The German Minority in Interwar Poland (Publications of the German Historical Institute)

The German Minority in Interwar Poland analyzes what happened when Germans from three different empires - the Russian, Habsburg, and German - were forced to live together in one new state. After the First World War, German national activists made regional distinctions among these Germans and German-speakers in Poland, with preference initially for those who had once lived in the German Empire. Rather than becoming more cohesive over time, Poland's ethnic Germans remained divided and did not unite within a single representative organization. Polish repressive policies and unequal subsidies from the German state exacerbated these differences, while National Socialism created new hierarchies and unleashed bitter intra-ethnic conflict among German minority leaders. Winson Chu challenges prevailing interpretations that German nationalism in the twentieth century viewed "Germans" as a single homogeneous group of people. His revealing study shows that nationalist agitation could divide as well as unite an embattled ethnicity. The German Minority In Interwar Poland Analyzes What Happened When Germans From Three Different Empires - The Russian, Habsburg, And German - Were Forced To Live Together In One, New State. After The First World War, German National Activists Made Regional Distinctions Among These Germans And German-speakers In Poland, With Preference Initially For Those Who Had Once Lived In The German Empire. Rather Than Becoming More Cohesive Over Time, Poland's Ethnic Germans Remained Divided And Did Not Unite Within A Single Representative Organization. Polish Repressive Policies And Unequal Subsidies From The German State Exacerbated These Differences, While National Socialism Created New Hierarchies And Unleashed Bitter Intra-ethnic Conflict Among German Minority Leaders. Winson Chu Challenges Prevailing Interpretations That German Nationalism In The Twentieth Century Viewed Germans As A Homogeneous, Single Group Of People. His Revealing Study Shows That Nationalist Agitation Could Divide As Well As Unite An Embattled Ethnicity--provided By Publisher. Machine Generated Contents Note: 1. Phantom Borders: Germany And Germans In Poland (1871-1933); 2. Residual Citizens: German Minority Politics In Western Poland (1918-1933); 3. On The Margins Of The Minority: Germans In Łódź (1914-1933); 4. Negotiating Volksgemeinschaft: National Socialism And Regionalization (1933-1937); 5. Revenge Of The Periphery: German Empowerment In Central Poland (1933-1939); 6. Łódźers Into Germans? (1939-2000). Winson Chu. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "The German Minority in Interwar Poland analyzes what happened when Germans from three different empires - the Russian, Habsburg, and German - were forced to live together in one, new state. After the First World War, German national activists made regional distinctions among these Germans and German-speakers in Poland, with preference initially for those who had once lived in the German Empire. Rather than becoming more cohesive over time, Poland's ethnic Germans remained divided and did not unite within a single representative organization. Polish repressive policies and unequal subsidies from the German state exacerbated these differences, while National Socialism created new hierarchies and unleashed bitter intra-ethnic conflict among German minority leaders. Winson Chu challenges prevailing interpretations that German nationalism in the twentieth century viewed "Germans" as a homogeneous, single group of people. His revealing study shows that nationalist agitation could divide as well as unite an embattled ethnicity"-- Provided by publisher Frontmatter ......Page 1 Introduction ......Page 23 1 - Phantom Germans: Weimar Revisionism and Poland (1918–1933)......Page 43 2 - Residual Citizens: German Minority Politics in Western Poland (1918–1933 ......Page 85 3 - On the Margins of the Minority: Germans in Łódź (1900–1933) ......Page 137 4 - Negotiating Volksgemeinschaft: National Socialism and Regionalization (1933–1937) ......Page 181 5 - Revenge of the Periphery: German Empowerment in Central Poland (1933–1939) ......Page 223 6 - Lodzers into Germans? (1939–2000) ......Page 271 Conclusion ......Page 299 Bibliography ......Page 305 Index......Page 333