THIS IS POLAND – POLSKA – C’EST LA POLOGNE

The postwar definition of Polish national identity.

Shortly after Germany’s surrender in May of 1945, leaders from the three primary victorious powers met at Potsdam to discuss the organization of postwar Europe. Among the many items of contention were the borders of Poland, which had been effectively under Soviet occupation since the Red Army successfully invaded the Third Reich earlier in the year.

Ultimately, Churchill and Truman bowed to Stalin’s demands that the Soviet-sponsored provisional government be recognized and that Polish territory be reduced on the final map. The end result can be seen here, drawn by Polish scholar Tadeusz Jan Kowalski and published in London by Edward Stanford in 1945.

The hard borders of the ‘independent’ state are emphasized in blue, while primary railways are highlighted in red. Surrounding the image are several tables of statistics that provide context to the economic, industrial, and geopolitical circumstances of the Polish state. Notably, the text is issued both in English and in French, the latter remaining the language of diplomacy until the Cold War.