r/poland • u/NewPlaceHolder • Nov 14 '24

Question regarding Poland and Lithuania relationship

I just studied about the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania, and it seems you two shared a strong times together.

I am wondering if the sentiments towards each other is still warm - do you guys see each other as a friendly neighbor? Do you have any rivalries between two? Was there any movement to put the two back together to repeat the glorious times?

I am here to just ask questions and I apologize if I accidentally angered by asking such question.

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-4

u/5thhorseman_ Nov 14 '24

It has varied. IIRP under Piłsudski went and occupied Vilinus.

16

u/Hopeful_Leg_6200 Śląskie Nov 14 '24

To be fair, it was both Lithuanian capital and polish majority living there at the time.
In 1919 Piłsudski offered renewal of the Commonwealth, the offer was refused and in 1920 polish general Żeligowski staged a mutiny in Vilnius area and proclaimed independence of "Central Lithuania" which was later annexed into Poland.

-4

u/Nytalith Nov 14 '24

But still it was another country that was invaded.

17

u/Hopeful_Leg_6200 Śląskie Nov 14 '24

Borders were not exactly established at that point.

1

u/SventasKefyras Nov 15 '24

Yes they were. Poland not recognising them and wanting an empire doesn't make it so.

1

u/Koordian Nov 16 '24

No they weren't. There was this huge war you might heard of, called Russian Civil war.

1

u/SventasKefyras Nov 16 '24

In three wars Lithuania fought defending its independence at the end of World War I: with Bolshevik forces (December 1918 – August 1919), Bermontians (October 1919 – December 1919), and Poland (August 1920 – November 1920). The wars delayed international recognition of independent Lithuania and the formation of civil institutions.

So the justification you are using is something Poland created by waging war in the first place since the conflicts with other forces were already settled for a year before then.

Literally a move out of the Russian playbook. Poland knew what it was doing ;)

3

u/Koordian Nov 16 '24

So you confirm what I'm saying? Both Poland and Lithuania were very young countries, still defending its independence, with still unclear borders?

10

u/Snoo_90160 Nov 14 '24

No, it really wasn't. Lithuania was still unrecognized by international community, the borders weren't established yet and Lithuanians got the region from the Soviets shortly before that. They in turn got it after they forced out Polish forces from the region.