Did the Eastern part of Poland belong to Poland in 1883? (finding out about my ancestors)

Im trying to find out if my grandfathers father was born in "poland" or belarus or Russia!!!! does anyone no if Lublin-chelm was part of occupied by Poland in 1883?

Im trying to find out where my grandfathers father would of been when he was born-my grandfather was born in 1923 so would his father get shipped to america or became a soldier etc!! Thanks

Hi Tess

A quick google search reveals that at the time of your dziadek's birth Chelm was indeed occupied by the Russians. Technically, it still belonged to Poland however because Poland never relinquished it to Russia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland

2nd and 3rd paragraph

thank you both of you! Im "trying" to piece together my grandfathers life! i know my grandfathers father wasnt living with him around 1924 -1928 as he was living at his house with his mother and brother.....do you know if he would of been called up to join any army or shipped to another country please? also,would he then be classed as russian or polish :)

kind regards,
Tessa

This is quite different story. It's the period when Poland existed as a free country.

After partitioning Lublin and Chełm belonged to Austrian Habsbourgs between 1795 and 1915, then to Russian tsar. After WW1 region became a central part of regained II Rzeczpospolita Polska (Second Polish Commonwealtah).


Of course not. Ethnic nationalism was a very new invention that time and (with exception of higher class) nobody knew what's going on. People were classed mostly as Catholics, Orthodox, Old-Testaments, etc. You have to remember that i. e. for Habsbourgs subjected peasant from Cracow region "Pole" meant enemy even in 1900 because Pole was considered as an oppressor belonged to noble class "nation". Earlier, in 1846 almost 2000 nobles lost their life for that. II RP didn't class people according (new fashioned) nationality too.

Before WW1 people from partitioned Polish territories were called up to join all three occupant armies, but they were not sended to fight with their countrymen.

After WW1 people called up to join the new Polish army were sended to the other former occupation zone, i. e. from Russian part to western border, from Austrian part to eastern border, etc.