Oath crisis
Encyclopedia
The Oath crisis was a World War I
political conflict between the Imperial German Army command and the Józef Piłsudski-led Polish Legions
.
Initially supporting the Central Powers
against Imperial Russia, Piłsudski wanted to defeat one of the partitioning powers
with the hands of the two remaining states, the Austria-Hungary
and Germany
. However, after the Russian defeat in the Great War
it became clear that the Central Powers were in no position to guarantee the independence of Poland
. Despite the Act of November 5th
of 1916 and the creation of Kingdom of Poland, it was clear that the newly created state would not become anything more than a puppet buffer state of Germany, a part of its Mitteleuropa
plan.
Piłsudski then decided to switch sides and gain the support of the Entente
for the cause of Polish independence. A good pretext appeared in July 1917, when the Central Powers demanded that the soldiers of the Polish Legions
swear allegiance and obedience to the Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany. Following the inspiration of Józef Piłsudski, the majority of the soldiers of the 1st and 3rd Brigades of the Legions declined to make the oath. The citizens of Austria-Hungary
(roughly 3,000) were then forcibly drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Army
or the Polnische Wehrmacht
, demoted to privates and sent to Italian Front
, while people born in other parts of occupied Poland were interned in prisoner of war
camps in Szczypiorno
and Beniaminów
. Approximately 7,500 soldiers were joined with the rump Polish Auxiliary Corps
. Piłsudski himself and his Chief of Staff Kazimierz Sosnkowski
were arrested on 22 July 1917 and interned in a German fortress in Magdeburg
.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
political conflict between the Imperial German Army command and the Józef Piłsudski-led Polish Legions
Polish Legions in World War I
Polish Legions was the name of Polish armed forces created in August 1914 in Galicia. Thanks to the efforts of KSSN and the Polish members of the Austrian parliament, the unit became an independent formation of the Austro-Hungarian Army...
.
Initially supporting the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
against Imperial Russia, Piłsudski wanted to defeat one of the partitioning powers
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
with the hands of the two remaining states, the Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. However, after the Russian defeat in the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
it became clear that the Central Powers were in no position to guarantee the independence of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. Despite the Act of November 5th
Act of November 5th
The Act of 5th November of 1916 was a declaration of Emperors Wilhelm II of Germany and Franz Joseph of Austria. This act promised the creation of the Kingdom of Poland, envisioned by its authors as a puppet state allied to and controlled by the Central Powers...
of 1916 and the creation of Kingdom of Poland, it was clear that the newly created state would not become anything more than a puppet buffer state of Germany, a part of its Mitteleuropa
Mitteleuropa
Mitteleuropa is the German term equal to Central Europe. The word has political, geographic and cultural meaning. While it describes a geographical location, it also is the word denoting a political concept of a German-dominated and exploited Central European union that was put into motion during...
plan.
Piłsudski then decided to switch sides and gain the support of the Entente
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente was the name given to the alliance among Britain, France and Russia after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907....
for the cause of Polish independence. A good pretext appeared in July 1917, when the Central Powers demanded that the soldiers of the Polish Legions
Polish Legions in World War I
Polish Legions was the name of Polish armed forces created in August 1914 in Galicia. Thanks to the efforts of KSSN and the Polish members of the Austrian parliament, the unit became an independent formation of the Austro-Hungarian Army...
swear allegiance and obedience to the Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany. Following the inspiration of Józef Piłsudski, the majority of the soldiers of the 1st and 3rd Brigades of the Legions declined to make the oath. The citizens of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
(roughly 3,000) were then forcibly drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
or the Polnische Wehrmacht
Polnische Wehrmacht
Polska Siła Zbrojna, was a military formation created by Imperial Germany during World War I, as the armed forces of their puppet Kingdom of Poland. Polska Siła Zbrojna was established a part of the German Army, under German command...
, demoted to privates and sent to Italian Front
Italian Campaign (World War I)
The Italian campaign refers to a series of battles fought between the armies of Austria-Hungary and Italy, along with their allies, in northern Italy between 1915 and 1918. Italy hoped that by joining the countries of the Triple Entente against the Central Powers it would gain Cisalpine Tyrol , the...
, while people born in other parts of occupied Poland were interned in prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camps in Szczypiorno
Szczypiorno
Szczypiorno is a municipal neighbourhood of the city of Kalisz, Poland. Formerly until 1976 a separate village at the outskirts of the city, it is best known as a seat of a World War I and Polish-Bolshevist War prisoner of war camp and the name-sake for szczypiorniak, the Polish language name for...
and Beniaminów
Beniaminów
Beniaminów is a village in Poland. It has approximately 190 inhabitants and is located in the Masovian Voivodship, east of Warsaw, between Legionowo and Nieporęt.Within the village are remnants of a 19th-century fort....
. Approximately 7,500 soldiers were joined with the rump Polish Auxiliary Corps
Polish Auxiliary Corps
Polish Auxiliary Corps was the name of the Polish military formation in the Austro-Hungarian Army, based on the Polish Legions. It was created in the aftermath of the Oath crisis from the Legions on 20 September 1916 and existed until 19 February 1918...
. Piłsudski himself and his Chief of Staff Kazimierz Sosnkowski
Kazimierz Sosnkowski
Kazimierz Sosnkowski was a Polish independence fighter, politician and Polish Army general.-Life:Sosnkowski served successively as founder and first commander of Związek Walki Czynnej , chief of staff of the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legions, Polish minister of military affairs, vice-president of...
were arrested on 22 July 1917 and interned in a German fortress in Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
.