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Government-in-exile: the transfer of Polish authority abroad in September 1339

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 October 2009

J. Coutouvidis
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Extract

In the early hours of 18 September 1939, before crossing the Roumanian frontier, the Polish foreign minister sent the following instructions to Poland's ambassadors in London and Paris.

The military situation in Poland in the current conflict is such as to necessitate the transfer abroad of the seat of the President of the Republic and of the Government. The Polish Government has the honour to inform the Government of His Britannic majesty that it is today contacting the Government of the French Republic concerning the extraterritorial exercise of its powers on French soil.

Type
Research Article
Information
Review of International Studies , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , October 1984 , pp. 285 - 296
Copyright
Copyright © British International Studies Association 1984

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References

This article is based on archival material kept at the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum (PISM) in London and at the Public Record Office (PRO) at Kew. At the PRO two sets of records of events in September 1939 were consulted: those of the Cabinet Office, CAB. 65/1, and those of the Foreign Office grouped under F.O. 371—general correspondence.

1. Beck to London and Paris, 18 September 1939, no. 440, Cyphers, A. 12. 53/52. PISM. Message sent (claris) 3.12 a.m. The text of the Polish president's proclamation, explaining to Polish citizens the decision to quit Poland is given in Beck, J., Dernier Rapport. Politique Polonaise, 1926–1939 (Neuchatel, 1951), note 2, p. 242.Google Scholar Beck's own account of the events of 17–18 September 1939 follows on, pp. 243–6, Ibid.

2. Rendel (British minister, Sofia) to Halifax, 15 September 1939, no. 187, C. 13930, F.O. 371/ 23151. See also Minutes, Cab 18(39), 17 September 1939, CAB. 65/1.

3. Halifax to Hoare for Kennard (British ambassador to Poland) 18 September 1939, no. 418, C. 14221, F.O. 371/23151. Kennard was also instructed to accompany the Polish government to France.

4. Halifax to Hoare, 19 September 1939, C. 14067, F.O. 371/23151.

5. Ibid.

6. Record of conversation between Halifax and Raczynski, 20 September 1939, C. 14432, F.O. 371/23151.

7. Halifax to Hoare, 20 September 1939, no. 433, C. 14067, F.O. 371/23151.

8. Roger Raczynski. Elder brother of the Polish ambassador to London.

9. Article 25 of the 1935 Constitution allowed the president to appoint his successor in time of war, ‘in case the office falls vacant before the conclusion of peace’. Constitution de la Republique de Pologne du April, 1935 (Warsaw, 1935), p. 39.Google Scholar Kuty, a Polish town close to the Roumanian border.

10. Hoare to Halifax, 19 September 1939, no. 434, C. 14243, F.O. 371/23151.

11. Hoare to Halifax, 19 September 1939, no. 435, C 14243, F.O. 371/23151.

12. 75 tons were transported to Paris from Warsaw via Roumania. After the fall of France it was moved to the fort at Bamako, French West Africa. See Westerby, R., Low, R. M., The Polish Gold (London, 1940).Google Scholar

13. Hoare to Halifax, 19 September 1939, no. 432, C. 14250, F.O. 371/23151.

14. Minute by R. W. Selby (3rd secretary at the F.O. since 26 September 1938) on Hoar e to Halifax, 20 September 1939, no. 441, C. 14339, F.O. 371/23151.

15. Article I of the Alliance between Poland and Roumania, 3 March 1921 states: ‘Polan d and Roumania undertake to assist each other in the event of their being the object of an unprovoked attack on their eastern frontiers …’, see Grenville, J. A. S., The Major International Treaties 1914–1973. A History and guide with texts (London, 1974) p. 122.Google Scholar For the text of the France-Polish agreements of 1921 see pp. 116–17, Ibid, and see note 44 below.

16. Record of conversation between Halifax and Raczynski, 20 September 1939, C. 14432, F.O. 371/23151.

17. Ibid.

18. No specific mention was made that it should be the Polish governmen t held in Roumania. The minutes read, ‘In this connection it should be noted, however, that the Polish Ambassador (in his above-mentioned conversation with Halifax) had expressed the view that it would be possible to organise a Polish Government in France, even if the members of the present Government were not permitted to leave Roumania.’ Cab. 22(39), 21 September 1939, CAB 65/1.

19. See Woodward, E. L. and Butler, Rohan (eds.), Documents on British Foreign Policy, 1919–1939, Third Series, V (London, 1950), no. 61, 109.Google Scholar

20. Cab. 22(39), 21 September 1939, CAB. 65/1.

21. Ibid. See also Hoare to Halifax, 28 September 1939. C. 15495, F.O. 371/2352.

22. Hoare to Halifax (from Kennard), 22 September 1939, no. 461 C. 14650, F.O. 37 371/23151.

23. 24 September 1939. See below, p. 289.

24. Hoare to Halifax, 22 September 1939, no. 461, C. 14650, F.O. 371/23151. W. Raczkiewicz had held the office between 1921 and 1935. In 1936 he was appointed Wojewoda (Governor) of Pomorze.

25. Halifax t o Hoare (for Kennard), 23 September 1939, no. 467, C. 14804, F.O. 371/23151.

26. Ibid.

27. The Polish ambassador at Rome.

28. See Monitor Polski, no. 213, 25 September 1939. PISM. President Moscicki also revoked here his declaration of 1 September 1939 naming Marshal Smigfy-Rydz, C. in C. of the Polish army since 1935, as his successor.

29. Jedrzejewicz, W. (ed.), Diplomat in Paris 1936–1939, Memoirs of Julius Łukasiewicz, Ambassador of Poland (New York and London, 1970), p. 341.Google Scholar

30. See Raczynski, Count Edward, In Allied London (London, 1962), p. 29.Google Scholar

31. See below pp. 290–1.

32. Łukasiewicz, op. cit., p. 342.

33. Ibid., p. 343.

34. Appointed general inspector of armed forces (commander-in-chief in wartime) in 1935 following the death of Marshal Ptfsudski. See Polonsky, A., Politics in Independent Poland, 1921–1939 (Oxford, 1972), pp. 395–7.Google Scholar Appointed successor to Moscicki on outbreak of war.

35. Łukasiewicz, op. cit., p. 344.

36. Augustyn Hlond, Cardinal 1927.

37. Łukasiewicz, op. cit., p. 344.

38. Warsaw surrendered to the Germans at 1.15 p.m., 28 September 1939. See Bethell, N., The War Hitler Won (London, 1972), pp. 139–40.Google Scholar

39. See Raczynski, op. cit., pp. 38–9.

40. Record of conversation between Cadogan and Raczynski, 25 September 1939, C. 15058/ 8526/55, F.O. 371/23152.

41. Ibid.

42. Ibid.

43. Łukasiewicz, op. cit., p. 347.

44. General W. Sikorski commanded the Polish fifth army durin g the Russo—Polish war and when hostilities ceased in March 1921 he was drawn into politics. He was prim e minister, 16 December 1922 to 26 May 1923. Sikorski served as defence minister in Grabski's government but after political differences with Marshal Pilsudski he was appointed commander of the Lwow army corps. He was relieved of his position in 1928 and was given no new appointment. From 1928 to 1939 (when on 30 September he was appointed prime minister, in exile) Sikorski divided his time between writing and political opposition.

He was a member of the Front Morges. Formed in 1936 it represented most of the opposition to the colonels's regime. See Przybylski, H., Front Morges W Okresie II Rzeczypospolitej (Warsaw, 1972)Google Scholar and Micewski, A., ‘Sikorski a oppozyczja—czyli glowny spor w Paryzu i Londynie’, Wiez, nr. 7–8 (1961), 202.Google Scholar Antony Polonsky in his paper, ‘Wladyslaw Sikorski as opposition politician 1928–1939’, read at the Sikorski symposium, University of London, 27 September 1983 states: ‘In his publications, particularly those in French, he sought to counter voices in France opposed to the Franco-Polish alliance, above all Rene Martel, author of La Pologne et Nous (Paris, 1928)Google Scholar and La France et La Pologne. Realites de Vest European (Paris, 1930)Google Scholar … Sikorski also hoped to develop his links with French politicians. The introduction to Lejeu desforces politiques en Europe orientale was written by Paul Painleve and the book also contains a flowery dedication to Marshal Foch … La Guerre Moderne contained a foreword by no less a person than Marshal Petain … Sikorski also maintained connections with a number of other French politicians including Raynaud, Poincare and Generals Weygand, Gouraud and Neissel’.

45. Professor S. Stronski entered the Sejm in 1922 as member of the National Democratic Party.

46. See Halifax to Phipps, 26 September 1939, no. 359, C. 15079, F.O. 371/23152.

47. Dilks, D. (ed.), The Diaries of Sir Alexander Cadogan, 1938–1945 (London, 1971), p. 219.Google Scholar See also Łukasiewicz, op. cit., pp. 347–8, and Raczynski, op. cit., pp. 39–40.

48. F.O. minute by Kirkpatrick (acting counsellor from 11 September 1939), 26 September 1939, C. 15147, F.O. 371/23152. Wieniawa-Dhigoszowski had been a.d.c. to Marshal Pifeudski and was appointed ambassador at Rome on 6 June 1938.

49. Phipps to Halifax, 26 September 1939, no. 710, C. 15078, F.O. 371/23152.

50. Ibid. J. Szembek was Polish deputy minister of foreign affairs, 1932–9.

51. Phipps, to Halifax, 26 September 1939, no. 710, C. 15078, F.O. 371/23152.

52. Record of conversation between Cadogan and Raczynski, 26 September 1939, C. 15180, 18526/55, F.O. 371/23152.

53. Ibid.

54. Minutes CAB. 28(39), 27 September 1939, CAB. 65/1.

55. Churchill was offered the admiralty and a seat in the war cabinet, by Chamberlain on 3 September 1939. He accepted both appointments. See Churchill, Winston S., The Second World War, I, The Gathering Storm (London, 1949), p. 320.Google Scholar

56. Minutes. CAB. 26(39), 25 September 1939, CAB. 65/1.

57. Minute by Sargent (assistant under secretary of state for foreign affairs), 27 September 1939, marked ‘most confidential’, C. 15148, F.O. 371/23152.

58. See note 9 above.

59. Łukasiewicz, op. cit., p. 356.

60. Ibid., p. 357.

61. Ibid. See also, Raczynski, op. cit., p. 42.

62. See also Zabiefto, Stanislaw, O Rzad i Granica (2nd edn, Warsaw, 1965), pp. 13–14Google Scholar, and Pobóg-Malinowski, , Najnowsza Historia Polityczna Polski (1st edn, London, 1960), p. 79.Google Scholar

63. Pianist and statesman. Leading member in exile opposed to the Polish regime after Piteudski's coup d'état of May 1926. Chairman of the Polish national council in exile.

64. See note 44, above.

65. See Raczynski, op. cit., p. 43, and Łukasiewicz, op. cit., p. 356. Sosnkowski, the senior ranking officer arrived in Paris on 11 October 1939. Whereupon President Raczkiewicz nominated him as successor. Eventually he accepted post as minister without portfolio in Sikorski's Government.

66. Anatole de Monzie, minister of public works, 1938–40.

67. Łukasiewicz, op. cit., p. 367.

68. Phipps to Halifax, 2 October 1939, no. 362, C. 15447, F.O. 371/23152. At the F.O. Selby minuted the next day, ‘we must do the same’ C. 15520/8526/55 Ibid. See also minute by Makins, ‘question of act of recognition … since Noel (French ambassador to Poland) and Bullitt (US ambassador at Paris) had formally called on the President. Phipps should do so before Kennard was accredited British ambassador to the new Polish government.’ Makins noted, ‘it's all fixed up’. Ibid.

69. See Coutouvidis, J., The Formation of the Polish Government in Exile and its Relations with Great Britain, 1939–1941, PhD. thesis, Keele, 1975.Google Scholar

70. Memorandum, Gafencu to Raczejnski, 26 September 1939, transmitted by Hoare to Halifax, 28 September 1939, C. 15495/8526/55, F.O. 371/23152.

71. See Oppenheim, L., International Law II, 7th edn (London, 1952), pp. 675, 723.Google Scholar

72. Malkin (legal adviser to the F.O.), 5 October 1939, C. 15495/8526/55, F.O. 371/23152.