Korvinus
30 Sep 2025
History / Did Poles living in Germany support Hitler's rise to power before World War II? [161]
What would Germany have to offer Poland at this point? "Oh hai Poland, you will lose all your sea access and you'll be a puppet forever, but you can have all of Ukraine up to Kiev, including a big pissed-off Ukrainian population"? Why would Poland sign up to this? Why would Germany offer it in the first place?
The Nazis couldn't have allied Poland long-term, because occupying Poland was a stepping stone towards Lebensraum in the east. Perhaps if Poland had totally submitted to Germany, Germany might have given some concessions on the short term. But in the long run, never, because Nazi Germany was an existential threat to an independent Poland. Hitler is on record stating again and again that he wanted to get rid of the Poles.
Everyone knows the Hitler-Pilsudski pact during the period of tender friendship between Poland and Germany in 1934.
What would Germany have to offer Poland at this point? "Oh hai Poland, you will lose all your sea access and you'll be a puppet forever, but you can have all of Ukraine up to Kiev, including a big pissed-off Ukrainian population"? Why would Poland sign up to this? Why would Germany offer it in the first place?
The Nazis couldn't have allied Poland long-term, because occupying Poland was a stepping stone towards Lebensraum in the east. Perhaps if Poland had totally submitted to Germany, Germany might have given some concessions on the short term. But in the long run, never, because Nazi Germany was an existential threat to an independent Poland. Hitler is on record stating again and again that he wanted to get rid of the Poles.




