Danzig's Role in German-Polish Relations
TITLE
Explain why Danzig was an important factor in the worsening of German–Polish relations in the late 1930s.
ESSAY
The city of Danzig, now known as Gdańsk, played a significant role in the deterioration of German-Polish relations in the late 1930s for several reasons.
Firstly, the issue of Danzig can be traced back to the aftermath of World War I and the Versailles Treaty, where it was determined that Danzig would become a free city under the protection of the League of Nations. This decision was made in the context of ensuring Polish access to the sea, at the expense of the territorial continuity of German land between East and West Prussia. Despite Danzig's status as a free city, its population remained predominantly German, leading to tensions as nationalist sentiments rose.
By the mid-1930s, the city council of Danzig became dominated by Nazis, who began pushing for a reunification with Germany. This development escalated the already tense situation and increased the demands for German influence and control in Danzig.
Moreover, the Polish construction of the port at Gdynia, which grew to handle more trade than Danzig by the 1930s, exacerbated the resentment in Danzig towards Poland. The economic competition between the two ports added another layer of complexity to the already strained German-Polish relations concerning Danzig.
Hitler's broader aim of uniting all German people, coupled with the repudiation of the German-Polish Treaty in March 1939, heightened fears regarding his intentions towards Danzig and Poland. The actions taken by Hitler leading up to World War II, particularly in the aftermath of the Sudeten Crisis, raised concerns that Danzig would be used as a pretext for invasion, similar to how the Sudetenland issue was manipulated.
Additionally, the failure of the League of Nations to effectively safeguard the independence of Danzig further eroded any remaining credibility the League had by 1939. This lack of international support and enforcement mechanisms left Danzig vulnerable to the growing tensions between Germany and Poland and contributed to the escalation of conflict.
Overall, Danzig served as a contentious focal point in the German-Polish relations of the late 1930s due to its complex historical background, nationalist sentiments, economic competition, and the broader geopolitical ambitions of Adolf Hitler. The unresolved status of Danzig ultimately played a crucial role in the deterioration of relations between Germany and Poland, ultimately culminating in the outbreak of World War II.
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**Why Danzig Was an Important Factor in the Worsening of German-Polish Relations in the Late 1930s**
The issue of Danzig stems from the Versailles settlement of the issue of Polish access to the sea at the expense of the continuity of German territory between East and West Prussia.
- At the end of the First World War, Danzig was made a free city under the protection of the League of Nations and linked in a customs union to Poland. However, its population remained predominantly German.
- By 1936, the city council was dominated by Nazis and demands for re-union with Germany were increasing.
- The Poles had built a new port at Gdynia, which, by the 1930s, was handling more trade than Danzig, which increased resentment in Danzig.
- Hitler’s aim of reuniting all German people increased tensions, especially after the Sudeten Crisis.
- Hitler’s repudiation of the German-Polish Treaty in March 1939 heightened fear of his intentions regarding Danzig in particular and Poland in general. This raised fears that Danzig would be an excuse for invasion, just as the Sudetenland had been.
- The League, as guarantor of the city’s independence, had lost all credibility by 1939.
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