part of Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine. In addition, the infrastructure in the former eastern territories of Germany was more developed than in the territories ceded to the Soviet Union.
When did Pomerania become part of Poland?
Eastern Pomerania was held by the Teutonic Knights from 1308 to 1454, when it was reconquered by Poland. In 1772 it was annexed by Prussia and made into the province of West Prussia. A small part of it was restored to Poland after World War I; the remainder, together with part of Pomerania, became Polish in 1945.
Why did Stettin become Szczecin in 1945?
Considering Stettin is west of the Oder and Stettin had a german government under soviet control first after the end of the war. The reason why Stettin became Szczecin in 1945 is apparent when looking at the map. The core of the city, including its port facilities, was on the Western half of the Oder.
Why was Stettin a Polish city?
The decision in favor of Polish ownership of the city came in 5 July 1945 when Stalin at the Potsdam Conference stated unequivocally that Stettin was a Polish city. Why Stalin elected to favor the PPR’s position is still a matter of conjecture.
Where did Poland go when it was part of Germany?
I was particularly interested to visit four major Polish cities which were once part of Germany – Szczecin (Stettin), Gdansk (Danzig), Wroclaw (Breslau) and Poznan (Posen). I also passed through Olsztyn (Allenstein) on my way to the Wolf’s Lair at Rastenburg.
What happened to the PPR in Stettin?
The Soviet military government twice dismissed the PPR’s government in Stettin on 16 May and 12 June 1945 and had appointed a German KPD mayor, Erich Wiesner. The Polish and German municipal administrations co-existed in an uneasy partnership by mid-June, with the Soviet military government having the ultimate authority to decide the matter.