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Zaolzie (Czech Záolí (Zaolí), Slezsko zaolanské, Polish Zaolzie, Śląsk zaolziański meaning Trans-Olza river) was the area disputed between Poland and Czechoslovakia West of Cieszyn with approximately 906 km² and 258,000 inhabitants.
In October 1918 the area was divided between Poland and Czechoslovakia by two local self-government councils (Czech Narodni Vybor pro Slezsko and Polish Rada Narodowa). The majority of the area was taken over by Polish local authorities. In 1919 both councils were swallowed by the central governments in Prague and Warsaw. The former was not satisfied with the compromise and in 1919 started an offensive while Poland was engaged in war against Western Ukraine and bolshevik Russia. 66% of the area was then annexed by Czechoslovakia.
In October 1938 the area was re-annexed by Poland, argumenting that Poles in Zaolzie deserves the same rights as Germans in the Munich Agreement, but on September 1, 1939 it was annexed by Germany. After 1945 the border returned to the line of 1920. Nowadays Zaolzie is a part of the Czech Republic.
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