Comment: Poland was one of the states that reappeared on map of Europe after the First World War. Its existence was confirmed by a peace treaty signed in Versailles on the 28th of June 1919. Victorious powers: the Great Britain, France, Italy, the United States and Japan recognized its independence but imposed conditions which limited Poland's sovereignty. To be allowed to sign a peace treaty with Germany Poland was forced to sign on the same day so-called little Treaty of Versailles which protected national and ethnic minorities on its territory.

According to the treaty Polish government pledged itself to "total and complete protection of life and freedom of all people regardless of their birth, nationality, language, race or religion" (art. 2) and secured a freedom of religious practices. Western states forced a right of their interference into Polish national, religious and educational policy. Provisions of the treaty "were obligations of international importance and were guaranteed by the League of Nations". They could not be changed "without consent of majority of the League of Nations Council" (art. 12). National minorities could direct their complaints to the League of Nations Council. Difference of opinions "in legal or actual matters" between Poland and any of the western powers or any of the members of the League of Nations Council, which would result from provisions of the treaty was to have an international character (art. 12).

Poland had to take obligation to take over a part of debts of Russian state and grant a most favored nation clause in transit trade to "Allied and Associated States" (art. 14-18). Similar minority treaties were imposed also on other new European states (Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia) as well as some of the states defeated in the First World War (Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey).

States of the Entente and Germany did not have to take such obligations. Little Treaty of Versailles was ratified by the Sejm on the 31st of July 1919 and was implemented on the 10th of January 1920. Poland renounced it on the League of Nations' forum in Geneva on the 13th of September 1934. (Jakub Ogonowski)

External description: Original, in Polish, English, French, paper, size 243 x 163 mm, 12 p.

Location: Archive of Modern Records, Official Journal 1920, no. 110, pos. 728, p. 1933-1944.