The Polish Soviet Socialist Republic (1920) - A Non-Existing State during the Polish-Soviet War

[@HistoryHustle]

Erratum: Felix Dzerzhinsky wasn't Jewish.

[@mrkitty1997]

I believe he was a Pole from Vilnius, my city.

[@schizoidboy]

I was wondering about that because I read before he became a Communist he was a devout Catholic.

[@HistoryHustle]

@@schizoidboy Yes, an error slipped in. In Russian cities like Perm and also in Minsk (Belarus) there are statues of him.

[@Artur_M.]

The interesting thing is that the rest of his family was very patriotic and didn't want to have anything to do with bolshevism, including his brothers Władysław and Kazimierz, who were both killed by Germans during the WW2.

[@electricink3908]

He was a Polish nobleman who married a Jewess.

[@Artur_M.]

Wait, did I heard right that you called Dzierżyński "Polish-Jewish"? As far as I know, Dzierżyński was gentile, also a nobleman (oh, the irony), he kinda had a very similar background to Piłsudski. Maybe you confused him with Feliks Kon (another member of the Committee)? Edit: Other than that, I'm of course very glad that you are covering this topic.

[@HistoryHustle]

I stand corrected about Iron Felix.

[@jangrosek4334]

Question. I noticed long ago that Dzerzhinsky had an Asiatic epicanthus. Which one of his ancestors was a Lithuanian Tatar?

[@Artur_M.]

@@jangrosek4334 I don't know but I wouldn't be surprised if he indeed had some Tatar ancestry. BTW Henryk Sienkiewicz looked kinda similar to Dzierżyński and his family is said to have Tatar roots. Edit: Although that similarity is probably mostly due to the similar facial hair style. ;)

[@raystrang5294]

@@HistoryHustle No you were part right. I believe his father was jewish but hid the fact.

[@horsefish2525]

@@raystrang5294 For sure not. He was from an old noble Polish Lithuanian family with a coat of arms Samson [ha, ha]. He was not even from Franks. The Polish heraldic system is opposed to systems used elsewhere, notably in Western Europe. It could be more compare to the clan. Many famillies were under one coat of arms pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_(herb_szlachecki) As to Franks I mean about those Franks en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankism

[@Adrian-ju7cm]

Long live Poland!

[@HistoryHustle]

🇵🇱

[@the1ghost764]

Bialystok is such a beautiful city.

[@HistoryHustle]

Nice city indeed.

[@DRFelGood]

Excellent research along with narrative 👍 Thank you for sharing ✌️

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your response :)

[@mammuchan8923]

Bialystok - where even the plant pots are bravely Polish🇵🇱! Thanks for always hustling the most interesting stories. As always, I salute the Poles🤍❤️

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks! :)

[@neilturner6749]

Loving all this obscure history that (unless you’re a local, I guess) has been lost to time! Keep up the good work, and don’t be afraid to extend the episodes in order t9 keep up the “hustle” pace. History nerds don’t get bored easily!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks, Neil. The on-location episodes are shorter in general contrary to the episodes I record at home.

[@mammuchan8923]

History nerds don’t get bored ever😇✌️

[@brentvanderveeke3338]

Very cool and intressting video Keep up the good work👍🏻👍🏻

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you!

[@jurekmaczynski1945]

Nice vid. See you've fixed the Dzerzhinsky bit already. Incidentally, he has a terrible reputation in Poland and if there ever is a contest for the most hated Pole in history, Dzerzhinsky would be right up there, vying for the top spot

[@HistoryHustle]

Understandable. In Russian cities like Perm and also in Minsk Belarus there are statues of him.

[@wodzimierzcieciura1099]

@@HistoryHustle His birthplace in Belarus has been turned into a museum and a pilgrimage site for the trainees of the Belarussian KGB academy. Lukashenko is a well known admirer of the Iron Feliks. My great grandmother, who lived in Moscow with her parents during the Russian revolution and Civil War, always told stories of her meeting with Dzerzhinsky when they applied for a permit to leave Soviet Russia and move to Poland. The permit was granted.

[@horsefish2525]

You are wrong. Nobody sent so many communists to the other world as Dzierzynski. These were called The Purges

[@cindys9491]

@@horsefish2525 right, but Dzerzhinsky was dead by the time of the Great Purges of 1937 (NKVD leader Yezhov carried them out. Before Stalin had him killed too, of course).

[@prakashghumaliya2002]

Thank you for video sir 💐💐💐👏👏👏

[@HistoryHustle]

You're welcome!

[@tommy-er6hh]

Since you seem to like short lived states, how about the Muslim Tartar Crimean People's Republic of December 1917. It actually existed a few days. I did not know there was any tartars left in the Crimea until i heard of this. Personally i have always been entertained by the bizarre Ukraine Green republic of 24 Jun 1917, NOT in the Ukraine but on the opposite end of Russia, on the far east coast by the Pacific!

[@HistoryHustle]

I cover these on location so it depends on when I can and will travel there. I will mention the first one you suggested, because in a few weeks I'll talk about the Eastern Legions.

[@jangrosek4334]

Well, in general, the historical significance of Green Ukraine is greatly overestimated. There were a lot of serious forces in the Far East: whites, interventionists, Czechoslovakians, Hungarians, Chinese, Bolsheviks, socialists, anarchists. It was impossible to create an independent republic in such conditions. In fact, it was a social and political movement of Ukrainian settlers who could never make a state. However, as a historical fact, this event is interesting.

[@CDG7755]

Goed gedaan, Stefan. Dank je wel. :)

[@HistoryHustle]

Graag gedaan.

[@David-oo9ip]

did you do a video on Slovakia in ww2? I want to know more of their purpose, participation, etc

[@HistoryHustle]

Sure something for the feature!

[@solarorbiter2331]

Nice video! That could be interesting for you: Did you know that during the I Republic of Poland (before the partitions), Dutch People emigrated and settle down here? There are still many names of villages named after them like "Holendry" / Olędry. Here is one: pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holendry_(gmina_Chmielnik) . There were also nobles and soldiers from the Netherlands in Poland, like admiral Arend Dijckman on the battle of Oliwa pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitwa_pod_Oliw%C4%85 Groetjes! ;-)

[@HistoryHustle]

Didn't know this. Interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@lovedembacke8478]

Keep up the good work

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks!

[@alexandruboldurescu7664]

Nice episode. How do you get all this information?

[@HistoryHustle]

see under SOURCES below the video.

[@horsefish2525]

From Wikipedia

[@janherburodo8070]

Interesting episode. Let me add a small detail, although Poles escalated the war in April 1920, it actually started after the Soviets attacked Polish forces in the east in January of 1919.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for the additional information.

[@mrkitty1997]

I believe this information to be improbable at best. While the revolutionaries were fighting on multiple fronts, tactically Poland would have the advantage to attract a weakened Russian state, not the other way around. It just wouldn't make sense to attack polish troops, especially considering how the committee gave up its western holdings to the Germans during world war to just to get out of it as quickly as possible. The polish army leaders at that time were expansionists and instigated border conflicts with all it's neighbours including Czechoslovakia, Lithuania, Ukraine and even Germany (but that was and is swept under the rug, as the modern Polish government stance is to paint Poland as a victim of history). At that time, and I'm sorry to break it to you, Poland was the aggressor. Source: Encyclopedia Britannica, states that the war began with the cooperation agreement between Pilsudski (Poland) and Petliura (Ukraine). Where they promptly overran week red defences.

[@mrkitty1997]

Hell, they even attempted to coup the Lithuanian government in 1919. So let me put it straight: Poland was no angel. Source: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1919_Polish_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_attempt_in_Lithuania

[@HistoryHustle]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing as well.

[@janherburodo8070]

@Lemon Compiler And where did I wrote that Poland was an angel? History is not black and white and you're totally overlooking the context of the events you speak of. For exemple, when speaking on "the war with Germany" you're referring to the Greater Poland uprising as I understand, that area was a birthplace of the Polish nation, ethnically, culturally and historically Polish, in 1918 it was inhabited at leat by 65% Polish majority despite the long and brutal germanization, most notably during the Bismarck period. I debout that a uprising of people who were prosecuted for 100 years can ce seen as an act of aggression, especially considering that Poznań was in the borders of Poland since early 950' to 1793, later it was briefly in the borders of the Duchy of Warsaw. It was in all aspects a Polish city, taken away from Poland by the partitions when Prussia, Russia and Austria wipped Poland off the map. When it comes to Czechoslovakia, you really need to learn about the topic. Zaolzie, an ethnically Polish region was annexed by Czechoslovakia after the Czech invasion in 1919, so I don't see how Poland being invaded can be used as an evidence of Poland being an agreesor. When it comes to Wilno and Lithuania, Poland can be seen as the aggressor, but it is important to note that the city itself was inhabited by 53,67% of Poles, 41,45% of Jews and only 2% of Lithuanians (1916). In 1931 the disproportion grew even bigger with 65,9% Poles and 0,9% Lithuanians. The control over the city after the war was taken by Polish Self defense. Lithuania was not able to hold the city as it was inhabited by less than 1% of Lithuanians. My knowlage doesn't come from Wikipedia and I've reed many, many books on the Soviet-Polish war, so when you'll read at least five, then we can speak like you're the one who can educate me. Problem is that after the first world war, Soviets quickly denounced the treaty of Brest-Litovsk and went on a Westward Offensive and that when the first skirmishes of the conflict happend, that how the war was initiated. I only pointed that out, because people often think that the war started with Kiev offensive in 1920, but is was raging on since 1919.

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

Pitty that in high school not much of middle and eastern European history is taught. Thank for the hustle.

[@HistoryHustle]

Agree although I am changing that for my classes though:)

[@Hitesh-rq9fc]

Very interesting 😀😆

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks! :D

[@Vladymir_Putin]

There was more short-lived states in this part of Europe. Like TWO Ukraine republics simultaniously: east and west, after 1st word war and before captured by Soviets. There was even sort of 3rd Ukraine, Nestor Machno anarchy state that fight with both sides of russian cyvil war, 'reds' and 'whites'. There was also interesting state in 1920-1922 year, named "Republic of center Lithuania". I hope You;ll find this comment interesting.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes, much more to cover indeed!

[@thispodcastisnotimportant6667]

Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky was of Polish-Catholic heritage and was actually descended from Polish noblility he was not a Jew though. He was a Communist obviously that part is true.

[@HistoryHustle]

See pinned comment.

[@mikewest5529]

I love how he says!! Yeah there will be comments!! Ha ha ha. It’s a tuff time for all!! Yep

[@HistoryHustle]

So far so good...

[@luxembourgishempire2826]

Yes very interesting

[@David-oo9ip]

how are you here so fast

[@HistoryHustle]

FirST! And thanks :)

[@mammuchan8923]

@@David-oo9ip super fast internet that’s what the Luxembourgish Empire is renowned for⚡️

[@David-oo9ip]

@@mammuchan8923 didnt know they had 6g in Luxembourg

[@mammuchan8923]

@@David-oo9ip the Emperor has power!

[@peterhancox3597]

Hi you should do a history lesson about South Africa how the Dutch were there first in 1656 i think a guy called Jan van Riebeeck and Simon vad der stel also the Dutch east india company i learnt of in SA

[@mammuchan8923]

And most importantly established a vineyard to produce wine for which we are eternally thankful😉🍷

[@HistoryHustle]

South Africa has an interesting history also.

[@ehanoldaccount5893]

Notice how the Allies didn’t care when the Soviets invaded during both invasion attempts

[@HistoryHustle]

They did. Look at the Allied intervention during the Russian Civil War.

[@ehanoldaccount5893]

History Hustle That was to KEEP the white Army in the war and keep the eastern front alive. I’m talking about STOPPING the Russians, and thous the Red Army, from invading eastern Europe

[@HistoryHustle]

Initially yes, but these inventions continued well after Germany was defeated in WW1. Furthermore American and British governments monitored communist organizations in their own country as well as there was the Red Scare in the US. Furthermore Churchill had even plans to turn on the Soviets after Germany was defeated in WW2. And agreements for spheres of influence were already agreed upon at Yalta. Some sacrifices had to be made like the central and Eastern European countries.

[@ehanoldaccount5893]

History Hustle Would’ve been very interesting if the Allies had fought the Soviets after defeating the Germans

[@pauloakwood9208]

@@ehanoldaccount5893 But not realistic. The Allies may have won the Great War, but they were economically, socially and politically exhausted. An entire generation had been wiped out in those trenches.

[@aromero385]

It would be interesting in the future, if you could talk, why Holland lost New Amstersdam (actually New York), to the english.

[@HistoryHustle]

Perhaps in the future some day.

[@kingerikthegreatest.ofall.7860]

Very interesting. May I suggest the Bavarian Soviet republic or the Hungarian soviet republic next?

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your message. If I ever travel to Munich that one will be covered. The HSR has been covered already. Right here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqnJkIiObrKXf5Y Lemme know your thoughts!

[@kingerikthegreatest.ofall.7860]

History Hustle I’ll check it out . Thanks

[@rosrebel]

Very interesting ...

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks!

[@rosrebel]

History Hustle ...your more than welcome..from a totally sober rosrebel ......your bringing history to a new audience ....

[@rosrebel]

Last year I went to a small museum in east Slovakia a town called Budkovce...in the museum was ww1 memoires and photos from soldiers from this part of the Austro Hungarian empire ...of course all local Slovaks fighting against the Russians ....really poignant stuff .... I have been visiting central / Eastern Europe for the last 26yrs ...so many historical gems ....

[@rosrebel]

There’s also a noted ww2 site called dargov in this region ..scene of major tank battle ..

[@rosrebel]

One thing I have noted on my journeys are the numerous small war graves of the Germans .... mainly discrete , yet stoic in their presence ....and usually the are locked after .........

[@gregabregar4105]

Even Slovenia had a couple of them: Prekmurska Republika (literally the "Trans-Mur Republic") that existed between May 29 to June 6 1919, and Kobariška Republika (Republic of Caporetto) that was established 2 days after the capitulation if Italy in 1943, with the territory of 2750 km2

[@HistoryHustle]

interesting

[@schizoidboy]

One irony about Jews and Communism is in Fascist Italy there were Jews who joined the Fascist party for the same reason some joined the Communists. Because most of the prejudice against them was religion based they hoped that a political system that was essentially anti-religion (Mussolini was actually an atheist and from a socialist background) that they might get a fair stake in Italy. It has to be remembered that before the rise of Nazism Fascism was not concerned with racial identity, but this changed when Mussolini gave into the Nazis and started attacking the Jews in Italy. The Communists didn't treat the Jewish ethnic groups in their nation any better. Stalin's last act of genocide was to plan another purge of Jewish people before he suddenly died.

[@HistoryHustle]

More about the last thing you mentioned in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpiVlodshKydnKM

[@schizoidboy]

@You're Spying Sort of reminds me of the excuses the Nazis were throwing around after the loss of the First World War.

[@horsefish2525]

Stlin probably didnt died but could be liquidated as the last Tsar

[@awesomeboy4353]

Do one about the Netherlands.

[@awesomeboy4353]

@@ximrade4287 what does this got to do with poland

[@HistoryHustle]

Which one?

[@awesomeboy4353]

@@HistoryHustle Batavian Republic

[@HistoryHustle]

@@awesomeboy4353 an idea!

[@awesomeboy4353]

@@HistoryHustle is it a good idea

[@o-pitamask4698]

So that means that the ussr would have annexed Poland if won and that means that they would have the same borders as the 2nd polish republic

[@HistoryHustle]

I don't think so. Reason for the eastern borders of interwar Poland were the successes of the Polish forces in the war against the Soviets.

[@o-pitamask4698]

@@HistoryHustle yeah I know but I meant it as an alternate history theory

[@HistoryHustle]

I see. Don't do that stuff on this channel.

[@o-pitamask4698]

@@HistoryHustle no problem

[@raidang]

Lenin originally wanted to turn the entire Russian Empire into Soviet Union so the Bolsheviks wanted all of the Russian Empire land but Poland and Finland slipped out of Russia which the Bolsheviks wanted if they could

[@igorbrille8222]

Have you made already a film about the Wolga-German Sovjetrepublic ? 1924 first governement of the ' Autonome Sozialistische Räte-republik der Wolga Deutschen'

[@HistoryHustle]

Had no option to travel there yet, so no.

[@paulmattt]

3:12 Dzierżyński was not Jewish. He came from a Polish nobleman family.

[@HistoryHustle]

Already corrected, see pinned comment.

[@wieslaw801]

Please notice that Poland was reinstated only a year earlier before the war with Soviet Union started. Therefore talking about Polish authorities harassing or discriminating Jews is a fake argument. This territory was Russia just two years earlier so which authorities you are talking about. Instead of blaming Jewish collaboration with the invading Soviet army on Polish antisemitism, maybe it is more accurate to notice that the idea of internationalism and communism was popular in Jewish communities. That's all.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for taking the time to write a comment. I did claim Polish authorities harassing or discriminating Jews, because even in one year such things happened. It is true that also among Polish people there was antisemitism. As for your last claim I refer to the quote of historian Figes I mentioned in the video.

[@horsefish2525]

@@HistoryHustle Here is very interesting book about Polish Jewish relations something diffrent that most books that you could buy in the bookshops: kpk-toronto.org/wp-content/uploads/Traditional-Jewish-Attitudes-Toward-Poles-1.pdf But dont drill down the theme it`s dangerous. In Poland in commie times we were saying: Dont think. If you think, dont say. If you say dont write. If you write, dont sign. If you sign dont be astonished

[@jjc5475]

never knew the poles actually won a battle against the commies. nice.

[@HistoryHustle]

Multiple during the Polish Soviet war!

[@katitobyt]

Wow

[@HistoryHustle]

Shock and awe...

[@johnryder1713]

I'm glad this state didn't exist for long, hence how we get so much interesting content from yourself Stefan

[@HistoryHustle]

You're welcome!

[@zbena7044]

Always Mama Rosiya a huge problem ....

[@HistoryHustle]

This time yes...

[@MrDanielz18]

Ook in Nederlands ?

[@HistoryHustle]

Nee helaas.

[@huynguyenthe520]

Comment first

[@HistoryHustle]

Second ;)

[@huynguyenthe520]

@@HistoryHustle third

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍👍

[@horrorboys8762]

Polen verkwam eigenlijk de tweede wereld oorlog die tijd

[@HistoryHustle]

Moeilijk te zeggen. In ieder geval voorkwam Polen dat grootschalige gevechten tussen Oost-Europese communisten en West-Europese anticommunisten niet plaatsvonden.

[@dutchdumass2970]

Anybody nl

[@HistoryHustle]

Here!