A hundred years ago one of the key moments in Polish history took place. The summer of 1920 brought not only military success but also an answer to the question of what Poland is. The Republic, which had regained its independence a year and a half earlier, faced a fundamental question about itself. The Poles opted for their homeland. The success of Józef Piłsudski, his generals, the Polish army, the merits of outstanding cryptologists, and the great mobilization of Polish society defined the shape of Europe for many years.
The “Wiktoria 1920” project is a story told by the witnesses of the events that happened a hundred years ago. It will be composed not only of the voices of commanders and soldiers but also by those of workers, clerks, priests, artists, inhabitants of large cities, and small towns. Their stories come from carefully selected sources: letters, memoirs, official notes, press releases and cuttings, as well as from the diaries found in archives. The texts – often published for the first time – will be accompanied by archival photographs and graphics.
This unique story about 1920 will allow readers to follow the events of a hundred years ago “live”. The notes have been arranged in chronological order and, apart from the situation on the front, they show the daily life of Poles, the problems of the wartime reality they faced, and the extent of the involvement of various groups and professions in the defense of the country. The archival fragments also show how complicated the situation was in other regions of Poland and how the borders of the Second Polish Republic were still forming. The project “Wiktoria 1920” gives an opportunity to discover this era and to celebrate the centenary of the Battle of Warsaw.
The “Wiktoria 1920” project was prepared by the KARTA Centre at the request of the Program Office NIEPODLEGŁA as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Poland’s regaining independence and the reconstruction of Polish statehood.
The materials can be found on the following website:
Copyright: Program Office ” NIEPODLEGŁA “
Links to 1920’s Polish films about the events of war in 1920
- “Polish-Russian War“; reportage [1920]
- “For You, Poland“; film by Antoni Bednarczyk [1920]
- “The Miracle of the Vistula“, film by Ryszard Bolesławski [1921]
- “Madmen“, film by Leonard Buczkowski [1928]
