Próby powołania białoruskiej politycznej reprezentacji narodowej w czasie I wojny światowej i bezpośrednio po jej zakończeniu
Attempts to establish a Belarusian national political representation during and immediately after the First World War

Summary/Abstract: The onset of a modern idea of Belarusian statehood coincides with the period of the end of the First World War. It was a particularly difficult time for Belarusian lands: the front, which divided the country into two parts for a long time; the scorched-earth policy employed by the Russians; mass requisitions carried out by both armies, war destruction and recruitment drainage all contributed to the ongoing economic and demographic collapse of Belarus. The proclamation of independence of the Belarusian People’s Republic on 25 March 1918 turned out to be a short-lived success. As a territorial entity, the young state survived only until December that year. The challenges which the supporters of the country’s independence had to face between 1918 and 1919 surpassed capabilities and organizational skills of the movement. It also seems that the pace of development and the nature of geopolitical challenges were beyond the abilities of the Belarusian elite.

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