Unlike in the erstwhile Congress, in Western Galicia or in the Kress, where German and Austrian troops almost did not defy the appearance of armed Poles, in the lands of the Prussian partition, including Wielkopolska, there were many Germans who had lived here for generations and who treated the land as a fatherhood – on an equal footing with Poles surviving there.
With the defeat of the central states in planet War I, elements of anarchy appeared there, workers' and soldiers' councils began to be formed, which included both Germany and Poles. The latter, utilizing the general chaos and weakness of the German state, began to organize themselves. On the 1 hand, these actions were aimed at taking influence in these working and military councils, as well as in local administration, and on creating their own structures – both openly and underground. People's councils, as well as the troops of the People's Guards, played a peculiar function as order formations. Let us add that Germany and the Jews besides created akin structures.
On 3-5 December 1918, the territory Sejm was held in Poznań. It was attended by representatives of all Polish lands under Prussian occupation, as well as Polish economical emigration in Germany (mainly Westphalia). In total, 1399 delegates took part in the deliberations, of which 525 came from Wielkopolska, 431 from Silesia, 262 from Gdansk Pomerania, 47 from Warmia and Mazury, and 133 represented Poles surviving in the depths of Germany. The Sejm adopted a number of resolutions expressing the will of the Polish people surviving under Prussian business to join another Polish lands in a united Polish country.
"General Resolutions of the Polish territory Sejm – 5 December 1918:
I. The Polish territory Sejm stated that in the substance of our district, without our consent and cooperation, we must not be prejudged.
II. The Polish territory Sejm states that the full nation is in line with the government creating a faithful reflection of the forces of its people. specified a government must conduct a truly democratic and folk policy of the Republic of Poland (...).
III. The Polish territory Sejm declares against the sovereignty of the state in the field of public, social and cultural life and speaks in favour of the broad self-government of political, cultural, social and spiritual organizations.
IV. The Polish territory Sejm draws the attention of the full society to the terrible danger that spreading the Bolshevik ideas in the minds of the immature to the country can bring the whole.”
On 6 December 1918, the first gathering was held, elected by the territory Sejm of the ultimate People's Council. The Bureau was headed by Bolesław Krysiewicz. The working body was the Chief Office of the People's Council, in which they sat: Fr Stanisław Adamski (Poznań), Wojciech Korfanty (Śląsk), Dr Stefan Łaszewski (Pomorze), ed. Adam Poszwiński (Kujawa), Józef Rymer (Śląsk) and Władysław Seyda (Poznań). Subcommittees were established in Gdańsk and Bytom. On 11 December 1918, Polish language and religion were introduced in Poznań schools.
These actions sparked a wave of protests by German residents of Wielkopolska, who demonstrated their discontent on the streets of cities, especially Poznań. The tension grew overnight.
The catalyst that caused the detonation was coming to Poznań Ignacy Paderwski. On the way from Gdańsk to Warsaw, he stopped on 26 December in Poznań, which caused a immense stir among local Poles. The German authorities tried to prevent him from coming to Poznań, which they failed to do.
Paderewski went to the Bazar Hotel, where a commemorative banquet was issued in his honour, after which he gave a speech, completed with a ovation and patriotic manifestation. The Germans, dissatisfied with what was happening, started a brawl that rapidly expanded. It is crucial to know that during this time, at a time of 169 1000 inhabitants of Poznań, Poles constituted only 55% of the full population (in the scale of Wielkopolska a small over 60%).
When a crowd of about 2,000 people reached Bazaar, where Paderewski was staying, he was replaced by a cordon made up of members of the People's Guard. another troops of the People's defender and the defender and safety Service companies were rushed to the site. The following day’s NRL communication describes what was happening:
"Last afternoon, shortly before 4 o'clock, troops of armed German soldiers from the 6th grenadier regiment, with an officer at the head, chanting German songs, invaded the building of the Chief People's Council, breaking the English, American and French banners there. Further, by St. Martin, Victoria, Berlin, and Wilhelmowski Square, they did the same thing, in peculiar entering Berlin's private houses and breaking coalition flags, American and Polish, which were trampled on by their feet. The provocative behaviour of the German rapists lured the unprepared to assault and provoke the Polish population, which went on the streets. Meanwhile, the German soldiers reached the Bank of the Union, here they ripped off and insulted the English and American banners, and here the first shot came to the directors who were fortunately missing (...). As darkness fell, German soldiers began shooting from the Police Bureau. The Germans set up 2 device guns here, and among the general panic of the constricted population they started fire towards “Bazar”, among another things, in the windows where Paderewski lives, complex infirmity after a Spanish ship passed on... On the Polish side, there was no reply, an agreement was attempted and bloodshed was avoided. However, erstwhile the shots continued erstwhile a number of people were injured, the People's defender began to respond to the shots and ordered safety measures to defend passers-by.”
As Marek Rezler notes in his book The Wielkopolska Uprising, in the release "the main burden of guilt for starting fights was laid on the shoulders of soldiers of the 6th Grenadiers regiment. However, the analysis of sources allows to conclude that soldiers were only participants (not the most numerous) of the demonstration of civilian Germans.”
Meanwhile, at various points of the city there was a firefight. Before the Police Bureau, other the Municipal Theatre building and close the Bazar Hotel, Polish troops of the People's Guards, POW and SSIB appeared. The first insurgent unit to scope the Bazaar Hotel was a 100-man military company of the WWD, commanded by Antoni Wysocki.
Polish commanders gave orders to capture the Police Bureau, which was filled by Germans. Francis Ratajczak died in these fights. At night, an agreement was reached with the defending Germans under which they left the building with a weapon in their hand. They were replaced by troops of the People's Guard.
Armed actions rapidly expanded to another cities. The leaders from Poznań gave the state the slogan "No longer to wait", which launched the actions of the conspirators in Gniezno, Jarocin, Kórnik, Plesheva, Śrema, Średzie, Kłeck, Września and another localities. Jan Mertka (he and Ratajczak were listed in the NRL communication) was killed in the battles under Boczok. Meanwhile, Poles seized the Main Railway Station in Poznań, the Main Post Office and part of the urban fortifications, disarming German troops towards the city by rail.
The Prussian administration was then removed from Szamotuł, Wednesday Wielkopolska, Pniew, Opalnica, Buku, Trzemeszna, Września and Gniezna.
On 28 December in Poznań, Poles captured Citadel, Fort Grolmann and Arsenal at Wielka Garbary Street (now Garbary). 1 of the troops, commanded by Franciszek Budzyński and Stanisław Nogaj, invaded the German General Command of the 5th Army Corps and arrested the Reichswehr generals – Bock und Polach and Schimmelpfening.
On the same day in the afternoon, the Executive Department of the Labour and Żołnierski Councils, wishing to calm the situation and to halt the further bloodshed, established the City office of mixed Polish-German composition. It was headed by Jan Maciaszek, who became the commander of the city. He was appointed to let the NRL to settle the conflict peacefully (the ultimate Council, unlike the POW, did not want to erupt). A call was besides made to stay calm and unprovoked.
On that day, the NRL Station formed the Main Command of the Insurgency Forces, with Captain Stanisław Taczak at the head. He became interim commander of the uprising, receiving a promotion to the rank of major at the same time.
On 29 December, Poles won Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Kłecko, Kórnik, Wielichowo and Witkowo. At the same time, the Germans were removed from the Crows. A delegation of the Prussian government arrived in Poznań the next day. As a consequence of the talks made, the 6th Grenadiers' regiment left town with weapons.
Thus began the winning Wielkopolska Uprising. In the next fewer days, the Germans managed to recover from the shock and then took action to suppress the uprising.
However, Poles managed to organize themselves in the meantime, so that any attempts by Germans to suppress the uprising ended in failure.
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Insurrection (almost) bloodless – November 19, 1918, the last German troops left Warsaw
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