Belarussen in den polnischen Streitkräften in Friedenszeiten (1921-1939)
Belarusians in the Polish Armed Forces during Peacetime (1921-1939)

Summary/Abstract: Belarusians in the Polish Army were the third most numerous ethnic group after the Poles and Ukrainians. Their participation in the military has never exceeded 10 per cent of armed forces personnel. Belarusian soldiers were often characterised by a relatively low level of national consciousness and instead often considered themselves to be “tutejsi” (locals) and a large proportion of them were illiterate. Compared to representatives of other nationalities, they were more inclined to adopt Polish culture. The policy of the military authorities towards Belarusians was the consequence of a general Polish national policy of assimilating ethnic minorities. Henceforth Belarusians in military service contributed to their own Polonisation. With regard to Belarusian conscripts, enrolment limits were set at commissioned and non-commissioned officers’ schools. Thus many Belarusians only managed to make a career in the army passing Poles. Politically, Belarusian soldiers were often passive. However, in some cases radical parties had considerable influence on them, namely the Communist Party of Western Belarus and its dependent Belarusian Peasants’ and Workers’ Union.

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