Portal:Poland

Welcome to the Poland Portal — Witaj w Portalu o Polsce

Cityscape of Kraków, Poland's former capital
Cityscape of Kraków, Poland's former capital
Coat of arms of Poland
Coat of arms of Poland

Map Poland is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west, the Czech Republic to the southwest, Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, Lithuania to the northeast, and the Baltic Sea and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast to the north. It is an ancient nation whose history as a state began near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century when it united with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to form the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements in the late 18th century, Russia, Prussia and Austria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. It regained independence as the Second Polish Republic in the aftermath of World War I only to lose it again when it was occupied by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. The nation lost over six million citizens in the war, following which it emerged as the communist Polish People's Republic under strong Soviet influence within the Eastern Bloc. A westward border shift followed by forced population transfers after the war turned a once multiethnic country into a mostly homogeneous nation state. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union called Solidarity (Solidarność) that over time became a political force which by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A shock therapy program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country completed, Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004, but has experienced a constitutional crisis and democratic backsliding since 2015.

Polish general diet in session in 1622
Polish general diet in session in 1622
The General Diet or Sejm (sejm walny) was the parliament of Poland from the 15th until the late 18th century. It was one of the primary elements of the democratic government of the Kingdom of Poland and, later, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. From the early 16th century, Polish kings could not pass laws without the Sejm's approval. Duration and frequency of Sejm sessions changed over time, with six-week sessions convened every two years being most common. Locations changed too, but eventually Warsaw emerged as the primary venue. The number of senators and deputies (members) grew over time, from about 70 senators and 50 deputies in the 15th century to about 150 senators and 200 deputies in the 18th. Early diets used majority voting, but beginning in the 17th century, unanimous voting became more common, with the liberum veto procedure significantly paralyzing the country's governance. It is estimated that between 1493 and 1793, 240 general diets were held. (Full article...)

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Tourist trail signs on the Brona Pass in the Żywiec Beskid
Tourist trail signs on the Brona Pass in the Żywiec Beskid
Tourist trail signs on the snow-covered Brona Pass in the Żywiec Beskids, a mountain range which is part of the Carpathian Mountains. Two of the signs point the way to Babia Góra, which, at 1,725 metres above sea level, is the Żywiec Beskids' highest peak. The mountain, whose name translates as "Old Wives' Mountain", was once believed to be a site of witches' sabbaths.

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Medieval Town of Toruń, view from the tower of the Old Town City Hall

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Ignacy Potocki
Ignacy Potocki
Ignacy Potocki (1750–1809) was a writer and politician who held several high-ranking court and government posts, including that of the marshal of the Permanent Council (cabinet) from 1778 to 1782 and grand marshal of Lithuania from 1791 to 1794. He also worked as an educational activist in the Commission of National Education and the Society for Elementary Textbooks. A major figure in Polish politics of his time, Potocki led the reformist Patriotic Party at the Great Sejm of 1788–1792. He advocated a pro-Prussian orientation and helped conclude an alliance with Prussia in 1790. In the same year, King Stanislaus Augustus and Potocki, until then in anti-royal opposition, began drifting closer together, working on a draft document that would eventually become the Constitution of 3 May 1791. (Full article...)

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Poznań town hall
Poznań town hall
Poznań is the fifth largest city in Poland and one of the nation's oldest. In the early years of Poland's history, it was the seat of Polish rulers, some of whom are buried in the Poznań Cathedral. Located on the Warta river in west-central Poland, it is now the capital of Greater Poland and an important centre of education, industry, and trade, hosting regular international trade fairs. With high GDP per capita and low unemployment, it is Poland's most prosperous city after Warsaw. The city's most important cultural event is the annual Malta Theatre Festival. (Full article...)

Poland now

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Jerzy Stuhr

Ongoing
Constitutional crisis • Belarus–EU border crisis • Ukrainian refugee crisis • Polish farmers' protests

Holidays and observances in July 2024
(statutory public holidays in bold)

Battle of Grunwald reenactment

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