On November 11, 1918, the most terrible armed conflict in the history of mankind ended - the First World War. On the wreckage of Empires, new states emerge. However, there is no peace, as young states begin disputes over their borders.
Poland also restored its statehood. As the stepmother said, in the Soviet film "Cinderella": "It's a pity the kingdom is not enough, but nothing, I will quarrel with the neighbors." Dreaming of its former glory and the borders of the 18th century, Poland manages to quarrel with almost all of its neighbors. The Czechs did not stand aside either! Poles put forward claims against the territories of the Silesian principality.
Dispute history
Initially, the lands of Teshinsk (somewhere in the 8th century, were inhabited by the Slavs), fell into dependence on Great Moravia. Until the 10th century, Cieszyn was owned by Czech princes from the Przemysl clan. At the end of the 10th century, the Polish prince Boleslav conquered these lands and annexed them to Poland. The Czechs in the 11th century, conquered Tesinsko 30 years ago, but in 1054 the Poles regained their power. During the 13th century, during the division of the Polish state, the Principality of Cieszyn appeared on this territory, in which the side line of the Piastovites ruled.
Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1910, in yellow and number 11 marked the lands of the Silesian principality within the empire. The lands of the Crown of Bohemia are marked with a red line.
In 1327, the Czech king Jan of Luxembourg took over these lands from the Cieszyn prince Casimir I under his rule. In 1335, an agreement was concluded between Jan of Luxembourg and the Polish king Casimir III, in which Tesinsko was recognized as part of the Czech crown. As part of the Czech lands, it became part of the Austrian Empire. In 1653, after the death of the last Piast princess, Tesinsko fell into the possession of the Habsburgs (who since 1526 were also Czech kings).
Population distribution map.
Promotional video:
Nevertheless, the claims of the Poles to these territories continued. Tensions between Czechs and Slovaks persisted almost until the beginning of the 20th century. In 1918, the territory of Teszynsk occupied 2281.6 km², where in 1910, according to the last Austrian population census, 434 521 people lived, of which 53.8% used Polish, 26.6% Czech and 17.7% German. It should be noted that the industrialization of Teshinsk (large coal deposits were found there) led to a large emigration, which significantly influenced the composition of the population (only immigrants from the territory of Galicia accounted for almost 12% of the population).
In October 1918, Poland announced its claims to Teszynsko. A few weeks later, the Czechs also announced their claims. However, without hesitation, the Poles bring in troops and occupy about 77% of the disputed territory. The Czechs in the dispute pointed to historical law, while the Poles demanded to proceed from the number of the population. Under pressure from the Entente, a temporary line of demarcation was established. The Poles continued to insist on the people's right to self-determination. In the end, the Czechs agreed to hold a plebiscite.
Nevertheless, the Poles are calling elections to the Seim, in the disputed territories at the end of February 1919, and they also began conscription. After that, the government of Czechoslovakia decided to resolve the conflict by force. The operation was scheduled for January 23rd.
Forces of the parties
The forces of Czechoslovakia: 21 Czechoslovak Rifle Regiment from France (3 battalions), a battalion of the home troops of the 54th Infantry Regiment from Olomouc, a battalion of the home troops of the 93 Infantry Regiment from Šumperk, 17 Jaeger Battalion of the Home Army from Frishtat (home army, formed on the basis of the so-called. "Czech regiments" of the Austrian army and the Landwehr), and 2 battalions of volunteers.
Commander of the Czechoslovak units Jozef Schneidarek. Received an officer's rank in the Austro-Hungarian Army, left for France, where he joined as a private in the Foreign Legion, participated in battles in North Africa, received an officer's rank, served in the regiment of Algerian riflemen of the French colonial army, fought on the Western Front in the First World War, was transferred to the Czechoslovak units.
Support for the Czechoslovak units was provided during the hostilities, the local population formed detachments of the "People's Guard", with a total number of about 5,000 people. Also, support for the advancing units of the Schneidarek group was provided from the territory of North-West Slovakia: two battalions of the 35th Czechoslovak Rifle Regiment from Italy (commanded by the Italian Colonel Grasseli). Later, a new battalion of the 33rd Czechoslovak Rifle Regiment arrived from Italy.
The commander of the Polish units Francis Latinik. In the past, an officer of the Austro-Hungarian army, in the First World War he commanded a 100 foot regiment.
Polish forces
5 battalions, 4 machine-gun companies, a cavalry platoon and one artillery battery, 550 Polish gendarmes and 6,500 local Polish volunteers (the Poles were able to arm only 1,300). It should be noted that the Polish units had practically no combat experience, since they consisted of recruits (all high-quality Polish units at that time “quarreled” in the East).
Before the start of the attack, Shneidarik, with the officers of his headquarters, went to the headquarters of Colonel Latinik, where he tried to convince him to withdraw his troops from the disputed territory. Latinik, not only refused to withdraw the troops, and moreover tried to arrest the Czechoslovak officers. However, the Czechoslovak delegation managed to return to its own.
Soldiers and officers of the 22nd Infantry Regiment of the Czechoslovak Legionnaires in France, in the battles for Teshinsko.
The beginning of hostilities
On January 23, the Czechoslovak units launched an offensive. Within a few days, the Czechoslovakians occupied Bohumín, Ostrava, Karvina, liberated Tesin. The Poles, who did not expect such a strong and quick attack, retreated beyond the Vistula.
During the fighting, the Czechoslovakians pulled up their reserves: the 2nd brigade of the home army (6 battalions), 2 batteries of artillery and a squadron of cavalry. Shneidarik, received an order on January 27 to cross the Vistula and develop an offensive, in order to establish control over the Bohumin-Teshin-Yablunkov railway. However, the Poles also received reinforcements.
Czechoslovak legionnaires from France.
Lieutenant Colonel Schneidarek divided his group into three parts: northern, middle and southern. All three units launched an attack on the positions of the Poles on January 30. The Polish defense along the Vistula River was broken through, and despite strong resistance, the Poles were driven back to Skoczew. Most of Tesinsk was thus controlled by the Czechoslovakians.
Reinforcements approached Schneidarek again: 1 battalion of the home army of the 28th infantry regiment from Prague, 1 battalion of the home 3 foot regiment from Kromeriz, the 2nd battalion of the home army of the 93 foot regiment from Šumperk and 5 battalions of volunteers. Thus, the Czechoslovak forces significantly exceeded the forces of the Poles. Shneidarek began planning an attack on Skochev.
Platoon of home troops.
However, under pressure from the Entente, the Czechoslovakians stopped the offensive on January 31. Shneidarek signed a truce with Latinik. The Czechoslovak units remained in their positions until 26 February. Then they retreated to a new demarcation line established on the basis of the Czechoslovak-Polish treaty concluded on February 3 in Paris. The established line was not very profitable for Czechoslovakia, since it left a part of the railway in the hands of the Poles.
Weapons captured by the Czechoslovakians from the Poles.
During the "Seven Day War" the Czechoslovakians lost: 49 killed, 124 wounded, 7 were missing. The losses of the Poles were much greater: killed - 92, wounded - 855, missing - 813, taken prisoner - 539.
PS In 1938, the Poles, allied with the Third Reich, occupied Cieszyn. However, the celebration did not last long, and in 1939, after the defeat of Poland by the Germans, this territory became part of Germany. After the end of the Second World War, the Poles began to demand the return of Teshinsk, however, after "suggestion" from the USSR, they signed an agreement with Czechoslovakia, and thus the territory remained part of Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic).
Czechoslovak anti-Polish agitation.