Abstract
Poland became a state by the union of a number of Slavonic tribes settled in the basins of the Vistula, the Warta and the Oder. The nation was converted to Christianity in 966. Under the Piast dynasty ( 10th–14th centuries) German ‘eastward expansion’ (Drang nach Osten) deprived Poland of her north-western and western borderlands. After the defeat of the Teutonic Order at Tannenbcrg (1410) and the partial recovery of Prussia, Poland’s political interests turned eastward. Temporary successes in White Russia and the Ukraine were bought by a permanent weakness on her western front. Poland reached the height of her power in the period between the 14th and 16th centuries under the rule of the Jagiellon dynasty. On its extinction the crown became elective and this, leading to an overgrowth of special rights granted to the nobility and gentry, resulted in the permanent weakness of the central authority. During the 17th and 18th centuries the position of Poland rapidly declined, and eventually, by the three partitions of 1772, 1793 and 1795, the Polish Commonwealth, as it was then called, was divided between Prussia, Russia and Austria.
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Books of Reference
STATISTICAL INFORMATION.—The Central Statistical Office, Warsaw (Wawelska St. 1–3) publishes’ statistical News’ (from Aug., 1945), with special issues;’ statistical Studies and Works’ (from 1950);’ statistics of Poland’ (from 1946; 20 vols, to end of 1951);’ statistical Tear Book’ (latest Eng. ed., 1948).
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Schmitt (B. E.) (editor), Poland. 2nd ed. Berkeley, Cal., 1951.
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Super (P.), 25 Years with the Poles. Trenton, N.T., 1951.
Taylor (J.), The Economic Development of Poland. Cornell Univ. Press, 1952.
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© 1954 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
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Steinberg, S.H. (1954). Poland. In: Steinberg, S.H. (eds) The Statesman’s Year-Book. The Statesman’s Yearbook. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230270831_62
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230270831_62
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
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