An occasional 2-złoty coin minted to commemorate the three Silesian Uprisings from the years 1919-1921
Obverse:
The image of an eagle established as the national emblem of the Republic of Poland. On both sides of the eagle there is the year of issue: 20-11, below the eagle there is an inscription: ZŁ 2 ZŁ. Inside the rim there is an inscription: RZECZPOSPOLITA POLSKA, preceded and followed by six pearls. Under the eagle, to the right, there is an inscription: M/W.
Reverse:
Stylized images of Silesian insurgents. At the top, there are inscriptions: 1919 1920 1921. At the bottom, there is an inscription: POWSTANIA/ŚLĄSKIE. On the rim: there is an inscription “NBP” repeated eight times, every second one reversed by 180 degrees, separated with stars.
Designer of the obverse: Ewa Tyc-Karpińska
Designer of the reverse: Grzegorz Pfeifer
The Polish statehood, which was in the state of revival in 1918, encountered a number of problems. The changing character of borders of the Republic of Poland of that time was one of them. The borderline had to be either negotiated or fought for, supporting diplomatic postulates with military acts. The three Silesian Uprisings should be analysed in this context.
Upper Silesia was an exceptional case in Germany – the majority of its inhabitants spoke Polish, or rather its local dialect. It did not, however, decide upon their nationality. The awareness of Upper Silesians was still polarizing, either in Polish or German direction.
At the end of 1918, the Polish people started to establish People’s Councils, and Upper Silesian delegates participated in sessions of the Poznań-based “District Parliament” (“Sąd Dzielnicowy”). The escalation of the Polish-German conflict was unavoidable. It grew particularly strong in the summer of 1919. A series of strikes, promoting social and national ideas, broke out then. The counteraction of the German side resulted in the work of a part of activists of the local Polish Military Organisation. In the night from 16 to 17 August 1919, the first military action took place. Poorly coordinated clashes broke out mainly in poviats with the largest percent of Polish inhabitants, i.e. the poviats of Pszczyna and Rybnik. The movement was led by Alfons Zgrzebniok, head of the Upper Silesian Polish Military Organisation. Initial victories did not result in a general victory – the insurgents failed to take towns, they did not get support from Poland either. Facing the Germans’ crushing advantage, on 24 August Zgrzebniok issued an order to cease fire.
Despite military defeat, the Polish side was victorious in the communal election of 1919. In February 1920, the Allies took power in Upper Silesia, and organized a plebiscite. Its purpose was to solve the problem of the region’s national status. Both sides’ postulates were opposed during the campaign that preceded it. The Germans, who controlled local police, were in a better situation. In view of this situation, on 19 August 1920 Alfons Zgrzebniok ordered to start military action (the Second Silesian Uprising). It was prepared much better this time. The most important goal, i.e. removing German police and replacing it with Polish and German plebiscite police, was achieved. The uprising did not, however, bring the expected result.
This result was to be achieved by a plebiscite, which was held on 20 March 1921. Due to a number of factors, partly caused by fault of the Polish side (such as a demand to grant voting rights to all people born in the area covered by the plebiscite), 59.6% of the voters were in favor
of the Germans. They triumphed in western poviats and in towns. The Polish option prevailed in the east of the region and in the countryside.
As the Allies argued about the interpretation of the plebiscite results, Wojciech Korfanty, head of the Polish Plebiscite Committee, ordered to start the third uprising. It started in the night from 2 to 3 May 1921, and was characterized by regular military actions. Their goal was to reach the so-called Korfanty line, i.e. the postulated Polish-German border. The insurgents surprised the enemy and managed to reach the line in the first week of battles.
The opponent’s counter-offensive, although it did not solve the conflict, put the insurgent front at risk. In this situation, the Allies intervened by extorting cease-fire. Final battles ended at the end of July. In 1922, as a result of the division of Upper Silesia, which took place after the uprising, 70% of the plebiscite area remained on the German side. At the same time, the majority of local mining and metallurgical industry remained Polish. Becoming an element of the Republic of Poland, Upper Silesia became its exceptionally rich part.
Grzegorz Bębnik
Fragment of text from the National Bank of Poland’s issue folder
