27 December - Greater Poland Uprising

 

The Greater Poland Uprising was a military insurrection that took place in the region of Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) in central-western Poland. The uprising occurred from December 27, 1918, to June 28, 1919, during the tumultuous period of the aftermath of World War I and the re-establishment of independent states in Central and Eastern Europe.

The primary goal of the Greater Poland Uprising was to secure the region of Greater Poland, with its capital in Poznań, and incorporate it into the newly formed Second Polish Republic, which was in the process of being established following the end of World War I and the collapse of the German and Austro-Hungarian empires.

At the time, the Treaty of Versailles was still being negotiated, and the fate of many territories in the region was uncertain. The German Empire had controlled Greater Poland, but the uprising sought to assert Polish sovereignty over the area. The Poles in Greater Poland, led by military and civilian leaders, organized themselves to resist German rule.

The uprising began on December 27, 1918, and it involved both military and civilian components. The Poles faced German forces, and the conflict continued until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919, which recognized the transfer of Greater Poland to the newly re-established Polish state. The successful Greater Poland Uprising significantly contributed to the expansion of the Second Polish Republic and the shaping of its borders after World War I.