Polish people's referendum, 1946
Encyclopedia
The People's Referendum (Polish: referendum ludowe) of 1946, also known as the "Three Times Yes" (Polish: Trzy razy tak, often abbreviated as 3×TAK) referendum, was a referendum
held in Poland
on 30 June 1946 on the authority of the State National Council
(order of 27 April 1946). The referendum presented an opportunity for the forces vying for political control of Poland following the Second World War to test their popularity among the general population. In a sign of things to come, the results, which showed a lack of support for the communist government, were rigged to show that communist policies had overwhelming support.
) campaigned heavily in favor of "Three Times Yes", while non-communist parties advocated various other combinations; hence the referendum was seen as unofficially deciding whether the Polish society supports or opposes communism. PSL and SP
, which realised what was really at stake in the vote, namely Polish independence and future of the country, advocated voting "no" on the first question, despite the fact that it had been opposed to the Senate's existence since before the war. The majority of PSL political support was in rural areas, among people who supported agricultural reform, so the party found it impossible to advocate voting "no" on the second question. Nonetheless, the party's opposition to the first question was used by the communists to declare the more liberal PSL activists "traitors". Catholic groups supported first "no", third "yes", and left the second to voters individual preferences. The Wolność i Niezawisłość party argued against the first two questions only, while NSZ
advocated a "no" for all three questions, as a sign of protest against the annexation of the eastern territories of Poland (known as the Kresy
) by the Soviet Union
.
However, the official results were far removed from the actual results since the vote had been seriously compromised by the communists and their supporters. The communists, who already de facto controlled much of the government and had the backing of the military (both the Polish Wojsko Ludowe and Soviet Red Army
), used the police (Milicja Obywatelska
) and the secret services (Urząd Bezpieczeństwa) to threaten, assault and even murder opposition activists, switch real ballots for false ones, stuff ballot boxes with false votes, consider blank ballots as “yes” votes, destroy votes not in favour of all or any of the three questions or simply falsify votes. Voting in the army was done on command and without secrecy. The falsification was overseen, just like the later Polish legislative election, 1947
, by Soviet experts like Aron Palkin and Semyon Davydov, both high-ranking officers from the Soviet Ministry for State Security
.
In Kraków
, where the opposition managed to ensure a fair vote, the "no" results were: 84%, 59% and 30% for all three questions. PSL, which was able to obtain real records for approximately 48% of the voting districts, estimated that a "yes" for all three questions was chosen by 16,7% of respondents. Despite the protests of the opposition, led by Stanisław Mikołajczyk, and representatives of the United Kingdom
and United States
, the results were declared free and fair by the government.
Materials published after the communists lost power in Poland in 1989 show that the nationwide results were the following: for the first question, "yes" was chosen by 26.9% voters. For the second question, 42% chose "yes". For the third question, 66.9% chose "yes". Secret documents from the PPR show that they believed 27% of respondents had voted yes for all three questions. The official results indicated this figure was 68%.
The referendum demonstrated the weakness of the communists and encouraged them to increase their persecution of the opposition and general repression. It also discouraged them from holding any further referendums.
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
held in 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...
on 30 June 1946 on the authority of the State National Council
State National Council
Krajowa Rada Narodowa in Polish was a parliament-like political body formed in the late stages of the Second World War in the Soviet Union, as part of the formation of a new Communist Polish government...
(order of 27 April 1946). The referendum presented an opportunity for the forces vying for political control of Poland following the Second World War to test their popularity among the general population. In a sign of things to come, the results, which showed a lack of support for the communist government, were rigged to show that communist policies had overwhelming support.
Questions
The referendum comprised three questions:
- Are you in favor of abolishing the Senate
Senate of PolandThe Senate is the upper house of the Polish parliament, the lower house being the 'Sejm'. The history of the Polish Senate is rich in tradition and stretches back over 500 years, it was one of the first constituent bodies of a bicameral parliament in Europe and existed without hiatus until the...
?- Do you want consolidation, in the future constitution of the economic system
Economic systemAn economic system is the combination of the various agencies, entities that provide the economic structure that defines the social community. These agencies are joined by lines of trade and exchange along which goods, money etc. are continuously flowing. An example of such a system for a closed...
founded on agricultural reform and the nationalisation of basic national industries, including the preservation of the statutory rights of private enterprise?- Do you want consolidation of the western border of the Polish State on the Baltic, Oder river and Lusatian Neisse
Oder-Neisse lineThe Oder–Neisse line is the border between Germany and Poland which was drawn in the aftermath of World War II. The line is formed primarily by the Oder and Lusatian Neisse rivers, and meets the Baltic Sea west of the seaport cities of Szczecin and Świnoujście...
?
Campaign
Parties of the pro-communist Democratic Bloc (PPR, PPS, SD, SLStronnictwo Ludowe
The People's Party was a Polish political party, active from 1931 in the Second Polish Republic. An agrarian populist party, its power base was composed mostly from peasants....
) campaigned heavily in favor of "Three Times Yes", while non-communist parties advocated various other combinations; hence the referendum was seen as unofficially deciding whether the Polish society supports or opposes communism. PSL and SP
Stronnictwo Pracy
Stronnictwo Pracy was a Polish Christian democratic political party, active from 1937 in the Second Polish Republic and later part of the Polish government in exile. Its founder and main activist was Karol Popiel....
, which realised what was really at stake in the vote, namely Polish independence and future of the country, advocated voting "no" on the first question, despite the fact that it had been opposed to the Senate's existence since before the war. The majority of PSL political support was in rural areas, among people who supported agricultural reform, so the party found it impossible to advocate voting "no" on the second question. Nonetheless, the party's opposition to the first question was used by the communists to declare the more liberal PSL activists "traitors". Catholic groups supported first "no", third "yes", and left the second to voters individual preferences. The Wolność i Niezawisłość party argued against the first two questions only, while NSZ
NSZ
NSZ can refer to:*Nanking Safety Zone*Polish National Armed Forces Narodowe Siły Zbrojne...
advocated a "no" for all three questions, as a sign of protest against the annexation of the eastern territories of Poland (known as the Kresy
Kresy
The Polish term Kresy refers to a land considered by Poles as historical eastern provinces of their country. Today, it makes western Ukraine, western Belarus, as well as eastern Lithuania, with such major cities, as Lviv, Vilnius, and Hrodna. This territory belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian...
) by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Results
The official results, published on 12 July 1946, showed that from a population of 13,160,451 eligible voters, 90.1% or 11,857,986 had taken part in the referendum. Of these, 11,530,551 or 97.2% were counted as valid. On the first question, 68% voters chose "yes". On the second question, 77.2% voted "yes". On the third question, 91.4% voted "yes".However, the official results were far removed from the actual results since the vote had been seriously compromised by the communists and their supporters. The communists, who already de facto controlled much of the government and had the backing of the military (both the Polish Wojsko Ludowe and Soviet Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
), used the police (Milicja Obywatelska
Milicja Obywatelska
Milicja Obywatelska was a state police institution in the People's Republic of Poland. It was created in 1944 by Soviet-sponsored PKWN, effectively replacing the pre-war police force. In 1990 it was transformed back into Policja....
) and the secret services (Urząd Bezpieczeństwa) to threaten, assault and even murder opposition activists, switch real ballots for false ones, stuff ballot boxes with false votes, consider blank ballots as “yes” votes, destroy votes not in favour of all or any of the three questions or simply falsify votes. Voting in the army was done on command and without secrecy. The falsification was overseen, just like the later Polish legislative election, 1947
Polish legislative election, 1947
The Polish legislative election of 1947 was held on January 19, 1947 in the People's Republic of Poland. The anti-communist opposition candidates and activists were persecuted and the eventual results were falsified...
, by Soviet experts like Aron Palkin and Semyon Davydov, both high-ranking officers from the Soviet Ministry for State Security
Ministry for State Security (USSR)
The Ministry of State Security was the name of Soviet secret police from 1946 to 1953.-Origins of the MGB:The MGB was just one of many incarnations of the Soviet State Security apparatus. Since the revolution, the Bolsheviks relied on a strong political police or security force to support and...
.
In Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, where the opposition managed to ensure a fair vote, the "no" results were: 84%, 59% and 30% for all three questions. PSL, which was able to obtain real records for approximately 48% of the voting districts, estimated that a "yes" for all three questions was chosen by 16,7% of respondents. Despite the protests of the opposition, led by Stanisław Mikołajczyk, and representatives of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the results were declared free and fair by the government.
Materials published after the communists lost power in Poland in 1989 show that the nationwide results were the following: for the first question, "yes" was chosen by 26.9% voters. For the second question, 42% chose "yes". For the third question, 66.9% chose "yes". Secret documents from the PPR show that they believed 27% of respondents had voted yes for all three questions. The official results indicated this figure was 68%.
The referendum demonstrated the weakness of the communists and encouraged them to increase their persecution of the opposition and general repression. It also discouraged them from holding any further referendums.
Further reading
- Davies, NormanNorman DaviesProfessor Ivor Norman Richard Davies FBA, FRHistS is a leading English historian of Welsh descent, noted for his publications on the history of Europe, Poland, and the United Kingdom.- Academic career :...
, 1982 and several reprints. God's Playground. 2 vols. New York: Columbia Univ. Press. ISBN 0-231-05353-3 and ISBN 0-231-05351-7 - M.Turlejska, Zapis pierwszej dekady, 1945-1954
- POLSKA. HISTORIA Article in Polish PWN Encyclopedia, online version. Accessed on 11 July 2005. Polish language.
- Nikita PetrovNikita PetrovNikita Vasilyevich Petrov is a Russian historian. He works at Memorial, a Russian organization dedicated to Soviet political repression. Petrov specializes in Soviet security services....
, “The Role of the MGB of USSR in the Sovietization of Poland: the Referendum and Sejm Elections in 1946-1947 (http://bbb.livejournal.com/1269125.html)