Kingdom of Poland (1916-1918) - Definition and Overview

Kingdom of Poland was the state proclaimed by the Imperial Germany and Austria-Hungary from the areas of the former Congress Poland on November 5, 1916.

The declaration of both emperors allowed the creation of the Regency Council (Rada Regencyjna) which was to govern the newly-created puppet state and elect a new monarch. The Polish language was reinstituted in all of the territory of Poland and the educational and political institutions banned by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia during the Partitions of Poland were reopened. Also a Central Powers supported army (called the Polnische Wehrmacht) was created in order to help the German war effort.

The Regency Council never managed to chose a new monarch and never gained much significance. On November 11, 1918 it ceded all responsibilities to Józef Piłsudski and was de iure "incorporated" in the newly-reborn Poland.

Prime Ministers of semi-independent

• November, 1917-March, 1918 : Jan Kucharzewski
• 1918-1918 : Jan Kanty Steczkowski
• October 23, 1918-November, 1918 : Józef Świerzyński

See also:

• History of Poland
• Mitteleuropa
• World War I
• Versailles Treaty