The Silesian (Wroclaw) response to the events in Upper Silesia in the years 1918−1922/1926

Abstract

In the accounts of the events in Upper Silesia after the First World War there is
usually little mention of the position of the authorities of Wroclaw, a capital of
the Silesian province, administratively subdivided into three rejencje (districts):
Opole, Wroclaw and Legnica. On the basis of the resolution of the Landtag of
Prussia dated 14th October 1919, the Opole district was separated from Silesia and thus promoted to the rank of the Upper Silesian province, with the majority of the
Polish population that was to be attracted to Germany in view of the forthcoming
plebiscite (20th March 1921). After the plebiscite was held and Upper Silesia was
distributed between Germany and Poland in July 1922, there was an expectation
in Wroclaw that the authorities of the reduced Upper Silesian province would
relinquish the division of Silesia. However, they did not do so and the resolution
stating the division of the Silesian province was passed by the Landtag of Prussia
on 25th July 1923. Until 25th June 1925 Members from both provinces cooperated
in the Landtag of the region, a representative body of the local government which
convened in Wroclaw. At the end of its term when the election was held on 29
November 1925 and the estate of the province was divided in 1926, a final division
of Silesia took place, giving rise to two provinces which existed until 1938: Upper
Silesia including Opole and Lower Silesia including Wroclaw.