Who was the leader of Poland when Germany took over?

Answer 1

After Pilsudski's refusal do become a President of Poland Ignacy Moscicki is sworn in as President of the Republic on 4 June 1926 before the National Assembly at the Royal Castle in the presence of the government, the diplomatic corps, the press and the family. Sworn in before the National Assembly for the second term on 9 May 1933 also at the Royal Castle, which he made his residence. His term of office expired in September 1939 upon his internment in Romania. From there he moved to Switzerland. He passed his office to Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz. Died in Versoix near Geneva on 2 October 1946.

Answer 2

Polish government was in exile in London since 1939. Polish Home Army, the largest undergound resistance organization in the whole Nazi occupied Europe answered to London government. In Sept 1939 Polish army was attacked by Germans (from the West) and Soviets (from the East), Polish soldiers weretaken to POW camps. Many others fought on Western fronts and after Germany declared war on Russia, the Polish POWsthere were allowed to enter Polish forces to fight the Germans along with Russians.

Answer 3

There were indeed Polish Jews in the RAFMy contribution is based on one source only, "Jewish Pilots and Aircrews in the battle of Britain" by Martin Sugarman, found there :

There are many primary sources cited at the original article.

The author underlines that especially during the first months of the battle of Britain, most pilots were career officers or civilan pilots, among which Jews were under-represented, as Jews at that time were predominantly working-class people. The same was true all around Europe, and probably even more in Eastern Europe where anti-semitism was, if anything, more exacerbated.

Specifically for the Polish pilots, Sugarman writes this :

"Concerning the large ( 5%) Polish contribution to the allied pilots of the Battle, there are other more sinister issues surrounding the lower Jewish participation . Blatant anti-Semitism can be added to the class and education barriers explained above, and made it particularly difficult for Jews to get into the Polish Air Force, or indeed obtain a commission in any of the Polish Forces at that time. There were of course Jewish officers as well as thousands of Polish Jewish other ranks in all the Polish Forces in 1939, but promotion and entry to the more glamorous positions such as flying was excessively difficult for Polish Jews. Added to this, we must be clear that many Polish Jews hid their religious affiliation on enlistment and changed their names aswell (both because of Polish anti - Semitism - and German, if they were captured!) so that even searching through records of religious denomination gives no real picture of which Polish pilots were Jewish ; in effect we will never know."

In spite of this, Sugarman and other authors managed to identify Jewish pilots taking part in the conflict, especially using lists of casualties. Among those were a few identified Polish Jews, and some more with Jewish names but who didn't identify as Jewish when they enrolled.

Among the identified Polish Jews was for example Zygmunt "Joe" Klein, who

"was a Sgt. Pilot with Polish 234 and 152 Squadrons [24]. He was born on 24.8.18 and joined the RAF in Feb. 1940. Joined 234 Sqdn. at St Eval 6/8/40 and later to Warmwell with 152 Sqdn. He shot down one 109 and shared a 110 and damaged another 110. He crash landed in Spitfire P9427 out of fuel near Torquay on Nov. 26th 1940. In a Channel 4 TV Programme, "Spitfire Ace" , televised on 19/1/04, LAC Joe Roddis described how his groundcrew most admired the Polish flyers as they were determined to kill Germans, not just shoot down aircraft; their country was occupied and they hated the enemy with a vengeance. He named Klein as one of the bravest and described how on one very foggy day they were all ordered to be grounded. But Klein heard a German aircraft patrolling over the aerodrome and against orders took off and brought it down in very dangerous flying conditions. He was declared Missing on Nov.28th, believed killed in action in his Spitfire in the Isle of Wight area, by 109's . His name is inscribed on the Polish Air Force memorial at Northolt. "

Answer 4

In 1940, Poland was completely under occupation of Nazi Germany. There was no Polish government of any kind of "leader". Poland as a state didn't exist at that time.

When Poland lost the war in September, 1939 ("invasion of Poland"), it was divided among Germany and Soviet Union (and Slovakia and Lithuania, to be precise).

Some territories were incorporated directly into Germany as so called "Warthegau", and of some territories, the "General Government" was created with the leader, Hans Frank (prominent German Nazi), as a General-Governor.

Answer 5

Poland did not have a Nazi leader. The Germans incorporated parts of Poland into Germany and Russia (which was their ally at that time), and the rest of Poland has been called "General government". The Nazi occupation forces were governed by a German called Hans Frank.

Answer 6

The head of the Polish Government in Exile during most of WW2 was Stanisław Mikołajczyk.

Answer 7

i not sure but i think it was george Roberts

Answer 8

It was Luke Caldolf

Answer 9

Stanisław Mikołajczyk.

Answer 10

idk/idc